Jaden Shirden

Hailing from a small FCS school in New Jersey (Monmouth University) and having a small frame (5-foot-8, 187 pounds), Jaden Shirden isn’t likely on the radar of too many NFL scouts, especially fantasy football owners. Despite this, Shirden displayed the athleticism that made him a prolific receiving back at Monmouth. He ran for 3,200 yards and scored 23 touchdowns over the past two seasons. Although Shirden tested fairly mediocrely in explosive drills like the vertical leap (34.5 inches) and the broad jump (9 feet, 9 inches), his 4.45-second 40-yard dash improved his outlook tremendously.

While Shirden isn’t your typical hard-nosed, between-the-tackles runner, he is able to accelerate and switch gears at a really high level. Both a shifty and quick tailback, Shirden profiles as a solid receiving back and even a change-of-pace back for teams with a power runner taking the bulk of the workload.  According to NFL NextGen Stats, Shirden grades out as an average backup or special-teamer in the league. And although he might not be – and perhaps shouldn’t be – on the radar of fantasy managers quite yet, his quickness and raw talent alone make him an enticing player to watch moving forward.