Tank Bigsby - RB - Auburn
Listed Measurables:
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 210 lbs
Arms: 32"
Hands: 9 1/2"
Draft Age: 21.6 Y/O
Early Declare: Yes
Breakout Age: 18.3
BMI: 28.5
2023 NFL Combine Grades:
40-Yard Dash: 4.56s
10-Yard Split: 1.54s
Vertical Jump: 32.5"
Broad Jump: 9’11”
3 Cone Drill: N/A
20 Yd Shuttle: N/A
Bench Press: 21 Reps
Career Notes:
al.com
Tank Bigsby developed his knack for knocking over defenders at Callaway High School in his hometown of Hogansville, Georgia. A brute force on opposing high schoolers, Bigsby rushed for 3857 yards (2221 as a Junior, 1636 as a Senior) and 49 touchdowns (22 as a Junior, 27 as a Senior). Bigsby earned a four-star recruit rating from ESPN and 24/7 but pulled a five-star rating as the number one recruit in his class, according to Rivals.com. The Georgia native received several high-profile offers from powerhouse programs but would commit to Auburn, less than a one-hour drive away from his hometown of Hogansville.
Accolades:
SEC Freshman of the Year (2020)
All-SEC Second Team (2020)
Auburn Offensive Player of The Year (2021)
All-SEC Third Team (2022)
Past Production/Collegiate Career:
Bigsby was immediately inserted as Auburn’s lead back in his freshman year, breaking out with three consecutive 100-yard outings against SEC opponents (Arkansas, South Carolina, Mississippi State). He would finish his freshman season playing in 10 games with 834 rushing yards on 138 attempts (6.0 YPC) and five touchdowns en route to being named the SEC Freshman of the Year.
As a sophomore, the budding star improved on a sellar year one. Bigsby rushed for 1099 yards on 223 carries (4.9 YPC) while improving on his receiving pedigree with 21 receptions for 184 yards (8.8 YPR) in 2021. He recorded 10 touchdowns across 13 games but showed some ball-handling issues with four fumbles.
In 2022, Bigsby regressed in both usage and efficiency amidst transfer portal rumors and several coaching changes at Auburn. The new staff refused to let their workhorse running back roam free as Bigsby was relegated to 178 rushing attempts, averaging 5.5 YPC for 976 yards. The star running back matched his previous season-high with 10 touchdowns while cleaning up his security issues, recording no fumbles. Bigsby also added an impressive blend of receiving upside to his resume during his final season, accounting for 15.3% of the team’s targets and 18.8% of the team’s total receptions.
Bigsby declared early for the NFL Draft following a disappointing final year at Auburn, electing to take his chances in a loaded draft class as opposed to returning to the horrendous coaching perils that remain at his alma mater.
Stats to Know:
247 Sports
>30.0% Dominator Rating before turning 19 years old.
1993 of his career 2903 rushing yards came after contact.
44 runs over 20 yards with 155.0 total missed tackles forced across three seasons in the SEC.
Graded with a 111.6 elusive rating from PFF.
Accounted for 48.2% of Auburn’s total team rushing production, 23.8 of all offensive yards and 24.3% of all offensive touchdowns during his three-year tenure with the program.
