"Never really seen anything like it": Joel Klatt swoons over Cam Skattebo after his eye-catching display against Texas

Cam Skattebo and the Arizona State Sun Devils were one of the stories of the 2024 college football season. The Sun Devils beat every ranked team they faced en route to a spot in the second round of the expanded College Football Playoff. While they lost to the Texas Longhorns 39-31 in double-overtime in the Peach Bowl on Wednesday, Skattebo and his teammates earned plaudits for their efforts.

Following their overtime loss to Steve Sarkisian's team, college football analyst Joel Klatt praised them effusively (Timestamp: 27:45):

"Cam Skattebo is a legend. I've never seen anything like it, particularly the effort Skattebo made to get his team in a position to win."

No. 10 Arizona State (11-3) had opportunities, but it wasn't to be, as the No. 4 Longhorns (13-2) held out to win in double-overtime.

How did Cam Skattebo perform against the Texas Longhorns?

Cam Skattebo was everywhere on offense and had one of the best all-around games in the expanded College Football Playoff this season. He attempted to will his team to victory against the favored Texas Longhorns, and he almost did.

The senior-year running back had 30 carries for 143 yards and two touchdowns. He also added eight receptions and 99 yards for good measure. Furthermore, Skattebo threw a 42-yard dime to Malik McClain to add a passing touchdown to an impressive show. Plus, he ran for a two-point conversion.

His performance earned rave reviews from fans and analysts, and NFL scouts will certainly take notice ahead of this year's draft.

Is Cam Skattebo a first-round pick?

While Cam Skattebo enjoyed an impressive regular season and an even better playoff run, it's unlikely that a team will pick him in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft. The senior-year running back might be talented, but there are some questions about his overall play.

First, Skattebo does not have the elite athleticism of pro-level running backs like Bijan Robinson and Saquon Barkley (both first-round picks in their draft classes). Furthermore, Skattebo isn't the fastest player, and he lacks the shiftiness expected at the highest level that a player like Jahmyr Gibbs (also a first-round pick) possesses.

Thus, Skattebo will likely be a day two or three pick to a team looking for a late draft steal. That result could favor him as he'll have next to no pressure to perform from day one, and we've seen that be profitable for Bucky Irving on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.