The War Room: Jonathan Wells, RB 
Jonathan Wells
Position: Running Back
Drafted: Round 4, #99 overall
Height: 6’1"
Weight: 243
College: Ohio State
Birthday: July 29, 1979
NFL Comparison: Antowain Smith
Strengths: Jonathan Wells is a load to take down when he’s running up the gut. He is a linebacker’s nightmare when he has that full head of steam. Wells has a good handle on the football, so it will be tough make the man fumble, too.
Wells displayed those hands as a receiver during Senior Bowl workouts. He averaged 9.0 yards per reception in his career as a Buckeye. Wells is also an adequate blocker.
Though he’s not particularly fast, Wells does use quick feet and will keep his legs churning. Wells finished his college career on a high note, scoring 16 touchdowns and averaging 5.2 yards per carry.
Areas of concern: Wells is not the second coming of Eddie George, a former Houston selection out of Ohio State; in fact, Wells was a disappointment in his first three collegiate seasons, waiting to blossom as a senior. He is not an outside runner, and he cannot kick it into a fifth gear.
There are also questions about his toughness, so despite his size, he should not be projected as a fullback. Coaches and scouts would like to see him utilize his size in hitting the hole more quickly and consistently and initiating the contact.
His weight has been tabbed all over the board, from as low as 218 to as high as 245. He came in at 231 at the combine. He also scored a paltry 6 on the Wonderlic, but Palmer’s offense won’t be asking him to do any algebra.
2002 Expectations: Wells will be a nice addition to the existing backs. His size makes him a candidate for short yardage and goalline situations, but he could provide matchup problems for teams without good fundamental tacklers.
James Allen still figures to be the feature back for the Texans this season, but Wells may push him late in the season if he continues the growth he showed his senior season at Ohio State.
YEAR G ATT YDS YPC TD 2001 12 251 1,331 5.2 16 2000 12 136 598 4.4 6 1999 9 51 292 5.7 3 1998 12 41 197 4.8 2 TOTALS 45 479 2,418 5.0 27 
Jonathan Wells 
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