The annals of the NFL Draft are littered with late-round running back prospects who outplayed their selection status. One player with the potential to be that guy in the 2022 NFL Draft class is Florida State RB Jashaun Corbin. Perhaps considered a late bloomer with only one year of high-level production, Corbin’s scouting report reveals a player who has all the requisite traits to make an impact in the NFL, regardless of where he’s selected in April.
Jashaun Corbin NFL Draft Profile
- Position: Running Back
- School: Florida State
- Current Year: Senior
- Height: 5’11 1/8″
- Weight: 202 pounds
- Wingspan: 76″
- Arm: 31 1/2″
- Hand: 9 1/2″
Jashaun Corbin Scouting Report
What’s the first thing that you think of when defining quality running back play? It’s fair to assume that a lot of people see rushing yards, yards per carry, and rushing touchdowns as a good indicator of RB talent. If a running back was productive in college, he’s surely set to be a star in the NFL, right? And vice versa?
Scouting the position, like all positions, involves digging beyond the statistically sensational and discovering what it is exactly that a prospect brings to the NFL. How do they play the position? How do they win? Do they have the potential to be a three-down back in the NFL?
Despite his lack of statistical success in his college career, it’s clear from constructing Corbin’s 2022 NFL Draft scouting report that the Florida State RB has many of the requisite traits that translate to success at the NFL level. While he measured slightly smaller than his program listed measurables at the NFL Combine, Corbin still possesses decent size for the position. Furthermore, he plays with a physicality beyond that size.
This physicality is immediately apparent on tape. Corbin has the ability to be a “between the tackles” running back at the next level because of it. He runs low, enabling him to initiate contact with his shoulder and drive through contact. He showcases impressive leg drive, which allows him to grind out some extra yardage even when carrying multiple men on his back. It’s a small detail, but Corbin also regularly falls forward on contact.
Vision, footwork, three-down ability
The Florida State running back displays excellent vision. Although there were a couple of missed opportunities on tape, he routinely seeks to find open lanes. Corbin’s able to read the game to the point where he knows when to abandon the intended run plan and cut back to find a path that will allow further yardage.
To be able to do this, Corbin demonstrates patience but also quick footwork with the ability to shift direction quickly behind the line of scrimmage. There were also some impressive open-field moves on tape that allowed the Florida State RB to appear elusive at the second and third levels of defense. Although not speedy, Corbin possesses some explosion and burst.
We mentioned “three-down” ability in the introduction to Corbin’s scouting report. The NFL requires running backs — more so now than ever — to be able to contribute in the passing game. Corbin is impressive here, demonstrating reliability as a pass catcher throughout his career. He’s been used as a slot receiver and also out wide in bunch formations. As a result, he’s a versatile prospect with some route-running nuance in this regard.
Corbin is also extremely willing as a blocker. While there are improvements to be made, he showcases some intelligence and physicality in this regard. As a result, the FSU running back should be on the radar of NFL teams as a probable RB2. Corbin’s likely to be available on Day 3 of the NFL Draft, resulting in excellent value.
Areas for improvement
Although Corbin has NFL-caliber traits, there are some areas for improvement from his scouting report. While he has a very real future in the NFL, these areas and limitations are likely to impact not only his draft position but the extent of his role at the NFL level.
Despite being a willing and physical presence as a blocker, there are some technical improvements required until Corbin is proficient in this regard. He regularly misses with his hand placement, leaving his hands outside the frame of his opponent. This renders him practically useless in terms of effectively stopping the progression of the pass rusher.
Corbin snapped off 2 long touchdown runs this season for Florida State. However, he doesn’t appear to possess great long speed. I’m hoping to be proven wrong at the FSU Pro Day. However, a high school 4.74 40-yard dash seems to be a good indicator of his play speed. That said, Corbin does display good burst and explosion to take advantage of holes at the line of scrimmage.
While the Florida State running back showcases some nifty footwork and has elusiveness, he isn’t a twitchy lateral athlete. Corbin won’t regularly beat you with ankle-breaking cuts, nor will he stop on a dime to change direction. This could be a result of his hamstring injury, which may raise an additional red flag in the pre-draft process.
