Pierre Strong Jr.

For any small-school running back to make a living in the NFL, they need to dominate their competition in college. That's what gives South Dakota State's Pierre Strong Jr. a chance to make a splash at the next level.

Strong finished with a top-10 career and single-season dominator rating while grading out as PFF's highest rusher (95.6). His 3.3 yards per play also ranks second among running backs in his class, which is a great indicator of future success. Last year's late-round standouts in that category included Elijah Mitchell and Rhamondre Stevenson.

The 5-foot-11 and 207-pound back also blazed a 4.37 40-yard dash (95th percentile), tying him with Rutgers' Isiah Pacheco for the fastest running back time.

Additionally, Strong jumped 36″ in the vertical (71st percentile) and 124″ in the broad jump (84th percentile).

Strong's "strong" outing will almost certainly boost his draft stock for both the real-life NFL and fantasy rookie drafts. High-end college RB producers that display above average athleticism tend to hit at the next level.

Pierre Strong Jr. hauled in each of his two targets for a total of 10 yards during Sunday's loss to the Bengals.

Fantasy Impact

While Strong saw fewer offensive opportunities on Saturday, he did get more involved on special teams, returning two kickoffs for a total of 46 yards. Strong's role on offense will likely shrink even more when Damien Harris (thigh) returns, perhaps as soon a next week.