From now until the 2025 NFL Draft, we hope to 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, Day 3 selections, or priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Texas running back Jaydon Blue.
No. 23 Jaydon Blue/RB Texas – 5090, 196 – (Junior)
MEASUREMENTS
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Jaydon Blue | 5090/196 | 8 1/4 | 29 7/8 | N/A |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| 4.38 | 1.52 | N/A | N/A | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
THE GOOD
– Home run speed in open field and constant big-play threat
– Angle buster who can turn the corner and speed past safeties coming downhill
– Reaches top speed quickly, great acceleration
– Shows change of direction and ability to make people miss
– Dangerous 1v1 and wins in space
– Versatile and effective receiver, used as quasi-receiver in college
– Burst at top of route to jet away from linebackers on angle/option routes
– Quick, light feet in the hole
– Catches away from body and able to adjust
– Shows willingness and gets square in pass protection
– Doesn’t have much mileage on tires and young player with room to grow
– Excellent 2024 receiving production
– Special teams/coverage background
The Bad
– Average, unremarkable frame
– Limited, committee approach and was the 1B in the rotation
– Lacks power and goes down too easily, struggles to fight through contact
– Prone to getting tripped up in open field
– Dances a bit at the line and can be quicker to find and hit the hole
– Smaller frame makes him prone to getting run over by blitzing linebackers in pass pro, and often used on routes instead of blocking
– Too many fumbles relative to touches (six in career) and small hands contribute to problem
– Admits he carries football low and fumbles often occur with ball in left hand
– Production is nothing special and only one season of serious action
– Limited return background despite profile
Bio
– Turned 21 in January, 2025
– 38 career games with five starts for Longhorns
– Career: 214 carries, 1,161 yards (5.4 YPC) 11 rushing TDs, 56 receptions for 503 yards and 7 receiving scores
– 2024: 134 carries, 730 yards (5.4 YPC) 8 rushing TDs, 42 receptions for 368 yards and six receiving scores
– Three career kick returns, all coming in 2023
– Only 616 career offensive snaps (per PFF), 429 in 2024
– Had 80 “space” snaps in 2024, aligned slot or out wide
– 80 career snaps on kick coverage unit (2022 and 2023)
– Four-star recruit from Houston, Texas; chose Texas over Alabama, Georgia, Oklahoma (recruited by former NFL RB DeMarco Murray), LSU, and countless other big-time programs
– Rushed for over 2,100 yards and 30 touchdowns with 9.5 YPC as high school junior
– Elected to skip senior season of high school to focus on academics and prepare for college after committing to Texas, cited the “wear and tear” at RB as reasons why
– Dislocated right knee in 7th and 8th grade, requiring surgery
– Part of HS track and field team, 10.7 personal record in 100m
– Suffered ankle injury against Michigan in 2024, missed following week vs UTSA as a “precautionary” matter
Tape Breakdown
Jaydon Blue became a top college recruit who opted out of his high school’s senior season after committing to Texas as a junior. His career was often spent as a backup, playing when injuries to Jonathon Brooks struck, until 2024, when he became part of the Longhorns’ backfield rotation alongside Tre Wisner, who was the 1A to Brooks’ 1B.
Blue’s speed is evident nearly every time he touches the ball. A quick accelerator, he has home run speed to run away from everyone even if they have the angle on him. Big-play touchdowns litter his tape, including 38 and 77-yard in a 2024 win over Clemson.
Often used as a receiver more than a running back, like against Georgia, where he caught seven passes versus zero carries, Blue is comfortable aligning and playing out in space. His pass-catching ability best showed in the playoff game against Ohio State, when he caught two passes on wheel routes. The first showed an impressive nod and burst to the corner, tracking to finish the play.
But he’s a svelte body type who lacks much power and goes down too easily.
While he shows effort and good posture in pass pro, his lack of size and strength causes him to be run over by big blitzing linebackers.
Fumbles have been a problem. For as few touches as he received, six of them in a career is far too many. That included two against Kentucky and made him hard to trust fully. His speed and spacing won out in college, but he can’t rely on that alone at the next level. A lack of return background is also disappointing for a player who wasn’t a full-time starter and had his kind of speed. You wonder if ball security concerns made the team hesitant to use him back there.
Conclusion
Overall, Jaydon Blue is an exciting, big-play back with legitimate play speed. His versatility and pass-catching ability are also attractive and set him apart from most other running backs in this year’s class. But a limited body of work, lack of power between the tackles, and ball security concerns tamp down his stock. There’s a rotational and third-down role for a guy like him, but he’ll always be Robin. Not Batman.
My NFL comp is the Baltimore Ravens’ Justice Hill—a third-down/receiving back with great speed.
Projection: Late Day Three-Undrafted
Depot Draft Grade: 7.2 – Fourth Round (Rotational Player)
Games Watched: vs Georgia (2024), vs Kentucky (2024), vs Clemson (2024), vs Ohio State (2024)
