Buffalo Bills: Scouting the 2017 NFL Draft for a Running Back

Donnel Pumphrey – San Diego St

Senior, 5’9, 180lbs

Career: 1,059 carries, 6,405 yards, and 62 TDs

The 2-Time Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year has better stats as a running back than anybody to ever enter the NFL draft. This past year he eclipsed Ron Dayne’s mark as the NCAA all-time leading rusher.  Yet he remains a likely late day 2 or day 3 draft pick. Why?

He is small, really small.

While he is one of the quicker running backs in college, his size will make him a durability concern at the next level. The benefit to his smaller stature is that I haven’t heard of the typical concerns bigger back receive when they have a lot of carries coming out of college. Just look back at who we have already previewed, Fournette and Conner don’t have even 700 collegiate carries, Pumphrey has over 1,000.

The production is impressive and being a quick one-cut runner also happens to make him an ideal runner for a zone-blocking offense. He is quick to the edges and can turn it up field in a hurry once he sees a hole.

The running play you will see a lot of with the Bills will be the stretch play, where the runner will basically run towards a sideline until he finds a hole or the edge. Pumphrey can do that, and being small, hide from linebackers trying to find him.

Buffalo Bills Projected NFL Draft Round: 4-7

It’s hard to say how much Pumphrey’s size will limit his draft position, bu you can’t deny his instincts or abilities once he gets the ball in his hand. Pumphrey knows he will need to find other ways to contribute, which is why during the senior bowl he practiced as a punt and kick returner.

Where I see Pumphrey in the NFL is as a Darren Sproles type option. He does have 20+ catches in every college season, but can still improve on it.