NFL Draft Stock Soaring? More Major Outlets Name Bhayshul Tuten As One Of The Biggest Winners of the NFL Combine

There may not have been a player who saw his draft stock rise more than Virginia Tech running back Bhayshul Tuten. Tuten Tuten ran the fastest 40-yard dash time for running backs (5th fastest overall), had the fastest 10-yard split time (1.49), had the top vertical jump among running backs (40.50"), and the fourth-highest broad jump (10'10"). Tuten shined in the drills as well and cemented his status as one of, if not the top running back in the draft this year.

It is no secret that Tuten was one of the biggest winners of the day and 247Sports analyst Brad Crawford named him as one of the winners of the weekend:

"With a 40 time that was faster than former first-rounders Saquon Barkley and Jahmyr Gibbs, Virginia Tech running back Bhayshul Tuten went from relative unknown to potential mid-rounder after leading all ballcarriers with a 40.5-inch vertical, 40-yard dash and 10-yard split. Tuten's 4.32 tied for the fourth-best at the combine since 2013 at running back. Boise State's Ashton Jeanty didn't run and a couple others ahead of Tutan — like UNC's Omarion Hampton and Ohio State's TreVeyon Henderson — managed good enough showings to keep pace at the top of the board in the backfield."

Here is what ESPN's Matt Miller had to say after Tuten performed:

"I highlighted Tuten as a player who would burn up the track in our combine primer, and he didn't disappoint. He lived up to his reputation as a true sprinter in the 40 with a blistering 4.32-second run, the fastest of any running back. The 5-foot-9, 206-pounder also did well in the jumps with a best-in-class vertical of 40 ½ inches and a very strong broad jump of 10-foot-10, further indicating his explosive ability. Drops and fumbles were a concern from watching his game tape, but Tuten caught the ball well in position drills while looking smooth and powerful as a runner."

How high can Tuten go in the draft now? That is a tricky question. Like every other running back in the draft, Tuten has to grapple with the devaluing of the running back position that has been going on around the league (though the year Saquon Barkley for the Eagles this season helps their case) and the fact that this is a deep running back class. Tuten will have to battle with Boise State's Ashton Jeanty, North Carolina's Omarion Hampton, and others to be one of the top running backs in the draft. That does not diminish his accomplishments of yesterday though. Tuten had a phenomenal day and should be one of the first running backs off the board next month.

• Height: 5'9"
• Weight: 206 lbs
• Hand Size: 9"
• Arm Length: 29 1/2"
• 40-Yard Dash:  4.32 (1.49 10-yard split)- (Best among running backs
• Bench Press: NC
• Vertical Jump: 40.50"-(Best among running backs)
• Broad Jump: 10'10" (Fourth best among running backs)
• Three-Cone Drill: NC

Below is the analysis from NFL Analyst Lance Zierlein

Overview

If you spend too much time focusing on the small inconsistencies of Tuten’s college game, you run the risk of overlooking the match he is for the pro game. He’s an explosive athlete with average size but a compact frame. He has elite straight-line speed and easy hips to make sudden cuts and turns. He’s fairly average at reading the front and running with early decisiveness but creates with wiggle, power and speed. Drops and fumbles are a concern, but runners with his contact balance, power and home run speed put tremendous stress on defenses over four quarters. Tuten could become a starting-caliber back with three-down value.

Strengths

• Rare track speed makes him a threat to go yard on any snap.
• Good plant-and-cut wiggle to side step open-field tacklers.
• Tough runner able to absorb contact and deliver punishment.
• Powerful hips tear through arm and angle tackles on second level.
• Can rocket around the corner and beat the pursuit angles by linebackers. 
• Scrappy “square them up” mentality in pass protection.
• Able to elude the first tackler and find the sticks on swing passes and leak-outs.
• Big-play potential in a kick-return role.

Weaknesses

• Ball security was an issue in both seasons at Virginia Tech.
• Lacks decisiveness and feel for lane development. 
• Would like to see him process and burst more quickly.
• Will bounce a run wide instead of trusting and working behind a lead block.
• Needs to learn to avoid the hellish contact and collisions he frequently takes on.
• Has trouble securing passes that are outside of his frame.

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