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One-time NFL Pro-Bowler Jake Plummer had high praise for fellow Arizona State alumni and New York Giants fourth-round pick, running back Cam Skattebo.
Arizona State made the College Football Playoff last season in large part due to Skattebo, and Plummer “can’t believe” how far the Sun Devils star fell in the NFL Draft.
“I can’t believe he fell that far in the draft to be honest with you,” Plummer said during a recent appearance on OutKick’s “The Ricky Cobb Show.”
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Arizona State Sun Devils running back Cam Skattebo, #4, reacts after losing his helmet while being tackled by Texas Longhorns defensive back Michael Taaffe, #16, during the second half of the Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Jan. 1, 2025. (Dale Zanine-Imagn Images)
“Again, it’s the narrative, he’s not fast enough, he’s got too much wear and tear on his tread, and it’s just like, these pundits they start talking, and these words get out, and it can influence decisions, but he found himself in the right place. He found himself in a city that’s going to love what he puts down on that field. I mean he is a football player tried and true from start to finish. No matter what you do with him, he’s going to give it your all.”
“Regardless of him being a Sun Devil or not, he can run the ball well, he can catch the ball well, and in this league you better know how to pass block, and he can pass block well also from that running back position, so I think the Giants got the steal of the draft,” Plummer said.
Skattebo finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting last season after he led the Big 12 in rushing yards. Skattebo ran for 1,711 yards and 21 rushing touchdowns while also catching 45 passes for 605 yards and three receiving touchdowns.
Plummer said he recognized Skattebo’s potential during a spring practice a couple of years ago.
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Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo, #4, is tackled by Texas linebacker Colin Simmons, #11, during the fourth quarter in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in Atlanta on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (IMAGN)
“My first impression of him, when I was very alerted to him and what he could do was at spring practice a few years back, a couple of years ago at Arizona State. I went out and watched this kid take every single rep at running back, and he was on special teams, all the running backs were injured that day,” Plummer said.
“He would run 30 yards downfield, sprint back to the huddle. You could see that he visibly he was worn out, but everytime that ball was snapped, he would dig deeper and come up with something and I said, ‘Wow, this kid’s got something in him.’”
No player in the Big 12 had more rushing attempts or plays from scrimmage than Skattebo last season. Plummer thinks Skattebo could end up being the steal of the NFL Draft.
“I’m excited to see how he does at the next level.”
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Former Arizona State quarterback Jake Plummer walks out with players for the coin toss against Texas in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in Atlanta on Jan. 1, 2025. (IMAGN)
The Giants hope Skattebo can join Tyrone Tracy Jr. in the backfield and become one of the best running back duos in the NFL.
Last season, as a fifth-round rookie out of Purdue, Tracy started 12 games and ran for 839 yards and five rushing touchdowns with 38 catches for 284 yards and one receiving touchdown.
Plummer played in the NFL for 10 seasons. He spent six seasons with the Arizona Cardinals and four with the Denver Broncos. In 136 career starts, Plummer’s record was 69-67 and had a perfect 1:1 ratio of touchdowns to interceptions, as he threw 161 touchdowns and 161 interceptions in his career.
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