When looking around the country, and in a historic 2025 running back draft class on tap this spring, it’s been a tall task for scouts to find a player that offers something different at the position. Whether it’s a certain trait at a certain size, a unique impact in the passing game, or projectability as a multi-phase contributor, Arizona State RB Cam Skattebo’s all-around skill set has begun to draw an awfully large spotlight to the desert in 2024. Known for a bruising running style behind his 210-plus pound frame and versatility as a pass-catcher, Skattebo’s ability to impact games in multiple phases has made him one of the country’s elite ball-carriers.
A native of Rio Linda, California, Skattebo began his collegiate career at FCS Sacramento State. During his time in the FCS, he showcased his ability to dominate as a power back while also demonstrating the vision and juice to create in the open field. The Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year in 2022, Skattebo was heavily recruited in the transfer portal from programs across the country, ultimately landing in the Sun Devils’ program before the 2023 campaign.
The move south geographically, and up a level in competition, provided Skattebo an opportunity. In transitioning to the now-defunct Pac-12, he quickly established himself as a pivotal figure in the Sun Devils’ offense, showcasing his ability to quickly evolve and produce in his new surroundings.
As a ball-carrier, Skattebo’s running style is one of his most distinctive traits. At 5-foot-10, he’s built like a Mack truck, yet his game goes beyond simply running through the chestplate of defenders. He excels to and through contact, using a low center of gravity, contact balance, and leg drive to blow through opponents. A north-south runner who thrives on physicality, he also possesses the lateral quickness to navigate congested running lanes. He blends patience and vision with deceptive burst, allowing him to exploit seams decisively within a front seven. His feet are light for a player of his size, enabling him to slip through tight spaces and evade would-be tacklers in the backfield. He also always falls forward, an elite trait for backs at the next level. It’s a blend of traits that make him a threat to pick up tough yardage in short down-and-distances, while still touting the ability to break off chunk plays.
An additional wrinkle to his game is Skattebo’s contribution in the passing game. He is not just a dump-off option—he runs crisp routes and has reliable hands, making him a genuine threat as a receiver out of the backfield where space and matchups can be exploited. Arizona State has utilized him on screens, check-downs, and even more advanced route concepts, capitalizing on his ability to make defenders miss in space. His versatility as a pass-catcher (460 yards so far in 2024) adds an extra dimension to the Sun Devils’ offense, as defenses are forced to account for him beyond just the ground game.
Then there’s the third phase of his game, a willingness to contribute on special teams. He’s seen time as a kick returner, punt returner, out at gunner, where his combination of toughness, vision, straight-line speed, and hunger for contact makes him a dangerous option in the most overlooked phase of the sport.
Looking ahead, Skattebo has the tools to carve out a role at the NFL level. His power, versatility, and ability to contribute in multiple phases of the game make him a truly intriguing prospect, even though the class is absolutely loaded at the position from top to bottom. NFL teams value athletes with versatile skill sets, on either side of the ball, and whether Skattebo’s role early on sees him earn snaps as a rotational piece or as a core special teamer, it would be juvenile to think he won’t have his fingerprints on an NFL offense in the seasons to come.
In all, while he may not have elite top-end speed or ‘fit the mold’ of a modern-day bell-cow back, his physicality, production at the Power Four level and ability to contribute in multiple phases of the game will serve as a valuable asset for any team in football looking to diversify its offensive approach.
