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ASU Running Back Cam Skattebo Makes Bold Decision Ahead of NFL Draft

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Stephen Kelly | Last updated Jan 28, 2025 5:10 PM ET

Cam Skattebo, the star running back for the Arizona State Sun Devils, became one of the most talked about players in college football this season. He led the Sun Devils to a Big 12 Championship against all odds, and against Texas in the College Football Playoff, Skattebo single-handedly brought Arizona State back into the game and put them in a position to win — although Texas eventually came out on top.

Every offseason, as the top upper-classmen in college football prepare for the impending NFL Draft, one of the premier events where players showcase their skills to scouts is the Reese's Senior Bowl — an all-star game between NFL Draft hopefuls. Skattebo received an invite to this year's Senior Bowl, but he opted out of playing.

Skattebo lit the world on fire this season, in part, because of his unwavering self-confidence. Near the end of the regular season, Skattebo proclaimed himself, "The best running in the country." While Skattebo was great during his time at Arizona State, it's hard to argue he was better than the 2024 Maxwell Award winner, Ashton Jeanty.

Statistically, Jeanty (who rushed for 2601 yards and 29 TDs on 7.0 yards per carry), outshined Skattebo (1711 rushing yards, 5.8 YPC, 605 receiving yards, 24 total TDs), but that doesn't take away from Skattebo's dominance this season or his potential for greatness at the next level.

I don't know if I have a full list but from what I can tell, these are the Senior Bowl opt outs for the week. The longer college season is making things difficult.

Elic Ayomanor
Vernon Broughton
Jordan Burch
Alfred Collins
Ajani Cornelius
Ty Hamilton
Jordan Hancokc
Gunnar Helm…
— Brett Kollmann (@BrettKollmann) January 28, 2025

Some analysts aren't convinced of Skattebo's NFL potential. Mel Kiper, ESPN's top NFL Draft analyst, ranks the Sun Devils star as the eighth-best running back in the 2025 class. Some of the RBs ranked above him include Quinshon Judkins, Omarion Hampton, and Dylan Sampson. If NFL teams generally share Kiper's feelings, skipping out on the Senior Bowl — an opportunity to raise his draft stock — could be a mistake for Skattebo.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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