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2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report: DeWayne McBride (RB – UAB)

2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report: DeWayne McBride (RB – UAB)

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 DeWayne McBride.

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2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report: DeWayne McBride (RB – Alabama-Birmingham)

DeWayne McBride (RB – UAB)

5’11” – 215 lbs.

Background:

Carried the ball 47 times as a freshman, picking up 439 yards and four touchdowns, then was the team’s leading ballcarrier the following year, putting together a 204-1,371-13 (6.7) line. Reprised his role as the team’s lead back this past season, finishing with a staggering 233-1,702-19 (7.3) to lead the FBS in rushing yardage before declaring for the draft.

Positives:

Incredibly efficient over the course of his collegiate career, with two outstanding seasons as the team’s lead back. Well-built, violent runner who proved he could carry a heavy load at the college level. Shows patience in the backfield to let holes develop, but runs with decisiveness when the hole is open; a north-south runner who doesn’t try to get too cute in the backfield, executing plays as designed. Shows above-average agility and footwork when navigating through congestion. Low center of gravity and thick build give him impressive contact balance. Can be difficult to bring down once he gets a head of steam. Runs through arm tackles easily and can punish second-level defenders with physical stiff arms and shoulder tackles. Not the most elusive player, but can spin off of contact at the second level. Shows solid leg drive after contact to fight for additional yardage and finish runs. Routinely finishes runs by falling forward.

Negatives:

Burst in the hole appears closer to average; broke some big runs in school, but projects as more of a chunk runner at the pro level. Struggles to win the edge when cutting back across the formation, without much explosiveness out of his cuts. Can occasionally struggle with balance when trying to make sharp cuts in the backfield. Ball security looks like a major issue, with nine career fumbles on 489 career touches. Caught just five career passes, being used as essentially a pure runner and coming off the field for virtually all of the team’s passing plays, save for the occasional play-action pass.

Summary:

A highly productive, no-nonsense back who runs with decisiveness and power between the tackles, making defenders work to bring him down and consistently finishing his runs by falling forward, but whose athletic traits are closer to average, who struggles to protect the football, and who has almost no experience in the passing game, either as a blocker or receiver. Those limitations will probably lead him to fall into the mid-to-late rounds on draft day as a potential power back in a committee.

Projection: Round 5-6

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