Mason Plummer / Lead Writer / Ball State Sports Link
After four tremendous seasons for Ball State, running back Caleb Huntley has decided to move on and take his talents to the NFL. Huntley declared for the NFL late last year, cutting his final season with the Cardinals short, opting to use his time to heal from the injuries he picked up during the 2020 season and prepare for the NFL combine.
Of course, due to COVID-19, the NFL combine did not happen but the time off to rest was well-deserved for Huntley. He will go down as one of the best tailbacks in recent history for Ball State, as he carried the load in the backfield for the Cardinals throughout his career and especially in the first half of the 2020 season before he went down with injury.
Measurables:
Height: 5-10
Weight: 229 lbs.
Career Stats:
33 games played, 2,902 yards on 576 carries, 21 touchdowns and an average of 87.9 yards per game.
Quick Summary:
If there was ever a player that fit the mold of an ‘old-school’ running back, Caleb Huntley is it. Football nowadays has become more about speedy, more agile backs but Huntley is a throwback kind of runner with immense power that makes him very tough to bring down.
It is not uncommon to see Huntley carrying two or three defenders on his back, usually into the endzone. He is a hard worker and hard runner, which could find him with a nice role in the NFL. Huntley can provide a nice 1-2 punch with a smaller back for a team, or be used as a goalline power running back which he does very well.
Projection:
With how quickly tread builds up on the tires of NFL running backs these days, no team can ever have enough of them. Power backs like Huntley may not be as common as they once were, but it seems likely that Huntley will be drafted or at the very least have a shot on an NFL team’s practice squad and have an opportunity to prove himself as a professional.
Huntley was arguably the best running back in the MAC over the past two seasons and garnered national attention for the performances he was putting in when healthy. Considering his upside and potential at his position, it is fair to say that Huntley may have not only the best chance to be drafted but the best chance to be an impact player in the NFL.
