Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports
Jimbo Fisher Sees 'Three-Down Potential' For Aggies RB Devon Achane
COLLEGE STATION -- Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher has plenty to worry about these days as he enters his sixth season as the Aggies' head coach. How running back Devon Achane will find success in the NFL isn't one of the concerns.
Achane, the Aggies' leading rusher in 2022, performed in front of scouts and positions coaches during A&M's Pro Day one final time before next month's NFL draft. The 5-9 speedster put on a performance to remember, blazing through the three-cone drill and the 20-yard shuttle while running exceptionally well in drills both on grass and turf.
Fisher has seen plenty of talented tailbacks during his time at Florida State and A&M. Achane, who made headlines as the fastest running back at the NFL Scouting Combine earlier this month in Indianapolis with a 4.32 40-time, likely ranks near the top thanks to his electric speed and highlight-making cuts both as runner and return specialist.
But why is Fisher so high on Achane's skills? Easy. Upside.
"He can be an elite returner, he can be an elite receiver, and he has the ability to run with the football inside," Fisher said following workouts Tuesday afternoon at the A&M practice facility. "If you go back and watch, he's a good pass blocker. He's tough, he's physical. He understands how to do that.
"He's a very easy guy to coach and picks things up easy."
Picking things up comes easy for Achane. He started his career as the change-of-pace runner behind Isaiah Spiller while fielding kickoff returns as a freshman. During the Aggies' Orange Bowl matchup against North Carolina, Achane was asked to expand his role working with the first-team offense.
The result? A 164-yard, two-touchdown performance en route to Orange Bowl MVP honors. Achane ripped off a pair of runs for over 20 yards, including a 76-yard scamper to the end zone to break a 27-27 tie with 3:44 left on the clock.
Versatility probably isn't the proper word to describe Achane's skillset on the gridiron. In life, it's a perfect compliment. While at Fort Bend Marshall High School in Houston, Achane was a two-sport athlete, running past defenders on the football field and opponents on the track.
That carried over to A&M, where Achane became one of the faces of the Aggies' track and field team. In the spring of 2022, "Mr. Speed" qualified for the NCAA Track & Field Championships. His best times were a 10.14 100-meter dash and a 20.20 200-meter dash.
Speed is one thing every NFL franchise can't get enough of, not just at running back, but also receiver. It's why Achane describes himself as a "running back/receiver specialist," depending on what teams covet his best skill as in space.
On Tuesday, Achane ran drills out of the backfield but also handled pass-catching duties all over the field. Some reps were from the running back position. A few more came from the slot. Several even came from the outside and were vertical patterns down the sidelines.
Achane said that while in Indy, scouts asked if he'd be willing to work more drills at receiver when taking the field back in College Station. That doesn't mean he'll be listed as a slot weapon in the pros, but anything to help boost his draft grade was a priority.
"I got a lot of energy," Achane said. "I also feel like I can put points on the board at every position that I play."
Achane's rep count was sporadic prior to 2022, not because of a lack of talent, but a surplus of consistency in front of him. Spiller, who was drafted in the fourth round last season by the Los Angeles Chargers, was nearly a three-time 1,000-yard rusher. Achane, who eventually competed for full-time first-team reps, made his mark with long strides and blazing times, averaging an SEC-leading 7.0 yards per carry in 2021.
Last season's productivity should have answered the question for those worried about Achane's frame holding up against 250-pound defenders in the pros. As the lead back, Achane rushed for 1,102 yards and finished with eight scores on a career-high 196 carries. He credited facing SEC defenses to his development, seeing correlations between the level of competition throughout the southeast region to those on Sundays.
"Everybody's good," Achane said of talent in the SEC. "There's only one percent of us that gets drafted. There's probably a thousand of me in the NFL, so every game you have to come it like 'everybody's great.'"
Achane said he believes he can be a three-down back in the pros. Fisher, who never wavered at the chance to let No. 6 go score six points, offered a similar opinion.
"You don't realize how strong he is with his natural balance and body control," said Fisher. "Everybody sees him as a track guy, but if you ever watch him, he runs with great patience. A lot of tracks always want to show their speed. Devon doesn't show until he has to."
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