Israel Abanikanda Shines at Pitt Pro Day
The Pittsburgh Running Back dazzled at his Pro Day, sparking talk that he could move up NFL Draft boards. Abanikanda seems to be getting the most attention from teams out West.
Hi friends,
Today, we will be discussing Israel Abanikanda's pro day and his evaluation as an NFLDB prospect.
Measuring in at 5'11" and 216 lbs, Abanikanda provides a mix of size and speed that could be intriguing for teams picking in the middle to later rounds of the draft.
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Pittsburgh Running Back Israel Abanikanda shined at his Pro Day on Wednesday, running an unofficial 40-yard dash time below 4.40 and posting a vertical jump of 41".Â
The 20-year-old running back set a single-game program rushing record when he rushed for 320 yards against Virginia Tech, eclipsing Tony Dorsett's 303-yard performance that had served as the Panther standard for 47 years.
Measuring in at 5'11" and 216 lbs, Abanikanda provides a mix of size and speed that could be intriguing for teams picking in the middle to later rounds of the draft.
Abanikanda seems to be getting the most attention from teams out West, as the Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, and Arizona Cardinals all reportedly met with Abanikanda the night before his Pro Day.
Abanikanda could be an interesting option for all three teams, serving as a potential plug-and-play backup to Christian McCaffrey in Kyle Shanahan's zone running scheme in San Francisco, as well as a potential change of pace option in Arizona to help supplement James Conner's powerful running style.
Perhaps the most intriguing of the three teams is Los Angeles, as Cam Akers, Kyren Williams, and Ronnie Rivers are the three running backs currently on the Rams' roster. Williams failed to take hold as a rookie. While Akers is currently in line to start with a reported improved relationship with the organization, he is only six months removed from a mid-season trade request.
Abanikanda could be a high upside option for Los Angeles in the middle rounds, with the potential to see his workload increase as the seasons wears on.
Regardless of where he winds up, Abanikanda is drawing increased interest from teams, and his Pro Day performance should only serve to help his draft stock.
Ric’s evaluation on Israel Abanikanda
Evaluation: An explosive home run hitter who quickly blows past the second level, Abanikanda is a one-cut and go running back with elite acceleration and burst. His quick feet and change of direction ability allows him to cut it outside in a jiffy, showcasing the ability to switch from east-west, to north-south. Abanikanda battles for yards after contact and throws a nasty stiff arm at defenders who attack his lower torso. His vision reveals cutback lanes and there are flashes of him patiently waiting for the rushing lane to develop. Most impressive is how Abanikanda stresses downfield angles with his speed and squeezes through gaps. The Brooklyn native is a willing blocker in pass protection but does struggle to sustain blocks. In the pass game, he has five drops over the last two seasons and still relies on catching the ball with his body. In addition, he fumbled three times in 2022. Abanikanda displays limited juke moves once he hits the second level and there’s some lower-body tightness that limits his short-area agility. His vision comes and goes, leading to pinballing into offensive linemen; ability to read and set up downfield blocks needs to improve, which limits his immediate impact. Adanikanda also has experience returning kicks, making him a candidate to compete for a backup spot.
Background: One of the younger running back prospects in the draft (21-years old); measured in with eight-inch hands and 32-inch arms at the combine. Was selected to the National Football Foundation Team of Distinction, which honors exemplary academic achievement, athletic accolades and community involvement. Volunteered locally at winter coat and food drives, soup kitchens and Toys for Tots. A three-star recruit from Abraham Lincoln High School in Brooklyn; named New York Gatorade Player of the Year; amassed 136 carries for 1,350 yards and 23 touchdowns, plus 30 tackles and two interceptions, while averaging 36.3 yards per kick return. Also an all-state track and field standout. Hails from football family; father (Saidi) played at Georgia Tech, brother (Michael) played at Buffalo. Repped by First Round Mgmt.
Strengths
Ran for more than 100 yards in nine of 11 games last season, with 20 rushing touchdowns.
Lateral jump cuts to elude backfield pressure.
One-cut talent with feet for tight breaks.
Locates lane opportunities on the back side.
Impressive escapability in tight quarters.
Access to instant acceleration when he needs it.
Uses spin move for contact balance and to wiggle away from tacklers.
Former sprinter with breakaway speed in the open field.
Weaknesses
Change of direction is more segmented than fluid.
Runs with hurried tempo, bypassing timing of block development.
Fails to press the line of scrimmage deeply to manipulate linebacker flow.
Urgent but not overly creative early in the run.
Can be a little inconsistent as run finisher despite his size.
Has trouble keeping rusher in front of him in pass protection.
