[jwplayer IKT2BLLv-ThvAeFxT]
Sony Michel’s practices on Saturday and Sunday looked like exemplifications of the New England Patriots running back’s draft profile.
Explosive and dangerous, but there’s one downside: fumbling.
On Sunday, he caught a screen pass in 11-on-11 drills with the first-team offense and scampered upfield untouched for 20 or 30 yards. With the team playing “thud” (where defenders aren’t allowed to bring offensive players to the ground), Michel took the ball all the way to the end zone. And with defenders barely able to get their hands on him, perhaps the play would have been a 50-yard touchdown. On another play, Michel hammered between the tackles, driving a huddle of defenders past the whistle.
But he also fumbled the football on Saturday in 11-on-11 drills. It wasn’t the first time. He has lost the ball a few times between spring and summer practices, mostly in ball-security drills where he’s forced to run 20 yards with a linebacker in-step, punching and raking at the ball. While the drill is designed to generate fumbles, Patriots rarely let the ball hit the ground.
So yes, Michel is a liability for opponents as a home run threat. He’s also been a liability holding onto the ball.
“Got to keep pushing forward. I’ve got a whole practice to go,” he said of his fumble in 11-on-11. “Ball security is important. Period. No matter what position you play.”
Bill Belichick is famous for benching Stevan Ridley after he struggled with fumbling. But the Patriots coach was also forgiving when it came to Dion Lewis, who fumbled twice and lost one in his first two games with the Patriots in 2015. It’s over-simplistic to say Belichick is entirely unforgiving when it comes to turnovers.
On Thursday, Belichick said pass protection is the most important element for a rookie running back to master. Michel was a strong pass protector at the University of Georgia. Count that as a positive for the 23-year-old back. It’s one of many.
“He’s a great kid,” veteran running back Rex Burkhead said Sunday. “He’s got a lot of talent. It’s been fun to work with him. Not coming in with a lot of rah-rah talk. He’s just coming in head down, doing his job.”
Burkhead added later in the interview that he’d tell new players like Michel to keep their heads down and learn as fast as possible. So Michel’s comments with reporters must bode well.
“My thoughts are to come in and learn as much as possible and do whatever is asked of me,” Michel said. “No matter what it is, I’ve got to learn to do it and do it the best of my abilities.”
Speaking of his abilities, they’re profound. He finished his senior season with the Bulldogs as a captain while racking up 1,227 yards and 16 touchdowns. In the college football semifinal against Oklahoma, Michel had 11 carries for 181 yards and three touchdowns with four receptions for 41 yards and another score. Michel, the 31st overall pick in the 2018 draft, should be poised for big things in New England offense.
“You try to help him as much as you can, try not to throw too much at him, but help him here and there after each rep, just coach him up a little bit on the side,” veteran running back James White said Friday. “But, you don’t want to give him too much at one time so he can just go out there and play fast. It’s just football at the end of the day – just take your coaching points and once you’re out there, just go out there and play fast, play football.”
Speed is one of Michel’s greatest assets. Just ask Alabama. They know how fast he can play. Against the Crimson Tide in the national championship, Michel had 14 carries for 98 rushing yards at 7 yards per carry – a huge spike from Alabama’s 2.72 yards per carry allowed.
As Michel proves himself as a competent ball-handler, he should get the opportunity to do similar work against NFL defenses.
