Oakland Raiders: Five potential Draft Day running back targets
By Kevin Saito
Josh Adams (Notre Dame)
At six-foot-two, 213 pounds, Adams has decent size. And having run a 4.5 in the 40, he’s got decent speed. No, not world class speed, but he’s quick enough to get by some people. He’s also got the power to go through them if needed.
More from Golden Gate Sports
- Raiders: Rookie stock report following Week 3 performance
- 49ers sign new long snapper amidst a flurry of roster moves
- Oakland Athletics win Game 2 of Wild Card round with late-inning drama
- 49ers: George Kittle and Deebo Samuel cleared to return to practice
- 49ers expected to place DE Dee Ford on injured reserve
Running behind an outstanding offensive line, Adams was part of one the best rushing attacks in college football last season. He improved in each of his three seasons with the Fighting Irish, going from 835 yards and six touchdowns as a freshman, to 933 yards and five touchdowns as a sophomore.
As a junior, he carried the ball 206 times for 1,430 yards (an average of 6.9 yards per attempt), and scored nine times. He also hauled in 13 passes for another 101 yards on the season.
Running behind what is one of footballs most powerful offensive lines, and with fullback Keith Smith helping open up the running lanes, Adams could be a very nice fit in the Oakland backfield.
The knock on him is that he doesn’t have the fastest initial burst and takes a bit to build the momentum that allows him to bust through tackles. That flaw could potentially be mitigated by an above average offensive line and a powerful lead blocker – both things the Raiders have.
While not the perfect pick – and the Raiders could potentially could land him in the later rounds – with his speed and power, he could potentially bring some solid value to the backfield as they transition from Lynch to younger, fresher legs.