I definitely like him, but I don't see what role he fits into in the NFL. He lacks size, and that's not just a statement on his height. There are short guys like MJD who, through thick build and low center of gravity just don't go down. Finch isn't one of those guys. You can be short without being small, but he's short and small.
Also, his breakaway speed isn't impressive. I did notice that his vision and cutback ability are really good, though, and he seems to navigate his way through tight lanes really well. Based on that, I think he does have potential, but I can only see him sticking if he proves to have great hands, in which case he could develop into a poor man's Woodhead. Here's some comparisons, with Dexter McCluster and Chris Rainey thrown in since they're the only <180 pound RBs that I can think of who's had anything close to success.
Woodhead
Height: 5'08"
Weight: 197
40: 4.38
20: 2.50
10: 1.44
Bench: 20
Vert: 38
Broad: 10'01"
SS: 4.20
3Cone: 7.03
Vereen
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 210
40: 4.49
20: 2.58
10: 1.58
Bench: 31
Vert: 34
Broad: 9'07"
SS: 4.28
3Cone: 6.95
James White
Height: 5'09"
Weight: 204
40: 4.57
20: 2.51
10: 1.58
Bench: 23
Vert: 32
Broad: 9'06"
SS: 4.20
3Cone: 7.05
Finch
Height: 5'06
Weight: 177
40: 4.50
20: 2.64
10: 1.65
Bench: 22
Vert: 33
Broad: 9'06"
SS: 4.25
3Cone: 7.07
Dexter McCluster
Height: 5'08
Weight: 172
40: 4.53
20: 2.50
10: 1.55
Bench: 20
Vert: 37
Broad: 9'10"
SS: 4.06
3Cone: 6.73
Chris Rainey
Height: 5'08
Weight: 180
40: 4.35
20: 2.58
10: 1.50
Bench: 16
Vert: 36
Broad: 10'00"
SS: 3.93
3Cone: 6.50
Kevin Faulk
Height: 5'08
Weight: 205
40: 4.47
20: 2.62
10: 1.61
Vert: 34
Broad: 9'06"
SS: 4.09
3Cone: 7.14
Those numbers pretty well summarize my issues with Finch. The size dropoff from a viable RB is huge, even compared to someone like Woodhead who was already suspectible to arm tackles in his own right. That dropoff in size, however, isn't offset by a corresponding increase in speed or agility. Look at his speed/agility stats compared to Chris Rainey, who is the same size. Not even in the same ballpark. Dexter McCluster is basically the same size as Finch with a similar 40 time, and he makes his living by being crazy agile (look at his 10/SS/3C compared to Finch's) and being more WR than RB. Finch doesn't have that huge agility edge, so if he wants to go down that path, he'll have to have WR-quality hands just as a starting point.
This just makes me wonder what situations he can realistically contribute in this year. My first guess would be KR. This requires that Belichick both be willing to devote a roster spot and that he beat out Gallon, who IMO plays a position of greater importance where he's more likely to contribute. My second guess would be as a Woodhead/McCluster style hybrid RB/WR... but again, McCluster's agility is in a whole other league compared to Finch's, and Woodhead is much bigger.
As a receiving back, I think there are two types of roles that are in play: you can exceed as someone who's great on draws, pass blocking, and catching screens and swing passes. Kevin Faulk and Woodhead, basically. I'm going to assume that Finch has the hands to be a really good receiving back, since if he doesn't he won't make it past the first round of cuts anyway. Assuming that that's the case, I could see Finch being really good in this role... if he could pass block, which at 177 pounds I just can't see happening.
The other type of receiving back, for me, is basically Vereen. Vereen's different than everyone else on this list, IMO--and I still maintain that this gives him by far the highest ceiling of any of the players listed--because he has the hands and experience to run deep WR routes. He's the only guy on this list who's going to attempt
this play, let alone make it. I haven't seen anything that would suggest that White or Finch have that in their arsenal, so I'm assuming that they don't.
In this case, I think the combine numbers kinda back up the eye test. 177 pounds is too small to be a 'real' NFL RB, and his agility numbers aren't good enough to put him in the McCluster hybrid RB/WR class. If I'm going to bet on a RB who's
that small, he's going to need to have Chris Rainey-level athleticism, and Finch most definitely doesn't. The only way he'll have any measure of success, IMO, is to have exceptional hands, to the point that you can line him up in the slot and not feel like you've sacrificed catching ability relative to a replacement-level slot receiver (Gallon? Collie?) He'll need to show that, plus great vision, to have any shot at making the team. As an UDFA, though, it's worth giving him a shot no matter how unlikely it is that he'll stick.
