2017 NFL Draft Scouting Report
Prospect: D'Onta Foreman
 School: Texas Ht: 6'1" Wt: 249 Eligibility: Jr Uniform: #33 Position: RB |
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Coming off a breakout year, I was excited to take a closer look at Foreman. To be honest, the numbers were misleading, and I feel like he is a much more limited player than I expected. There are certainly positive aspects to his game, but the idea that he is in the same class as Leonard Fournette or Dalvin Cook is just not the reality. Still, in a league where teams are implementing a group of running backs that complement each other, he can certainly have a role to play at the next level.
 What Foreman brings to the table is power. He has a thick lower half, and it makes him a difficult player to get to the ground. In short-yardage and goal-line situations, this is a guy that can get the job done. He has good vision and is a patient runner. He also has a decent knowledge of blocking schemes which allows him to understand where the crease will form and he hits it in a timely fashion. I could also see him being a player that has success in the fourth quarter when his team has a lead. When defenses are tired, it is going to be that much more difficult to get him to the ground. That is as far as the positives go. There are some things that he can improve on, yet still, others that are physical limitations that he will never be able to offer. As far as the physical limitations go, it is important to understand that we aren't dealing with a top athlete. There isn't much explosion in his game, and his straight-line speed looks to be average at best. As a runner, he reminds me a bit of what made Trent Richardson so ineffective. Both players are what I call "train track" runners. What I mean by that is there isn't much wiggle to their game. They aren't going to make many people miss in space because they don't have great lateral movement. Foreman shows a little bit before he gets going, but this game is played at full speed; especially when your top gear is in the 4.6-range. Now the way Richardson found ways to get around that was by changing speeds. In the open field when defenders were closing on him, he would slow down or even speed up to keep them from making solid contact on him. While they would still get a piece of him, he was strong enough to run through the weaker attempts. Foreman could have similar success with that strategy. This is also a big reason I don't see him offering much on passing downs, despite displaying solid hands in his minimal attempts. If you have limited explosion and change-of-direction skills, getting separation in your routes is not going to happen.  The areas he can improve may be even more worrisome. Foreman was not in good shape as a junior. I know statistically he had an amazing year, but if you watch him down after down, you see a player that is not only sucking wind, but also giving marginal effort on some plays because of his endurance. Texas did, on occasion implement a hurry-up offense but you can look at him and tell he isn't in peak, physical condition. His arms aren't as defined as you would expect from a player as powerful as he is and he could certainly drop some extra weight in his core. With that being said, how committed is this player to football? Staying in proper shape is a process apart from practice and film. It means dieting correctly and committing yourself to the weight room and conditioning program. Nobody can force a player to do that and there examples every season of talented guys who fail because of this very problem. The Longhorns weren't in a bowl game, so Foreman will have had three full months to prepare for the Scouting Combine since he last played. I can't speak for all 32 teams in this league, but if he wants to keep from tanking on each of their draft boards, it would be wise to show up in the best shape of his life. Some fumbling issues as a junior worry me a bit as well, but even that could be contributed to his endurance issues. Overall, I thought it was a mistake for Foreman to leave early, even before scouting him on tape. He has only had one year of true success, and the Longhorns' offensive line that is returning is a pretty solid bunch. An off-season improving his physique and stamina, followed by another year running behind that unit would have likely maximized his value. Still, the decision has been made. I haven't heard anything negative about Foreman's character, but the questions about his devotion to the game and work ethic will remain until scouts get to talk to him. If they get the answers the want, Foreman could creep into the third round. Still, I think it is more likely that he goes in the earlier half of day three. Compares to (Current NFL Player): Eddie Lacy (Green Bay Packers) Strengths - Powerful/balanced player that is difficult to get to the ground - Good vision and patients - Has a keen understanding of blocking schemes - Hands are natural if asked to be a check-down option - With his build, could be an option as an occasional lead-blocker Weaknesses - Wasn't in good shape despite putting up great numbers - Very limited athlete - Needs to protect the football - How committed is he to playing this game?
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| Articles/Links |
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1) THE STUNNING RISE OF D'ONTA FOREMAN: FROM AFTERTHOUGHT TO NFL-BOUND SUPERSTAR - Bleacher Report |
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2) Texas RB D'Onta Foreman should receive Tom Herman's first big recruiting pitch - BurntOrangeNation.com |
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3) UT's Foreman twins bringing old dreams to life
- San Antonio Express-News |
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4) D'Onta Foreman Twitter |
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5) D'Onta Foreman Instagram |
