2021 NFL Draft: Jaret Patterson is a star in the making
By Kyle Edmond
2021 NFL Draft: Jaret Patterson is a star in the making.
If one historical performance for 2021 NFL Draft prospect Jaret Patterson wasn’t enough, how about two in back-to-back games? Over the last two games, Patterson has totaled 710 rushing yards while finding the end zone on 12 occasions and tying the FBS record for rushing touchdowns in a game this past weekend with eight.
While these stats are surely shocking, for people around Buffalo’s program and the Mid-American Conference as a whole this is just another game for Patterson who has been breaking records since he stepped on campus.
Patterson began shattering records at Buffalo as a freshman in 2018, becoming the first freshman to rush for 1,000 yards in a season. The momentum for Patterson carried into his sophomore campaign when he broke the school’s single-season rushing record with 1,799 yards as well as the single-season rushing touchdown record with 19. Those 1,799 rushing yards ranked fifth in the country and led to an All-MAC First Team selection and being named a 2020 preseason All-American.
The accolades don’t stop there for Patterson. He currently holds the three most impressive running games in school history at Buffalo. Last year, he rattled off 298 yards to claim the record and so far this year has broken the record not once, but twice and did so in consecutive games.
On Nov. 17 against Bowling Green, Patterson broke his own record with 301 rushing yards, but that would be nothing compared to what he would do next. This past weekend against Kent State Patterson rushed for 409 yards, the second-highest single-game rushing yard total in FBS history behind only Samaje Perine‘s 427-yard performance in 2014.
Looking ahead, could Jaret Patterson hear his name called during the 2021 NFL Draft? This season, the impressive rookie running backs have come from rather odd places, like Antonio Gibson receiving just 33 rushing attempts at Memphis or James Robinson out of Illinois State. The MAC is no stranger to top running back talent either, including Kareem Hunt just a few years ago out of Toledo. The question might be, will his insane numbers translate to the NFL?
Well, let’s take a look at the other names on the single-game all-time list for FBS. Perine, the player ahead of Patterson, is currently with the Cincinnati Bengals after being drafted by Washington in the fourth round and spending time with Miami. However, the next two names are more promising.
Third on the list, just behind Jaret Patterson, is Melvin Gordon who has had an impressive NFL career. Just behind him? Hall of Fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson. Jump two spots further down and you’ll find another Hall of Fame running back in Marshall Faulk.
Now, it is certainly a stretch to start comparing Patterson to Gordon, Tomlinson or Faulk, but the numbers don’t lie. There’s good company for the junior running back at Buffalo. The key for him will be proving that he can do it against the top competition, an opportunity he hasn’t had this season.
During the 2019 season Buffalo went up against Penn State and Patterson still had a solid game, although it wasn’t a 400-yard outing. He totaled 90 yards from scrimmage on 23 carries and one reception but failed to find paydirt. However, two weeks later against Temple, it was a different story. In that game, Patterson rushed for 133 yards and two scores.
Backing up to his freshman season in 2018, Rutgers was the toughest opponent once he was receiving playing time. Against them, he rattled off 104 yards and two scores.
In a year that will include high profile names like Travis Etienne and Najee Harris to name a few, Jaret Patterson could emerge during the 2021 NFL Draft process as one of the best of the bunch. Currently, CBSSports.com ranks Patterson as the No. 2 running back in the class, behind only Etienne, and also has him as the No. 67 player overall.
Patterson and Buffalo currently have two games left on their regular season schedule, being against Akron and Ohio. Akron is giving up 225 yards per game on the ground while Ohio is giving up 216. With 920 yards as of now, there is a high likelihood that Patterson reaches well over 1,000 yards, despite playing just six games.
Additionally, Buffalo is currently 4-0 and leading the MAC East, meaning a trip to the MAC Championship and a bowl game could both be in order. Depending on the opponents, is there a chance that Peterson could reach 2,000 rushing yards in just eight games? He’s already totaled 920 through four.