One prospect who may interest the Denver Broncos in the mid rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft is Virginia Tech running back Bhayshul Tuten. He is a 5’9”, 206-pound running back who ran the fastest 40-time at the Combine.
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Bhayshul Tuten played a total of two seasons at Virginia Tech and was a productive back for them during that span. During his two seasons with the team, he played in 24 games and totaled 356 carries for 2,022 yards, 5.7 yards per carry, 25 rushing touchdowns, while also totaling 50 receptions for 320 yards and 4 touchdowns. This past season, Tuten played in 11 games and totaled 183 carries for 1,159 yards, averaging 6.3 yards per carry, 15 rushing touchdowns, along with 23 receptions for 81 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Player Profile
Bhayshul Tuten | Running Back | Virginia Tech
- Height: 5’9”
- Weight: 206 pounds
- Hands: 9 inches
- Arm Length: 29 1⁄2 inches
- Age: 22 years old
- 40-Yard Dash: 4.32 seconds
- 10-Yard Dash: 1.49 seconds
- Vertical Jump: 40.5 inches
- Broad Jump: 10’10”
- 20-Yard Shuttle: 4.41 seconds
Film Room
Scouting Report
Strengths
- Well-built running back with a strong lower half and a low center of gravity
- Fastest running back at the Combine
- Explosive breakaway speed and a homerun threat whenever he has the ball in his hands
- Plus contact balance
- Patient runner with good vision
- Excelled in a one-cut wide zone offense
- Good strength to run through tackle attempts
- Willing and able pass blocker
Weaknesses
- Ball security concerns (8 fumbles the last two seasons)
- Has some upside as a pass catcher, but it’s undeveloped
- Inconsistent hands as a pass-catcher
- Bounces runs out wide too quickly at times
Bhayshul Tuten’s RAS
What other analysts are saying about Virginia Tech running back Bhayshul Tuten
NFL.com’s draft analyst Lance Zierlein on RB Bhayshul Tuten
If you spend too much time focusing on the small inconsistencies of Tuten’s college game, you run the risk of overlooking the match he is for the pro game. He’s an explosive athlete with average size but a compact frame. He has elite straight-line speed and easy hips to make sudden cuts and turns. He’s fairly average at reading the front and running with early decisiveness but creates with wiggle, power and speed. Drops and fumbles are a concern, but runners with his contact balance, power and home run speed put tremendous stress on defenses over four quarters. Tuten could become a starting-caliber back with three-down value.
Final Thoughts
Tuten has his flaws. He has ball security concerns and may not be much of a pass catcher, but you cannot overlook his speed and explosiveness. He is a one-cut downhill homerun threat who has the power to run through arm tackle attempts in the second level.
I like his fit with the Broncos simply because he can be a big-play homerun threat at running back. That is something they have been lacking for a while, and I believe Tuten can be that for them. I don’t think he’ll be a dynamic pass-catcher, but I believe he has the potential to make some plays in the screen game and with swing passes. Just getting him out in space and letting him utilize his speed and breakaway ability and get some chunk plays. Add in his third-down value as a pass-blocker, and I think he can be a talented back in the NFL.
Now, the ball security concerns will need to be corrected and corrected quickly. If you’re putting the ball on the ground, all that speed and explosiveness loses its value. Thankfully, this is something you can teach and correct with coaching, but still a concern that needs to be corrected quickly.
I think Tuten is a late third-round to early day three selection in the 2025 NFL Draft and a player who makes sense for the Broncos. I would like to see him paired with an early-round draft pick and give the Broncos two explosive and talented rookie backs to work with next season.
