As the NFL season winds down, FantasyPros will be taking a look at early NFL draft scouting reports before the combine in March. Here’s a look at Devon Achane.
Check out all of our 2023 NFL Draft Scouting Reports & Prospect Profiles
2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Devon Achane (RB – Texas A&M)
5’9” – 185 lbs.
Background:
Texas native and four-star recruit who backed up Isaiah Spiller in 2020, finishing with 43-364-4 (8.5) and adding five receptions. Saw his role expand behind Spiller in 2021, ending the year with 130-910-9 (7.0) and 24-261-1 receiving, adding a kick return touchdown. Took over the starting job this past year, finishing with 196-1,102-8 (5.6) rushing, 36-196-3 receiving, and another return touchdown before declaring. Also a sprinter on A&M’s track team.
Positives:
Role expanded each season with the team, carrying a pretty full load this past season. College sprinter with excellent deep speed and impressive burst in the hole. Smart, no-nonsense rushing style; has good patience and vision, with very quick feet to shuffle and find lanes between the tackles. Efficiently moves through tight spaces to find yardage. Refrains from bouncing too many runs outside. Shows good contact balance and the ability to make defenders miss in space; very nice jump cuts make him difficult to bring down. Finishes runs by lowering the shoulder, driving his legs after contact, and falling forward. Ball security has been good throughout his career, with just two fumbles and a two-handed approach to protecting the ball at the end of runs. Was a relatively high-volume receiver this past season. Dangerous kick returner with immediate value on special teams.
Negatives:
On the small side for a pro running back, which means he’s likely to be part of a committee at the next level. Efficiency decreased as his role expanded in each year. Fights after contact, but doesn’t have the lower-body strength to continue making forward progress once he’s been wrapped up. Has really struggled to hold up in pass protection throughout his collegiate career; although his sample size was small before this past season, lack of ideal size suggests it’s going to continue to be a challenge at the pro level. Wasn’t frequently lined up in the slot or split out wide as a receiver; more of a traditional safety-valve type of usage in school. Has small hands and dropped five passes over the past two seasons.
Summary:
An undersized back with impressive vision, quickness, agility, and speed, he can run the ball between the tackles as well as he can run it outside, and offers additional value as a dangerous return specialist. Projects as an efficient change-of-pace back in a running back committee, but didn’t do a ton of different things as a receiver and struggles in blitz pickup, so it’s possible teams seeking third-down backs will look for more versatile options. Could come off the board in the second day.
Projection: Round 2-3
Other 2023 NFL Draft Running Back Prospects
- Tank Bigsby (RB – Auburn)
- Chase Brown (RB – Illinois)
- Zach Charbonnet (RB – UCLA)
- Zach Evans (RB – Mississippi)
- Jahmyr Gibbs (RB – Alabama)
- Roschon Johnson (RB – Texas)
- Kenny McIntosh (RB – Georgia)
- Kendre Miller (RB – TCU)
- Bijan Robinson (RB – Texas)
- Sean Tucker (RB – Syracuse)
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