2020 Stats:
10 GP
138 CAR
35.9% RSH Share
834 YDS (5 TD)
6.0 YPC
45.5% RSH YDS Share
1.12 RSH YDS/TA
11 REC
5.1% REC Share
13 TGT
3.6% TGT Share
84 YDS (0 TD)
0.23 RY/TPA
3.5% REC YDS Share
7.6 YPR
0.0% REC TD Share
149 Touches
918 Scrimmage Yards (5 Total TD)
6.2 YPT
21.6% Total OFF. YDS Share
17.9% Total OFF. TDS Share
91.8 Scrimmage YPG
2021 Stats:
13 GP
223 CAR
51.5% RSH Share
1099 YDS (10 TD)
4.9 YPC
51.8% RSH YDS Share
1.24 RSH YDS/TA
21 REC
7.9% REC Share
28 TGT
6.4% TGT Share
184 YDS (0 TD)
0.40 RY/TPA
5.8% REC YDS Share
8.8 YPR
0.0% REC TD Share
244 Touches
1283 Scrimmage Yards (10 Total TD)
24.5% Total OFF. YDS Share
25.6% Total OFF. TDS Share
5.3 YPT
98.69 Scrimmage YPG
2022 Stats:
12 GP
179 CAR
37.2% RSH Share
970 YDS (10 TD)
5.4 YPC
38.9% RSH YDS Share
1.22 RSH YDS/TA
30 REC
18.8% REC Share
42 TGT
15.3% TGT Share
180 YDS (0 TD)
0.58 RY/TPA
8.6% REC YDS Share
6.0 YPR
0.0% REC TD Share
209 Touches
1150 Scrimmage Yards (10 Total TD)
25.4% Total OFF. YDS Share
29.4% Total OFF. TDS Share
5.5 YPT
95.83 Scrimmage YPG
Collegiate Career Totals:
flywareagle.com
35 GP
540 RSH
41.5% RSH Share
2903 YDS (25 TD)
5.4 YPC
62 REC
83 TGT
8.4% TGT Share
448 YDS (0 TD)
7.2 YPR
0.9 YPRR
513 Routes
11.5% Slot Rate
10.3% Wide Rate
602 Touches
3351 Scrimmage Yards (25 Total TD)
5.6 YPT
95.74 YPG
111.6 Elusive Rating
Collegiate Career Bests:
13 GP
223 CAR
51.5% RSH Share
1099 YDS (10 TD)
4.9 YPC
51.8% RSH YDS Share
1.24 RSH YDS/TA
30 REC
18.8% REC Share
42 TGT
15.3% TGT Share
180 YDS (0 TD)
0.58 RY/TPA
8.6% REC YDS Share
6.0 YPR
0.0% REC TD Share
244 Touches
1283 Scrimmage Yards (10 Total TD)
25.4% Total OFF. YDS Share
29.4% Total OFF. TDS Share
5.5 YPT
98.69 Scrimmage YPG
Scouting Report:
NFL Draft Grade: 6.15 (Good Backup With Potential To Be Starter)
Next-Gen Draft Grade: 74 (Good)
Scouting Strengths:
al.com
Born NFL Ready.
Quickly processes and breaks down stacked fronts.
Can cut and turn up the field on a dime.
Laterally quick but lacks some straight-line speed.
Elusive even in a phone booth. Can squeeze and wiggle through tight windows between the tackles.
Willing and able to extend the play on every touch.
Shrugs off weak tackles with brute force.
Short-yardage truck.
Much better receiver than given credit for. Has smooth hands and good open-field vision after securing the catch.
Gets better as the game goes on. Truly grinds out a defense over 4 quarters, maintaining incredible efficiency throughout the contest.
Scouting Weaknesses:
Stands upright when breaking away from runners, sacrificing power and vision for straight-line speed that he does not possess.
Labeled a prototypical power back and three-down workhorse but lacks the historic size to maintain that role at the pro level.
Good pass-catcher, but a terrible route runner. Has a career aDOT of negative 1.2 yards. Cannot break away from cover defenders on complex route trees.
Has good athleticism but lacks the burst and elite quickness of some of his fellow draft mates.
Expected Draft Capital:
Projected Round: 3rd
EDP: 83.5
Consensus Position Rank: RB6
Perfect Fit/Landing Spot:
Los Angeles Chargers
Arizona Cardinals
Chicago Bears
Consensus Landing Spot:
Arizona Cardinals
Top NFL Player Comparisons:
gridironheroics.com
Najee Harris
Rhamondre Stevenson
AJ Dillon
Darrell Henderson
David Montgomery
Dalvin Cook
Joe Mixon
James Conner
C.J Prosise
Jay Ajayi
Marshawn Lynch
Deuce McCallister
*All Comparisons subject to change with NFL Draft capital and landing spot
Future NFL/Fantasy Outlook:
Bigsby is a traditional pure-rusher with a three-down skill set and a proven resume of positive production in the SEC. A closer look at the talented rushers' regression at Auburn gives us insight into the red flags that are keeping many away from drafting Bigsby. Although his overall counting stats and efficiency regressed, Bigsby maintained market shares well above the threshold of concern for a collegiate prospect. The well-rounded back was the only positive piece of a horrendous Auburn offense that managed just 34 total touchdowns across 13 games in 2022. Bigsby’s size, creativity, and do-it-all skill set make him an excellent sleeper candidate to take over an NFL backfield as early as his first season. The former Auburn product should be a priority target for managers in the second round of their upcoming rookie drafts.
Much respect, thank you for reading. If you have any continued thoughts and would like to share, I am always available for an open conversation on Twitter: @PsychWardFF or Instagram: @psychwardff.
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