Philadelphia Eagles: Where does Donnel Pumphrey fit?
By Jeremy Klump
Donnel Pumphrey isn’t a three-down running back, but he will help the Philadelphia Eagles offense.
Running back was a big hole for the Philadelphia Eagles heading into the 2017 NFL offseason. Again, Ryan Mathews showed his most prominent defender are his injuries. In 2016, he struggled to be the lead back Philly needed. Darren Sproles is an elite third down specialist, but he will never be a guy that can carry the load. 2016 fifth round pick Wendell Smallwood has some potential, but his roof seems nothing more than to be a change of pace guy.
That led many to believe the Eagles would address the need early in the 2017 NFL Draft. Well, that was not the case. With running back Joe Mixon on the board in the second round, Philly decided to fill an even bigger hole: cornerback. They took Sidney Jones, which should pay off to be an excellent pick. However, it meant that the Eagles did not get the every down back they needed.
The Eagles finally pulled the trigger on a running back in the fourth round, San Diego State running back Donnel Pumphrey. If you read about Pumphrey, you would believe the Eagles hit the lottery getting him in the fourth round. Pumphrey led the nation with his 2,133 rushing yards in 2016. He also ran for 17 touchdowns last season. The 2015 and 2016 Mountain West Conference Player of the Year ended his four-year career as the all-time leader in yards from scrimmage (7,444).
More from NFL Spin Zone
- Dallas Cowboys made the trade everyone else should have made
- Pittsburgh Steelers rookie sleeper everyone should be talking about
- Anthony Richardson putting jaw-dropping talent on display immediately
- Denver Broncos’ stud wide receiver might be out for a while
- Washington Commanders: Three takeaways from win over Ravens
However, when you dissect Humphrey and see that he stood at 5-8 and weighed in at 176 pounds at the combine (meaning he gained weight and probably weighs less), you can see the Eagles just won a scratch off ticket instead. But that is okay because it will help and is still a win for the Eagles.
The biggest knock on Pumphrey is his inability to run in between the tackles. He has the heart and wants to be an every-down back, but his body and ability do not allow him to do it. Too many times, Pumphrey is tackled by an arm tackle that a thumper-type running back would break through. Philadelphia needs a guy that can run between the tackles on first and second down, but that will never be Pumphrey — and that’s okay.
Pumphrey will be utilized more as a weapon out of the backfield and a change of pace running back. He can also line up in the slot and run routes. Sproles isn’t getting younger so the Eagles ensured that they would be able to replace him after the 2017 season.
Next: Who are the NFL's best Under-25 players at each position?
In today’s NFL, having a player that can add value in the backfield and at slot receiver is huge. Look at how the Kansas City Chiefs use Tyreek Hill. He is a guy that returns punts and kicks, runs the ball, and lines up in the slot. If Pumphrey can add value like Hill, while filling the Sproles role, the Eagles will be ecstatic — even if they still are looking for an every-down back.