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UCLA running back Zach Charbonnet was taken by the Seattle Seahawks with the No. 52 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He’s the third running back off the board in this draft and will form an interesting 1-2 punch with 2022 breakout Kenneth Walker III.
Former UCLA Bruins and Michigan Wolverines running back Zach Charbonnet will look to prove himself at the next level after a productive college football career. After two years at Michigan, he made the move to UCLA for a couple more seasons before turning pro.
Over four college football seasons, Charbonnet rushed for 3,346 yards with 5.9 yards per attempt with 39 touchdowns on the ground. He also caught 75 passes for 589 yards.
Zach Charbonnet: Scouting Report
Charbonnet enters the NFL Draft with ideal size for a running back at 6 feet tall and 214 pounds and does just about everything well. He proved to be a strong rusher of the football and can catch passes with a strong blocking ability in blitz pickup. Charbonnet also does well in holding onto the ball with minimal fumbles.
As for weaknesses, Charbonnet doesn’t possess elite burst, and his ability to elude tacklers could use some work at the next level. The elite speed isn’t there at this point, but he is ready for the NFL with polished skills needed to be a productive running back.
Mock Draft landing spots
CBS projects that Charbonnet will land with the Ravens in the third round while The Athletic’s mock draft has him joining the Bengals in late Round 2.
Fantasy football implications
Charbonnet will certainly have fantasy value in his rookie season with all the things he can do and at the very least, he can be a third-down back right away. We’ve seen plenty of backs perform well in Year 1 and no matter where he lands, Charbonnet is going to be a factor in fantasy leagues in some capacity this fall.
The Bengals could use someone like Charbonnet after Samaje Perine left for the Broncos. They’ve had offensive line troubles, and a back who doubles as a blocker would be huge for them. However, with Joe Burrow and his downfield weapons the highlight of that offense, Charbonnet might get plenty of snaps but not many carries. It depends on how the Joe Mixon off-the-field issues play out, as well.
The Ravens have a lot up in the air with their quarterback situation right now, and locking down a physical running back with a third-round pick doesn’t look like a bad idea. However, if Lamar Jackson stays, the run game will remain centered around him, and Charbonnet doesn’t make a fantasy-worthy impact in his rookie season.