Draft prospects from small schools typically have to dominate their competition in order to get recognition from scouts.
South Dakota State running back Pierre Strong Jr. did just that.
Strong rushed for 4,495 yards in four collegiate seasons, including three 1,000-yard campaigns, with 40 rushing touchdowns at a whopping 7.1 yards per carry. He was a bully out of the backfield with five games of at least 150 yards last season, and he ranked first in the FCS with 30 carries of 15-plus yards, according to Pro Football Focus.
After an impressive week at the East-West Shrine Bowl, he turned heads at the NFL scouting combine by recording the fastest 40-yard dash time (4.37 seconds) among all running backs in the 2022 NFL draft class.
Strong had an impressive college career and although he’s flying under the radar of many observers, his skill set on film shows why he shouldn’t be overlooked.