Photo Credit: Giants.com
Former Arizona State running back and recreational bulldozer Cam Skattebo, drafted by the New York Giants in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, is making waves in the Big Apple, a media market that is well known as as hot of a spotlight as it gets in sports. His success is reverberating all the way back to Tempe, where it’s elevating both the Sun Devils program and head coach Kenny Dillingham’s national profile.
Skattebo’s signature backflip celebration after scoring a two-point conversion against the Chargers captured national attention, earning coverage from People magazine and generating viral moments that remind the sports world of Arizona State’s resurgence. Pro Football Focus named him to their rookie team of the week, Sports Illustrated profiled his bruising running style, and Newsweek called him “a glimmer of hope” for a Giants team searching for playmakers, especially with the devastating news of 2nd year wide receiver star-in-the-making Malik Nabers tearing his ACL.
For Arizona State, this mainstream recognition is invaluable. Skattebo is handling a workhorse role with 25 carries in recent games, demonstrating the durability and toughness that Dillingham’s program is building its identity around. The young head coach, who attended high school in Scottsdale before becoming an ASU alumnus, is proving he can develop NFL-caliber talent despite inheriting a program in turmoil.
The timing couldn’t be better. It’s been over two decades since Arizona State produced an NFL star with this level of immediate popularity and cultural impact. The last Sun Devil to generate comparable buzz was Terrell Suggs, who broke the NCAA sack record in 2002, became a first-round pick, and went on to a Hall of Fame career with 139 career sacks and two Super Bowl rings.
Skattebo’s emergence validates Dillingham’s recruiting pitch and coaching philosophy. When elite high school prospects see a fourth-round pick becoming a featured player and fan favorite in the NFL’s largest media market, it sends a powerful message: Arizona State can be a pipeline to professional football again.
For a program that’s rebuilding its reputation, Skattebo’s backflips aren’t just entertaining—they’re branding gold, reminding the nation that Sun Devil football matters again.