Isiah Pacheco Ranked Outside of Top 10 RBs in Survey of League Employees

Pacheco didn't make the top 10 in ESPN's survey, although one league scout tipped his cap to the third-year man's toughness.

Feb 11, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco (10) against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Over the past couple of seasons, the Kansas City Chiefs' running back room has developed a very clear hierarchy at the top. Isiah Pacheco leads the way, then everyone else falls in place behind him.

Despite Pacheco's emergence as a top back in Kansas City, not everyone is convinced that he's a top back in the NFL. In a recent survey, ESPN took into account feedback from league executives, coaches and scouts along with analyst Matt Bowen's own context. The outlet is doing so for multiple positions over the next week-plus.

For running backs, Pacheco didn't receive enough top-10 votes to make the cut. With that said, one scout from the opposing conference did praise the Chiefs standout for various aspects of his game. Jeremy Fowler documented the intel.

"The Chiefs leaned on Pacheco heavily in the playoffs last season, and he contributed with 81 carries for 313 yards and three touchdowns," Fowler wrote. "'He's a bowling ball, tough as s---, tough to bring down and faster than he looks,' an NFC scout said."

Here's how the back end of the top 10, Pacheco's primary competition, shook out:

• 6: Bijan Robinson (Atlanta Falcons)
• 7: Josh Jacobs (Green Bay Packers)
• 8: Jahmyr Gibbs (Detroit Lions)
• 9: Derrick Henry (Baltimore Ravens)
• 10: Travis Etienne Jr. (Jacksonville Jaguars)

Isiah Pacheco's ranking highlights amount of RB talent in NFL

Pacheco not cracking the top 10 in the eyes of the league can mean a couple of things. First and foremost, though, it's a testament to how many dynamic running backs there are in football. Others who got left off the list – Aaron Jones, Kenneth Walker, James Cook, Alvin Kamara, Joe Mixon and more – are supremely talented in their own rights and deserved consideration. Thus, the "honorable mention" tag for Pacheco lumps him in with plenty of solid halfbacks.

It reflects where Pacheco's game is currently at, too. The former seventh-round pick is an excellent success story and knocked on the door of 1,000 yards last season, but he still has room to improve. Namely in the passing game, Pacheco can grow as both a receiver and pass protector. Kansas City has typically opted for a third-down prototype in lieu of Pacheco during games, partially to keep him fresh but also because there are better or more natural fits for the role.

The omission of Pacheco shouldn't surprise anyone, as a separate outlet ranked him 15th in all of football earlier in the offseason. NFL minds and analysts alike seem to be in lockstep regarding his standing relative to his peers. Entering the 2024 campaign, the Rutgers product is a nice starter who has some things to work on if he wants to enter the top 10.

Luckily for Pacheco, he's only 25 years old and should still be ascending. In 2023, he improved his patience in the ground game and became much more of a factor out of the backfield as a receiver. If he raises the bar again this year, expect the football world to take notice. In turn, he could make the cut by the time next summer rolls around.

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