Matt Waldman is taking another look at the 2022 NFL Draft class of runners and shared some videos on Twitter on the skills and flaws of RB Isaiah Spiller. 

Watch a game or two of Isaiah Spiller and you can tell he has spent years refining his footwork without even checking out the Footwork King’s Instagram page. Spiller is an efficient mover in tight confines and open spaces. He can make the light-footed jump-cut or open his hips without needing a lot of space and find his way out of a phone booth without ever touching the 330-pound tackle packed in there with him.

(If you don’t know what a phone booth is, ask your grandparents.)

Isaiah Spiller may have some reps where he leaves meat on the bone, but he’ll whip up a tasty dish out of scraps from the cupboard.

Easy to see that he has worked on his footwork for years. pic.twitter.com/oeeQs9OPKG

— Matt Waldman (@MattWaldman) February 10, 2022

Footwork is only part of the equation. The best runners find productive solutions bounds of the blocking scheme before resorting to off-script behavior.

Spiller can do this as a zone runner–inside and outside–and on Toss. He’ll even anticipate the position that the pursuit will earn against his lead blocker, press the blocker to make it happen, and then cut back inside. Once he’s in the second level, his movement and acceleration become even greater assets.

Although considered a more straightforward blocking scheme for the running back, gap plays like Counter trip up Spiller conceptually. This look against Alabama isn’t the first time I’ve seen him eschew a perfectly good crease. With just a brief press of the edge containment, Spiller could have stayed on track and exploited a perfectly good crease.

Isaiah Spiller has potential as a gap runner but it is not his strength relative to various zone concepts. He’s competent at times with Counter but this scenario vs Bama this year and Auburn last year is something he still doesn’t process well. pic.twitter.com/25jK3C1fBT

— Matt Waldman (@MattWaldman) February 10, 2022

This isn’t to say Spiller can’t run gap plays or produce when running Counter, but he’s not as confident with manipulating tight creases on gap plays as he is running versions of zone. Based on the several games I’ve studied, I’m more inclined to say Spiller’s specific issue with Counter is really symptomatic of a broader flaw: seeking the path of least resistance that turns out to be a mirage disguising a more difficult choice.

This open-field decision on an outlet pass is a good example.

Isaiah Spiller has light feet and mobile hips. Now, it’s time to work on open field choices and finishing w/optimal pad-hip alignment vs contact.

Meat left on the bone. pic.twitter.com/lKaTFBNvsB

— Matt Waldman (@MattWaldman) February 10, 2022

Spiller had the open space to attack, but the idea of taking on multiple defenders was less appealing than attacking the cornerback. However, Spiller hasn’t done the inner calculus from his film work to reach an important conclusion: More good things happen for running backs in open space when they get north-south than turning east-west.

Once Spiller learns this, he can manipulate opponents into thinking east-west and exploit the north-south route. And when this happens, he’s activating more of his strengths and minimizing his weaknesses.

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