Even though he is a rookie, 2019 second-round pick Miles Sanders should be the No. 1 running back for the Philadelphia Eagles right away.
The Philadelphia Eagles used a second-round pick, No. 53, to select former Penn State running back Miles Sanders in the 2019 NFL Draft. Sanders, who I had rated as the No. 1 running back in the 2019 NFL Draft, was the second running back the Eagles added this offseason.
Former Chicago Bears running back Jordan Howard was the first. Philadelphia traded for Howard prior to the draft. It was clear that the Eagles wanted to give quarterback Carson Wentz as much help as they could this season, but by drafting Sanders, they also care about the future. Howard only has one more year left on his contract, so the Eagles are hoping that Sanders is the running back of the future and a guy they can build around with Wentz.
It will be interesting to see how the Eagles use the combination of Howard and Sanders this season, with Corey Clement also likely to be involved in the mix. However, one thing is clear: Sanders should be the No. 1 running back for the Eagles in 2019.
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The Eagles love to use the running back by committee approach, and there is nothing wrong with that. However, they need someone to step up and be the lead dog. That should be Sanders.
Trading for Howard was a good move for the Eagles, something I believed immediately after and still do now. Howard is an awesome running back that can beat up a defense and get you the short yardage you are looking for. The only problem is that he is lacking in the passing attack and lacking that elite all-around skillset you look for in your running back.
Even with Howard’s skill set, Sanders is the perfect fit with the Eagles. Sanders is exactly what the Eagles needed at running back with the way he can make people miss, but also lower his shoulder and get the hidden yardage. He has elite traits at the position and Eagles fans will fall in love with the way he plays the game.
So, yes, Howard does give the Eagles the best 11 personnel in the NFL, but Sanders gives them an even better one. Sanders elevates their offense in ways that Howard cannot. Howard usually comes off the field on third downs or passing situations, but Sanders is a three-down back. He can catch the ball out of the backfield on third down and he is also able to pick up short yardage if he needs to.
A one-two punch of Sanders and Howard and then having Clement as the No. 3 is the perfect combination for the Eagles backfield. Wentz should have a big smile on his face knowing the Eagles are spending big at wide receiver this season and they also got him two running backs he can trust.
Sanders is definitely a preseason candidate to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year award because he should get the ball a lot in Philadelphia right away. Sanders isn’t just the running back of the future for the Eagles, he should be the No. 1 running back when the depth chart is released before Week 1 of his rookie season.