Senior Bowl Spotlight: Johnathan Franklin
Byron Lambert, Rosterwatch.com

Photo By BeatSC.com

Johnathan Franklin, RB UCLA

Height: 5’11”
Weight: 195
Age: 23

NFL Comparison:

Bilal Powell / Bernard Scott

Scouting Notes:

Johnathan Franklin showed dramatic growth over the course of his college career, an encouraging sign for NFL teams. He has good patience and vision and upfield burst on runs to the outside. He showed an improved pad level his senior season, while running with better leverage. Franklin demonstrates quality ability in the receiving game. He’s averaged 6 yards/carry over the last two seasons, steadily improving this statistic each of his four seasons. He’s also flashed big play ability, having produced several runs of over 50 yards.

Pros:
By his senior year, Franklin showed good patience, burst, and feet. Also vision for cutbacks. Not elite speed, but good speed that he has the ability to maintain on long plays. His pad level improved dramatically as he now runs with more forward lean and power, while finishing defenders off when he did not used to. Tends to improve as the game progresses. Shown the ability to make big plays in the receiving game. Can make hands catches.

Cons:
Questionable NFL size. Does not fight through traffic at the line of scrimmage well. He rounds his cuts off, they are not sharp, although they are fairly decisive. Too many of his plays are to the outside. He may not be an elite athlete. Does not possess dynamic moves in the open field. Prior to his senior campaign, Franklin was taken down far too easily.

Prediction:

Coming into the Senior Bowl, Johnathan Franklin is likely a Day 3 draft selection. He is not going to change the fortunes of any franchises but he could be a very good backup or possibly a playmaking complimentary piece in a committee approach. Chances are Franklin is a useful, but unspectacular back in the NFL. He could turn out to be a JAG.