Bills prospect RB Javian Hawkins

[YoloinOhio]

 

[quote]He is exceptionally quick, elusive, and has the speed to take the football the distance from anywhere on the field. What he lacks in size, he makes up in big-play potential. At the next level, Hawkins doesn’t profile as a feature back, but his skill set demands a few chances each week to get involved in the passing game, jet motion, and perimeter runs. The challenge with Hawkins in the NFL is he lacks natural vision, is undersized, and has some ball security issues. Despite his skill set translating well to pass-catching duties out of the backfield, he only caught 21 passes in college, so he must prove his ability to be a reliable receiver. Hawkins is a niche player, but his ability to produce big plays and add a speed dynamic gives him a chance at the next level[/quote]

Projected 5th round 

[whatdrought]

Shoot. We’re officially at the point in the draft process where all my sleepers get discovered.

 

love the speed on this guy. He and his teammate Tutu Atwell have incredible speed and I’d love to have some of it on the Bills...

[wppete]

 

[Solomon Grundy]

1 hour ago, YoloinOhio said:

 

[quote]He is exceptionally quick, elusive, and has the speed to take the football the distance from anywhere on the field. What he lacks in size, he makes up in big-play potential. At the next level, Hawkins doesn’t profile as a feature back, but his skill set demands a few chances each week to get involved in the passing game, jet motion, and perimeter runs. The challenge with Hawkins in the NFL is he lacks natural vision, is undersized, and has some ball security issues. Despite his skill set translating well to pass-catching duties out of the backfield, he only caught 21 passes in college, so he must prove his ability to be a reliable receiver. Hawkins is a niche player, but his ability to produce big plays and add a speed dynamic gives him a chance at the next level[/quote]

Projected 5th round 

Darren Sproles like???

[Hapless Bills Fan]

Bills scouts have met with him per this:

 

[Aaronthebaron]

Yes yes yes. I really think we need a burner RB, someone that’s a threat to break long runs and take some pressure off the passing game.

[Gambit]

We definitely need some speed on the offensive side. If he can also return, he could possibly replace both Roberts and McKenzie. And yes, I realize he isn't a WR. I mean more so the role they have. 

[Buffalo Junction]

I’d be worried about his vision. A lot of his college highlights - I haven’t watched full games yet - look like they’d end up as TFLs in the NFL with bigger, stronger, and faster defenders at every position, especially because he doesn’t run with the patience to let combination blocks develop or really press gaps. So the question is....

 

Does he provide anything that McKenzie doesn’t? To be blunt, this teams run blocking isn’t good enough for Hawkins to just nail gaps reliably inside or outside without breaking tackles or running with creativity. 

[BuffaloBills1998]

I think we draft Harris unless Miami gets him before us

[YoloinOhio]

22 minutes ago, Buffalo Junction said:

I’d be worried about his vision. A lot of his college highlights - I haven’t watched full games yet - look like they’d end up as TFLs in the NFL with bigger, stronger, and faster defenders at every position, especially because he doesn’t run with the patience to let combination blocks develop or really press gaps. So the question is....

 

Does he provide anything that McKenzie doesn’t? To be blunt, this teams run blocking isn’t good enough for Hawkins to just nail gaps reliably inside or outside without breaking tackles or running with creativity. 

McKenzie = WR

Hawkins = RB

[jkx2]

5 hours ago, YoloinOhio said:

 

[quote]He is exceptionally quick, elusive, and has the speed to take the football the distance from anywhere on the field. What he lacks in size, he makes up in big-play potential. At the next level, Hawkins doesn’t profile as a feature back, but his skill set demands a few chances each week to get involved in the passing game, jet motion, and perimeter runs. The challenge with Hawkins in the NFL is he lacks natural vision, is undersized, and has some ball security issues. Despite his skill set translating well to pass-catching duties out of the backfield, he only caught 21 passes in college, so he must prove his ability to be a reliable receiver. Hawkins is a niche player, but his ability to produce big plays and add a speed dynamic gives him a chance at the next level[/quote]

Projected 5th round 

No more undersize backs

[Coach Tuesday]

Yeah I’m not sure on him.  21 catches in college.  Doesn’t seem to have a powerful base - Alvin Kamarra is low key a power back - that’s what you’re looking for, in addition to raw speed, some other “plus” factor like effectiveness in the passing game or some ability to break a tackle.  Can he pass protect on third down with that frame?  If not, he’s going to be used so sparingly I’m not sure it’s worth a draft pick investment.  And I agree with the poster above about the spin moves in the backfield - those aren’t going to work at the next level.  He’ll lose 6 yards.

[GunnerBill]

He is a throw away pick guy only IMO. 6th / 7th / PUDFA.

 

That said I am okay spending a throw away pick on a back with speed. 

[NewEra]

5 hours ago, jkx2 said:

No more undersize backs

No more slow backs

[gotme365]

Yeah I wouldn’t mind a running back with speed as long as they didn’t draft him before the 8th or 9th round

[NewEra]

1 hour ago, gotme365 said:

Yeah I wouldn’t mind a running back with speed as long as they didn’t draft him before the 8th or 9th round

I take it you don’t think our RB room can use an element of speed?  That worried about a 7th rd pick huh?

Edited February 26, 2021 by NewEra

[gotme365]

Honestly I’d rather spend a 7th on a developmental prospect on the o line or LB. I’m positive that there will be undrafted running backs with speed. If  they really want one they can sign one of them

[SoCal Deek]

We believe the problem with our running game was that our backs didn’t hit the wall of humanity, that was supposed to be a hole, fast enough? Really? I beg to differ. The Bills need a running back with both size and vision. So many times our backs (mostly Singletary) were either brought down by a feather, or missed the cutback into the hole that was just one slot to their left or right. Unless you plan on completely changing the O Line, having more speed at RB isn’t going to accomplish a thing.

[NewEra]

38 minutes ago, SoCal Deek said:

We believe the problem with our running game was that our backs didn’t hit the wall of humanity, that was supposed to be a hole, fast enough? Really? I beg to differ. The Bills need a running back with both size and vision. So many times our backs (mostly Singletary) were either brought down by a feather, or missed the cutback into the hole that was just one slot to their left or right. Unless you plan on completely changing the O Line, having more speed at RB isn’t going to accomplish a thing.

Lol....who said that?  There can more than one problem with a running game.   OL play is one. Scheme is another.  Not having enough diversity in our back field is another. Not having enough speed to the corner is another.  
 

we don’t have to fix every aspect, but a couple tweaks here and there in different areas can help.  Adding a back with speed to the corner that the opposing defense has to account for can help our run game. 

[H2o]

I posted about him in another thread as well. The guy is lightening in a bottle. He's smallish @ 5'9", but has a thick build weighing 195lbs and speed like no other RB on this roster has.