On the first day of 2025, we finally had a competitive College Football Playoff game. The Texas Longhorns denied the Arizona State Sun Devils’ comeback attempt, winning 39-31 in double overtime, but the star of the game was undoubtedly Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo.
Down 24-8 in the fourth quarter, Skattebo led a 16-point run that took the Sun Devils to overtime. He threw a 42-yard touchdown to Malik McClain, ran for a two-yard touchdown and scored the game-tying two-point conversion. In total, Skattebo rushed 30 times for 143 yards and two touchdowns, led Arizona State in receiving with eight catches for 99 yards and threw for a score.
If you didn’t know Skattebo before, the Sacramento State transfer introduced himself as a versatile running back who is an all-time national player. First-team All-American is a big reason Arizona State shocked the college football world by jumping from 3-9 in 2023 to 11-2 in 2024. In his second season with the Sun Devils, Skattebo racked up 2,074 yards from scrimmage and 22 total touchdowns.
As a senior, Skattebo will likely enter the 2025 NFL Draft. So how does he position himself as a college prospect? Where could I be recruited? In CBS Sports’ consensus prospect rankings, Skattebo is ranked as the eighth-best running back in the 2025 class and the No. 135 prospect overall. We also spoke with Chris Trapasso, CBS Sports’ NFL Draft expert. Trapasso believes Skattebo could be selected in the mid-to-late third round, and his NFL comparison is Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet.
“Cam Skattebo is a stocky, energetic runner, with a stocky build and legs like tree trunks, making him a force to tackle. His elite contact balance allows him to bounce off defenders at any level of the field , consistently converting into short gains on extended runs Despite being primarily a power runner, Skattebo possesses surprising looseness and bounce in his lower half, allowing him to execute precise jump cuts and outpace defenders in space. reduced.
He shows flashes of explosiveness when identifying a hole immediately after the handoff, and his agility in short areas allows him to fake cuts and quickly rebound in the opposite direction. While his top speed is average, particularly in the open field where he appears to be maxed out, his initial burst is enough to overtake linebackers at times.
Skattebo’s vision between the tackles is a notable strength. It has a knack for locating small creases in traffic and can join multiple cuts in a single pass, seamlessly transitioning to north-south cutting when necessary. His spinning movement is a frequent and effective weapon, and he usually easily repels attempted arm tackles.
As a receiver out of the backfield, Skattebo is very reliable. He has reliable hands, minimal drop issues and isn’t just a body catcher. Once in space, his physicality and agility make him a nightmare for defenders, taking advantage of his traits to maximize yards after the catch.
Overall, Skattebo is a deceptively powerful, bounding runner capable of creating yards off the block, although his lack of breakaway speed limits his potential as a home run threat. “He is a consistent, high-effort playmaker who presents a significant challenge to defenses.”
Skattebo may not get the same attention as Saquon Barkley or Christian McCaffrey coming out of college, but his production in 2024 was quite impressive. He is the first FBS player since McCaffrey in 2015 to rush for 1,500 yards and have 500 receiving yards in the same season, according to Arizona State’s official website.
There will be plenty of NFL teams attracted to the type of physicality and ferocity that Skattebo runs with, so it would be surprising if he fell beyond Day 2.
