Written by David Syvertsen with Ourlads.com
He ranked him as the 11th best RB in the draft...and a Day 3 selection (he missed on that)
Junior entry. One-year starter from Missouri City, TX. Earned first team All-SEC honors in 2022. Also a member of the Texas A&M track and field team, running short distance races and posting some of the fastest times in school history. Achane is near the Olympic level when it comes to speed, and it shows up on film. The easy burst and next gear are always enough to outrun angles. He is not a player that will be caught from behind. His play style fights the stereotype of track athletes that put the pads on. He is tough and hard-nosed. He puts his shoulder down into a pile of tacklers. And he succeeds between the tackles. Achane is an elite, explosive athlete that can show up in the passing game, obviously in the running game, and on special teams. While there are a few physical restrictions that come with a frame this size, the right usage is going to inject explosive plays into the offense and points on to the scoreboard. Achane's game is built on speed and burst that can be used in more ways than one but should not be the feature back early in his career.
*The speed is Chris Johnson-caliber. The kind of speed that can change an offense in a hurry. But how many backs were drafted and sustained a 5+ year career at running back that weighed in under 190 pounds at the combine since 2000? Besides the 5'6" Darren Sproles? Zero. You need to consider that when deciding whether to draft him. Is the idea of him realistic? It is fun, but what are the odds he can hold up? Of course, he can put some weight on and I am sure he will, but most backs do. And how much does that eat into his movement traits? And it's not like his shuttle/3-cone times are great. Achane is worth a gamble at some point, I agree. Day three is the only time I think about it.
He ranked him as the 11th best RB in the draft...and a Day 3 selection (he missed on that)
Junior entry. One-year starter from Missouri City, TX. Earned first team All-SEC honors in 2022. Also a member of the Texas A&M track and field team, running short distance races and posting some of the fastest times in school history. Achane is near the Olympic level when it comes to speed, and it shows up on film. The easy burst and next gear are always enough to outrun angles. He is not a player that will be caught from behind. His play style fights the stereotype of track athletes that put the pads on. He is tough and hard-nosed. He puts his shoulder down into a pile of tacklers. And he succeeds between the tackles. Achane is an elite, explosive athlete that can show up in the passing game, obviously in the running game, and on special teams. While there are a few physical restrictions that come with a frame this size, the right usage is going to inject explosive plays into the offense and points on to the scoreboard. Achane's game is built on speed and burst that can be used in more ways than one but should not be the feature back early in his career.
*The speed is Chris Johnson-caliber. The kind of speed that can change an offense in a hurry. But how many backs were drafted and sustained a 5+ year career at running back that weighed in under 190 pounds at the combine since 2000? Besides the 5'6" Darren Sproles? Zero. You need to consider that when deciding whether to draft him. Is the idea of him realistic? It is fun, but what are the odds he can hold up? Of course, he can put some weight on and I am sure he will, but most backs do. And how much does that eat into his movement traits? And it's not like his shuttle/3-cone times are great. Achane is worth a gamble at some point, I agree. Day three is the only time I think about it.