Zach Charbonnet, RB UCLA: Offseason 2023 NFL Draft Profile
Charbonnet was a four-star recruit from Oaks Christian School in Westlake Village, Calif. in the class of 2019
Zach Charbonnet transferred from Michigan to UCLA last year and immediately became a star performer for the Bruins. The 6'1", 220 lb. bruising back battered his way to an All-Pac-12 selection and set himself up nicely for his senior year before entering the 2023 NFL Draft.
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Zach Charbonnet, RB UCLA: 2023 NFL Draft Profile
Classification: Senior running back from Camarillo, Calif.
Background: Charbonnet was a four-star recruit from Oaks Christian School in Westlake Village, Calif. in the class of 2019. He was the No. 46 recruit according to 247Sports, No. 60 for Rivals, and No. 40 for On3.com. ESPN ranked him 101st in the nation with an 84 grade out of 100. As a high school senior, Charbonnet rushed 215 times for 1,795 yards and 17 touchdowns while adding three interceptions on defense. He also ran 265 times for 2,049 yards and 23 touchdowns as a junior and 82 times for 844 yards and 23 touchdowns as a sophomore. He left high school with 577 carries for 4,741 yards and 62 total touchdowns. Charbonnet was invited to the 2019 Under Armour All-American Game. He has two brothers and two sisters. Charbonnet transferred from Michigan to UCLA in 2021. He was born on Jan. 8, 2001.
2021 Production: 12 games, 203 carries, 1,137 yards, 13 touchdowns + 24 receptions, 197 yards
2020 Production: 5 games, 19 carries, 124 yards, 1 touchdown
2019 Production: 13 games, 149 carries, 726 yards, 11 touchdowns
Injuries & Off-Field: Missed spring practice after surgery on his knee (2019), missed one game in 2020, potential for lingering knee concerns
Awards: 2019 Third-Team All-Big Ten (media), 2019 Honorable Mention All-Big Ten (coaches), 2020 Academic All-Big Ten, 2021 Second-Team All-Pac-12, 2021 Pac-12 Newcomer of the Year (Associated Press)
Pros: Experience working on three of the four special teams units, only one career fumble, took slot snaps in 2021, powerful back who shrugs off arm and shoulder tackles, finishes falling forward, good vision, arm tackles won’t bring him down, active footwork with jump stops to help him redirect when skiing through a crowd, shows more initial burst at UCLA than he did at Michigan, expanding his role as a pass catcher, excellent contact balance, moves the pile in a crowd, has the footwork and vision to bounce plays outside, gets low when working through traffic, has the size to suggest he’ll improve as a blocker
Cons: Won’t play a large role as a pass catcher at the next level, route tree is underdeveloped, drops suggest he’s not a natural catcher, lacks breakaway speed, gets caught from behind, sees the hole but sometimes lack the burst to get through it clean, very little wiggle or suddenness, more of a one-speed runner than bursty playmaker, needs extra steps to decelerate from top speed and change direction, limited lateral agility, once he loses momentum it’s difficult for him to get going again
Overview: Charbonnet is unofficially listed at 6'1", 220 lbs. In 2021, he generated as many runs of ten or more yards (31) as Texas A&M’s Isaiah Spiller and only eight fewer forced missed tackles (69) than BYU’s Tyler Allgeier despite having over 70 fewer carries. Charbonnet displays good vision as a runner, and it appeared he hit holes with more burst in 2021 than in previous years. The Michigan transfer’s power is his calling card. He regularly runs through tackles and displays excellent contact balance. Charbonnet gets low in a crowd and pushes piles forward with his leg drive. Unfortunately, he lacks elusiveness and often takes multiple steps to redirect himself when moving at top speed. Charbonnet lacks home run speed and he’s not dynamic enough in the open field to make defenders miss. He’s a power back that lacks twitch and suddenness. Charbonnet didn’t play much of a role in the passing game at Michigan, and he still lacks natural hands and a developed route tree.
Overall, Charbonnet is an early down power back who gets by with vision and contact balance. He lacks the traits needed in the NFL to play on third down or work as a feature back, but he has high-end traits for a power back in a rotation. It’s safe to call the fourth round the floor for Charbonnet since running backs like Benny Snell Jr., Isaiah Spiller, and Rhamondre Stevenson have gone in the middle of that round the past few years.
Role & Scheme Fit: Early down player in an inside zone or gap scheme
Round Projection: Late Third to Mid Fourth
Player Comparison: N/A
Submitted: 07-16-22