As the Dallas Cowboys look to beef up their run game under new head coach Brian Schottenheimer, there is one running back whose play style has quickly become an ideal fit for the Cowboys: Cam Skattebo. The Arizona State running back gained legend status for his incredible performance in the Peach Bowl, almost single-handedly beating Texas in a game that went to two overtimes.

Name: Cam Skattebo
Position: RB
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 215 pounds

Those that have watched Skattebo throughout his career, though, know he’s always been this special. The California native was a zero star recruit out of high school, and he only received two offers: Sacramento State and William & Mary, both FCS teams. He chose the one closer to home, and Skattebo quickly became a star. He racked up 520 rushing yards as a true freshman and then hit 1,369 as a sophomore.

That empowered Skattebo to enter the transfer portal, finding a home at Arizona State. In 2023, the first year under a new coaching staff and with the program still under the cloud of an NCAA investigation, Skattebo finished with 786 rushing yards and 286 receiving yards. Coming into 2024, though, he dropped 15 pounds to get faster and it paid off in a big way. He finished fifth in Heisman voting and powered an offense that won the Big 12 and reached the College Football Playoff. Now, Skattebo is ready to anchor an NFL offense in the same manner.

Burst

For how much of a downhill runner Skattebo is billed to be, he has an exceptional first step. The weight he dropped going into his senior season made the most notable difference in this area. Skattebo explodes off his foot and reaches his top speed very quickly, which was a big part of him having the fourth-most runs of 10+ yards despite missing a game.

Balance

Good luck bringing Skattebo down on the first, or even second, attempt. Only Ashton Jeanty forced more missed tackles or racked up more yards after contact. Skattebo is built like a slab of concrete and plays with a low center of gravity, making him almost impossible to tackle. Whether it’s in the open field or the middle of the scrum, Skattebo is going to gain at least a couple extra yards once he gets touched.

Lateral Agility

Skattebo is surprisingly quick moving side to side. There is no wasted motion in his feet, and his ability to jump from gap to gap looking for holes is almost reminiscent of Le’Veon Bell. There are times where Skattebo cuts back and has to accelerate to get to the corner where he looks like more of a speed runner than a battering ram.

Ball Carrying

This might be Skattebo’s biggest issue right now, outside of concerns about durability. He had four fumbles this year, his second season with that many. In total, Skattebo fumbled 10 times in four years, though that number is at least partially inflated by his 1,130 career carries. Still, Skattebo gets a little too careless at times.

Pass Catching

Skattebo is an elite receiving threat out of the backfield. Only two other running backs had more receiving yards last year, and Skattebo led his position group in yards after the catch. He topped 250 receiving yards each of the last three seasons and has really reliable hands. There are more nuanced route runners in this running back class, but Skattebo is arguably the most dangerous pass-catching weapon.

Blocking

There is zero concern about Skattebo’s blocking ability. As you’d expect from someone with such a physical running style, Skattebo is an able and willing blocker too. Arizona State even lined him up at fullback on occasion as a change-up. Over his two seasons with the Sun Devils, Skattebo allowed just five pressures on pass blocking snaps and never gave up a sack.

Athleticism

Skattebo doesn’t appear to have the most functional athleticism out there. He’s anything but slow, but Skattebo’s long speed still isn’t elite. He’s not going to outrun too many defenders, but his ability to bowl them over offsets some of that. Still, scouts will want to see Skattebo put up at least average numbers in the 40-yard dash.

Processing

He plays with excellent vision and patience, giving himself just enough time to diagnose the defense before making his move. In pass protection, he has a knack for knowing his responsibility and adjusting on the fly. He had four different play-callers in his four years in college and it never impacted his ability to produce.

Intangibles

Skattebo is the textbook definition of someone who has that ‘dawg’ in them. He’s a throwback runner who’s got enough shake to him to still make plays in modern day offenses. He was a leader for the Sun Devils during their improbable 11-win season. The biggest concern with Skattebo is his workload, and whether or not those 1,130 career carries will translate to a shorter shelf life in the NFL. However, Skattebo has already been preparing for this, which is one of the reasons why he changed up his weight plan heading into this past season.