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Khalil Herbert saw plenty of experience in college football as he played five seasons - four with the Kansas Jayhawks and his last with the Virginia Tech Hokies as a graduate transfer. Herbert is coming off his best season as a college player in 2020, and he’s hoping that will land him in a favorable spot in this year’s NFL Draft.
In his lone season with Virginia Tech, Herbert averaged 7.6 yards per carry for 1,183 yards with 10 rushing touchdowns. In the passing game, he caught 10 passes for 179 yards with an additional score. Herbert rushed for nearly 3,000 yards in his college career on 475 total rushing attempts.
Scouting Report
Herbert has excellent vision and patience when searching for the open running lane, and he is explosive once he hits the hole. He is a quality pass catcher, and that’s an area he probably should have been used more during his college football career. Herbert may not possess the speed to beat defenders to the edge consistently, and he struggles to keep pushing forward after contact with a small frame at 5-foot-8.
Mock Draft landing spots
Josh Edwards of CBS Sports has Herbert falling to the sixth round at No. 189 overall to the Philadelphia Eagles. On the same site, Chris Trapasso also has Herbert landing in Round 6 with the No. 195 overall selection to the Carolina Panthers.
Fantasy impact: Rookie year
We have not seen all that Herbert can do out of the backfield as a pass catcher to this point, as he was not used in that way for much of his college career. If he can make a big difference in the receiving game, that would surely increase Herbert’s role wherever he lands in this year’s draft. Running backs have proven to be able to be effective even in their first season in the NFL, and a lot of it comes down to opportunity.
Fantasy impact: Career
With the lack of size and elite speed compared to this year’s running back class, it’s unlikely Herbert will develop into a true workhorse back as a professional, but those are hard to come by in today’s NFL anyways. Herbert should be able to find a niche for himself and if he proves to be a valuable asset out of the backfield, he should have a successful career, satisfying fantasy owners everywhere.