Comp Picks is a season-long, weekly series that looks at the incoming rookie class from all angles, tying everything together with an NFL player comparison (or a combination of players) to contextualize upside and risk.
Background
Junior, 6-foot-0 and 208 lbs
Before Tank Bigsby took the college football world by storm as a true freshman, he dominated the high school ranks. Over his final two seasons at Callaway High School in Hogansville, Georgia, Bigsby rushed for 3,857 yards and 49 touchdowns, earning him a four-star rating and finishing as the #4 running back recruit in the nation in 2020. Upon his arrival at Auburn, he was an immediate contributor, rushing 138 times for 834 yards and five touchdowns. He did this despite operating within one of the nation's worst offenses. In 2021, those offensive problems compounded for the Tigers. Bigsby's efficiency reflected that, but his usage and counting statistics reflected that of a top running back. He accumulated 1,099 rushing yards on 223 carries and scored ten times, adding 21 receptions for another 184 yards. Through eight games in 2022, Bigsby is operating more efficiently despite his third-straight year in an abysmal offense. His usage is down, but he is averaging over five yards per carry and has found the end zone seven times. His 13-game pace of 954 yards and eleven touchdowns won't make jaws drop, but his improvements as a pass-catcher will prove beneficial. Bigsby is pacing for 34 receptions and 218 yards, pushing his all-purpose yardage near his career high.
Scouting Report
While many running backs win with athleticism, Bigsby won't boast elite testing numbers. He predicates his game on quick feet, early identification, and forced missed tackles. The benefit of playing behind a poor offensive line is the need for creativity at the running back position, and Bigsby oozes it. His ability to keep his feet moving while maintaining patience and drawing defenders into blocks is one of his best. Often, the offensive line allows penetration, putting Bigbsy off schedule and script from the design of the play. His composure in such situations is remarkable, and his lateral agility enables him to break outside and get the edge against most defenses in the SEC. None of that would be possible without plus-vision and early identification of what is unfolding in front of him. Bigsby had trouble seeing the field as a sophomore, allowing defenders to continue penetrating and rendering the offense stagnant. As a junior, that is far from the case. That growth allows him to force more missed tackles, an aspect of his game that will be crucial as he transitions to the NFL level. His lateral agility is among the best in the class, with violent jukes and cuts creating multiple yards of space between him and oncoming tacklers. Bigsby is a powerful runner, consistently churning his legs and breaking arm-tackle attempts. Even when defenders square him up, he maintains good contact balance by dropping his center of gravity and continuing his momentum forward.
Bigsby isn't going to win many foot races at the NFL level. In fact, he shouldn't run a forty-yard dash during the pre-draft process. His explosiveness in the milliseconds after he receives the ball speaks for itself, and that will reflect in the explosive testing. The other potential concern for NFL evaluators is his ability to affect the game through the air. While Bigsby is doing a fine job as a receiver within the structure of his offense, his hands are pretty unnatural, and he is more comfortable catching dump-offs and screens than Texas and wheel routes. Additionally, his pass-blocking needs work. The NFL team that drafts him will covet growth in that area.
The Comp Pick: Josh Jacobs, Las Vegas Raiders
Josh Jacobs is the player that comes to mind when considering running style, projected ceiling, and athleticism. Both players are among the elite in forcing missed tackles with their powerful running styles. Bigsby can create yardage where no yardage exists, which Jacobs has done exquisitely in 2022. The lower-body fluidity and ferocity the two players possess, combined with the lack of top-end long speed, make the athleticism comparisons striking. Both players excel when they can get a head of steam before receiving a handoff, taking advantage of their identification strengths and allowing them to diagnose what is developing at the line of scrimmage.
Jacobs was a more refined receiver as a prospect, but Bigsby's receiving ceiling sits somewhere in Jacobs's highest range of outcomes. Jacobs has a larger frame, but Bigsby can sustain a large workload, as evidenced by his college touch total.
Final Thoughts
The 2023 running back class is one of the best in recent memory, and Bigsby's growth puts him in the second tier of prospects. His skill set allows him to succeed despite operating in one of the worst situations in college football. That skill set is full of translatable traits that NFL teams are sure to love. While the strength of the class could push good running backs into Day Three of the NFL Draft, a team will likely draft Bigsby comfortably before that. With day-two draft capital, Bigsby looks like a late first-round rookie selection, and his situation will determine his actual upside. But from a raw talent perspective, Bigbsy could regularly find himself finishing inside the Top 12, giving him the potential to be the best value pick in rookie drafts.
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