28 Aug Preseason Scouting Notes: Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, Oklahoma
Senior | 6’0″ 229 lbs | Las Vegas, NV | Feb 23, 1998
An impressive downhill, straight-line running back who is hard to bring down in the open field but lacks long speed
Overview:
Rhamondre Stevenson came to Oklahoma as a 3-Star junior college recruit, playing in a rotational role last season. A crowded backfield limited his production to just 515 rushing yards and six touchdowns in 2019. However, he touted an impressive eight yards per carry. With Trey Sermon out of the picture, Stevenson should see plenty of carries on inside zone and gap runs as the Sooner’s offense features a heavy dose of both. The Las Vegas native is best as a downhill, straight-line runner who runs with good pad level and play strength, making him hard to tackle. He was suspended for Oklahoma’s bowl game in 2019 after reportedly failing a drug test.
Strengths:
– Good vision on inside zone and gap runs to find cut back lanes
– With no open gaps, he’s a smart decision-maker as he barrels down and takes what he can get, helping to limit negative plays
– Impressive burst on inside zone and gap runs as he hits the hole hard and can consistently get three to four yards past his blocking
– Runs with low pad level and a forward lean, allowing him to pick up an extra yard or two while getting tackled
– Not going to go down easy as he fights for every yard. Keeps his legs moving through contact with good play strength and balance to run through linebacker’s arm tackles and run over defensive backs
– In pass pro, he displays good effort, pad level, and use of hands
– Shows some unselfish qualities when run blocking, displaying a high-motor, physicality at the point of attack, and he positions himself between the defender and ball carrier
Areas to Improve:
– Struggles to recognize backside cutback lanes on outside zone
– With his shoulders pointed towards the sideline on outside zone, he lacks the change of direction skills to turn upfield and explode when hitting the hole
– Adequate agility and quickness to make defenders miss in the open field
– Lacks the long speed to be a home run threat and break a lot of second and third level angles
– He has adequate acceleration to beat linebackers deep on vertical routes out of the backfield
– Not much of a receiving threat due to his limited speed, quickness, and agility
Injuries:
N/A
Projection:
Stevenson is a difficult projection because he has some NFL-level traits, but the sample size is rather small. Currently, he projects as fifth- to seventh-round pick, but he could easily shoot up some draft boards with a big 2020 campaign. The Sooner would be a good fit for any team that uses a lot of inside zone and gap run and is looking for a downhill runner.
What to Watch for in 2020:
Will he get more touches? Last season, Stevenson came in behind the eight ball as a junior college transfer and had to split carries with two other running backs who will likely get drafted, Trey Sermon and Kennedy Brooks. While Brooks is still around, Stevenson should have no trouble getting his fair share of touches as it was only a few years ago that Oklahoma had two 1,000-yard backs in Joe Mixon and Samaje Perine. However, the suspension mentioned above could leak into this year and cost the senior up to five games, which would be devastating for his draft stock in a shortened season.
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- A Bay Area native who has a dysfunctional relationship with the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders.
- Matt played college football and was a recruiting assistant at Division 3 Willamette University, where he received his BA and MBA.
- He has worked in the industry as a journalist, film analyst for PFF, and graduated from the Scouting Academy.