By Charlie Campbell
Weaknesses:
Summary: Over the past four seasons, Rountree was one of the most consistent tailbacks in the SEC. He had a quality debut for a freshman, and his biggest season was as a sophomore in 2018, when he averaged 5.4 yards per carry for 1,216 yards with 11 touchdowns. He also had 14 receptions for 62 yards that season. Rountree then recorded had 829 yards averaging 4.5 per attempt with nine touchdowns in 2019.
Rountree saw 209 carries in 2020, racking up an average of 4.7 yards per carry for 972 yards and 14 touchdowns. He then really hurt himself at his pro day by putting up a 40-yard dash time in the 4.7s, which is very slow for a running back.
While Rountree ran slowly in hs workout, he played faster in college and showed a burst out of his cuts. Rountree is a North-South charger who runs hard and fights through tackles. He has good body lean and knee bend to run behind his tackles. With a strong lower body, Rountree can push through contact and is able to continue his runs after breaking tackles. He has the size and strength to handle a good work load, and his aggressive style can help to make up for issues with his blockers.
The big issue for Rountree as a pro running back is a lack of patience. He is overly ready to charge ahead, running into the back of his blockers to just try to push the pile. As a pro, he needs to show the patience to pause and let holes develop. Rountree is so aggressive that it can work against him because he does not wait to let lanes open up. Team sources say Rountree could have issues learning a NFL playbook as well. He is going to need to really dedicate himself to studying and working hard to master his offense.
In the passing game, Rountree has some limitations as a receiver, but he could improve with pro coaching. He is a willing blocker and has the size to be a pass protector in the NFL.
Rountree could go as high as the third round in the 2021 NFL Draft and probably will not fall out of the fifth round. He could be a solid rotational backup running back in the NFL who also contributes on special teams.
Player Comparison: Devontae Booker. Rountree’s running style reminds me of Booker. Booker (5-11, 219) and Rountree are almost identical in size. Booker is a little faster, while Rountree is tougher. Booker was a fourth-round pick in 2016, and Rountree could go in the same range this year.
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