Tank Bigsby, RB Auburn: Offseason 2023 NFL Draft Profile
Bigsby was a four-star recruit from Callaway High School in Hogansville, Ga. in the class of 2020
Rising junior Tank Bigsby was one of the nation’s top recruits in the class of 2020. He turned heads as a freshman, but his sophomore season at Auburn didn’t fulfill expectations. Bigsby will still generate plenty of hype going into the 2023 NFL Draft at his current level, but there’s a lot for him to prove this year.
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Tank Bigsby, RB Auburn: 2023 NFL Draft Profile
Classification: Junior running back from LaGrange, Ga.
Background: Bigsby was a four-star recruit from Callaway High School in Hogansville, Ga. in the class of 2020. He was the No. 40 recruit according to 247Sports, No. 45 for Rivals, and No. 39 for On3.com. ESPN ranked him 20th in the nation with an 88 grade out of 100. As a high school senior, Bigsby rushed for 1,636 yards and 27 touchdowns. In 2018, he rushed for 2,221 yards and was the Class AA state and region Offensive Player of the Year. Bigsby also participated in track and field. He was invited to the Under Armour All-American Game. Bigsby has two siblings. His birthday is Aug. 30.
2021 Production: 13 games, 223 carries, 1,099 yards, 10 touchdowns + 21 receptions, 184 yards
2020 Production: 10 games, 138 carries, 834 yards, 5 touchdowns + 11 receptions, 84 yards + 13 kick returns, 306 yards
Injuries & Off-Field: Injured his hip against Tennessee in 2020, missed one game because of COVID-19 protocols (2020)
Awards: 2020 SEC Freshman of the Year, 2020 First-Team Freshman All-SEC (RB and All-Purpose), 2020 Second-Team Freshman All-American (The Athletic)
Pros: Has the frame to add more weight, given some snaps in the slot, displayed impressive YAC potential, has enough speed to bounce plays outside, jumps from gap to gap, possesses build up speed to break long runs, stiff arm, keeps his legs moving, hits the hole with power, above-average contact balance, weaves through defenses at the second and third level, footwork and jump cut to make defenders miss in the hole, plays into and through contact once he gets north to south, above-average burst
Cons: Suffered four fumbles and four drops in 2021, no experience on special teams coverage units, very limited production as a pass catcher, wasn’t strong enough to create inside or quick enough to get outside against Alabama (2021), doesn’t consistently make the first defender miss, gets caught from behind, not a burner, lacks elite burst and doesn’t always succeed in winning the edge, pass protection needs to be reworked, bounces plays outside too often, he looked more dynamic as a runner in 2020, trips when attempting to make some cuts (does this relate to some lower body tightness?), speed is built up not instant
Overview: Bigsby is unofficially listed at 6'0", 213 lbs. He didn’t get a lot of help from Auburn’s offensive line in 2021, which made his evaluation the most difficult among the five running backs I’ve examined so far. However, Auburn’s offensive line didn’t prevent Bigsby from producing more runs of ten or more yards in 2021 (33) than Cincinnati’s Jerome Ford and Texas’ Bijan Robinson. Bigsby has the potential to add at least ten pounds to his frame to amplify his physical and punishing running style. His contact balance, relentless leg drive, stiff arm, and initial burst make him a handful for defenders to bring down. Bigsby also flashed the ability to bounce runs outside and win the corner. He has enough build up speed to do serious damage in those situations. However, Bigsby isn’t a very experienced or natural pass catcher. His pass blocking form needs to be torn down and completely re-worked, which makes him a liability on third downs (at least early in his NFL career). Fumbles are a bit of a concern with Bigsby, and he lacks the high-end speed and burst to consistently get the most out of running lanes. As I mentioned, he has room to improve his play strength, and he needs to because there are too many instances where he’s brought down in one-on-one situations.
Overall, Bigsby’s freshman season was more impressive and promising than his sophomore campaign. His inability to contribute on third down and incomplete physical development combined with an athletic profile that lacks elite burst, speed, or twitch limit his ceiling as a prospect. Bigsby could re-enter the Day 2 discussion with a dominant junior year, but he’s currently not on the level of a top 100 pick.
Role & Scheme Fit: Early down back in a power scheme
Round Projection: Early Fourth to Late Fourth
Player Comparison: N/A
Submitted: 07-17-22