PFF names former Texas A&M star best NFL running back after contact

[ASFN Admin]

Texas A&M's history of producing future NFL running backs goes back to the program's first Heisman Trophy winner, John David Crow, in the late 1950's, and Darren Lewis, who racked up 3,252 career rushing yards from 1987-1990, before Trayveon Williams broke his record with 3,615 yards and set the single-season rushing record in 2018 with 1,760 yards.

However, all three players mentioned did not have long NFL careers, while De'Von Achane, who, during his three memorable seasons, rushed for 2,376 yards and 21 touchdowns, combined with 554 rushing yards and five receiving touchdowns, and was by far the most electric playmaker, outside of wide receiver Ainias Smith, during former head coach Jimbo Fisher's career.

One of the more underrated prospects in the 2020 recruiting class, Achane entered the 2023 NFL Draft in the same boat, despite his elite production in College Station, and was selected 84th overall by the Miami Dolphins, becoming one of the steals of the draft based on his last three seasons in the league.

Earning his first Pro Bowl nod after the 2025 season, Achane currently holds the NFL record for highest yards per carry average (7.8) during his 2023 rookie season, while his career high 1,350 rushing yards and eight touchdowns, paired with 488 receiving yards and four scores.

This offseason, Achane signed a highly reasonable four-year, $64 million contract extension with the Dolphins, which is widely seen as one of the best bargain contracts. This weekend, Pro Football Focus named Achane as the top running back after contact entering the 2026 season, which is no surprise given his 5.6-yard rushing average.

"Achane has completely redefined expectations for post-contact production. The Dolphin owns a career average of 3.8 yards after contact per rushing attempt, the best mark among active running backs.

More impressively, Achane led the NFL with 4.1 yards after contact per carry last season and already holds the highest single-season figure ever recorded in the PFF era. As a rookie in 2023, he generated an astonishing 4.9 yards after contact per attempt. No other qualifying season has surpassed 4.5.

What makes those numbers so remarkable is Achane’s build. At 5-foot-8 and 188 pounds, he falls in the bottom 20th percentile for running back size. Conventional wisdom suggests only larger runners should dominate after contact, but Achane has consistently proven otherwise.

He also posted multiple impressive seasons after contact during his collegiate career at Texas A&M, demonstrating many of the same traits that have translated to the NFL. Achane’s raw acceleration hinders the quality of his opponent’s tackle attempts. Meanwhile, his contact balance allows him to absorb glancing blows, resulting in a deceptively powerful ball carrier through traffic."

The fact that Achane, who stands 5'9" and 190 pounds, is already one of the top running backs in the NFL is another example of how contact balance is much more important than raw speed, which most running backs possess. New Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley will heavily rely on Achane to lead the offense once again in 2026.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.

This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: PFF names former Texas A&M star best NFL running back after contact

Continue reading...