Ric’s Abanikanda 2022 evaluation Notes
One Liner:
Abanikanda is a one-cut running back who displays elite acceleration and burst, but he lacks the playing strength to operate as physically between the tackles as he wants to.
Evaluation:
Abanikanda is one of the younger running back prospects in the draft. He displays elite acceleration and burst to accompany above-average straight-line speed. Abanikanda is an explosive home run hitter who quickly blows past the defense’s second level. He has quick, choppy feet that allow sharp cuts to switch from east-west to north-south. Abanikanda uses his speed to beat defenders to the edge and turn upfield. He’s a willing blocker in pass protection who occasionally has well-framed blocks. He properly identifies and targets threats in pass protection, but his lean lower half leads to an inconsistent anchor. Abanikanda’s feet and hands play out of control in pass protection, and he struggles to sustain blocks. The All-ACC running back has the natural leverage to stay below the defender’s pads as a runner and blocker. He’s shown the ability to slip arm tackles and bounce off shoulder tackles. Abanikanda battles for yards after contact and throws a nasty stiff arm at defenders who attack his lower torso. His vision reveals cutback lanes, and there are flashes of him patiently waiting for the rushing lane to develop. Abanikanda stresses downfield angles with his speed and squeezes through gaps. He’s an effective but not very creative or a twitchy kick returner. The junior has the upside to offer more as a pass catcher. However, he has five drops over the last two seasons and still relies on catching the ball with his body too often. The former three-star recruit fumbled three times in 2022, and his build lacks the bulk to break tackles and generate yards after contact consistently. He runs high and isn’t twitchy or sudden in the open field. Abanikanda displays limited to no juke moves once he hits the second level. His elusiveness is average at best, and there’s some lower-body tightness that limits his short-area agility. Abanikanda isn’t fast enough to consistently erase angles downfield. He lacks the playing strength to move the pile or fall forward consistently. Abanikanda struggles to create between the tackles. His vision comes and goes, leading to pinballing into offensive linemen. His ability to read and set up downfield blocks needs to improve.
2022 HONORS
CBS Sports All-American (first team)
ESPN All-American (first team)
Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) All-American (second team)
Associated Press All-American (third team)
First Team All-ACC (received the highest amount of votes of any player at any position)
Maxwell Award Semifinalist
Walter Camp Award Semifinalist
Doak Walker National Running Back of the Week (Virginia Tech)
Walter Camp National Offensive Player of the Week (Virginia Tech)
Pro Football Focus National Offensive Player of the Week (Virginia Tech)
ESPN College Football Final "Helmet Sticker" (Virginia Tech)
ACC Running Back of the Week (Tennessee)
ACC Running Back of the Week (Rhode Island)
ACC Running Back of the Week (Virginia Tech)
Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll (Western Michigan)
Grade:
5th Round
Background:
Abanikanda was a three-star recruit from Abraham Lincoln High School in Brooklyn, N.Y., in the class of 2020. He was the No. 428 recruit according to 247Sports and No. 507 for On3.com. Abanikanda was an unranked three-star recruit for Rivals and an unranked three-star recruit for ESPN with a 76 grade out of 100. He committed to Pittsburgh over offers from Boston College, Duke, Rutgers, Syracuse, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, and several other programs. Abanikanda was named New York’s Gatorade Player of the Year for 2019-20 after he amassed 136 carries for 1,350 yards and 20 touchdowns, 13 receptions for 182 yards and three touchdowns, 30 tackles and two interceptions on defense, and averaged 36.3 yards per kick return. During that standout senior year, Abanikanda led the Public Schools Athletic League (PSAL) in rushing and scoring. He was the New York State Sportswriters Association (NYSSWA) Class AA Co-Player of the Year, Brooklyn Borough Most Valuable Player, and the New York City Coaches NYC Player of the Year. Abanikanda earned a First-Team NYSSWA All-Class AA selection as a senior and a Second-Team selection as a junior. He was a defensive selection for the 2018 American Family Insurance ALL-USA New York Football Team. Abanikanda was selected to the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame 2020 NFF Team of Distinction, which honors graduating senior players across the country who best capture the scholar-athlete ideal through exemplary academic achievement, athletic accolades, and community involvement. Abanikanda volunteered locally on behalf of winter coat and food-donation drives, helped at a soup kitchen, and assisted the U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots program. He was the Most Valuable Running Back at The Opening New Jersey regional. Abanikanda also participated in track and field. He was a two-time 100-meter gold medalist at the New York City Mayor's Cup Race and a 100-meter bronze medalist at the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Outdoor Track and Field Championship. His father (Saidi) played football at Georgia Tech, while his brother (Michael) played at BuffaloÂ
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