New York Giants Draft Prospect Profile: RB DeWayne McBride

What does UAB running back DeWayne McBride bring to the table?

Author:
Nick Falato
Publish date:
Apr 24, 2023 2:00 PM EDT

In this story:

New York Giants

UAB Blazers

DeWayne McBride, RB

Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 215 lbs. (at Pro Day)
Class: Junior
School: UAB
Age: 21 (born 07/08/2001)

Measurements

Arm length: 30 ⅝”
Wingspan: 73 ⅛”
Hand size: 9 ½”
Bench press: 20

A former three-star recruit out of Vanguard High School in Ocala, Florida, where he was the 111th-ranked RB and the 266th-ranked Floridian prospect in the 2020 recruiting class. McBride was a track athlete in high school who lettered in relays and throws.

Notables

McBride had two consecutive seasons of over 1,000 yards rushing for UAB; he was Second Team All-CUSA in 2021 after a 1,116-yard campaign averaging 6.9 yards per carry with 12 touchdowns. He rushed for 1,713 yards in 2022 (7.4 YPC) with 19 touchdowns. Even though he missed two games, McBride was selected as a Second Team All-American in 2022.

McBride was honored as the Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year. He was also a Doak Walker Award Semifinalist and a Maxwell Award Semifinalist in a season where he ranked second in the nation in rushing touchdowns (2022, 19). McBride did not test at the combine due to a right hamstring issue.

Strengths

Low to the ground dense player
Solid athlete with excellent agility and shakes
Solid overall burst through the hole
Runs very low and provides a smaller target
Excellent lateral agility to sift - active eyes
Love his peripheral vision - finds narrow creases to hit

60 yard rush vs. LA Tech where he displayed excellent open field vision to pick up another 10 yards.

Excellent anticipation skills to get to the second level
Patient and decisive runner - runs with conviction
Vision is one of his strengths - has one cut ability
Impressive contact balance - runs low to the ground
Angles his body advantageously to stress defenders and force them to execute tackles with correct technique
Had 76 missed tackles forced in 2022

Made ally defender look silly vs. WKU (Q2, 13:12, 3rd & 10) on a 64 yard rush where he was tracked down

Ran in a variety of rushing schemes - may best be suited for zone due to vision/decisiveness
Set single-season school records in points and touchdowns for UAB in 2022

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Weaknesses

Doesn’t have home run speed - will get tracked down
Feet can be tighter when he employs his spins to maintain momentum
Offers virtually nothing as a receiver - five career receptions
Routes were very standard
Abysmal fumbling issue - a fumble 1 in every 44 touches
Nine career fumbles lost
Pass blocking isn’t a strength

Did have a great rep against WKU Q4, 6:59, 1st &10 where he identified and planted a defensive back on the blitz

Limited snaps on special teams

Summary

McBride is an accomplished junior running back with the necessary contact balance, vision, and creativity in space to carve out a role in the NFL. Does well to anticipate defenders and understands where his blockers will be to maximize his rushing attempts. He lacks breakaway speed and has dreadful fumbling issues, with limited upside as a receiver -- had five receptions in college.

One of the games I watched was vs. Louisiana Tech; he was sensational, with all his impressive traits on display en route to a 16-rush, 272-yard game. Defenders were sliding off him, and PFF had McBride with 12 missed tackles forced. Despite that, he was tracked down several times from behind and lost one fumble with one other cough-up. Unfortunately, McBride’s issues were still displayed in such a great performance.

He’ll likely fall to the third day of the draft. He has to clean up the ball security concerns, but his ability to make players miss and his toughness as a runner should allow him to earn snaps in the right situation.

GRADE: 6.0D