DeWayne McBride on First Impressions of Being a Viking & Translating College Success to the NFL. Vikings.com's Tatum Everett talked with Minnesota Vikings rookie running back DeWayne McBride from the TCO Studios. The Vikings selected McBride in Round 7 of the 2023 NFL Draft.
The Minnesota Vikings re-signed Alexander Mattison in March, a transaction that seemed to fall out of the sky for some.
Dalvin Cook was on the team’s roster at the time, and most believed Mattison would fetch an RB1 job with a different team.
But Mattison remained, Cook departed three months later, and Minnesota selected running back DeWayne McBride in Round 7 of the 2023 NFL Draft. The plot thickened, indeed.
And now, according to CBS Sports, McBride is on tap to become the third-most productive rookie RB in the sport. Chris Trapasso ranked rookie halfbacks per his forecasted output, and somehow, McBride was only topped by Bijan Robinson (Falcons) and Jahmyr Gibbs (Lions).
Trapasso explained, “You are seeing a seventh-round pick on this list, and I’m keenly aware of the history of seventh-round running backs in their debut NFL seasons. Isiah Pacheco’s 830 yards on the ground during the regular season in 2022 was the second-highest total for a Round 7 rookie since the 1970 merger, and before his out-of-obscurity instant breakout, the last seventh-round runner to eclipse 500 yards as a rookie was Bryce Brown in 2012 for the Eagles.”
Most draft experts considered McBride a steal in Round 7 of April’s draft.
“I’m still standing behind McBride in this spot, and much of that confidence stems from my belief that he was far too talented on the field to be picked in the seventh round to begin with. McBride was a multi-year, ultra-efficient runner, and at 5-foot-10 and 210 pounds, he has ideal between-the-tackles size,” Trapasso continued.
It is unclear how soon McBride will fetch rushing attempts in the Vikings 2023 offense, as head coach Kevin O’Connell recently hinted at Mattison for RB1 duty.
Trapasso concluded about McBride, “Maybe his lack of a workout during the pre-draft process catalyzed what to me was a fall to the last round of the draft. He averaged 7.2 yards per carry during his three-year stay at UAB and forced 175 missed tackles on his 484 attempts. With just Alexander Mattison and Ty Chandler ahead of him on the depth chart, McBride has the juice to make a sizable impact on Minnesota’s run game that’s backed by a bulldozing offensive line.”
The Vikings also have second-year tailback Ty Chandler on the RB roster, along with kick returner Kene Nwangwu.
Trapasso’s musings only heighten interest in Vikings training camp, which kicks off for rookies in 23 days. In theory, McBride could break out and nudge Chandler + Nwangwu out of the way for RB2 duty. He’d almost have to for the CBS Sports theory to come true.
McBride played in 31 games for UAB, tabulating remarkable numbers, with 3,523 rushing yards and 36 touchdowns. His career average per run was 7.3 yards, an astounding figure. He’s just not much of a pass-catcher, a to-be-desired trait that might’ve scared general managers in April.
He turns 22 on July 8th.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.