Scouting Report: Jonathon Brooks (RB) - Texas
Sales Pitch: “Well rounded running back with the size and movement skills to be a true bell cow. High end tackle breaking ability and downhill burst makes him a load to handle but needs seasoning as a one year starter. Capable of providing true 3-down value as a pass catcher.”
Athletic Profile
Height: 6’ 0 3/8”
Weight: 216 lbs
Arm Length: 31 1/2”
Hand Size: 9 1/4”
40 Yard Dash: N/A
10 Yard Split: N/A
Vertical: N/A
Broad Jump: N/A
Short Shuttle: N/A
3-Cone: N/A
Age: 20
Relative Athletic Score: N/A
Statistics
Career: 238 Carries - 1,479 Yards - 6.2 YPC - 16 Touchdowns
2023: 187 Carries - 1,139 Yards - 6.1 YPC - 10 Touchdowns
Strengths
Bigger back w/ plus quickness and agility
Quickly gets north-south as a runner to maximize yardage
Finds creases and cutback lanes as a one cut runner
Lateral agility and jump cuts to make first man miss in hole
Good burst through the hole and 2nd level
Powerful leg drive to push piles at the end of the run
Strong lower half and tremendous balance to string together broken tackles
Agility and contact balance to make DBs miss in the open field
Natural hands catcher that transitions to ball carrier smoothly
Brings toughness and physicality as a pass protector1 career fumble
Weaknesses
Lacks creativity as a runner when the play breaks down
Struggles to anticipate holes opening backside
Fails to set up and manipulate 2nd level defenders
Does not adjust well on the fly later in runs
Lacks elite gear to pull away in open field
Technique and positioning in pass protection needs cleaning up
Torn ACL in 2023 season
Summary
Jonathon Brooks is a big powerful back with good movement skills and three down versatility. The former 4-Star recruit burst onto the scene in 2023 with a break out 1,400 yard, 10 touchdown season and looks poised to be the next talented Texas RB to join the NFL ranks. Brooks is a violent downhill runner with tremendous balance. He quickly gets north and south, displaying good pad level and strong leg drive to consistently push piles forward. His no nonsense running style combined with good burst generated a large amount of chunk runs for the Texas run game. Brooks has the lateral agility to make the first man miss in the hole and elude DBs in the open field. He consistently is able to run through arm tackles and create yards after contact due exceptional contact balance. He is also a capable third down back, he displays soft natural hands out of the backfield and competent pass protection for a young back. A first year starter, Brooks still has a ways to go in terms of polish, especially when it comes to his vision. He does a nice job taking grass when it becomes available to him and his north-south styles translates well to one cut runs like outside zone. However, Brooks struggles to create space for himself as a runner and overall lacks creativity. He fails to set up 2nd level defenders with his eyes and doesn’t anticipate holes before they open. He often take the safe approach of burying his head into the pile and picking up a handful of yards as opposed to being patient and looking for a cutback lane. Brooks is a quicker than fast back and lacks that top end gear in the open field. His breakaway speed is more of the 10-20 yard variety as opposed to 20+. DB’s with plus speed that take good pursuit angles are easily able to cut him off and chase him down. Brooks projects as a lead back with scheme versatility and three down impact. Questions about a one year sample size and a recent major injury (Brooks tore his ACL in November of 2023) may drop him on draft night but his well rounded game and physical gifts at 20 years old indicate a plus starter ceiling.