Bleacher Report’s Doug Farrar broke down the game tape to evaluate New England Patriots RB Mike Gillislee and to see if Gillislee’s playing strengths aligned with his impressive statistical output.
Over the past two years, Gillislee has averaged over 5.7 yards per carry, the best rate in the league. He has topped the Football Outsiders DVOA rankings, which measures a player’s efficiency, and ranks at the top of the league in generating yards after contact. Farrar believes that Gillislee backs up his production with an impressive skill set.
Gillislee has “the decisiveness to accelerate outside, the body control to reset his body once he’s made the cut and the second-level speed and strength to get past his blockers and break tackles,” Farrar writes before adding “that [Gillislee’s] level of lateral explosives is a rare trait.”
Farrar uses game tape to highlight Gillislee’s ability to reach the edge of the formation before turning his hips upfield to burn past defenders, an ability that the best running backs in the league share.
Gillislee “has the potential to be the best running back this franchise has had since Corey Dillon,” Farrar concludes.