Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images
The Arizona State product is one of the top running backs in this year’s draft.
Speaking to reporters at the NFL meetings on Monday, head coach Mike Vrabel said that the
New England Patriots adding another running back through the draft would be “potentially something that we would like to do.” Vrabel’s team does have Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson atop the depth chart at the moment, but there are several suitable candidates to fill the “good, young runner” role the first-year coach mentioned.
Among them is Arizona State’s Cam Skattebo, one of the most exciting players in college football last season.
Hard facts
Name: Cam Skattebo
Position: Running back
School: Arizona State
Opening day age: 23 (2/5/2002)
Measurements: 5’9 1/2”, 219 lbs, 73 7/8” wingspan, 29 7/8” arm length, 9 3/8” hand size, 4.65s 40-yard dash, 39.5” vertical jump, 10’3” broad jump, 17 bench press reps, 7.45 Relative Athletic Score
Experience
Career statistics: 49 games (36 starts) | 2,274 offensive snaps, 99 special teams snaps | 709 carries, 4,386 rushing yards (6.2 yards/carry), 43 TDs | 144 targets, 112 catches (77.8%), 1,386 receiving yards, 8 TDs | 8-of-19 pass attempts (42.1%), 191 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT | 1 special teams tackle | 8 punts, 338 yards (42.3 yards/punt) | 10 fumbles
Accolades: First-team All-American (2024), First-team All-Big 12 (2024), Peach Bowl Offensive MVP (2024), Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year (2022), First-team All-Big Sky (2022), Third-team All-Big Sky (2021)
Despite a ridiculously productive high school career at Rio Linda in his California hometown, that saw him rush for over 6,000 yards and 69 touchdowns, Skattebo flew under the radar heading toward college. An unranked recruit, he eventually ended up at Sacramento State, 9 miles south of his high school field.
After his true freshman year was canceled due to Covid-19, Skattebo spent two seasons with the Hornets (as a teammate of Patriots safety Marte Mapu). He played 24 games with 16 starts, gaining 2,387 scrimmage yards and scoring 17 touchdowns. After being named Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year following his 2022 campaign, he decided to transfer to the FBS and joined Arizona State.
Skattebo spent two seasons as a Sun Devil, picking up right where he left off despite an uptick in competition. A 20-game starter out of 25 in-game appearances, he added 3,385 yards and 34 touchdowns to his career résumé. His final college game in the CFB Playoff Quarterfinal saw him win Peach Bowl Offensive MVP honors despite Arizona State losing the game: Skattebo had 143 rushing, 86 receiving and 42 passing yards as well as 3 total TDs.
After the end of his college season, he participated in the Senior Bowl and the Scouting Combine.
Draft profile
Expected round: 3-4 |
Consensus big board: No. 66 |
Patriots meeting: N/A
Strengths: Standing at just under 5-foot-10 and 219 pounds, Skattebo has a compact build and plays the part. He is a physical, old-school runner who keeps his pad level low and offers the vision and contact balance to succeed as a between-the-tackles and short-yardage back at the next level. Despite all that, he is surprisingly nimble and capable of executing jump cuts without losing too much speed.
This has allowed him to evade tackles at a high rate. Among this year’s running back prospects, he is trailing only Ashton Jeanty (.390) in missed tackles forced per career touch (.387). Contributing to that is his ability to kick into a higher gear once he sees daylight through a hole; his deceptive build-up speed can lead defenders into taking wrong angles or attempting tackles with insufficient technique.
In addition to his prowess as a ball carrier, Skattebo also is an experienced receiver out of the backfield. He has good hands, and quickly transforms himself from receiver to runner. He also has some encouraging reps as a pass protector on his tape that see him use his dense frame to his advantage.
Weaknesses: Even though he put up impressive numbers at both of his college stops, Skattebo lacks some of the athletic traits you want in a high-volume running back. His acceleration is more gradual than sudden, and despite the aforementioned second gear he lacks the high-end speed to run away from defenders in pursuit. As a result of this, he is more of a downhill runner than a player who can stress NFL defenses vertically in a wide zone scheme.
Skattebo also had some questionable ball security in college. Besides fumbling the ball 10 times, he also dropped 5 passes as receiver despite usually working in the short and underneath parts of the field. In general, his work in the passing game will be relatively limited unless he a) can expand his route tree when aligned in the slot or split out wide, and b) get more consistent as a pass protector both through his technique (more aggressively initiating contact rather than getting low) and his reads.
In addition, Skattebo is a bit on the older side and with plenty of wear and tear on his tires. He also was sued by a former teammate for an
incident involving a collapsing golf cart dating back to 2023.
Patriots preview
What would be his role? Skattebo was one of the most electric and versatile playmakers in college football during his time at Sacramento State and Arizona State, but he projects to fill more of a classic running back role at the NFL level. Within the context of that position, he primarily will be a between-the-tackles power option on early downs and in short-yardage situations with some potential as a receiver out of the backfield as well.
What is his growth potential? Already 23 and with more than 800 career touches on his résumé, Skattebo’s room for growth might be limited. That said, he can work on his routes and his pass protection to make himself more valuable on passing downs. His future in the league will also depend on his ability to hold onto the football.
Does he have positional versatility? Yes, indeed. Skattebo was a finalist for the Paul Hornung Award as the most versatile player in the country in 2023, proof of his versatile skillset and mindset to play whatever role he is asked to play. Not all of his versatility will necessarily translate to the NFL, but he does have value as a potential do-it-all weapon within an offense.
Why the Patriots? Even though the Patriots’ running back group is led by a formidable duo, Skattebo would be a fitting addition to the room. He has several of the attributes the team covets in its players due to his flexibility and career background. He also would be able to serve as a complement for both Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson early on in his career, with a more prominent role possibly waiting further down the line.
Why not the Patriots? The Patriots own three selections between the 69th and 108th pick in the draft, which is where Skattebo is projected to come off the board. Given the issues they have all across their roster is investing in a complementary running back, especially considering the presence of Stevenson and Gibson on the team already, the best way to invest such a valuable resource fairly early in the draft?
One-sentence verdict: The Patriots need all the offensive playmakers they can get their hands on, and Skattebo would fall in that category even despite playing at a position that already looks set at the top.
What do you think about Cam Skattebo as a potential Patriots target? Please head down to the comment section to share your thoughts.
