KSR NFL Draft Profile: Chris Rodriguez Jr.
The 2023 NFL Draft is quickly approaching. Professional football organizations are hosting final visits and making the last adjustments to their big board rankings. Personnel departments are focusing on the last weekend in April for the three-day mega-event in Kansas City that will include 224 picks over seven rounds.
For the Kentucky football program, the Wildcats might not have much action in the middle of the draft, but the program will get a ton of attention in the opening round. There are a handful of players that could end up being draft selections this month. KSR is here to get you ready after being there every step of the way — combine, pro day — during the pre-draft process.
Before KSR’s yearly draft guide publishes on draft week, we’ll be dropping profiles on all of the expected Kentucky draft picks in preparation for the event. Next up is one of the best tailbacks in program history.
KSR NFL Draft Profile: Will Levis
Player: Chris Rodriguez Jr.
- Height: 5-foot-11
- Weight: 217 pounds
- Age: 22.6
- Arm: 30 5/8 inches
- Hand: 8 5/8 inches
- 40-yard dash: 4.52
- Short Shuttle: 4.31
- Vertical: 33 inches
- Broad Jump: 9 feet, 6 inches
- Bench: 19 reps
Chris Rodriguez Jr. was a partial participant at the NFL Scouting Combine choosing to only complete the bench press. The tailback went through athletic testing at Kentucky’s pro day but did compete in the three-cone.
Rodriguez has never been considered a top-flight athlete at tailback. Therefore, his testing results in the pre-draft process were likely better than expected and certainly didn’t hurt his draft stock.
Production
- 2018: 3 games, 6 snaps, 2 carries, 43 yards, 21.5 yards per rush
- 2019: 13 games, 220 snaps, 71 carries, 533 yards, 6 touchdowns, 7.5 yards per rush, 1 reception
- 2020: 9 games, 262 snaps, 119 carries, 785 yards, 11 touchdowns, 6.6 yards per rush, 65.5% rushing success rate, 1 reception
- 2021: 13 games, 512 snaps, 225 carries, 1,379 yards, 9 touchdowns, 6.1 yards per rush, 55.1% rushing success rate, 13 receptions, First-team All-SEC
- 2022: 8 games, 306 snaps, 175 carries, 904 yards, 6 touchdowns, 5.2 yards per rush, 45.1% rushing success rate, 5 receptions
- Career: 46 games, 1,306 snaps, 592 carries, 3,644 yards, 32 touchdowns, 6.2 yards per rush, 20 receptions
Background
Chris Rodriguez Jr. was a low-three star recruit out of Greater Atlanta in the class of 2018. Playing for McDonough (Ga.) Ola, Rodriguez rushed for 4,730 yards and 66 touchdowns during his prep career. The tailback committed to Kentucky the summer before his senior campaign picking the Wildcats over Ole Miss and Mississippi State.
With Benny Snell Jr. setting the program rushing record in 2018, Rodriguez saw limited playing time as a true freshman preserving a redshirt season by playing in only three games. As a redshirt freshman in 2019, Rodriguez played a key role when Kentucky became the most run-heavy non-option team in college football with wideout Lynn Bowden Jr. playing quarterback. The young tailback flashed RB1 potential by producing a pair of 100-yard games in Kentucky’s final two regular season contests.
Rodriguez returned as a redshirt sophomore in 2020 and split time in the backfield. However, the tailback started to separate himself from the pack in Kentucky’s inside zone scheme. The Georgia native led the Wildcats in rushing yards (785) while producing a robust success rate (65.5%) emerging into one of the most efficient players in college football.
That strong play continued in 2021 under new offensive coordinator Liam Coen. Kentucky was unable to shift to the planned wide zone offense, but Rodriguez excelled in UK’s downhill run game. In his first year getting a full workload, the redshirt junior went for 1,379 yards and maintained great efficiency (55.1% success rate).
The efficiency took a hit in 2022, but that was mostly due to inefficient line play. Despite a career-low success rate (45.1%), Rodriguez was much more effective than the other tailbacks on Kentucky’s roster and would’ve reached 1,000 yards again if not for a four-game suspension to begin the year.
Scouting Report
Chris Rodriguez Jr. is a physical downhill runner that avoids negative plays and breaks tackles with efficiency but owns limited extra-base pop. Rodriguez can keep offenses ahead of the chains with his high batting average that is powered by singles.
Due to this player profile, the hiring pool could be somewhat limited in the draft.
Rodriguez has played a lot of snaps, owns tread on his tires, and will turn 23 years old in the first month of the 2023 NFL season. Despite being one of the older tailback prospects in this draft, there are legitimate unknowns surrounding the prospect as a receiver and blocker. Add in the fact that Kentucky struggled to make the transition to a wide zone scheme with Rodriguez in the lineup and that could scare teams away.
Franchises that utilize a downhill gap/tight zone running scheme looking for a secondary option to use in short-yardage and as a fill-in starter will evaluate Rodriguez closely. The All-SEC performer is one of the most efficient ball carriers in this draft and avoids negative run plays at a high rate. That will give the Kentucky prospect value as a high-floor player.
Improving in pass protection is what will allow Rodriguez to stick in the NFL. Unfortunately, we are not 100 percent sure how he will perform in a role like that yet due to the run-heavy nature of Kentucky’s offense. Rodriguez does own day one value as a situational ball carrier in a gap scheme and that should find him a home in a deep tailback class.
Draft Window
- Dane Brugler (The Athletic): No. 15 running back (5th round grade)
- ESPN: No. 190 overall (No. 16 running back)
Chris Rodriguez Jr. will enter draft week as a surefire Day 3 pick that appears to have a round 4-6 window. In a deep tailback draft, the Kentucky product has a clearly defined skillset but lacks explosive play potential and will provide limited pass game value on top of age being a factor.
Despite what could be classified as a low ceiling, physical tailbacks are still needed in the NFL. Rodriguez can immediately check that box.
Expect the Kentucky product to have an early shot at playing time as an NFL franchise will bring the experienced running back in to record carries early, move the chains, and potentially vulture touchdowns in goal-to-go situations to upset fantasy football managers around the globe.
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