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Notre Dame Football Best NFL Draft Fit: Josh Adams

By J.P. Scott

SOUTH BEND, IN - OCTOBER 21: Josh Adams #33 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish runs for a 14-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter of a game against the USC Trojans at Notre Dame Stadium on October 21, 2017 in South Bend, Indiana. Notre Dame won 49-14. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
SOUTH BEND, IN - OCTOBER 21: Josh Adams #33 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish runs for a 14-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter of a game against the USC Trojans at Notre Dame Stadium on October 21, 2017 in South Bend, Indiana. Notre Dame won 49-14. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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Former Notre Dame football running back Josh Adams has a running style that would be a great fit for one particular franchise.

The Notre Dame football rushing attack gained national noteriety during the 2017 season. A lot of that had to do with the elite play of the offensive line and the holes they opened. Hitting those holes and exploding through them before moving through the secondary with breakway speed was running back Josh Adams.

Adams was a serious Heisman candidate for most of last season. He’s a big back who excels between the tackles and is better there than he is racing defenders to the sideline. His size and momentum allow him to break tackles without breaking stride. The end result was a handful of designed dives that Adams turned into explosive plays.

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From a production standpoint, Adams’ stats don’t lie. The 1,430 yards he piled up at 6.9 yards per carry came against a tough schedule filled with defenders who will play at the next level. That said, his injury issues and height seem to be concerns in the eyes of scouts and draft analysts.

Adams needs to be on a team that utilizes a couple of different backs for specific reasons — much like the Philadephia Eagles did last season. In the right situation, he could be a starter — but he’s probably not a guy teams are going to want on the field during obvious passing downs due to his limited pass-catching experience. But that’s something he is capable of doing and will likely improve upon as a professional.

Next: NFL Draft Best Fit: Equanimeous St. Brown

Best Fit: Oakland Raiders

New Raiders head coach Jon Gruden has a soft spot for guys who run tough between the tackles. He values the power-run game and has no issues using multiple back for various roles. With Marshawn Lynch’s career likely coming to a close (again) and an aging Doug Martin in the fold, Josh Adams could be that between-the-tackles runner on first and second down that Gruden values in the long-term.

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