Scouting The 2013 NFL Draft: RB Dri Archer

By Scott Salmon@SSalmon57 Dec 19, 2012, 6:18pm EST

I now present to you, RB Dri Archer, Kent State University.

Measurables

Height: 5'8"

Weight: 175 lbs.

40-yard-dash: 4.27 seconds

Positives

Absurdly fast
Incredible lateral movement ability
Great vision
Extremely versatile, can play RB, WR, KR, PR.
The only real playmaker on his team, everybody knew he was getting the ball, and he still made plays.
Tough, will grind out the extra yards.
Excellent balance.
Can catch the ball and run routes.
Stepped up in big games.
Phenomenal acceleration.

Negatives

Very short, about the same height as Ray Rice, taller than Darren Sproles.
Played against inferior opponents.
Drops some passes that should be caught.
Sometimes runs a little too much east-west instead of north-south, looking for a big play.

How He Fits (NYJ)

Archer is a great mid-round pickup that will excel as a kick and punt returner and in limited duty as a possible third-down scat back. He's the definition of a playmaker, as he leads the country in kickoff return yards and is tied for first in return touchdowns with three this season. He may be slightly redundant with Joe McKnight in the fold, however it seems apparent that the team is unhappy with McKnight for whatever reason. Archer has a 9.0 YPC average with 1352 yards and 15 touchdowns. On a team desperately needing playmakers, Archer would fit in extremely well.

Player Comparison

I see a lot of Darren Sproles in Archer. He has phenomenal lateral ability and is just a playmaker at ever level. He can run the ball, split out wide, and is the most dynamic returner in the NCAA. Like Sproles, he's short, but he's not small. He plays like he's a much bigger man than he is. Hard to bring down, and hard to keep off the scoreboard.