Ohio State Recruiting Round-Up: J.K. Dobbins

A look at J.K. Dobbins, the newest 4 star running back for Ohio State.

We are continuing our Recruiting Round-Up series with another exciting and electric skill position player that will remind fans of another recent ball toting star. Much like our previous entry, J.K. Dobbins’ recruitment was more for the future of the Ohio State backfield.

With that said, Donnins still has an insane amount of talent and should see the field plenty in his career. Watching his film was an absolute joy and most people are higher on him than last year’s back Demario McCall. Although I disagree with that sentiment it is obvious he will be an important part of this class.

Player: J.K. Dobbins

Hometown: La Grange, Texas

Position: Running Back

Height: 5-10

Weight: 201 lbs.

Ranking: 4 Stars

Chose Ohio State Over: Alabama & Penn State

It is safe to say that Mike Weber is the top dog in the Ohio State backfield, but with Curtis Samuel and Dontre Wilson gone it appears there may be some touches to fight over. I think nearly everyone in Buckeye Nation agrees that this will probably mean more carries for Weber and maybe a few left overs for the shifty McCall. But Dobbins has enrolled early and there should be opportunities in the spring for him to showcase his ability.

Strengths: Dobbins has the perfect style to flourish in the spread offense and his film showcases his ability to patiently wait for the hole and explode up field. His instincts as a ball carrier allow him to make the perfect cut backs, while also setting up moves for the second and even third levels of the defense. Dobbins has exceptional speed and quickness, which allows him to juke defenders and never get caught from behind.

Weaknesses: This is somewhat a hot topic in regard to Dobbins. Many scouting pundits feel Dobbins has top notch receiving traits, but I feel there is not enough film to give him credit for that aspect of his game.

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The lack of film in the passing game isn’t necessarily his fault because his high school’s game-plan was to run him down the defense’s throat every week. When I did see him active in the passing game, the plays looked to be designed to get him open.

This will not happen in college and he will have to learn how to get separation on his own. Dobbins will also need to add weight.

He is listed at over 200 pounds, but I found that hard to believe. Enrolling early and being involved in a college weight program will pay huge dividends in this aspect.

Comparison: Ezekiel Elliott, 2015: This is an extremely large and bold prediction, but there are some similarities to the way they both run with the ball. And it could be argued that Dobbins has more impressive high school film than Elliott did.

There is no reason that Dobbins should not develop into the same kind of workhorse that Elliott was for Ohio State. Zeke also grew to become an essential part of the Buckeye passing game as well, and we can expect a similar form of development from Dobbins.

Overall: Just reading my comparison might lead you to believe that Dobbins is the truth now and should see the field immediately. However, I do believe his size and the depth at the position may be enough for him to warrant red-shirt consideration.

Must Read: Ohio State Recruiting Round-Up: Trevon Grimes

Weber is going to be the guy in 2017, but I expect Dobbins to hear his name called quite often in year two. He has some really special traits that should allow him to develop into a star, but bulking up should be priority number one.