NFL Draft Scouting Report: Is Tulane Running Back Tyjae Spears a Good Fit in Bengals' Offense?

The 21-year-old is one of the top backs in this class.

Mike Santagata | Mar 3, 2023

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Cincinnati Bengals

Tyjae Spears played a major role in Tulane’s magical season, helping the Green Wave win 12 games for the first time since 1998, which included a win over USC in the Cotton Bowl.

Spears was named the MVP of the game, running for 205 yards and four touchdowns on 12 yards-per-carry. He had over 1,800 yards from scrimmage and 21 touchdowns in2022.

After flying under the radar for the early parts of the draft process, Spears finally got the recognition he deserved at the Senior Bowl. The 21-year-old running back was one of the best in college football this past season due to his vision, elusiveness, and flexibility.

Where He Excels

The one way to describe Spears running style is slippery. He almost always will make the first guy miss to churn out additional yardage. He’s an elusive back with acrobatic flexibility. He’s a very tough guy to bring down.

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— Wally the dog (@pff_wally) March 1, 2023

Spears has excellent anticipation, vision, and tempo on inside zone plays from shotgun. It’s his best run by far and he almost never makes a misread on the play. He can set up his blocks, stay patient through movement, and always finds the open lane.

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— Wally the dog (@pff_wally) March 1, 2023

Spears possesses nice burst that allows him to make defenders pursuit angles wrong and to bounce runs to the outside and beat the force defender. His acceleration is top notch.

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— Wally the dog (@pff_wally) March 1, 2023

Spears has that dog in him. He wants to do everything he can to will the team to victory and even though he played under 200 pounds this past season, he was still willing to block, drop his shoulder into linebackers, and play physical. Don’t let his size fool you. He’s going to bring physicality wherever he goes.

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— Wally the dog (@pff_wally) March 1, 2023

Not only can Spears show off high end acceleration and burst, but he’s shifty too. He can throttle down quickly and then use that burst while also having some very good lateral agility to work side to side.

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— Wally the dog (@pff_wally) March 1, 2023

His ability to navigate tight spaces is top notch. He does not need a wide open running lane to bust off runs. He can set up his blocks and work within tight parameters when necessary.

pic.twitter.com/SjfOfXPOk0
— Wally the dog (@pff_wally) March 1, 2023

Areas of Concern

Despite the burst, Spears does not seem to have an extra gear as a runner. He has good long speed, but for a guy his size you would hope he would have elite long speed.

pic.twitter.com/dZuu7CckRg
— Wally the dog (@pff_wally) March 2, 2023

Spears played under 200 pounds at Tulane. While it did not hinder him when it came to running the ball, it shows up in pass protection and will make you question his ability to handle a seasons worth of lead back touches.
Right now Spears is too inconsistent to be a true 3-down back. His pass protection is spotty both due to size and processing while he also does not have the tracking skills teams may covet from a smaller guy who will work on third downs.

pic.twitter.com/8aRnSkkBtK
— Wally the dog (@pff_wally) March 2, 2023

Overall Thoughts

Spears has all of the makings of the lead guy in a running back committee.

He is one of the better shotgun runners in this class and specifically when it comes to inside zone, he shows elite ability. Spears' movement ability, burst, vision, and desire to bring it on every down show the makings of a high end runner. Guys just slide off of him as his running style is best described as slippery. He’s extremely elusive as well with a variety of juke moves from the hard cut to a dead leg hesitation. His shifty movement ability really shines when he’s squared up with a guy in the open field, but he can also show this elusiveness when inside the hole one on one with a defender. The best system for him would be one where he can run mostly inside zone from the shotgun but with some gap scheme stuff off of it as a change-up.

As a receiver, Spears has potential. He has solid hands and can make checkdowns turn into explosive plays. His movement ability will help him on angle and choice routes to separate from linebackers who match up against him.

He didn't show that he can track the ball down the field although that is seldomly important in the NFL. The main thing that stops him from taking over all third downs on day 1 is his ability to pass protect. He missed multiple pickups in the games that I watched and even though the desire is there, he cannot survive more than a couple of seconds with his frame and size.

Scheme Fit

Tyjae Spears fits best as the primary runner in a spread system. His best fit involves a team that will get him the ball in space in the passing game and let him run inside zone as his bread and butter. He’s more of a shotgun runner than a downfield under center runner and would be at his best with a team that is in the shotgun more than most.

Grade

Late Second Round

Pro Comparison

Felix Jones

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