In a loaded running back class, Zach Charbonnet is a guy who’s kind of being overlooked. After initially playing for Michigan, where he got beat out, he transferred in 2021 to UCLA. Charbonnet has since been one of the most predominant backs in college football, putting up back-to-back thousand-yard seasons. His numbers are pretty ridiculous for a power five prospect, and as you’d expect, he’s very pro-ready. The big question for Charbonnet is if he can be a long-term feature back for a team. Obviously, he’s well-developed, but he doesn’t have any one elite athletic trait to rely on. We dive deep into his film and see where he projects in this upcoming draft.
Two all-22 games and two broadcast games were evaluated, and clips from his film are broken down here. All relevant traits were graded based on his film. His scouting report also factored in stats and analytics, such as PFF grades. Use promo code TREYSCHNEIDER on Underdog Fantasy to match your deposit up to $100. Please gamble responsibly and leave your feedback on Twitter @FBIntellect.
| Profile |
|---|
| 3rd RB / 2nd RD | 6’0 / 214 | Class – SR | College – UCLA |
| Pro Comparison |
|---|
| Souped Up James Connor |
| Scheme |
|---|
| Gap/ Inside Zone |
HB Stats
2022:
RUSH YDS – 1,358
RUSH TDS – 14
REC YDS – 320
REC TDS – 0
YPA – 7.0
FUM – 1
Clip Analysis
This clip above shows how good Charbonnet’s vision is. He has the wherewithal to cut to the outside on the inside zone run and shows excellent burst through the gap.
Here he demonstrates how elusive he is in the red zone. He follows the pulling TE and then has the agilty and balance to make two defenders miss.
On fourth and one, they trust Charbonnet to get the first, and he not only moves the sticks but gets a TD. He puts a solid juke move on one defender, then shrugs off another with terrific balance.
Grades
Traits/ Skills (see bottom of the page for scale)
Each trait/attribute is graded 1-7.
| Traits | Immediate | Potential |
| SPD | 5.4 | 5.4 |
| ACC | 5.8 | 5.8 |
| AGI | 5.2 | 5.2 |
| STR | 5.6 | 5.6 |
| BAL | 5.2 | 5.8 |
| VIS | 4.8 | 6.4 |
| ELU | 4.3 | 4.8 |
| POW | 5.2 | 5.8 |
| SEC | 5 | 6.4 |
| DUR | 5.8 | 5.8 |
| CAT | 4.5 | 6 |
| RR | 3.6 | 4.5 |
| PPRO | 3.3 | 4.5 |
| HB Key | |
|---|---|
| SPD – Speed ACC – Acceleration AGI – Agility STR – Strength BAL – Balance VIS – Vision ELU – Elusiveness (juke/ spin) | POW – Power (truck/ stiff arm) SEC – Ball Security DUR – Durability CAT – Catching RR – Route Running PPRO – Pass-Pro |
Player Notes
- Zach Charbonnet is a versatile one-cut Back with an imposing element of power to his game. His floor is one of the best in this class. He currently ranks 46th on The FBI Big Board.
Pros
- Play strength and body composition are fantastic.
- Can elude you or run through you.
- Tackle-breaking machine – caused 53 missed tackles in his Senior year.
- Terrific ability to fight for extra yardage – perfect for short-yardage situations.
- Has and underrated ability to shake defenders in space.
- Excellent at finding cutback lanes quickly and letting blocks set up.
- Holds the ball in the perfect position.
- Can handle a heavy workload.
- Secure hands as a receiver.
- Has the production and experience you are looking for; he should translate very well to the pros.
Cons
- Not enough speed for an outside zone system.
- A bit stiff in the hips.
- Route running is relatively middling.
- Pass-pro technique and awareness are a work in progress.
- Already has taken a lot of hits, and durability could possibly regress quickly.
Final Conclusion
Due to a lack of high-end athleticism, Charbonnet is not a guy you want to draft in the first round. However, in the second round, he is an exceptional target for a team running a gap or inside zone system. His floor is safe to bet on, as he’s one of the surest prospects in this class. Just don’t expect him to be a dominant feature back like how other prospects could be.
Combine
40 yd: 4.53
10 yd: 1.54
Shuttle:
3 cone:
Broad: 122
Vertical: 37
Bench: 18
Arm Length:
Hand Size:
Scales And Keys
Grading Key
POT – Potential: players’ highest upside
IMP – Impact: player’s immediate impact
Stats Key
YPA – Yards Per Attempt
FUM – Fumbles
| Draft Grade Formula | |
| Age: 21-22: | POT=(30%) IMP=(70%) |
| Age: 23-24: | POT=(28%) IMP=(72%) |
| Age:-25+: | POT=(26%) IMP=(74%) |
| Good/ bad character: | POT=(+2%/-2%) IMP=(-2%/+2%) |
| Injury: | POT=(-1%) in increments |
| OVR Grade Weight: |
|---|
| Rush=80% Receiving=20% |
| Individual trait scale (1-7): |
|---|
| 7 – Rare world-class skill; best in the league and no room for improvement | 6 – Great-elite skill; one of the best at that given trait but still has some room to improve | 5 – Very good; above average and has potential to be elite | 4 – Average; able to suffice but, not ideal long-term | 3 – Below average; able to suffice at college level | 2 – Poor; hinders overall play and is a liability to the team | 1 – Awful; not good enough to play given position at any level above D2 | Note: Consistency plays a large factor. |
| Overall Draft grade scale (15-100, realistically 50-86): |
|---|
| 85 – Perfect prospect | 83 – Perennial all-pro | 81 – Bluechip prospect | 80 – Likely all-pro | 79 – Day one quality starter or superstar potential | 78 – Day one starter w/ all-pro upside | 77 – Day one starter w/ high-end upside | 76 – Day One Starter | 75 – Boom or bust | 74 – Will become quality starter within 2-3 years | 73 – Boom or bust (high risk) | 72 – Will become starter within 2-3 years |
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