Going into the NFL Combine, Notre Dame running back Audric Estime seemed like a potential fit for the Chicago Bears offense. New Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron preferred powerful and explosive runners in Seattle, using second-round picks in back-to-back years on Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet. Estime's body of work for the Fighting Irish fit a similar profile until he ran a 4.7 forty-yard dash at the NFL Combine.
The list of successful NFL running backs to run a 4.7 (or worse) forty-yard dash is basically non-existent. But Estime may have calmed some of the concerns with his pro-day performance on Thursday. According to Ryan Roberts, Estime ran just below a 4.6 forty-yard dash at the Notre Dame pro day, which significantly improved from his number at the NFL Combine.
Roberts also noted that the Chicago Bears were one of a handful of teams paying close attention to the Notre Dame running back at the pro day. According to the "Building the Board" team, Estime projects to have a 4th-round grade from the Bears. The team compares Estime to Patriots running back Rhammondre Stevenson. While the recent addition of D'Andre Swift makes the Bears less likely to use a draft pick at the running back position, positional needs are not weighed as heavily in the later rounds. If the Bears value Estime and he is on the board in the fourth or fifth rounds, I would not be surprised to see them go after him.
Estime is a powerful runner who drives his legs through contact and plays with good pad level despite his above-average height. He uses slight foot adjustments to impact tackling angles and shows impressive contact balance, ranking 8th in the FBS at 4.27 YAC/Rush in 2023. While there are concerns about his long speed on tape, he seems to have more juice than a 4.7 forty-yard dash would suggest.
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