Film Room: Breaking Down Five-Star RB Will Shipley

A look at Notre Dame's top running back target, five-star Will Shipley.

The top running back target for Notre Dame is Weddington (N.C.) Matthews star Will Shipley, and that’s been the case for quite some time.

After struggling to recruit the running back position in the 2016-19 classes, Notre Dame got back on track when it landed standout Chris Tyree in the 2020 class. Now second-year running backs coach Lance Taylor must show he can land top players every year, and Shipley is a must-get for Taylor and the Irish offense.

This film room breaks down Shipley’s game and shows why he is so important to the Notre Dame class.

WILL SHIPLEY, RUNNING BACK

Height: 5-11
Weight: 200

IB Grade: 5.0 (Top 25 caliber player)
Upside Grade: 5.0

Offers: Clemson, Ohio State, Georgia, Florida, Auburn, USC, Oregon, Stanford, Wisconsin, Penn State, Tennessee, North Carolina, West Virginia, South Carolina, Virginia, Virginia Tech, NC State, Wake Forest, Duke, Northwestern, Vanderbilt, Maryland, Illinois

SIZE-STRENGTH-DURABILITY — Shipley is a home run back, which will be discussed below, but he’s also built like an every down back. The Weddington star has a thick frame, especially in the lower body, and his stocky build should allow him to sustain a heavy workload as he continues to fill out and add college strength. His low-to-the-ground build helps him avoid big hits, especially when he keeps his pads low.

Even more important, he plays like an every down back. Yes, Shipley is a threat to go the distance every time he touches the football, but he’s also able to hammer defenses between the tackles. When there aren’t big holes the 200-pound back will simply keep the ball in both hands, lower his shoulders and drive through the line with force. You won’t have to worry about Shipley being willing to pound the defense just as effectively as he rips off big runs.

Shipley is a strong runner that can run through arm tackles, and he’s hard to bring down with straight on shots. He will use a stiff arm, but there’s room for improvement. I’d also like to see Shipley improve his ability to dip-and-rip through contact.

ATHLETIC SKILLS — The first thing that stands out about Shipley is his speed, and there are two key components to this. When he gets the ball he shows an impressive natural burst that allows him to quickly accelerate through the line or between defenders on the perimeter. That’s vitally important to a running back, and even more important than the second gear. But when a back has both a strong initial burst and home run acceleration he’s special, and that’s what Shipley brings to the game.

His track times don’t match those of Tyree, but it’s hard to tell any difference between their playing speed. Shipley can explode to the outside, and if he gets the corner it’s going to be a big play. There is snap after snap of him beating defensive backs to spots, eliminating their angle advantage as he blows past them for a big run.

There is more to an athleticism grade than speed, and that’s part of what makes Shipley so good. He’s not just fast, he’s athletic, and it translates well to the football field. Shipley has impressive foot quickness and balance, important traits for an every down back. He’s a fluid athlete that changes direction with ease, and he’s just as effective at sudden cuts as he is weaving through traffic on the second level.

His hips are just a tad tight, but other than that I really can’t find an athletic grade that doesn’t grade out as elite or borderline elite.

TECHNIQUE — Grading Shipley’s technique was interesting, because there are two distinct differences in his grade. When evaluating Shipley before and at the snap I knocked his grade down a bit because he is too high in his stance, which causes him to be a bit too high with his initial approach to the line. Shipley’s initial footwork is also inefficient, which causes him to get downhill on his track too quickly, something that doesn’t hurt him at the prep level but will need to be improved upon in college.

Then I start evaluating the other technical parts of his game, like his ability to set up blockers, his efficiency in space and how he carries the football, and he grades out extremely well. He’s far more efficient on the second level and downfield than he is at the snap. Once his initial footwork becomes cleaner his ability to explode through holes and punish defenses will become scary good.

Shipley’s ball security is outstanding. He constantly keeps the ball tight to his body, with his grip of the ball is textbook. He’s a natural with the ball, and you can see it when he’s running through the hole or cutting inside of a defender in space. When Shipley gets vertical and the ball is on the side of a defender you’ll see him instinctively slide the ball tight over his numbers, which again is textbook.

VISION-SKILLS — There are plenty of physically gifted backs who aren’t dynamic players, because being a big-time back in college requires more than just top physical tools. You need vision, second-level anticipation, the feel to set up blockers, and the ability to combine patience with decisiveness. Shipley grades out extremely well in each area, which combines with his elite athleticism to make him a truly dynamic football player.

As Shipley’s technique improves you’ll see these traits make him even more efficient and productive.

PASS GAME — Shipley is a true modern back in every sense of the word. He can beat teams between the tackles, he’s a home run treat on the perimeter and he can catch the ball likely a wide receiver. Shipley is confident in his skills as a pass catcher, which you can see by how often he snatches the ball out of the air and away from his body.

The Weddington star is a threat in the screen game and on quick perimeter throws, but he’s a quality route runner out of the backfield as well. Shipley also possesses enough of a feel for route running that he can legitimately lineup in the slot or on the outside and win at the prep level. His downfield ball skills are outstanding, which puts defensive coordinators in a major bind when he gets outside of the box.

I’ve seen very little of Shipley in pass protection, but when you consider his build, strength and willingness to embrace contact I would imagine all he would need to thrive in this department is experience. The reality, however, is that Shipley is far too dangerous in the pass game to have him spend the whole game in protection. He needs to be used as a weapon.

INTANGIBLES — Shipley has everything you want in a five-star running back. He’s got size, explosive athleticism, a good injury history, elite production, a winning attitude and high character. He’s the total package, which is why programs like Notre Dame and Clemson have him so high on their priority list.

FINAL ANALYSIS

As a junior, Shipley rushed for 2,066 yards (11.0 YPC) and 30 touchdowns. He caught 34 passes for 582 yards and eight more scores. He racked up 1,417 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns as a sophomore to go with 28 catches, 393 receiving yards and six touchdowns. Shipley also made 71 tackles the last two seasons on defense. That production combined with his skills is why he’s a consensus Top 50 recruit and a five-star on my board.

For Notre Dame, getting him out of the South remains a challenge, but Shipley is the prototypical “Notre Dame fit,” which is why they even have a chance with him. If running backs coach Lance Taylor can land the five-star back it would be a coup, and Shipley would combine with Tyree to give Notre Dame it’s best one-two backfield punch in consecutive classes in a very long time.

The positive for Notre Dame is that Tyree and Shipley complement each other quite well. Notre Dame wouldn’t be bringing him in just to compete with Tyree, because the two can not only be part of a dynamic rotation, they can line up on the field together since both are just as effective catching the ball as they are running with it. Tyree is also more of a low-touches, high-production player where as Shipley can be more of a bell cow that can also hit home runs.

When you look at the fit with Clemson, Shipley is more of the same kind of player as the Tigers five-star back from a year ago, Demarkcus Bowman. That might not matter in the end, as the Tigers seem to have the momentum in his recruitment, but don’t expect Notre Dame to go down without a fight. Shipley and Tyree could be a program-changing combination in the backfield.

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