Ole Miss running back Snoop Conner was selected with the 154th overall pick in the fifth round by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2022 NFL Draft Saturday afternoon.
Conner clearly caught the eye of Jacksonville, as the front office traded up with Philadelphia Eagles to select the Hattiesburg, Miss. native. The Jags, who made the draft’s No. 1 overall pick with the selection of Georgia defensive lineman Travon Walker, made their first offensive skill position pick with the selection of Conner.
Snoop Conner
Snoop Conner
Snoop Conner
At 5-10, 220, Conner’s height is on the smaller size, but he packs a powerful punch. Last season in a running back committee approach by Rebels coach Lane Kiffin, Conner served as the primary goal-line back to compliment Jerrion Early and Henry Parrish Jr.
To go along with 130 carries for 768 yards on 5.8 yards per carry, Conner led the team with 13 rushing touchdowns. He’ll now look to carve out a role alongside James Robinson and Travis Etienne.
Snoop Conner
Snoop Conner
Snoop Conner
Here’s NFL Draft Bible’s analysis of Conner:
One Liner: Snoop Conner is a traditional downhill runner, specializing in finishing with power and gaining tough yards.
Pros: Conner has a big frame with a filled-out upper and lower body. He is a no no-nonsense runner that sees a gap and hits it squarely, showing adequate acceleration. Secondary and tertiary level defenders find themselves being stonewalled, as Conner consistently falls forward, requiring full focus tackling. His pad level is always low and allows him to overachieve his athleticism with open field fluidity. His downhill, run-away truck playstyle allows him to set up defenders fearing power, and use a quick jab step to make them miss.
Cons: Conner tends to be laterally challenged with tighter hips and ankles. He is not the quickest in short areas, making his ability for second reaction plays behind the line of scrimmage limited. At times his head down, all gas mentality hurts him, making him miss cutback lanes in his peripheral. Played few snaps on third down most of his career as he lacks the pass game ability as both a route runner and protector. Mostly used a rotational piece in short-yardage or goal-line situations.
Summary: Many power-backs find a fit in the NFL between their size and ability to gain the tough yards. Snoop Conner fits this mold as he runs with a district physicality, based on fundamental pad level, leverage, and outmuscling defenders. While his role outside of an early-down enforcer is limited and could hamper his stock, Conner could be a reliable rotation piece in the NFL.
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