It’s like life has decided that it will keep throwing lemons at Cam Skattebo. And while the talented star has learned how to make lemonade, how many times can he catch them all? After the golf cart incident that freshly introduced his name to the ongoing lawsuit, the running back is in another blunder. However, this time it is all him. “Arizona State standout running back Cam Skattebo officially ran a 4.65 40-yard dash at his Pro Day today.” Ouch!

For a do-it-all offensive weapon who has broken sweat on the best defenses in college football, learning a stat like this isn’t the best even if it’s not the conclusion. But again, it’s the timing of it all. In the ruthless world of NFL scouting, none of that matters if the stopwatch tells the wrong story, and with the 2025 NFL Draft right around the corner, time is not on Cam’s side. But with one bad stat amidst the multiple good ones, does it really matter? Well, the ASU HC Kenny Dillingham doesn’t believe so.

Dillingham isn’t letting a single time from a single day dictate the narrative around his most versatile offensive weapon. Following ASU’s April 1, Tuesday practice, the HC was asked, “Coach, NFL scouts call you this time of the year and ask you about Cam, what do you tell them?”

Kenny delivered a simple answer: “I tell him– You want to draft him. Simple as this is, do you want to play him? No.” No hesitation, no qualifiers—just the unwavering belief that Skattebo is too good to pass up.

“He can do so many things that if you’re a team that moves a guy around, if you’re a team that relies on matchups, and truly looks for matchups — he’s a nightmare because you can line him up at running back, you can line him up in the slot, you can line him up as a No. 1 receiver, you can line him up in the wildcat quarterback, you can run the ball in short-yardage downs. Like he can do so many things for you that his versatility is such a weapon, and he’s so intelligent that he can do it all.

“So, what I tell people is– ‘You’re either going to be playing him and you’re gonna say, Dang! I have to play him.’ or you’re going to draft him and people can look at measurables, they can look at speed, you know, tenth of a second. That’s how I view it. He’s a football player.”

The message? NFL teams that focus too much on his 40 time and not enough on his film will regret it because Skattebo’s intelligence and versatility make him a dream for any offensive coordinator willing to think outside the box. Otherwise, Cam would have a future that will keep defensive coordinators up at night, wanting to come up with a plan.

Coach KD isn’t just hyping up his guy, either. The analytics back him up. Pro Football Focus recently ranked the top running backs in the 2025 NFL Draft across nine different categories, and while Heisman Trophy runner-up Ashton Jeanty took the top spot in four, Cam Skattebo wasn’t far behind. In fact, he finished first in three key categories—each one reinforcing the exact strengths Coach Dillingham has been preaching to NFL teams.

On the ground, he was untouchable—1,711 rushing yards on 293 carries, breaking ASU’s single-season record and racking up 21 touchdowns along the way. Proving he’s got hands too, he had45 recs for 605 yards and three more TDs. In the Peach Bowl in January where ASU lost 39-31, Cam was still the MVP for posting 284 total yards—143 rushing, 99 receiving, and even a 42-yard touchdown pass.

In fact, if the speed is such a concern, let’s not forget he also reached 21.8 mph while racking up 199 yards of offense in Arizona State’s win over Utah in October, gaining comparisons to Deebo Samuel. And there’s a reason why Terrell Owens and more are already throwing around Marshawn Lynch comparisons, he’s got the skillset.

If you need a tough yard? Skattebo’s 94.1 rushing grade on plays when the offense needed three yards or fewer led the nation over the last two seasons. If you need a running back, who can be a true weapon in the passing game? Skattebo has that covered, too. His 829 receiving yards since 2023 are the most among running backs in this draft class and second overall. And if you just want a guy who refuses to go down? There’s a reason PFF named him the ‘Most Determined Runner’ in this class.

That last category might be the most telling. Skattebo is a back built on sheer willpower. His defining moment was throwing up on the sideline in the CFP Quarterfinal, then getting back on the field and delivering a performance for the ages. He’s the kind of player who runs with bad intentions and an even worse attitude toward defenders. Numbers can’t always capture that, but film can, and Skattebo’s is full of moments that scream NFL-ready.

The man himself has never been shy about his confidence, and that’s not changing now. He’s been doubted before, and he’s met every challenge with the same response—by running through it. “Nobody respects the fact that I’m the best running back in the country. And I’m going to stand on that,” Skattebo said after bulldozing Iowa State in ASU’s 45-19 Big 12 Championship victory.

The 4.65 might have some scouts second-guessing, but Skattebo isn’t losing an ounce of sleep over it, and neither should you.

Why Kenny Dillingham says Cam Skattebo’s 40 time doesn’t matter one bit

In the two-horse draft class, Arizona State’s Cam Skattebo is projected as a 147th and an early Day 3 pick. But if you ask ASU head coach Kenny Dillingham, there’s one thing scouts are putting way too much stock in—Skat’s dash timer.

“He ran a time that’s what everybody thought he was going to run, so I think people should judge him off his tape,” Dillingham said. And honestly, he’s got a point. If scouts need proof of Skattebo’s ability, maybe they should start with the Texas game, where he racked up 284 total yards and 3 touchdowns against a defense filled with future NFL players. But Dillingham isn’t stopping there.

“No, I just tell them to watch every single play,” he said. “Dude plays with such a passion, such an aggressiveness, such great contact balance. His short area quickness is elite. His vertical jump shows the power he has, which is why he has the contact balance.”

While the straight-line athleticism may not be there in a way that many want out of their running back, being named in PFF’s top back in three critical categories proves that his well-rounded game is built for success at the next level.