D'onto Foreman Longhorn true freshman is rising up my draft board.
D'Onta Foreman
RBJunior6-0, 233 lbsTexas
Scouts Grade73
Position Rank7
Overall Rank97
40-YD Dash4.55
ConferenceBig 12
2016 NCAA Football Stats
Attempts YDS TDS
323 2028 15
ProfilePlayer NewsConversation
Overall Football Traits
Production 2
Height-Weight-Speed 2
Durability 4
Intangibles 2
1 = EXCEPTIONAL2 = ABOVE AVERAGE3 = AVERAGE4 = BELOW AVERAGE5 = MARGINAL
Running Back Specific Traits
Competitiveness 3 Outstanding effort with ball in his hands. Ball security is a concern though. 2017 (1.8%) and career fumble percentages (1.7%) are both marginal and raise red flags. Would like to more aggressiveness and physicality as a blocker.
Vision/Patience 2 Doesn't have elite instincts or anticipation but flashes ability to exploit cutback lanes and hit creases as they open. Gets caught chopping feet at times but above average overall patience. Gives blockers time to get into position and rarely runs into their backs.
Agility/Acceleration 2 Quick feet for size. Bounces in and out of seams. Not an elusive open field runner but makes defenders miss in the hole. Hits hole with head of steam once he makes up his mind and quick enough to turn the corner on perimeter runs. Doesn't have breakaway speed but fast enough to break off chunk runs when gets a seam.
Power/Balance 1 Bulldozer with the brute strength to push the pile when doesn't get a seam in short-yardage situations. Flashes ability to carry defenders for extra yards. Shrugs off would-be arm tackles. Flashes ability to step out of would be shoelace tackles. Base narrows and gets knocked off balance at time but above average job of recovering.
Passing Game 4 13 career catches and minimal production raises a red flag. Flashes ability to extend arms and snatch the ball out of the air given the opportunity. Big and strong enough to develop into an effective pass blocker but technique is raw. Ducks head and lunges too much at this point. Below average recognition skills and fails to locate assignment with some frequency at this point.
1 = EXCEPTIONAL2 = ABOVE AVERAGE3 = AVERAGE4 = BELOW AVERAGE5 = MARGINAL
Status Report
A one-year starter and true junior D'Onta (dee-ON-tay) Foreman rushed for more yards per game (184.4) than any other back in the FBS last year and his 2,028 rushing yards were second-most in school history. He's a powerful runner with above average upside but he missed at least one game with an injury in each of his three seasons at Texas and he put the ball ground on the ground too much last year. In addition, he'll have to make substantial strides as a receiver and pass blocker to develop into an every-down back.
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OVERVIEW
D'Onta and his twin brother, Armanti, were co-Most Valuable Players of District 24-4A while playing at Texas City High School. Both signed with Texas, with Armanti being the more prized recruit. D'Onta was the one exploding as a junior, however, leading the FBS with 184.4 rushing yards per game (2,028 total on 323 carries) and scoring 15 times. His six fumbles (all lost) were a bit worrisome, but they didn't prevent him from winning consensus All-American honors and the Doak Walker Award as the nation's best back. Freeman worked up to his starter status, playing seven games as a reserve in 2014 (15-73 rushing) and then 10 as a sophomore, rushing for 681 yards and five touchdowns before missing the final two games with a wrist injury.
ANALYSIS
STRENGTHS Outstanding athleticism for a big runner. Smooth lateral movement. Has feet and agility for slide and go cuts from one gap to the next without a noticeable gear down. Finesses run lanes with subtle shifts and turns. Measured stride length optimizes balance. Swivels hips to swerve away from second level linebackers. Can hurdle open field tacklers who try and go low. Play speed is adequate. Has size and balance to pinball from one tackler to the next if he's not wrapped up. Jars linebackers and safeties at impact with his size alone. North-south runner. Rarely caught taking a loss due to ill-advised "bounce" outside. Proved he could shoulder heavy workload while cranking out consistent production week after week. Had tremendous conversion rate when short yardage was needed.
WEAKNESSES Usually opts for finesse over power despite his size. Needs to become more decisive and aggressive between the tackles. Inconsistent acceleration into contact. Waits to churn feet until after blow has landed. One pace runner. Forced into 30 or more carries in six of his last seven games. Needs to press the line a little longer on inside zone carries. Impatient keeping runs play-side and looks to break back inside prematurely. Almost overly committed to original running track rather than being flexible with his reads. Burst is average through the line allowing defenders to get hands on him. Alarming ball security issues this season with seven fumbles and six lost. Poor mechanics in pass protection. Doesn't square assignments defaulting to lazy shoulder blocks.
SOURCES TELL US "I think he would have benefitted by staying in school another year. He's awful in pass protection. Our coaches won't put him out there if they think he'll get the quarterback killed. He has ability as a runner but I think it's going to take awhile for him to become a factor." - NFC Scouting Director
NFL COMPARISON Jonathan Stewart
BOTTOM LINE Former three-star recruit who turned that a chip on his shoulder into a 2,000-yard junior season. Foreman has outstanding foot quickness and wiggle for a back his size, but will need to run behind his pads and with more aggression on the next level. Teams could be split on his draft value as some may covet his size and athleticism while others will be concerned about a lack of third down value. Ultimately he has the talent to be a good NFL starter, but he's still a work in progress.
-Lance Zierlein
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/01/2017 09:22AM by Rampage.
