ISAIAH PEAD, RB Cincinnati Bearcats

Size: 5’10” / 200
Speed: 4.41 40-yard dash (with reported unofficial lows of 4.35)

2011 Season (including Liberty Bowl)
– 237 carries for 1259 yards and 12 TDs – 39 catches for 319 yards and 3 TDs
– Scored at least one touchdown in 10 out of 13 games. Posted 138 yards of total offense in one of his three non-touchdown performances.
– Big East Offensive Player of the Year

NFL Comparison
Jahvid Best

Style
Pead is an insanely instinctive runner. You hear analysts calling games on television who talk about a running back’s “vision” every time they make a nice run. The adjective is overused so much that I hate saying it; But he has crazy vision. He needs to in Cincy’s wide-open offense. He has great hands, and is a legitimate but not instinctual pass-blocker. He has a rare ability to casually flow laterally behind the line of scrimmage as a ball carrier, and cut the instant the seam develops. If you watch back film from this season, (and the highlight reel below) you will notice this happening most frequently with runs to his right, in which he cuts off his right foot back inside counter defensive flow. He does not make as confident a first-cut off of his left foot. When his RT and TE are not getting blown up, he has also shown the ability to get outside and turn a steep corner. The thing I notice most about Pead is his feet. He has the quickest, shiftiest feet through the line of scrimmage and to the 2nd (and even 3rd) level. He reminds me of Pierre Thomas in this way, based on foot work and positioning alone- of course there is not much else the two have in common. It seems crazy that Pead can be that fast without his feet moving bigger distances. This is one of the biggest reasons for his yards after contact. We have not unveiled our “official” initial draft rankings yet (coming really soon) but I can’t imagine Pead being outside of my Top 5 running backs. Maybe even Top 3.