2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Bhayshul Tuten

Tuten completed every test at the NFL Combine except the three-cone test and bench press. He scored an excellent relative athletic score of 9.32 out of 10, which can change as official results finalize and pro days occur.

Background:

Coming out of high school in Paulsboro, New Jersey, Bhayshul Tuten (or King Tut, as I call him) was a zero-star recruit. Tuten ran the eighth-fastest 60-meter time in South Jersey history in high school. He enrolled at North Carolina A&T in 2021, as they were the only school to offer him a scholarship.

As a true freshman, Tuten played sparingly, accumulating 413 total yards on only 43 touches, good for 9.6 yards per touch. After earning feature-back duties in his second season, he totaled 1,703 yards on 238 touches, averaging 7.2 yards per touch.

Before his Junior season, Tuten transferred to Virginia Tech, contributing 1,102 yards and 12 touchdowns on 200 touches for the Hokies (5.5 yards per touch). He finished his senior year with 1,231 yards and 17 touchdowns on 206 touches (6.0 yards per touch).

Tuten finished his college career with 3,584 rush yards, 865 receiving yards, 49 touchdowns, and nine fumbles across four seasons. He racked up numerous accolades in his time with the Hokies.

• 2021: N/A
• 2022: FCS third-team All-American, first-team All-Big South
• 2023: Second-team All-ACC with votes for All-American honors as a kick returner
• 2024: Second-team All-ACC

Amongst 161 FBS running backs with at least 100 carries in 2024, Tuten had the 71st-best overall PFF grade, the 69th-best rushing grade, and the 77th-best receiving grade. His elusiveness rating of 143.2 ranked 8th, and his yards after contact per attempt ranked 9th.

Strengths:

• Hellcat Speed: Tuten has speed that can go the distance anywhere, anytime. He destroys tackling angles by manipulating defenders' paths with tempo and speed variations.
• Elite Explosion: Tuten has excellent burst to blast through small creases in the zone blocking before they can close. His instant start/stop ability can leave defenders skating by.
• Body Mechanics: Tuten's pliable frame and flexible joints allow him to bend his rush path easily. His loose hips and ankles allow him to cut on a dime.
• Vision and Toughness: He possesses adequate vision behind the LOS to see openings before they develop. Once he hits the second level, Tuten is tough to bring down.
• Pass Down Upside: Tuten flashes good ball skills and a natural understanding of how to create separation. He is willing to square up defenders as a blocker and put his power into them.
• Special Teams Threat: He is a decorated kick returner with marginal punt return experience at the college level. He also returned punts in high school.

Weaknesses:

• Offensive Scheme: In college, Tuten played in an offense with a highly mobile QB and many read-option concepts that manufactured favorable space for him to work with. That is unlikely to be replicated in the NFL.
• Patience: Despite his use of tempo in space, Tuten tends to bend or bounce runs early instead of following his lead blockers. Due to his creativity and elusiveness, he salvages some of them for big gains, but he will need to play more in structure in the NFL.
• Inside Run Power: Tuten will not make a name for himself, breaking tackles near the line of scrimmage. His size limits his ability to run with power at the first level, despite his desire to plow through defenders.
• Passing Down Polish: It is questionable how much Tuten understands his role in pass protection. He ran a minimal route tree at Virginia Tech and rarely got looks as a pass catcher.
• Fumble-itis: Tuten has nine fumbles on 406 touches over the last two seasons at Virginia Tech.

Final Thoughts and Bears Fit for Bhayshul Tuten:

Some football players move differently than most, and this kid is an absolute dynamo. There are some groan-worthy moments on his tape, but the fireworks are big, loud, and shiny. He backed up the tape with elite speed and explosion numbers at the NFL combine, and I expect him to go higher than currently projected.

Tuten is an explosive, speedy running back who can break big plays with elite acceleration and elusiveness. His flexible frame allows him to make sharp cuts, and he has shown upside as a pass catcher and kick returner. However, he benefited from a college scheme that made life easier for him, and he needs to develop better patience in following blockers. His lack of power on inside runs, limited pass protection experience, and ball security issues (nine fumbles in two seasons) could limit his snaps and scheme fits at the NFL level.

I have a "Good Starter" grade on Tuten. His ceiling approaches that of a Pro Bowl running back, with his floor being that of a developmental backup. That is a big spread, which is why he is not considered a top-50 player. A playmaker-hungry team might take a chance on him earlier than projected.

King Tut would be an entertaining addition to Ben Johnson's offense. His big-play fireworks would be electric with a quality play-caller and designer like Johnson, and he would take pressure off of other players any time he is on the field. However, his skill set would be somewhat redundant to what D'Andre Swift currently offers. If Tuten is at pick 72, and the Bears still need a running back, I would welcome the pick. He might never be a three-down back, but he is a weapon that could change games if deployed correctly.

Pro Comp: CJ Spiller