Abram Smith Key Stats:
Running Back, Baylor
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 211
Did you know: he played defense too
RAS: 6.62
Games Watched:
Iowa State, BYU, Ole Miss, Kansas, Texas
Positives Scouts Saw:
- A natural runner with good feel for the game
- Can beat linebackers to the outside and overpower defensive backs
- Decent speed but not breakaway speed
Negatives Scouts Saw:
- Bad in pass protection
- Hesitant at the line of scrimmage
- Not a true power back
Positives I Saw:
- Patience and balance
- Runs well in power sets and the RPO
- Decent in space
Negatives I Saw:
- Most of his production was well-blocked
- Not much for a receiver
- A power runner that isn’t exceptionally powerful at the next level
As a Prospect:
Abram Smith has a cool story: he was a running back, special teamer, linebacker, and then running back again in his time at Baylor (which explains his one year of college production). Smith can do a lot of things, but catching the ball out of the backfield isn’t really one of them. Smith does not project as a starter for an NFL team, but can be a potential backup or change of pace back.
Fantasy Football Potential:
In late January, Abram Smith was around the rookie RB8 off the board on various dynasty mock drafts. I think he’s probably a little rich at that price. In redraft, he is at best a low upside handcuff on a run-heavy offensive scheme (so don’t roster him unless you need to), and in dynasty he doesn’t move the needle much more than a dart throw.
Overall:
Abram Smith had some really good tape, and of course, the meatball in me wants to see any player succeed that played both offense and defense in their college career as some sort of throwback icon. Smith’s vision is solid and I believe we can attribute that to the time he’s spent on both sides of the ball, and his ability to beat linebackers may also be tied to the time he spent in those defensive positional meetings, learning technique.
At the end of the day, Smith is just a solid football player that I can see as a backup RB and four-phase core special teamer. Abram Smith may not be a fantasy viable player, but he’s certainly got the versatility that coaches want; he has the potential to have a long career at the bottom of the depth chart doing the little things.
Abram Smith Reminds Me Of:
Jordan Howard
Grade: 75/100
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