The Alabama Crimson Tide has been an NFL factory at the running back position over the last 15 years, with names like Derrick Henry, Josh Jacobs, and Brian Robinson Jr. heading from Tuscaloosa to the league.
Does Jase McClellan’s NFL Draft scouting report suggest he’ll be the next highly-touted Crimson Tide RB to excel in the NFL?
Jase McClellan’s Draft Profile and Measurements
- Height: 5’10”
- Weight: 221
- Length: 29 3/4”
- Hand: 10 1/4”
- Position: RB
- School: Alabama
- Current Year: Senior
The track to a productive college career looked promising before McClellan stepped foot on the field in Tuscaloosa, scoring 122 touchdowns as a high school standout in Aledo, Texas.
He was deemed a four-star prospect by most major recruiting sites and eventually landed on playing football for the University of Alabama after initially committing to Oklahoma.
McClellan rushed for 1,599 yards as a high school sophomore while missing six games due to injury, following up with 2,073 yards during his junior season while scoring 47 touchdowns.
Despite the capability to shoulder the workload we normally see from feature bell-cow backs, McClellan’s usage wasn’t very high during his collegiate career. Some of this resulted from a torn ACL in 2021, but the talented Texas native managed to generate 1,027 total yards and eight total TDs on 195 touches in 2023.
McClellan’s Scouting Report
Strengths
- Quality play strength; Can motor through arm tackles and isn’t shy about initiating contact with bigger defenders in tight spaces.
- Plus-level leg drive to maximize yards after contact when engaged with defenders.
- Controlled and efficient feet when navigating through traffic between the tackles; able to make subtle adjustments to weave through rushing lanes with excellent balance and little wasted motion.
- Showcases nice burst on first cut to get downhill; Effective zone-scheme runner with an effective first cut to transfer force upfield in an instant.
- Patience is present with some nice reps pressing the hole to help create leverage for engaged offensive linemen before sticking his foot in the ground and cutting right by their hip.
- Capable of catching passes slightly away from his frame with soft, reliable hands.
Weaknesses
- Some injury history concerns with a torn ACL in 2021.
- Doesn’t display the ability to string together multiple short area cuts consistently.
- Lacks top-end home-run speed at the NFL level.
- Doesn’t showcase top-end creativity as a runner.
Current Draft Projection and Summary
McClellan is a talented prospect who never quite reached his true potential during his four years at Alabama. However, he certainly flashed the potential to be a leading ball carrier of a productive running game late in his college career.
McClellan has some hitch in his giddy-up when he sticks his foot in the ground and bursts upfield. His contributions as a pass catcher feel like they could expand from what we saw in college due to his fluid body control to pull in passes away from his frame.
Lastly, McClellan’s explosive runs doubled in production from his junior to senior year.
The flashes and improvement were undoubtedly there in some regard. Still, his lack of creativity, modest top speed, and limited lateral agility make him a Day 3 prospect who can contribute to an NFL backfield that utilizes several zone-rushing concepts.
KEEP READING: 2024 NFL Draft RB Rankings
Looking for everything you need surrounding the 2024 NFL Draft? Make sure to check out the latest draft results, overall team grades, and updated best remaining players available at every position!
