RJ Harvey, RB, UCF
Size:
Height: 5080
Weight: 205
Arm: 29”
Hand: 9”
Accomplishments:
All-Big 12 Honorable Mention (2023) • Doak Walker Award Semifinalist (2023)
“RJ Harvey is a highly talented and skilled running back who has a nice blend of vision, lateral agility, and speed."
Strengths:
Lateral agility/jump-cuts
Contact balance/pad level
Speed and burst
Vision
Concerns:
Size
Excessively patient behind line of scrimmage
Consistently run with physicality
Film Analysis:
RJ Harvey ended the 2024 season being recognized as one of the most talented and underrated running backs in the entire nation. Harvey ended the 2024 season with more than 1,500 yards rushing and 22 touchdowns, going back-to-back years of rushing for more than 1,400 yards and the standard of rushing production in the Big 12. Harvey's production as a runner came via an athletic profile that makes him a scheme-versatile back and a difficult tackle for most defenders. Harvey has the skill set that needs to be game-planned for by defensive coordinators because he has the opportunity to not only change a game but to dominate as a running back. Harvey's vision, combined with lateral agility and speed, sets the stage for him to have a clear path to becoming a highly productive running back in the NFL.
From the snap as a runner, Harvey does a great job of scanning the line of scrimmage to find creases. To get to the holes, Harvey can use his lateral agility to make jump-cuts and has excellent footwork to always remain in a balanced and controlled approach as a runner. Once at the hole, Harvey can quickly accelerate and get into the line of scrimmage. In the hole, Harvey runs with good level and his height plays to his advantage because it is difficult to get solid contact on him. Harvey does a good job of running through arm tackles and lowers his pads to give defenders minimal contact area and gets the second level.
Once on the second level, Harvey can use his speed to accelerate past defenders or he can use his elusiveness and string together multiple moves to make defenders miss. Harvey can string together jump-cuts followed by spin moves and can quickly then get upfield and pick up yardage. In the open field, Harvey has the speed to separate from defenders cand can create explosive gains with his speed. As a runner, Harvey has a dangerous skill set in the open field because he can create for himself, finding creative ways to make defenders miss.
Harvey's effect on the passing game is positive in both pass protection and as a receiver. In pass protection, Harvey does a good job of scanning looking for any second-level blitzers to come into a gap and he will step up and pick them up. Although he is limited in size, Harvey has the toughness and grit to step up and pick up bigger defenders to help out his quarterback. As a pass-catcher out of the backfield, Harvey has shown flashes of being a natural hands-catcher and can be effective running traditional routes out of the backfield—everything from swing passes to wheel routes down the field.
Harvey's concerns as a player are minor details that can help improve his overall effectiveness. Harvey is a patient runner who at times can become too patient behind the line of scrimmage. Instead of quickly being able to recognize that a play is over and to try to lower his pads and pick up the available yards, Harvey will continue to wait behind the line of scrimmage hoping for another opportunity to show and the play ends up in a tackle for loss behind the line of scrimmage.
Overall, Harvey is an instinctual runner who has an ideal combination of mental skills combined with the physical tools to become a plus-level, highly productive running back in the NFL.
Prospect Projection: Day 3 — Developmental Traits
Written By: Keith Sanchez
Exposures: Colorado (2024), Florida (2024), BYU (2024), Arizona State (2024), Baylor (2023), Oklahoma (2023), Oklahoma State (2023), Houston (2023)
