To the surprise of many, Kalel Mullings took the Michigan RB1 role by storm over Donovan Edwards and ran with it. Here is a 2025 NFL Draft Early Scouting Report and film analysis on him.
Overview, Film Analysis, and Early 2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report of Michigan RB Kalel Mullings
Measurables:
- 6’2”
- 233 lbs
Player Background:
A linebacker-to-running back conversion, Kalel Mullings graduated from Milton Academy in 2020 as a four-star LB recruit. One of the top players in Massachusetts, he got immediate playing time in all six of Michigan’s games in the COVID-shortened 2020 season. He made one tackle in said games and broke up a pass. He played in all 13 games his sophomore season, making 11 total tackles in a mixture of defense and special teams time.
Mullings converted to running back at the end of the 2022 campaign, racking up 12 tackles at linebacker and 31 yards with three scores at running back. He fully transitioned to offense at the start of the 2023 season and has remained since then. He put up 222 yards and a score on 36 carries in 13 games while catching two passes for 32 yards. Breaking onto the scene as the starter in 2024, he set career highs with 948 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns.
Accolades:
- Third Team All-Big 10 (2024)
Strengths/Pros:
Mullings’ best aspect is his ability to consistently execute plays as they’re drawn up. He follows the game plan to a tee and rarely misses openings at his first line of vision. He uses his size to invoke decent physicality and lurch forward on his runs. His strength allows him to break leg tackles, and he is a pretty prototypical power back on designed inside runs.
He runs well between tackles and understands the line of scrimmage enough to prevent excess negative plays. Mullings’ early footwork in the backfield is sharp, and he makes defenders miss and attacks holes at his first cut. He plays like the former linebacker that he is and runs with a forceful attitude that creates some downhill runs that strike through the defensive middle.
Weaknesses/Cons:
To put it bluntly, the biggest detriment to Mullings’ game is terrible ball-carrier vision. He routinely misses holes as they open up mid-play and makes some incredibly questionable running decisions. On top of that, his speed is nowhere near the top end of the spectrum. This further limits his effectiveness when bursting through gaps.
Mullings struggles to work laterally, with both below-average speed and fluidity that renders him unable to hit the edge often. He usually gets caught before breaking off big runs and his iffy acceleration does him no favors. His pass blocking is very technically incomplete, and he gets beat by smarter edge rushers. He isn’t a high-profile receiving threat and can be corralled easily without any route-running prowess.
Potential Team Fits:
NFL Projection:
Mullings projects as a decent RB2/3 option for a team looking to implement some extra power into their position group. He’s likely too slow to be a bell-cow back and has vision issues that restrict him to an inside rusher. He could find himself a decent multi-year role if he can prove to be effective in short-yardage situations. However, there doesn’t seem to be much of a path for him to become much more than that.
Prospect Grade:
- Early 6th Round
Film Exposures:
- 2024 vs. USC
- 2024 vs. Minnesota
- 2024 vs. Texas
Main Photo Courtesy of Junfu Han – Detroit Free Press – Imagn Images
