Positives:

Versatility: Charles Sims is as versatile a running back as there is in the country. He has the size to run the ball between the tackles and grind the game out, but the speed and quickness to turn the edge and take the ball to the house on any play. On top of his speed, he is very elusive and hard for defenders to get a solid hit on and hard to bring to the ground. Sims has shown his big play ability over and over while playing his first three seasons at Houston and again this season at West Virginia. Sims provides the best of both worlds as a running back and is a true three-down running back.

Receiving: Sims has the best hands and route running ability of any running back that can come out for this draft. Sims has rare hand-eye coordination for a running back that makes him a threat on every play. He is spectacular in the screen game, but can also be spread out wide and run virtually any route you ask of him. Only one has he failed to catch 40 passes in a season and he had 70 receptions as a freshman at Houston. In West Virginias upset over Oklahoma State, Sims beat press coverage and split the cornerback and safety for a 38 yard receptions. This is what Sims does best.

Vision: Sims has shown good vision and cutting ability when he sees an open running lane. Sims is patient and will let the hole open up, then use his quickness to get through it and make a big play.

Sims has shown the ability to put his foot in the ground and cut through a hole with ease, often making defenders miss a tackle and picking up positive yards.

Negatives:

Running Style: While Sims is an extremely versatile back and can run inside and out, he tends to run upright and doesn’t have good bend to him. He plays with a high pad level and doesn’t always get the best leverage when trying to shake off tacklers. He needs to start running with a lower pad level, which will cause him to be able to break more tackles and will help him stay healthy for longer.

NFL Player Comparison:

Matt Forte, Chicago Bears: Sims brings the same versatility that Forte brings the bears. Forte has the ability to pick up the hard yards inside, but he also has the ability to break a run outside and take it to the house. However, even more the reason I compare the two of them are their abilities in the receiving game. There might not be a better receiving running back in the NFL than Forte. They are similar sizes, though Forte is slightly bigger. Sims is like a Forte clone and should show the ability to have a lot of games where he has over 100 total yards.

Draft Outlook:

Sims should be one of the top 5 running backs taken in this draft. With the versatility he brings to the table that no other running back in the draft really does and the move towards the passing game, his stock should be rising. I could see Sims going from early in the second round to the middle of the third round. There is a slight chance that if he does really well at the combine and pro day that he could squeak into the end of the first-round. However, with the way drafting running backs has gone recently, it’s not likely there is one taken in the first.

Best Fits:

Any team that likes to utilize their running back in their passing game should be looking at Sims. He can play in any system, so that won’t limit his draft stock. He has shown good vision and cutting ability and should be able to play in a man-blocking or zone-blocking scheme. There are a few teams out there that could use a new running back this season and he would be a good fit for any of them. The Tennessee Titans seem to be moving on from Chris Johnson and Sims would be a great weapon for whoever the quarterback is there next year. With rumors of Tennessee wanting to pursue Jay Cutler, giving him a Forte like running back would be a good idea.

Another good fit would be again in the AFC South and the Jacksonville Jaguars. If they don’t bring Maurice Jones-Drew back next year, they will be in the market for a running back. Sims gives them versatility and another weapon for whoever they play at quarterback nest year. The last team that I’m going to mention is the Cleveland Browns. They moved on from Trent Richardson and don’t currently have a starting caliber running back on the roster.