It isn't often that a fourth-round pick can generate serious buzz, but that's what happened the moment the New York Giants selected former Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo in the 2025 NFL Draft.
A darling of the 2024 college football season, Skattebo had a wide range of pre-draft opinions. Some draft analysts pegged him as a solid second-round pick, while others questioned whether he had enough speed for the NFL, ranking him as more of a Day 3 prospect.
Ultimately, Skattebo did fall to Day 3, but his NFL Draft slide could be a boon for the Giants' offense, even with second-year running back Tyrone Tracy already on the roster.
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Skattebo was remarkable for the Sun Devils in 2024, finishing with an incredible 1,711 rushing yards, 605 receiving yards, and 24 total touchdowns. He was the entire Arizona State offense, and even though opposing defensive coordinators knew he was the dude they had to stop... they couldn't.
As he enters his first season as a pro, Skattebo knows that what he did on the college level means nothing; he has a lot to prove before he can become a fan-favorite in New York.
"How many snaps of the NFL have you seen me play? Zero, right? I've proved nothing," Skattebo said during the Giants' rookie minicamp. "I've proved what I am in college, but I've proved nothing at this level. So now, where I'm at, I have to prove myself, and if that's for five years or if that's for 10 years, I'm going to continue to prove myself."
Cam Skattebo looking good early in New York Giants offseason workouts
The early returns for Cam Skattebo have been positive, and there have been some impressive highlights of him performing at the Giants' 2025 rookie minicamp.
Check it out:
My bold take: Cam Skattebo, for all his bruising rushing ability, will be the third-down back. Tyrone Tracy has the WR background but he struggled with drops/pass pro as a rookie. Skattebo had major receiving projection in college. Looks natural pic.twitter.com/3GyUEsjwWn
— Dan Duggan (@DDuggan21) May 10, 2025Skattebo on the go 🫡 pic.twitter.com/A4xD2ITNhv
— New York Giants (@Giants) May 10, 2025First look at Skattebo 👀 pic.twitter.com/ug8daqODj6
— New York Giants (@Giants) May 9, 2025Despite all the fanfare, Skattebo has a long road ahead before he can command carries in the Giants' offense. Tracy finished his rookie season with 839 rushing yards and five touchdowns (4.4 yards per carry), and veteran Devin Singletary is still on the roster. While Skattebo's upside may be higher than both New York running backs, he'll have to prove in training camp and the preseason that he deserves an opportunity sooner than later.
The New York Giants are quietly building an impressive collection of skill players with 2024 first-round pick Malik Nabers and this year's duo of rookies, headlined by quarterback Jaxson Dart and Skattebo. At the very least, the Giants' offense has a chance to be fun again in 2025.