Corbin’s Player Profile
In an almost complete reversal from the collegiate journey he’s taken to the NFL Draft, Corbin was an extremely productive running back from the beginning of his high school career at Rockledge High School. Even as a freshman, he was tallying excellent numbers, including 454 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns, showcasing an early penchant for catching passes.
During his sophomore season, Corbin ramped it up. In addition to snagging 345 receiving yards, he registered a ridiculous 1,856 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns. Even though his production dropped a notch as a junior, he still totaled over 1,600 all-purpose yards with 18 touchdowns.
A four-star recruit, Corbin broke the top 50 players in the competitive high school football state of Florida. Despite attracting almost 40 offers from across the nation, home was where the heart was, as the running back originally committed to Florida State. He remained committed to the Seminoles through a senior season that saw him shatter 2,000 all-purpose yards with 23 touchdowns.
Corbin’s recruitment process, however, wasn’t as straightforward as his journey to the end zone. In December 2017, he rescinded his commitment from FSU, sparking a whirlwind recruiting process that ended with Corbin following Jimbo Fisher from FSU to Texas A&M.
Corbin’s college career begins at Texas A&M
Making his debut for the Aggies in the season opener against Northwestern State, Corbin had his first touchdown as a college RB one week later against Louisiana-Monroe. However, his ability as a multi-faceted threat really came to the fore against Arkansas. Corbin took a kickoff 100 yards to the house, part of a team-leading 422 return yards that season.
While he only tallied 346 rushing yards, Corbin was a consistent presence in the Texas A&M running back rotation as a freshman. As a result, he earned a spot on the SEC All-Freshman team. Meanwhile, he earned in-house honors as the Aggies’ Special Teams Newcomer of the Year.
Corbin’s performances in 2018 earned him starting honors for 2019, resulting in his first 100+ rushing yard game against Texas State. However, in his second game of the year, disaster struck. Having struggled to 2.6 yards per carry against Clemson, Corbin was hit hard and then got tangled up during a tackle.
The result was a hamstring injury. Yet, it was far more serious than just a pull. The hamstring was torn off the bone, and Corbin’s season was over. During that time, it’s reported that the Florida native became homesick. At the end of the 2019 season, he opted to enter the transfer portal and make a new home where he’d originally committed out of high school.
Corbin’s NFL Draft ascension at Florida State
As he returned to full fitness following his hamstring injury, Corbin made a steady start to his Florida State running back career. Even in his debut against Georgia Tech, he snagged 55 receiving yards. By the end of the season, he was back to full steam, tallying consecutive 70+ yard games. Furthermore, he ran in for 3 touchdowns in the season finale against Duke.
While his numbers (401 rushing yards, 5 touchdowns) didn’t amount to much, Corbin earned the Bob Crenshaw Award — a team award given to the FSU player that plays “with the biggest heart.”
Fully fit, Corbin hit the ground running in 2021. The Florida State RB tallied consecutive 100+ yard games to start the season, including an 89-yard score against Notre Dame. He set a career-high 159 rushing yards against Louisville, with a 75-yard score ensuring he etched his name in program record books alongside Dalvin Cook, Chris Thompson, and Sammie Smith.
Ending the year with over 1,000 all-purpose yards, Corbin opted to enter the 2022 NFL Draft. He’d caught the eye of the East-West Shrine Bowl scouts, earning an invite to the annual all-star game. In Las Vegas, Corbin impressed by snapping off long runs and finding the end zone. Also earning an invite to the NFL Combine, the Florida State running back has put himself on the NFL Draft radar with a role in the NFL looming.
Tony Pauline’s Scouting Report for Jashaun Corbin
Positives: Quick-footed ball carrier with outstanding vision. Possesses outstanding instincts and picks his way through the trash. Sets up defenders and makes them miss. Bounces around piles and defenders, creates yardage, and follows blocks. Displays great patience and can improvise when plays break down. Possesses a burst and works runs.
Negatives: Doesn’t break many tackles or move the pile. Plays to one speed and will not beat defenders into the open field or run to daylight.
Analysis: Corbin is a creative ball carrier with solid size. He’s more of a rotational runner who could back up in the NFL.