Eagles draftee Donnel Pumphrey: Small but durable
The running back is only 176 pounds, but he rushed for more than 1,600 yards in his final three seasons at San Diego State.
Donnel Pumphrey totaled 1,059 carries and 100 catches during four years at San Diego State, offering 1,159 answers to the question of whether his 5-foot-8, 176-pound frame can endure a heavy workload.
He never missed a game, carried the ball 204 times more than any other player in college football during that span, and rushed for the most yards in Football Bowl Subdivision history.
"I just try to make guys miss and when it's time to get down, I get down," Pumphrey said.
That is a good method for remaining durable, although the NFL defenders will be less forgiving than what Pumphrey experienced in the Mountain West Conference. The Eagles used a fourth-round pick on Pumphrey, and he was the lone running back the team selected in a deep draft class for ballcarriers. With a need at the position, the Eagles will likely rely upon Pumphrey this season.
The main reason a player with 6,405 rushing yards was available at that point in the draft was his size. Eagles executive Joe Douglas focused more on the yards than the inches.
"With Pumphrey, the thing that stands out the most is prolific production," Douglas said. "He's set every record. You're talking about a guy that broke Marshall Faulk's record. Lightning feet. Great feet and great hands. And don't let the size fool you. This guy, he's a little dog that thinks he's a big dog, and he plays that way."
When Pumphrey was selected, immediate comparisons were made to Eagles veteran Darren Sproles, who is 5-6 and 190 pounds. Both are short running backs who outproduced bigger players. But the two players are built differently, and in Pumphrey's case, the weight is more notable than the height.
In the last five years, there have been 25 running backs at the NFL scouting combine who measured 5-8 or shorter. There have been only three running backs who measured 176 pounds or lighter. Since 2000, only five running backs have been at that weight or below. All four of those running backs ran faster 40-yard dashes than Pumphrey's 4.48-second sprint.
When Sproles was at the combine in 2005, he weighed 10 pounds more than Pumphrey and bench-pressed 225 pounds 23 times. Pumphrey totaled five reps at the combine.
This is not to say that Pumphrey won't be a good player in his own right - his college production could very well be a precursor of what's to come - but comparing him to Sproles is a tough benchmark. Sproles is entering his 13th NFL season and has more all-purpose yards than any NFL player since entering the league. Still, spending the next year with Sproles can be beneficial for Pumphrey, who might carve a similar role in the NFL.
"It means the world to me," Pumphrey said. "I looked up to guys like him even when he played for the San Diego Chargers. . . . Feel like we've very versatile and I can do stuff out the backfield just like he has. He's definitely bigger than me, so that's something he has."
Although most of Pumphrey's production in college came while rushing, he will need to use his receiving ability more in the NFL. Pumphrey often motioned out of the backfield at San Diego State on passing plays, and he can move to the slot for the Eagles if a linebacker or safety is covering him. The Eagles split carries for running backs, but the passing game offers additional opportunities for touches and playing time.
The Eagles could still add a veteran running back via trade or free agency, and they must determine Ryan Mathews' future with the team. Undrafted rookie Corey Clement will officially join the roster in the coming days, too. So the Eagles' depth chart is not yet settled at the position, but Wendell Smallwood, Sproles, and Pumphrey are the three running backs mostly likely to be part of a committee this season.
Though Pumphrey won't intimidate opponents stepping off the bus, his college production and durability at San Diego State gave the Eagles a reason to believe he can be a valuable part of their offense in Philadelphia.
"I've been running the ball since I was about 6 years old and I feel like it hasn't taken a toll on me," Pumphrey said. The offensive line does a great job of getting me to the next level where I'm not really [taking] on big hits. I'm just ready to be an Eagle and show everybody what I'm about."
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