Audric Estime 2024 NFL Draft Overview
Height: Five-foot-eleven
Weight: 221 pounds
Position: Running back
School: Notre Dame
2024 NFL Draft: Audric Estime Scouting Report
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have the most NFL Draft picks in history and Audric Estime (among others) is expected to help grow that number in the 2024 NFL Draft. Right out of the gate, the former four-star recruit appeared in 12 games as a true freshman. His 61 rushing yards all came in the win over Georgia Tech (he finished with 60 after a negative one-yard run in the Fiesta Bowl).
He took over the full-time rushing role in 2022 as a part of the one-two punch with Logan Diggs. Despite Diggs out-carrying him, Estime led the Irish with 920 yards and 11 touchdowns. While he was not as utilized as a receiver as the other backs, he added 135 yards and a score off of just six receptions.
Last season was Estime’s opportunity to shine with both Diggs and Chris Tyree no longer on the roster. As the unquestioned leader, Estime ran the ball 210 times for 1,341 yards and 18 touchdowns. Those 18 touchdowns were behind just Blake Corum (most scores were less than three yards) and Ollie Gordon III (three more touchdowns on 75 more carries).
Estime earned Second-Team All-American honors from the AP, The Sporting News, USA Today, and CBS Sports.
Strengths
- Young. Second youngest running back prospect in the class, will be turning 21 in September
- Can make a guy miss in a phonebooth
- Will absolutely run over a defender
- Patient runner, will allow the lanes to develop
- Will fight for every yard, rarely gets knocked back for a loss
- Is more explosive than his testing would assume
- Will be a solid third-down pass-blocking back, can also slip out as a receiver
Weaknesses
- Ran a 4.71 40-yard time
- Running style (paired with lack of speed) doesn’t allow for breakaway runs
- If the initial lane isn’t there, he just bowls his way through rather than bounces it
- Patience can be used against him
- Doesn’t have many gears, acceleration isn’t great
NFL Player Comparison: David Montgomery
Projection: Fourth Round
Best Fits: Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Carolina Panthers
Bottom Line on Audric Estime
Etime was the feature in a solid Notre Dame offense over the last few years. He has just about everything a coach wants out of his running back and will likely carve out a solid role somewhere in the NFL.
If you need a guy to just run over defenders or just get that extra yard, Estime is your guy. He is always looking to push through contact and will make a defender miss in the backfield. He’s not a guy you want to arm tackle.
If paired with another, more dynamic running back, Estime’s lack of speed will not turn off a front office. He’s not going to win a race to the edge but he can make the best of a bad situation in the backfield. On third down, he’s a capable pass blocker but his technique will need to be refined. And, while he wasn’t overly used in the receiving game, Estime could add that dynamic. It’s a laughably small sample size but he turned 26 receptions into 277 yards and a score (10.7 yards per catch).
It will be interesting to see what niche an NFL team has for Estime. He doesn’t currently project to end up as a true RB1 for a team (barring injury). However, he could be a goal-line specialist with his ability to get those rough, ugly yards. If Estime is drafted to a team that has your fantasy running back, he’s worth the handcuff.
Main Image: Jamie Rhodes-USA TODAY Sports
