The Cleveland Browns need to bulk up their backfield and record-setting Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo has been touted as an option.
Skattebo is coming off a massive season with the Sun Devils. He helped lead Arizona State to its first outright conference title since 1996, rushing for a single-season school record 1,711 yards. He added 605 receiving yards.
Skattebo posted some massive games down the stretch for ASU, rushing for 140 yards or more in his final four college games. One of Skattebo’s most notable performances came in the Big 12 title game, where he looked nearly unstoppable. He rushed for 170 yards, averaging a whopping 10.6 yards per carry.
In the College Football Playoff quarterfinals, Skattebo went off again, collecting nearly 250 total yards. He rushed for two touchdowns and also threw for a score.
Cam Skattebo Dubbed Best Fit For Browns
Getty ImagesCam Skattebo will be a running back on the Cleveland Browns’ radar.
The Browns have a need at running back, with Nick Chubb out of the picture — for now at least. Cleveland doesn’t have a bell-cow back on the roster, with Jerome Ford and Pierre Strong Jr. currently occupying the top two spots on the depth chart.
Mason Cameron of Pro Football Focus dubbed Skattebo as the best Day 2 fit for the Browns in the draft.
“Cleveland has struggled to find a workhorse back to lean on since Nick Chubb’s devastating knee injury. Skattebo would undoubtedly fill the void,” Cameron said. “His physicality jumps off the tape as both a runner (94.6 PFF grade) and a blocker, possessing a mentality and the after-contact consistency that the Browns’ front office can build around while they figure out the quarterback situation.
NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein called Skattebo a “carnage creator” in his draft breakdown. However, he also outlined some key deficiencies in his game.
“Carnage creator with a compact frame and elite contact balance. Skattebo can break through second-level tacklers and careen off of bodies for extended yards after contact. He reads his blocks quickly and is more elusive in the early stages of the run than he’s probably given credit for,” Zierlein said. “He lacks top-end speed and will have to contend with bigger, better tacklers on the next level. Skattebo’s effectiveness as a receiver out of the backfield should add to his draft value. His physicality and edge should bode well for him as a complementary back with three-down value who is capable of helping an offense wear down the defense.”
Nick Chubb’s Future Uncertain Amid Slow Free Agency
Chubb is testing free agency for the first time in his career. It hasn’t been a great experience for the four-time Pro Bowler, who has received little interest ahead of the draft.
But Chubb’s market could shift quickly after the draft, as teams reassess their rosters — including the Browns, who might be open to a reunion.
“I do believe they’ll re-sign Nick Chubb after the draft once they see how it all shakes out, providing he hasn’t found a new home by then. I think the door is open for him, but he might also want a chance for a larger role,” Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com said recently.
Injuries limited Chubb to just eight games last season. He managed just 332 rushing yards on 102 carries with three touchdowns, averaging a career-low 3.3 yards per attempt.
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