From now until the 2024 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on UCLA running back Carson Steele.
#33 CARSON STEELE, RB, UCLA — 6003, 228 pounds (Junior)
Event Name
-2024 East-West Shrine Bowl
MEASUREMENTS
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Carson Steele | 6003, 228 | 9 5/8″ | 30 1/2″ | 72 3/4″ |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| 4.75 | 1.60 | 4.36 | 7.07 | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| 9’8″ | 37 1/2″ | 28 |
The Good
-Runs extremely well behind his pads and is very difficult to bring down 1v1
-Power rushing style matches weight room feats; landed on Bruce Feldman’s “Freaks List” entering 2023 at UCLA
-Good contact balance for the position; able to drive through contact and push piles
-Shows good lateral agility to beat defenders to the corner; has an extra gear he can hit in the open field
-Durable player that rarely misses a play, let alone a game
-Has soft, consistent hands as a receiver; good feel as a route runner with surprising quickness in and out of cuts
The Bad
-Doesn’t have that consistent speed teams look for at the position; won’t run away from NFL defenders
-Created a role due to physicality breaking tackles, but isn’t shifty enough for the next level to be considered an elusive, dynamic running back
-Hasn’t shown the ability to stand in and battle in pass protection; leans heavily on cut blocks
-Ends up running into his own blockers too often; questionable vision between the tackles
-Significant wear and tear on his tread with more than 700 career touches on top of more than 1,000 in college
-No special teams experience; will be a learned role in the NFL if he wants to stick
-Not a guy that is going to “wow” anyone at the next level
Bio
-Spent one season at UCLA, playing in 12 games with nine starts in 2023
-Rushed for 847 yards and six touchdowns on 142 carries for UCLA in 2023
-Transferred from Ball State after two seasons with the Cardinals
-Rushed for 2,646 yards and 20 touchdowns at Ball State; added 41 receptions for 323 yards and two touchdowns at Ball State
-Named First Team All-MAC in 2022 at Ball State
-Record 12 100-yard rushing games during his career at Ball State
-Grew up in Indianapolis, where he also played basketball and baseball in high school
-Former two-star recruit who chose Ball State over Illinois State, Western Illinois, and Indiana State
Tape Breakdown
In a running back class that isn’t all that deep or talented, some guys with just one year of true Power 5 production are going to fall through the cracks as teams tend to target the more experienced, name-recognition backs in the class.
UCLA running back Carson Steele could be one of those guys that slip through the cracks.
After a terrific two seasons at Ball State that included him rushing for 1,556 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2022, Steele transferred to UCLA to play under former head coach Chip Kelly in an effort to put himself in the NFL Draft conversation. That move to UCLA at least got him on the radar athletically as Steele made Bruce Feldman’s “Freaks List” for The Athletic, thanks to benching 450 pounds, squatting 675 pounds, and power cleaning 350 pounds.
He clocked a 4.75 40-yard dash, which raises concerns about his long speed and ability to hit the home run in the NFL, but he played seemingly faster on tape during his time at UCLA.
You can see he doesn’t have much long speed when it comes to getting into space, but he has adequate speed to at least turn the corner at the collegiate level.
He needs to be a bit more decisive with the football and hit the gas quicker in space, but overall, it’s a solid play.
Again, he’s not the shiftiest back, but he will run through arm tackles and has a strong, stiff arm that can stun defenders.
Nice rep here, backed up in his own end against Washington State last season. He’s able to make the first defender miss in space with a subtle jump cut and then finishes the run with a strong, stiff arm, knocking the helmet off of the defender.
Steele doesn’t play like a twitched-up running back. He’s more of the slow is smooth, smooth is fast type of back.
He has good vision, is patient enough to let things develop, and knows when to slam it up and take what’s there.
Oftentimes at UCLA last season, a crease opened, and he was able to pick up yardage.
That’s good patience there from Steele.
He stays square to the line of scrimmage and keeps churning downhill, believing that the lane will open. When it does, he’s in a position to make the most of it, ripping off a nice run.
Earlier in the game, he showed his vision to bounce and find the end zone.
What I like most about Steele is that he consistently works downhill with the football in his hands. He’s not a guy that’s going to dance and try to hit the home run.
He’s going to probe downhill, look for the lane, and make sure it takes multiple guys to tackle him. It’s not flashy, but it works.
You can see the limitations in speed, but he has good contact balance overall, consistently steps through arm tackles, and finds a way to get into the open field and make things happen.
There’s something to be said for that ability, which not every running back with his testing metrics possesses.
Conclusion
Overall, Steele’s strength in the weight room is very intriguing, as is his durability and production over three seasons in college football—two at Ball State and one at UCLA. But the testing numbers from a speed and agility standpoint and the issues on tape with truly showing NFL speed and agility raise some concerns.
He has a good frame for the position but does have some considerable wear and tear on his tread from college and high school that should raise some concerns. He profiles best for a gap scheme and reminds me somewhat of Rex Burkhead, another productive running back coming out of college who ran a 4.73 40-yard dash at a similar height and weight and then turned in a very productive career as a dependable No. 2/3 running back with special teams abilities.
That appears to be Steele’s path to success in the NFL.
Projection: Priority Free Agent
Depot Draft Grade: 5.9 (Undrafted Free Agent)
Games Watched: Washington State (2023), Oregon State (2023), Stanford (2023), California (2023)
