PRO 2023 Rookie Spotlight: Devon Achane, RB Texas A&M

• admin
• 29 Mar 2023
• PROSONLY, ROOKIES, RW TICKER

Pros

– Sees lanes clearly
– Explosive out of the backfield
– Elite long speed
– Accelerates quickly
– Lightning quick lateral agility
– Bold between the tackles
– Elusive in space
– Soft hands
– Plays bigger than he is
– Returned 10% of kicks for TDs

Cons

– Too small for most to be considered a 3-down back
– Offers little in pass protection
– Often goes down on first contact

Scouting Notes:

Add 15 lbs and Achane would be in the conversation for the 2nd back taken in the draft behind Bijon Robinson – He’s just that much of a playmaker. Armed with blazing speed and excellent vision, Achane sees his lanes clearly and exhibits patience in the backfield, probably because he can get up to top speed so quickly. Once he sees his hole, Achane attacks it with aplomb, displaying the desired traits of an effective inside runner, one that isn’t scared to run headlong between the tackles – His 5.6 YPC in 2022 attest to this. Once he’s reached the second level, Achane has the lateral agility and elusiveness to break open any play, and once he’s gotten to full speed there isn’t an angle a defender can take that will catch him. Achane plays bigger than he is for certain, but he’s not much in the way of tackle breaking, so he can get jammed up if he doesn’t clear the second level effectively. As a pass catcher, Achane possesses soft hands and high points the ball – He caught 36 passes for 196 yards and 2 TDs in 2022. He’s a constant mismatch as a receiver against linebackers and safeties, due to his speed and agility. He’ll need to work on his pass protection though, as he’s willing but he doesn’t have the technique necessary for a player of his size to mitigate rushers. Achane’s skillset goes even beyond that of a between the tackles runner who can also catch the ball, as he’s a superb kick returner as well – 10% of the kicks he returned as an Aggie were for TDs.

Fantasy Outlook:

Achane’s lack of prototypical size will drop him down on a lot of teams’ draft charts and perhaps deservedly so. There are few success stories for 3-down backs of his stature, and he doesn’t seem to have much room to grow on his frame. That being said, Achane is electrifying with the ball in his hands and he’s a solid inside runner, in spite of his size. His big play potential makes him a top 5 back for me at this point in the evaluation process, and he’s worth the risk considering the lack of instant starters behind Bijon Robinson. If Achane lands on a team with an OC with some imagination, he could develop into an every week PPR monster.