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Carlos Hyde came in at 97th on the NFL’s Top 100 player rankings, a yearly edition that’s voted on by the league’s players. The appearance marks the first such selection for Hyde, 27, a Cincinnati, Ohio, native and former Ohio State Buckeye standout running back.
Hyde struggled some with injuries, but led the San Francisco 49ers in rushing for the last three seasons before agreeing to a contract with the Cleveland Browns following the 2017-18 season.
An NFL com video highlighted Hyde’s abilities and performance last season. The main theme? Hyde is a physical, hard-nosed runner who can be a violent tone-setter for an offense. He’s no slouch protecting his quarterback when asked to, or in catching the ball out of the backfield, making him a true every-down player.
“He tries to run through people,” former teammate DeForest Buckner said. “He kind of reminds of that old-school running back.”
Kyle Juszczyk, the 49ers fullback who played with Hyde last season, said the running back is the best pass-protector he has been with.
Hyde demonstrated his prowess and versatility further, becoming one of only three players—joining Shady McCoy and Todd Gurley—to lead his team in both carries and receptions.
In the video, Tyrann Matheiu said he likes Hyde’s agility and power, exclaiming that he has a “mean jump cut” and that he isn’t “looking for fantasy points, he’s looking for someone to run into.”
At 27 Hyde appears to be entering the prime of his career. The Browns hope he can stay healthy, something that has hindered him to this point in his career, and can give them a consistent and complete rusher who can do everything for them.
“I know him and Jarvis [Landry],” Matheiu added. “They’re going to have a lot of fun in Cleveland together.”
With Tyrod Taylor looking to solidify the quarterback position, at least temporarily with Baker Mayfield waiting in the wings, Hyde, Landry, and Josh Gordon all have big opportunities to make even bigger names for themselves this season. Maybe we’ll see all four of them on this list, this time next season.