Dallas Cowboys Draft: 10 Running Back Prospects To Know
Travis Homer, Miami (FL)
What’s Good: Pass Protection, Catching
What Ain’t Good: Balance, Tackle Breaking, Vision
Homer was next in line at the U after Mark Walton departed for the draft last year. In the last two seasons, Homer has had similar production averaging 5.9 yards per carry for over 950 yards each season according to Sports Reference. There are some good things in Homer’s game that translate well to the NFL, but there are some traits that inhibit is effectiveness.
Homer was okay at the Combine. According to the NFL, he ran a 4.48 second 40 yard dash, jumped 39.5 inches vertically, and jumped 10’10” horizontally. To average out how well he did in those three events, he ran a 7.07 second 3 cone drill and a 4.31 second 20 yard shuttle which aren’t very good numbers. Homer has the burst needed for a good running back, but it doesn’t show in his running.
The burst is an important topic to consider because his two worse qualities are his balance and tackle breaking. Having average to elite burst help runners maintain some balance after contact for more yards. In Homer’s tape, it’s evident that he goes down fairly easily. This isn’t great news regardless if the running back had outstanding vision….
Which is something Homer needs to work on. Games where he finishes with a solid output are a result of his patience and vision for finding holes the offensive line creates. This was a bigger issue against better defensive fronts where Homer’s impact to the team became nonexistent. This isn’t the news scouts love to hear.
But, Homer does some important things well that should help him land on a team. His pass protection is better than I would have expected, especially for someone who falls down quickly when it with contact. He stands his ground, but more importantly, recognizes free blitzers quickly, a trait not always seen in running backs.
In addition, Homer’s catching ability will serve him well in a third down running back type of role. He caught most of his passes in the backfield averaging 10.9 yards per reception according to Sports Reference. That number is essential his report because it will give teams a reason to draft him.
Could he be a Cowboy?:
Sure. The more I learned about Homer, I found it harder to place him in a round. His skill set resembles a traditional running back, and because he doesn’t provide anything unique, that makes his value plummet. Homer will probably be a backup at some point in his career, but for the Cowboys?
It seems likely. The Cowboys value running backs that can pass protect. Also, it’s not like he’s slow, he still ran pretty well in a straight line at the combine. For someone who will probably be used sparingly given how much they use Elliott, Homer could fit right in. He would be a late round gem the Cowboys could pick up with the hopes that exceeds the expectations people have for him.