DeWayne McBride NFL Draft Overview
Position: Running back
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 209 pounds
School: UAB
DeWayne McBride NFL Draft Scouting Report
One of the most underrated backs in a loaded class, DeWayne McBride is heading to the NFL as one of the most productive in all of football.
As a true freshman in 2020, it didn’t take McBride very long to establish himself. In just his third career appearance, McBride went off for his first 100+ yard game against Western Kentucky. After posting 133 yards and two touchdowns against Louisiana Tech, McBride finished his first year at the FBS level with 439 yards and four touchdowns off of 47 attempts; a whopping 9.3 yards per attempt.
As a sophomore, McBride got the keys to the offense and made the most of it. He started off slow but ended up with 1,371 yards and 13 touchdowns. Over the course of his last seven games, McBride averaged nearly 140 yards and scored at least once in each contest. No performance was greater than his 210-yard, four-touchdown day against Louisiana Tech. His efforts earned him second-team All-Conference USA.
Heading into 2022, all eyes were on McBride. After missing the season opener against Alabama A&M (FCS), McBride dominated. On the year, the Blazers running back finished with a ridiculous 1,713 yards (second-most in FBS) and 19 touchdowns (fifth-most in FBS). He ran for over 100 yards in every game against teams not named LSU and even notched over 200 three times. In the final game of the year, McBride broke the UAB record for rushing with his 272-yard performance. He was named the Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year along with a first-team honor.
An incredibly productive back, McBride is the type of guy an NFL team can take a mid-round flier on to work into being the primary back.
Strengths
- Incredibly productive for a smaller school
- Can work with any run schemes (though primarily ran from zone)
- Has the power to move piles
- Good size, almost prototypical for an NFL back
- Very solid lateral abilities
- Runs incredibly aggressively and does not shy away from contact
- Great balance, can turn negative runs into positives
Weaknesses
- Only five receptions in three years, so little-to-no pass-game experience
- Six fumbles in 2021; five fumbles in 2022
- Not quite a home-run threat
- Limited experience running in a pro-style offense
- Pass protection is lacking
- Loses momentum when making cuts
NFL Comparison: 2022 Joe Mixon
Team Fits: Cincinnati Bengals, Los Angeles Chargers, Carolina Panthers, Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs, New Orleans Saints
Projection: 3rd Round
Bottom Line on DeWayne McBride
As a near-elite playmaker at a smaller school, McBride flew under the radar of national attention. If he were at a Power 5 school, he likely would have received Heisman votes. Alas, the best offensive player in the Conference USA is going to make an NFL team quite happy when they can pick him up on day two.
While his overall profile is limited due to his inexperience in pro-style offenses and lack of pass-game reps, McBride projects to be a solid running back for a team that knows how to use him. The comp to Joe Mixon may be a little odd, but think about it. Mixon was a very solid running back for the Bengals last year. He can do what the offense needs, can get first downs, and demands respect. However, he’s not the guy on 3rd down or in two-minute offenses.
McBride is a very talented runner of the football. He’s able to work in space and between the tackles but his strength is running in the gun and pistol. While he does have good speed, it’s not home-run-threat speed. However, McBride, when he sees a crease, can hit top speed and surprise defenses.
DeWayne McBride vs Conference USA defenders was not particularly fair pic.twitter.com/tu9dbhE7m4
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) April 8, 2023
Overall, McBride is a great candidate to be a starting running back in a zone scheme. One that asks its running backs to run early and often. At the same time, McBride would be a fantastic weapon in an offense that is looking to run the ball to kill clock.
Conversely, he has very little experience in the pass game. Whether it’s pass blocking or receiving, McBride was not asked to do much of anything at UAB. While he may have the athletic profile to be able to learn such a skill, it would behoove the NFL team that picks him to have a Samaje Perine-type to McBride’s Mixon. Because if they have to conjure up a two-minute drive, McBride is not going to be that guy.
Main Image: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
