Rex Burkhead | Running Back | Nebraska, senior | 5'11'', 210 pounds
Rex Burkhead 2013 NFL Draft scouting notes
2011 Stats: 284 rushes, 1,357 yards, 15 touchdowns, 177 receiving yards, 2 touchdowns
Games Watched: Ohio State, Wisconsin, Michigan State
First Word: Rex Burkhead is not a flashy player by any means, but he is a reliable running back who can do just about everything well at the position. He rumbled his way to a productive 2011 season, showing tremendous durability and consistency along the way. He runs hard and has decent burst in short areas. Burkhead will need to find an extra gear in his senior season in order to improve his draft stock, which is currently outside of the first round.
Strengths:
- Burkhead is an extremely tough runner. He fights for every yard and isn't afraid to take on defenders on inside runs.
- Burkhead's combination of vision and short-area burst are tools that help him find cut-back lanes and turn short gains into first downs.
- Burkhead doesn't have to come off the field on third down due to his superior pass blocking ability and his reliable hands out of the backfield. He is not an elite pass-catching running back, but he has enough skill to make plays.
- Burkhead's durability is a huge plus. He carried the ball more than 20 times in eight games a year ago.
Weaknesses
- Burkhead is not an elite athlete. While he has some speed and decent burst, I question his ability to run away from defenders at the next level.
- While Burkhead fights for every yard, he doesn't exactly create big plays on his own. Unlike some of the top backs in this year's class, he doesn't make strong cuts or get to the edge effectively due to his lack of elite athleticism.
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