Cam Skattebo. Image Credit: Kevin C. Cox, Getty Images
Last weekend the NFL Draft was held; it’s like Christmas morning for NFL general managers and football fans, but for college players it’s a truly transformative moment. It’s when their lifelong dreams are fulfilled and their lives are changed.
One of the players for whom this is true is Cam Skattebo, the star Arizona State running back who tore up college football last year with a breakout campaign and then captivated the country with an incredible performance in their playoff game against heavily-favored Texas, a game that was truly one for the ages. He now has some clarity regarding his future, and…it’s a mixed bag.
Skattebo was selected near the top of the 4th round as the 105th selection by the New York Giants on Saturday. He was generally considered to be a 3rd round pick, so his selection was slightly less impressive than what could have been hoped for, but there are significant reasons for hope.
The Giants were a poor team last year, with a paltry 3-14 record and having to rebuild after getting rid of disappointing quarterback Daniel Jones. As part of the rebuild the Giants had the #3 overall pick, with which they picked blue-chip edge rusher Abdul Carter from Penn State. But perhaps more importantly, Skattebo will be paired with all new quarterbacks; the Giants picked up Russell Wilson, who is certainly past his prime but will bring a strong veteran presence and experience to the locker room.
What may make for an even more interesting dynamic and reason for hope? The Giants also drafted what they think will be their quarterback of the future, using the 25th overall pick to choose Jaxson Dart from Ole Miss. Dart had been moving up draft boards in the weeks leading up to the draft, and the Giants hope that they now have a strong QB and RB foundation for years to come.
It is worth noting that no other Sun Devils have been selected in the draft, which underscores just how good of a job coach Kenny Dillingham did in pulling this team as far as he did.
While it would have been ideal for Skattebo to be chosen earlier, he has what poker players would call “a chip and a chair”. He’s got his chance, and from here anything can happen, from being cut before his rookie season even starts all the way to the Hall of Fame. We will certainly be watching him closely and cheering him on.