Jordan Howard could start for Bears

There is so much to like about the Chicago Bears’ 2016 class that some players might get lost in the shuffle. One guy who fans don’t want to sleep on is former Indiana running back Jordan Howard, who the Bears picked in the fifth round.

To this point my assumption has been that Jeremy Langford will get the lion’s share of Matt Forte’s old snaps. Ka’Deem Carey and Jacquizz Rodgers can’t compete with him athletically and Jordan Howard needs time to learn Chicago’s offense while Langford has a one year head-start.

However, the more I watch Jordan Howard on film the more I find myself thinking: why couldn’t Howard start in 2016?

Jordan Howard college highlights

While it’s a given that head coach John Fox will go with running-back-by-committee, the subject of who will play RB1 for Chicago this year is a hotly debated one for NFL analysts. Earlier this week Neil Hornsby at Pro Football Focus wrote about the possibilities. He ultimately concluded that the best option might be Rodgers:

“The best of the bunch may actually be Jacquizz Rodgers…. when he has been given the opportunity, he has produced. He does a decent job as a runner, but excels most on third down…”

This is the part where we agree to disagree.

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PFF included a chart that showed Rodgers’ pass blocking grades were significantly higher than any of the other Bears backs. While that is an important aspect of playing the position, the number that really jumped out at me was Howard’s 3.3 yards after contact per attempt (2014 and 2015 at Indiana, UAB.)

Of course that number represents college competition so it has to come with a grain of salt, but 3.3 is a huge number for a stat that is a solid predictor of NFL success.

One excellent example from last season was Thomas Rawls, who came out of nowhere when Marshawn Lynch went down and led the NFL in rushing efficiency. Rawls was boosted by a remarkable 2.8 yards after contact average. Howard’s 3.3 will definitely not be replicated at this level, but the point is that the ability to break tackles is a pre-requisite for rushing success in a pro-style offense.

Jordan Howard can do it better than any other Chicago running back, which should give him a chance to win the starting job in 2016. In fact, if Howard can pick up the pass protection schemes quick (the toughest part for any rookie NFL RB), he may even become the favorite to start Week 1.

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