2024 Rookie Profile: RB Jonathon Brooks (Fantasy Football)

If you have been following along this offseason, you are already aware that the 2024 draft class is defined by its depth at the wide receiver position. On the other hand, the running back class is widely regarded as one of the weakest in recent history. Without a consensus RB1, dynasty ADP has been somewhat unpredictable at the running back position. Despite the uncertainty, there are a handful of prospects who have shown enough upside at the collegiate level that should have dynasty managers very intrigued. One of those running backs is Jonathon Brooks out of Texas. After playing behind both Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson in his first two seasons, Brooks dominated when he finally received the opportunity to carry the workload. And while his recent ACL tear does cloud his immediate future, I still believe Brooks could be a productive dynasty running back once he is fully healthy.

Editor’s Note: This article is part of our Rookie Profile series going on until the 2024 NFL Draft. For more on each rookie, check out Andy, Mike, and Jason’s exclusive rookie rankings and the production profiles found only in the Dynasty Pass, part of the UDK+ for 2024.

College Production Profile

Jonathon Brooks entered his collegiate career as a four-star recruit, ranking as the 25th running back in the nation back in 2021. While he did receive offers from a handful of programs, he would commit to Texas fairly early in the process. In a recent draft interview with CBS, Brooks explained that Texas was the first offer he received. In addition, with it being very close to home, it was a relatively easy decision to commit to the Longhorns. However, as you can see in his metrics above, he was barely involved in his first two seasons at Texas. That was largely due to the elite talent on their roster, as Brooks played behind both Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson. As a result, he only averaged about 9% of their scrimmage yards per game in his first two campaigns.

With both Robinson and Johnson declaring for the NFL draft, all signs pointed to Brooks taking over as the RB1 for the Longhorns. As expected, he dominated in the 2023 season. He averaged an impressive 2.03 Scrimmage Yards per Team Play, which ranks in the 86th percentile among all junior seasons since 2013. From a market share standpoint, he accounted for nearly a third of the team’s total offensive production, finishing the season with a 30% total dominator rating. And equally impressive, Brooks also showcased his effectiveness as a receiver, averaging a very respectable 10.4% receiving yards market share. 

Naturally, after initially playing behind two NFL-caliber running backs, Brooks’ career numbers do not jump off the page. However, his 2023 campaign gave us a glimpse of just how massive his upside could be at the next level. In fact, Brooks is one of only TWO running backs in this class to exceed 2.00 Scrimmage Yards per Team Play within their first three seasons in college. In other words, he showcased a higher age-adjusted ceiling than most of the running backs in this class. Assuming he can fully recover from his ACL tear, Brooks should still be an intriguing option in rookie drafts this year.

Measurables

With Brooks recovering from an ACL tear, he was unable to participate at the combine or pro day. While that does add some ambiguity to his profile, there were still a couple of positive developments coming out of the combine. In a pre-draft interview with CBS, Brooks mentioned that he was expected to resume running very soon, as reports also indicate that he should be ready by training camp this July. In addition, it was also encouraging to see Brooks gain some weight ahead of his NFL career. After being listed at only 207 pounds at Texas, he gained nearly ten pounds heading into the combine. However, without athletic testing, we are unable to measure if that could impact his speed and acceleration. Whether he even maintains that weight heading into his rookie year remains to be seen. Regardless, the bigger concern will be his recovery from his ACL injury. Matthew Betz wrote an article a couple of years ago analyzing a running back’s performance post-ACL surgery. Based on his research, Betz found that running backs are less efficient and productive in their first campaign after the injury. However, he also mentions that running backs can absolutely still return to elite form, as evidenced by Dalvin Cook and Todd Gurley. However, we likely need to temper our expectations this season as the injury will likely affect Brooks’ production in his rookie year.

What’s on Tape

As part of my prospect evaluation, I watch anywhere between four to six games of film to gain a better understanding of each player’s strengths and weaknesses. Below are my observations on Jonathon Brooks’s film.

Games Viewed: 2023 vs. Alabama, 2023 vs. Rice, 2023 vs. Kansas, 2023 vs. Kansas State, 2023 vs. BYU

1. Impressive Ability to Create Yards

You may have heard of the term “yards created” in the NFL. PlayerProfiler was one of the first sites that charted this metric, defining it as yards gained after an evaded tackle. In other words, how many incremental yards did a running back gain using his elusiveness? If you watch Jonathon Brooks’ film, you will find multiple plays in which he created yardage with his quick feet and lateral agility. He is elusive in open spaces and has an impressive ability to stack multiple cuts to avoid contact. Combined with his impressive burst and acceleration, Brooks can be a matchup nightmare in the second and third levels of the defense. 

