2020 NFL Draft: Florida State running back Cam Akers scouting report

A 2020 NFL draft scouting report for Florida State running back Cam Akers.

Florida State running back Cam Akers recently announced his intention to enter the 2020 NFL draft class. While Akers is unlikely to ever be under first-round consideration, he could be an interesting middle-round target for teams looking to add at the running back position.

Travis Etienne, Jonathan Taylor, D’Andre Swift and J.K. Dobbins lead the way for the running backs in the 2020 NFL Draft, but this is also a deep group of backs with guys like Akers providing some potentially fantastic value later in the draft. In this post, we are going dig deep into Akers’ game and try to predict how he will translate to the next level.

Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 212 pounds
2019 stats: 231 carries for 1,144 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground. 30 receptions for 225 yards and four touchdowns as a receiver.

Note: Height and weight are according to the official Florida State athletics site.

Akers gets to the hole quickly and shows great burst through the line of scrimmage. He is quick in short spaces and naturally elusive in the open field. Once Akers finds a crease, he hits the hole hard and has the long speed to take it to the house from anywhere on the field.

His combination of speed and quickness is impressive, but Akers also shows some good power at the point of attack. He is a tough runner who rarely goes down at first contact, showing impressive contact balance at all times. Akers’ competitive toughness stands out when he is finishing runs. He is never going to go down without a fight.

In the passing game, Akers shows soft hands and a fantastic ability to create yardage after the catch. He secures the catch well and gets upfield quickly, letting his physical tools take over from there. Akers is not the most effective route runner right now, but his upside as a receiver out of the backfield is obvious. He is also a willing pass protector who will be solid in that area at the next level.

Akers has obvious upside as a featured back at the next level, but he is far from a perfect player. His overall feel for the game always seems to be a bit off. His ball carrier vision is below average, as he struggles to find the hole unless it is obvious. He also tends to be impatient behind the line of scrimmage, struggling to wait for his blockers to open up the hole before making his move. This should improve with better blocking at the next level, but it is not great to see on tape.

With an impressive overall combination of size, speed, quickness and power, Akers undoubtedly has plenty of upside at the next level. That being said, if he is ever going to reach his full potential, he needs to learn how to trust his offensive line and find a better feel for the game.

If Akers continues to rush and lack the instincts to find the proper holes, his ability to make an impact at the next level is always going to be limited. He is a true boom or bust prospect who teams must pay attention to in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Based on his physical profile, Akers will likely end up being a day two selection in the 2020 NFL Draft. Some team will probably talk themselves into him before the third round is over. That being said, in this deep running back class, I would not be willing to take a chance on him until the late fourth-round at the earliest.