Samaje Perine is the Perfect Complementary Power Running Back in the 2017 NFL Draft

By Djack

Combine week is a huge week in the football world for crazed fans. You get to see which prospects put in the work to make a name for themselves, and which ones watched a little too much tv and ate too much chips, instead of preparing for the big day. The big names are always the ones the critics follow so intensely, what numbers will they put up in an irrelevant vertical leap test, even though players of that caliber shouldn't even be remotely judged off those silly test, but whatever, that's just how these things work. The point I'm trying to make is this is the perfect time for a low key name to become a hot target. Today, Samaje Perine, did exactly that.

Perine wasn't the best running back on his own team how can any GM expect him to become successful in the NFL, he couldn't even keep his starting job in college. Well, Perine isn't supposed to be an every down back, Perine is a bruiser, he wants to initiate contact, battle ram through people, and pick up tough yards. He certainly won't be a 1st round selection, probably not a 2nd either, but come 3rd or 4th round Perine's a name that will be talked about a bunch. Here's why.

Although he was overshadowed at Oklahoma by Joe Mixon's unbelievable season, Perine has quietly been one of the best running backs in college football the last 3 years. Showing durability and a continued drive towards excellence, along with remarkable consistency, Samaje Perine is exactly what a NFL team should want. He ran for 4,122 yards in 3 seasons with the Sooners, eclipsing 1k yards each season he was there. Throw in his 51 total touchdowns and 6.0 YPC average, all the sudden you're looking at one of the most underrated backs in the draft. At the combine today he made quite the name for himself when he banged out 30 reps on the bench press, most of any running back by far, and more than most offensive lineman. Safe to say power and pass blocking isn't something you'll be worried about with this guy. Whatever team needs another running back to match with their shiftier, speedier, more nibble back, Perine would be the perfect complement to whomever that may be.

When that thought crossed my mind, the pairing Perine with a speed shifty guy, a lightbulb immediately went off in my head. This guy is the perfect fit for the Giants and I'm more than sold on him already. Instead of spending a boat load of money on running back by signing AP or Charles, let's not overreact to our running back situation and just draft this guy to pair with Perkins. Perkins and Perine will be the better version of Bradshaw and Jacobs, I can already see it now, and it looks so damn glorious. Jerry Reese take notes, hope you realize what I'm realizing and make this happen.