Seahawks Draft Profile: Hassan Haskins

Over the past several seasons, the Seahawks have enjoyed drafting players coached by former nemesis Jim Harbaugh at Michigan. Could Haskins be the next one to come out west and provide backfield depth?

With the 2022 NFL Draft set to kick off in Las Vegas on Thursday, April 28, the Seahawks will have a chance to kickstart a new era for the franchise with eight selections, including a top-10 pick and four picks total in the first three rounds.

Over the next month leading up to draft weekend, the AllSeahawks writing staff will dish out in-depth profiles on numerous prospects who could be targets on Seattle's big board.

Next up in the series, the Seahawks could use additional backfield reinforcements behind Rashaad Penny and Chris Carson. Could Michigan's Hassan Haskins be a candidate to eventually compete for a starting role with the team?

Background

A three-star recruit out of Missouri, Haskins rushed for 2,197 yards and 31 touchdowns as a senior, leading Eureka Senior High School to a 6A State Semifinals berth. After playing special teams as a true freshman at Michigan, he rushed for 622 yards and four touchdowns in a reserve role. He led the team in a COVID-19 shortened season with 375 rushing yards in six games in 2020 and followed up with a breakout senior season to pace the Wolverines rushing attack, racking up 1,327 rushing yards and a school-record 20 touchdowns. He received First-Team All-Big Ten recognition and Third-Team All-American honors from the Associated Press.

Strengths

Built with a lean 6-foot-2, 228-pound frame and a narrow lower body, Haskins doesn't necessarily look the part of a between the tackles bulldozer out of the backfield. But he has a knack for pushing the pile at the point of contact, regularly carrying defenders on his back for extra yardage, throwing effective stiff arms, and racking up broken arm tackles in bunches thanks to excellent contact balance in traffic.

Again, Hassan Haskins doesn't look like he would be a back who drags the pile regularly with his taller, leaner frame. But that's what he does - just as Washington's defense.

He gets narrow to hit creases while still running with great power and balance. pic.twitter.com/24kkfCk0p7

— Corbin K. Smith (@CorbinSmithNFL) April 9, 2022

A very patient runner, sometimes to his own detriment, Haskins doesn't press creases that aren't there or bounce outside too quickly, allowing blocks to materialize in front of him and alertly bursting through the hole once presented. This was especially evident when the Wolverines ran power and counter gap concepts where he followed pulling blockers through the hole like a presidential caravan.

I'm not one who loves to compare players, but I see some Leveon Bell in Hassan Haskins in regard to his patience, ability to let blocks develop in front of him.

Finishes with authority, often drags the pile after he finds a crease and shoots through it. pic.twitter.com/q0K5yKpd1A

— Corbin K. Smith (@CorbinSmithNFL) April 9, 2022

When it comes to ball security, there isn't another back in this year's draft class who compares to Haskins, who didn't put the ball on the turf once in his three seasons with the Wolverines. He's a reliable, durable workhorse who tires out defenses over the course of four quarters and runs like a boxer going for a knockout late in games to chew up clock and move the chains.

While he didn't run many types of routes at Michigan and primarily ran swings and short curls out of the backfield, Haskins showed reliable hands in situations where he was thrown the football and may be able to offer limited value in that regard at the next level.

Weaknesses

Recovering from an ankle injury, Haskins did not run the 40-yard dash at the combine or Michigan's pro day, casting further questions about his speed translating to the league. Though he has enough burst to be effective picking up first downs and occasionally rips off 20-plus yard runs, he's not a dynamic home run hitter and lacks the ability to ramp up to an extra gear at the second level to pull away from defenders.

Though his patience and vision allow him to maximize blocks in front of him, Haskins can get happy feet at the wrong time and will need to be more decisive getting cuts to find consistent success against NFL defenses. He's more reliant on the blocks coming to fruition in front of him than some other runners in this class and lacks the elusiveness to consistently make defenders miss in space and create his own yards that way.

While effort isn't an issue in pass protection and Haskins give it his all trying to pick up blitzes, he often gets caught leaning and struggles with technique. His hands stray outside of the defender's pads and he doesn't slide well to stay in front of them, which led to several hits on his quarterback last year.

Fit in Seattle

In the past, Seattle has preferred running backs between 210 and 230 pounds. Haskins compares favorably to Carson and Penny in that regard, though he's a much different body type being a few inches taller than both of them. He compensates by running with a low center of height, but some teams may have concerns about him breaking down quickly given his physical running style.

With that said, Haskins runs with a unique blend of patience and tenacity that would suit him well for the Seahawks scheme. The fact he has been so reliable avoiding fumbles while being a punishing runner who constantly battles for extra yardage will also put another feather in his cap from the organization's perspective.

Due to his average speed and limited third down back upside, Haskins probably won't hear his name called until day three. At that stage, with Penny and Carson both scheduled to be free agents next March and having lengthy injury histories, the hard-nosed runner could be an ideal insurance option with future starting potential in the Pacific Northwest.

Previous Seahawks NFL Draft Profiles

Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina | Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa | Arnold Ebiketie, EDGE, Penn State | Tyler Allgeier, RB, BYU | Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati | Tariq Woolen, CB, UTSA | Cameron Thomas, EDGE, San Diego State | Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa