T. J. (Timothy Antonio) Yeldon is an interesting option

Yeldon is 25 years old. He was a five-star recruit going into college. He was a 2nd round pick 36th overall in the 2015 draft. He ran a 4.52 40 at 6'1" 226 with a 36-inch vertical jump.

2015 12 games 740 yards rushing 4.1 per carry 36 receptions 279 yards receiving
2016 15 games 465 yards rushing 3.6 per carry 50 receptions 312 yards receiving
2017 10 games 253 yards rushing 5.2 per carry 30 receptions 224 yards receiving (Leonard Fournette selected by JAX 2017 draft Round: 1 Pick: 4th overall)
2018 12 games 401 yards rushing 4.0 per carry 53 receptions 472 yards receiving

Pre-draft measurables
Ht 6 ft 1 in
Wt 226 lb
40-yard dash 4.52 s
10-yd split 1.57 s
20-yd split 2.56 s
20-ss .22 s
20-ss 7.19 s
Vert jump 36 in
Broad 9 ft 9 in
BP 22

2015 NFL Draft Scouting Report: T.J. Yeldon

Strengths:
Very smooth runner
Weaves his way through a defense
Ideal size
Quickness
Excellent vision
Fast feet
Moves in the open field; can make you miss
Burst to the second level
Receiving ability
Improved blitz protection
Breaks tackles and gets yards after contact
Can wear down a defense
Ready to contribute
Scheme versatile
Experienced 3-year contributor
Upside

Weaknesses:
Added too much weight and lost speed
Ball-security issues
Gets nicked up; consistently banged up
Worked over hard at Alabama

Summary: Alabama has been a factory for NFL running backs for many years now. There have been some duds like Trent Richardson and Glen Coffee, and there have been some stars like Eddie Lacy. Yeldon will keep the tradition going in this draft, and in speaking with league contacts, the general feeling is that Yeldon won't be a bust like Richardson, but may not be as good as Lacy is for Green Bay.

Yeldon was a freshman sensation in 2012. He received only 175 carries that season, but totaled 1,108 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also caught 11 passes for 131 yards and a score. While Lacy was a large downhill runner, Yeldon had some explosiveness. He ripped off a number of big gains with mismatch speed. That season Yeldon was lighter, around 200-210 pounds, and he showed off a very fast first-step to explode through the hole and to the second level. He looked like he was a step ahead of the defense that season.

As a sophomore and junior, Yeldon added 15-20 pounds of bulk to handle a heavier work load. While he played well, he didn't have the same burst he displayed in his freshman season. Yeldon averaged six yards per carry in 2013 for 1,235 yards with 14 touchdowns. The sophomore chipped in 18 catches for 160 yards, too. As a junior, Yeldon averaged five yards per carry for 979 yards with 11 touchdowns. He had 15 receptions for 180 yards and a touchdown through the air. Yeldon also lost some carries to Derrick Henry.

Yeldon is a very smooth runner who doesn't seem to be running at full speed, yet he weaves his way through a defense. He is quick to hit the hole and accelerate to the second level. Yeldon has the power to run through tackles, pick up yards after contact, and finish his runs well. He has superb vision, balance and quick feet to move through a defense.

In the NFL, Yeldon should be a one-cut downhill runner in a zone-blocking scheme, or dart his way around blocks and tackles in a man scheme. He has a real combination of size, quickness and running ability. Yeldon needs to improve his ball security and cut down on the fumbles. He also will need work on blocking, and another negative is his tendency to get banged up enough that his playing time can sometimes be limited.

I think that Yeldon could be a good three-down running back in the NFL. In my opinion, he would be better off following the example of Le'Veon Bell and dropping some weight. That would make him faster and more dynamic like his freshman season.

In speaking with sources, they feel that Yeldon is being underrated and someone is going to get a nice value with him. He has the skill set and tape to warrant consideration early in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft.
[walterfootball.com]