"Good athlete and runs with vision, speed and and short area quickness. ...although, not sure he plays as explosive as he tested, and he's not a physical runner"
Strengths:
Solid size, lateral quickness and good burst. Can shake defenders in the tightest of spaces. Solid effort and awareness in pass pro. Solid vision, patience and runs to daylight. Flashes the ability to be a deceptive route runner.
Good short yardage runner because of his burst and quick feet. Changes direction quickly and can turn the corner. Flashes ability to drive and push a pile. Tested like an elite athlete and shined in on field drills at the combine.
Weaknesses:
Had issues with ball security in his breakout season. Finesse runner that's inconsistent through contact. Technically sound in pass pro but lacks physicality. Inconsistent hands. Doesn't play as explosive as he tests. Can be late to recognize when the play is over and turns a short loss into a massive one.
Overall:
Sanders had an impressive senior season taking over for Barkley and at times looked a lot like Barkley-lite. He's a great athlete and runs with vision, lean and quickness. He's patient and elusive and flashes the ability to keep his feet driving on contact. He's a threat in the open field with chunk play speed.
That said, he doesn't quite play as fast or as explosive as he tested at the combine and is generally a soft runner that's inconsistent running through first contact. The biggest issue with Sanders could be his ball security. He put the ball on the ground too often and won't last if that's not corrected.
He projects as a change of pace guy that could grow or assume a larger role similar to a Kenyan Drake or Joe Addai. He was largely overlooked during the regular season coming out under Barkley's shadow but really impressed in athletic and field testing at the combine looking like the most talented guy on the field at Lucas Oil.
NFL Comp: Roy Helu Jr