Scouting Report: What LSU Football Is Getting In Caden Durham
LSU reeled in a commitment from four-star Duncanville (Tex.) running back Caden Durham on Thursday after the Tigers beat out Oklahoma and Texas A&M for his services.
Durham, the No. 8 running back in America, took a visit to Baton Rouge in late July before moving up his commitment date from August 25 to August 10.
Now, the Top 100 prospect in the 2024 class is a Tiger as he prepares to add a different element to LSU’s offense for the foreseeable future.
What makes Durham so special? What does he bring this program?
The scouting report on the Tigers’ latest pledge:
Elite Speed
Durham will be a two-sport athlete in the purple and gold after revealing his commitment to the Tigers. Along with being the next running back in Baton Rouge, Durham will also compete in track for one of the top programs in the country.
It’s his elite-level speed that makes him so difficult to take down in open space with the ball in his hands and it’s shown against some of the top talent in the country.
Duncanville plays a rigorous schedule and Durham routinely handles business due to his speed and elusiveness with the football.
The top end speed of his is what makes him such a force. The balance of speed and strength Durham attains gives defenses fits, and after leading Duncanville to a state title in 2022, LSU’s latest pledge put the offense on his back to take home some hardware.
Power, Versatility
Durham can be a four-down back for the Tigers and it was one of the reasons he decided to take his talents to Baton Rouge. The plan Frank Wilson put in place was one that Durham felt could come to fruition if he made the move.
The versatility the four-star back attains is a piece of his game that offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock has to be salivating over.
He can catch the ball out of the backfield and turn up field in the blink of an eye but he can also use his strength to bounce off of defenders when running downfield.
Durham can make an impact sooner rather than later for the Tigers given his unique skill set as a running back. The Tigers may have significant depth with this position group, but adding Durham to the mix makes them that much more lethal moving forward.
The Future
LSU brought in two four-star freshmen in the 2023 class: Kaleb Jackson and Trey Holly. The pair of youngsters have different play styles, but moving forward, they will be key in what this running back room does long term.
Factor in the addition of Durham in the 2024 class and this position group is certainly built to compete in the SEC. With a variation of skill sets and young guys with the physical make up to play early, running backs coach Frank Wilson has done an excellent job in building up his group moving forward.
