2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report: UC Davis RB Lan Larison

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, all the way down to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on UC Davis running back Lan Larison.

#3 LAN LARISON, RB, UC DAVIS (SR) – 5112, 215 lbs.

Measurements

The Good

— Good size and athleticism
— Versatility – runner receiver, wildcat QB, kick returner, gunner
— Good vision and patience as a runner
— Best as a one-cut, downhill runner
— Finishes forward when running behind his pads; good contact balance
— Reads blockers well and sets them up in space
— Comfortable as receiver, natural pass catcher
— Good route runner, crisp breaks, keeps his speed
— Strong special teams potential

The Bad

— Not a good fit for outside zone scheme
— Less effective running parallel to line of scrimmage (outside zone)
— Pad level gets high occasionally
— Ball security – 4 fumbles in 2024
— Contested catches not a strong point
— Long speed will be adequate at next level
— Room to add play strength
— Pass protection needs overall improvement

Bio

— Career: 641 carries, 3,634 yards, 41 TD, 5.7 YPC; 127 receptions, 1,626 yards, 10 TD, 12.8 YPR; 9-19 passing, 97 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
— 2024: 284 carries, 1,465 yards, 17 TD, 5.2 YPC; 62 receptions, 847 yards, 6 TD, 13.7 YPR; 5-7 passing, 45 Yards, 1 INT
— Kick return career: 49 returns, 1,246 yards, 1 TD, 25.4 AVG
— 2023, 2024 FCS All-American
— 2023 Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year
— 2022, 2023, 2024 – All-Big Sky First team
— 2024 Walter Payton Award Finalist
— Team captain
— Avid rodeo competitor along with siblings and professional rodeo athletes Ringo and Rainy Robinson
— Won a state championship in steer wrestling prior to his senior year
— At age 15, saved life of neighbor/friend suffering cardiac arrest in a pool; pulled them from pool and administered CPR until paramedics arrived

Tape Breakdown

Lan Larison is a running back with good height and weight and good overall athleticism. In a read-option-heavy offense, he mostly flanked the quarterback in shotgun or pistol. He was also often used as the wildcat quarterback, and he has experience throwing the ball as well.

As a runner, he displays good patience and solid vision on inside zone and power running schemes. He will use a solid jump cut in the backfield to avoid tacklers. He is at his best as a one-cut, downhill runner with good burst, acceleration, and solid pad level. Once on to the second level, he has good vision and sets up his blockers well.

Churning his legs through contact, he finishes forward with good contact balance on runs when he is square to the line of scrimmage. Running the wildcat, he makes good decisions with the ball. He lowers a shoulder for the extra yard or two on runs that get to the sideline.

He will run routes from the backfield, slot, and out wide in the passing game. Most routes were on the short and intermediate levels, but he did run wheel and go-routes. When aligned outside, he displays good acceleration off the line of scrimmage and is crisp, making his cuts at the breakpoint and keeping his speed in his breaks. His hands are good, and he looks very natural catching the ball. After the catch, he can create yards and avoid tacklers with his burst and athleticism.

He was willing to chip on the edge in pass protection and was good on cut blocks inside.

As a thrower, he again looked natural and could get the ball downfield.

Additionally, he has extensive special teams experience as an All-Big Sky kick returner. They also used him on punt coverage as a gunner in motion.

On outside zone, he has adequate speed and mental processing running parallel to the line of scrimmage. His pad level can get high on some runs, which saps his play strength versus defenders. Ball security is adequate, with seven fumbles in his career and four this year in 346 touches. His long speed and play strength will be adequate at the next level. I saw a concentration drop, but it didn’t seem to be an issue. Contested catches were not a strong point, just one in the games watched. Used so much as a receiver, he didn’t do traditional pass blocking often.

He had many misses on-chip blocks, and this one led to a sack.

Conclusion

Overall, Larison has good size and athleticism. He can make a man miss in the backfield and is at his best as a one-cut, downhill runner. He has good vision, patience, and contact balance, and he finishes his runs forward. His versatility shows as a wildcat quarterback who can throw a solid ball. He looks very comfortable as a receiver, has good hands, and runs crisp routes.

Areas for improvement include being more consistent with his pad level, adding play strength, and having better ball security. Additionally, becoming a more effective pass blocker is necessary at the next level.

Larison is one of the more interesting players I’ve ever had a chance to profile. He put together nearly 2,400 yards from scrimmage last season and won a steer wrestling championship. This dude is an athlete. You get the feeling you can put him on a court, pitch, or diamond, and he will look right at home.

He could be a backup running back, backup slot receiver, emergency quarterback, return kicks, and a core special teamer for an NFL team. After availability, versatility is the next best “-ility.” I wouldn’t be shocked to see a team also look at him as a safety. I’ll be very interested to see what a pro coaching staff does with him.

For a player comp, I’m going with Sione Vaki. He played running back and safety in college and was described by Lance Zierlein at NFL.com as a “gamer who does whatever is necessary to help his team win.” I think that fits Larison perfectly.

Projection: UDFA
Depot Draft Grade: 6.2 End of Roster/Practice Squad (7th Round)
Games Watched: 2023 – At Oregon State; 2024 – At California, Vs Idaho, Vs Illinois State, At South Dakota