Cam Skattebo runs like a beast. But can he do it in the NFL against a bunch of elite D-linemen and linebackers? There comes a numbing question mark. The 5’9”, 219-pound running back, one of the most polarizing athletes in CFB, just came fresh off the ASU Pro Day and didn’t turn heads. Yes, you heard it right. The dark workhorse of Arizona State finally ran the 40-yard dash on March 27 in an indoor session at ASU in front of the NFL scouts and his teammates. He reportedly ran a time of 4.57, definitely a not-so-awe-inspiring time for a CFB veteran like him. Can it still stay the course?

Cam Skattebo led the Arizona Sun Devils to a Big 12 Championship and No. 4 seed in the college football playoffs. With an outstanding performance, he received an unprecedented Heisman hype as well. That’s fair, so to say. The ASU RB giant amassed a total of 1,711 yards and added 605 receiving yards in his third and final year with the Sun Devils. Remember that watershed moment in Cam Skattebo’s last year’s endeavor when he crossed that 21.8 mph bar during a flabbergasted victory over Utah back in October? No doubt, he’s that menacing running back who happily robbed the sleep of the top-tier defenders. Now, the question it begs: how should the immense flair translate to the pros? The Pro Day and the Combine dished us a glimpse of that.

After the reigning hero in the ASU offensive backfield performed a 39.5-inch vertical leap at the NFL combine, scouts were waiting for that iconic 40-yard dash. Cam skipped it at Indianapolis due to an injury concern. But even when he did, he didn’t do himself a favor from the speed standpoint. Insider Gerald Bourguet‘s instinct reads, “I felt like he needed to be in the 4.5s, and I expected him to be in the 4.6s. That was probably the median outcome. I would expect to like with training like he gets into 4.5s, and I said last week. I was like, if it’s in the mid-4.5s, that’s a 40th percentile of all running backs drafted in the last decade, right?”

Now, what did it do to his volatile draft saga? The speed is not that bad. Rather, it’s safe to say it’s trivial for a standard RB. But again, refer to the lofty hype surrounding the ASU standout. It’s pretty easy to make out why it didn’t seem enough. When most of the NFL teams view you as a high-end RB2 with a strong chance to be a starter, the subtle responsibility to jump off the screen gets in the way. Despite all the grim odds, where is it currently sitting in the mock draft projection?

“I am not even saying, oh, that’s a great time, that’s a below-average time. He got 4.65. That’s at a single-digit percentile, right? And when you’re looking at his breakaway speed, that’s kind of what he is. I think when you’re looking at Cam Skatebo, like yeah, honestly, more than likely he’s going to be day 3,” the Arizona State insider tossed a shocking draft prediction for the 22-year-old.

But guess what? His coach, Kenny Dillingham, is not ready to put up with any nonsense coming from the scouts. It’s straightforward and simple. Kenny still thinks his guy is the best and for a reason.

Kenny Dillingham seems to be poised in Cam Skattebo’s rare gifts

It’s not always about how you run in a straight line. The explosiveness, the quickness, and all those things in between matter a lot in determining a running back’s true worth. While some NFL teams frowned at his speed during the Pro Day, the popular buzz suggested he had a good chance with the Steelers’ historical RB room that housed a slew of gems, including Franco Harris, Jerome Bettis, etc. The 49ers seem to be on the list as well.

Following ASU’s April 1 Tuesday practice, his draft stock might further decline to some extent, and teams can probe a bit about him before any final call. Referring to that, 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 promptly gave his answer: “I tell him– You want to draft him. Simple as this is, do you want to play him? No.”

Clearly, he is not ready to entertain any temporary interest in Cam Skattebo. His RB is way too talented and costly to allow any of those craps. Kenny sees him as a package that comes with multiple perks and benefits. “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, and you can run the ball in short-yardage downs. He can do so many things for you that his versatility is such a weapon. But he’s so intelligent that he can do it all.” The ASU head coach came clean on what Skattebo can bring to the table. Now, we will see how all this confidence and these hiccups eventuate in the venerable football city of Green Bay, Wisconsin, on April 24-26.