We see some of these traits in the play below against Kansas. The first five yards of the play were a product of outstanding blocking. However, the remaining sixty yards were all due to Brooks’ individual brilliance. By using a combination of hesitation moves and sudden acceleration, he is able to avoid the safety and linebacker, resulting in a significant play for the offense.

2. Strong Contact Balance Leading to Broken Tackles

While Brooks is not the most physical running back, he does have a knack for absorbing contact and bouncing off defenders. You see this time and time again in his film. A cornerback or linebacker might have an angle for a tackle, but Brooks will bend his body just enough to slip past the defender. He anticipates contact very well and keeps his feet moving through tackles, often allowing him to shed the defender for additional yardage. The play below was not one of his most explosive runs. However, because of his tackle-breaking ability, Brooks was able to extend the play and convert it for a first down. 

3. Proficient Pass Blocking

Pass blocking is not the most glamorous skill set because it simply does not generate the highlight reel plays. However, it is an important part of a running back’s game that will allow them to stay on the field, potentially leading to more opportunities in the passing game. This was by far one of the most impressive parts of Brooks’ game. He displayed excellent awareness and anticipation as a blocker, rarely missing his assignment in the backfield. He showcased a willingness to initiate contact with the pass rusher, the strength to maintain blocks, and the quickness to adjust to the defender’s moves. In addition, per PFF, Brooks was a top-three running back in the 2024 class in pass-blocking grade last season. He was also one of only two running backs in the class to average a 0% pass block pressure rate, highlighting just how effective he was as a blocker. I fully expect this trait to lead to immediate playing time, likely allowing him to be a three-down running back at the next level.

What’s Not on Tape

1. Consistent Success on Inside Runs

I will preface this segment by saying that this was also likely a product of the offensive line as there were a handful of plays where the blocking did not yield to openings at the line of scrimmage. However, there were also plays where Brooks could have taken advantage of a brief gap but may have been a little too hesitant or patient, giving the defense enough time to close the opening. While his patience is more often than not a benefit to his game, Brooks found more success running inside when he would simply accelerate and take what the defense was giving him. He clearly has the burst and speed to put pressure on the defense. He just needed to be more decisive on inside runs. 

2. Diverse Route Tree

Brooks showcased a natural ability to be a receiving threat out of the backfield, proving to be a sure-handed safety valve for his quarterbacks. Even though the majority of his targets came within five yards of the line of scrimmage, he was still able to use his quickness and elusiveness to generate some explosive plays. Unfortunately, his route tree was primarily limited to flat routes and screens, giving Brooks very few opportunities to showcase his route-running ability. In addition, in the five games that I reviewed, Brooks was rarely targeted beyond 10 yards. On occasion, Texas would line him up out wide, only for them to target Xavier Worthy, Adonai Mitchell, or Ja’Tavion Sanders. But despite his limited opportunities, I do believe Brooks has the skill set to be an effective receiving threat out of the backfield. He just needs to land with an offensive coordinator who is willing to maximize those abilities. 

Fantasy Outlook

Despite the injury concerns, Jonathon Brooks might have the highest ceiling in this running back class. He is an elusive and explosive rusher, a capable receiver, and an outstanding pass blocker. In other words, he has all the necessary traits to be a three-down running back at the next level. However, as highlighted above, we likely need to temper our expectations for his rookie season. With his ACL injury likely affecting his efficiency this year, even if he lands in a favorable situation, Brooks could finish outside the top 30 in fantasy points per game in his rookie campaign. Especially if he lands on a team with a capable backup, they could ease him into playing time until he is fully healthy. As a result, while we do see most running backs break out in their first season (see chart above), Brooks could be the exception due to his injury.

The good news is that most mock drafts still have him projected as a mid-day-two pick. And if we combine that draft capital with his overall collegiate profile, Brooks grades fairly well in my rookie model. As of right now, I have him projected as an 80th-percentile running back prospect, which has him in contention to be the RB1 in this class. To put that into perspective, a few running backs that grade very similarly in the 80th to 85th percentile range include Kerryon Johnson, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Cam Akers, and Kenneth Walker III. Similar to Brooks, they all broke out later in their careers, taking over as the RB1 in their final collegiate season. From a production standpoint, Brooks’ closest comp is likely Walker, who is the only running back in that group to exceed 2.00 Scrimmage Yards per Team Play in college.

In short, Brooks has tremendous upside as a prospect. Even with his ACL injury, I would still be comfortable drafting him in the early second round of rookie drafts. In fact, I would not be shocked if he finished his career as the most productive running back in this class. However, we just need to temper our expectations for his rookie year as he slowly ramps up to full health.