For the foreseeable future, Buffalo Bills running backs are going to be hard to bring down.
After selecting running backs Devin Singletary and Zack Moss in the third round in the last two NFL Drafts, Buffalo has put together one of the most elusive running back duos in the National Football League.
Singletary was a nightmare to tackle in his rookie season. According to Pro Football Focus, the rookie had 0.24 missed tackles per-rush attempt, the third-best mark among all qualifying running backs in the NFL. He led all rookies with 25 runs of 10 or more yards in 2019.
The efficiency was there too, averaging less than 4.5 yards per-carry just twice last season.
To many, the selection of Moss looks like the thunder added to that lightning of Singletary. Moss certainly does provide that physicality as a runner. He enters the NFL at 223 pounds, and among draft-eligible running backs, Moss averaged the most yards after contact at 4.45 yards per-attempt. His contact balance was among the best of any running back in the 2020 prospect pool.
Don't let that one element of his game fool you. This isn't some giant, one dimensional power back. Like Singletary, if Moss gets into open space, it isn't easy for defenses to get their hands on him.
The Utah product forced a missed tackle on 38% of rushes in 2019. That was most among any running back with 150-plus carries in a season since 2014.
#Utah RB Zack Moss to the #Bills —Downhill power to compliment Devin Singletary in BUF. Zone/Gap fit. Runs through contact, wiggle to shake defenders. Can handle volume, close out games in the 4th QTR.5-foot-9, 223 pic.twitter.com/cPnVJOVlGd
— Matt Bowen (@MattBowen41)
April 25, 2020 His vision, patience, and quick feet were as impressive on tape as the power and physicality he plays the game with.
Zack Moss -- pic.twitter.com/EEoA0eURqx
— matt (@matt_faso)
April 25, 2020 NFL comparisons aren't typically a fair way to evaluate college prospects, but Moss has a lot of similarities to the 2019 NFL Draft's top running back selection in Las Vegas running back Josh Jacobs. The build screams of a physical, powerful style, but Moss is a modern day weapon in the backfield. On top of over 1,400 rushing yards in his final collegiate season, Moss also had 28 receptions for 388 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Singletary will likely be the featured running back in 2020 for the Bills, but Moss is going to present another dangerous threat in the backfield. Together, Singletary and Moss form one of, if not the most elusive one-two punch in the NFL.
The #Bills have now in back to back years drafted running backs that were in the top 2 in avoided tackles on RUSH att. among college running backs:2018- Devin Singletary 2nd (98 AVTs)Zach Moss T9th ( 55 AVTs)2019- Zach Moss 2nd (89 AVTs)#BillsMafia #GoBills pic.twitter.com/TDR9WPBvAy
— PFF BUF Bills (@PFF_Bills)
April 25, 2020 The cherry on top? Singletary and Moss only cost Buffalo a little over $1.2 million in 2020. For the production those two could potentially provide, saying that is highway robbery by the Bills might be an understatement.
Fans should be excited about the potential this running back tandem has moving forward.
