If it feels like we’ve spent a lot of time talking about fourth-round running back Cam Skattebo, it’s because we have. The 5-foot-9, 219-pound do-it-all back is built like a fire hydrant and runs like one too... if fire hydrants could run. He's compact, explosive, and just about impossible to knock over without a small explosion.
The New York Giants didn’t just draft a runner. They drafted a guy who did things in college that almost no one else has done. In fact, there’s only one other player in the past decade who’s pulled off what Skattebo accomplished in 2024, and that guy ended up going top 10 and reshaping what we expect from the modern NFL backfield.
He rushed for over 2,000 yards, caught more than 600, nearly won the Heisman, and became college football's all-time leader in most all-purpose yards when he hung the cleats up. That was the guy. And his name? Christian McCaffrey.
Cam Skattebo could be second coming of Christian McCaffrey
Now, let’s slow down for a second. No one is saying Cam Skattebo is going to be McCaffrey. But the parallels? Kinda spooky.
In 2024, Skattebo became the first FBS player since McCaffrey in 2015 to post at least 1,700 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards in a season. Actually, he took it a step further. He was the only FBS player last year to go 1,000+ on the ground and 600+ through the air.
That’s not some throwaway stat. That’s elite, historic dual-threat production—the kind that should translate easily when you’ve got the toughness, balance, and hands to go with it. He averaged 5.8 yards per carry and 13.4 yards per catch at Arizona State, scored 24 total touchdowns, and forced over 100 missed tackles on the ground. That’s real, three-down ability.
McCaffrey was more explosive. Skattebo is more bruiser than burner. But they both share the traits that matter most: instincts, versatility, and the ability to stay on the field for all three downs.
The G-Men landed Skattebo at pick No. 105. That’s absurd value for a guy who’s already being mentioned as one of the top Day 3 steals in the draft, and who could realistically push Tyrone Tracy Jr. for the starting job by midseason.
This backfield is no longer a question mark. If and when Jaxson Dart eventually takes over, Skattebo gives him the safety net and tone-setter a young quarterback needs. It’s for sure early. But Big Blue fans should be fired up because there’s a real chance Cam Skattebo is next in line to do something special.