NFL Draft results 2014: Bishop Sankey taken by Tennessee Titans at No. 54
Sankey becomes the first running back taken in the draft, all the way at No. 54 in the second round.
Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
The Tennessee Titans have drafted Washington running back Bishop Sankey with the No. 54 overall pick of the 2014 NFL Draft. Sankey is the first running back taken in the draft, all the way down in the second round.
Sankey was ranked No. 59 on SB Nation's top 200 big board, which placed him first among all running backs coming out this year, notably ahead of guys like Ka'Deem Carey of Arizona and Carlos Hyde of Ohio State.
Sankey was named a First-Team All-Pac 12 selection in 2013 and was named a Second-Team All-American. He was incredibly effective for the Huskies over the past two years, putting up 1,439 yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground in 2012. He improved on those numbers in a big way in 2013, carrying the ball 327 times for 1,870 yards and 20 touchdowns, adding 304 yards and a touchdown receiving on top of that.
SB Nation’s Danny Kelly says that while Sankey gets knocked for his size (5’10, 209 lbs.) and “lack of explosive athleticism,” there’s enough to conjure comparisons to Marshawn Lynch:
Breakaway speed and pure power are nice attributes in a running back, but an ability to make people miss is important, and having the vision to set up blocks and run to daylight is key. I'm not suggesting that Sankey is Marshawn Lynch redux, not at all, but one of Lynch's strongest attributes is his short-area agility. I think Sankey has that.
Combine results
Height: 5’10
Weight: 209
40-yard dash: 4.49
Bench press: 26
Vertical jump: 35 1/2
Broad jump: 10’6
20-yard shuttle: 4.00
3-cone drill: 6.75
He was second best among all running backs in the bench press and his 4.49 in the 40-yard dash is solid as well. He’s considered the top running back by most analysts, though this season hasn’t been a great one for the position. The NFL in general is turning away from paying running backs big dollars or spending too high a draft pick on them, but Sankey has good tape and put up very strong showings everywhere he needed to during the offseason.
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