The Road to 53: Where Does RB DeWayne McBride Fit into the Vikings Offense?
The Minnesota Vikings had their rookies report to training camp on Sunday, July 23rd. Minnesota’s veterans also reported today, so training camp is in full swing for the Vikings.
As the practice sessions begin, we are continuing to take a look at the depth pieces of this Vikings team, and where they may fit into the 2023 roster through our “Road to 53” series. The next player on our list is RB DeWayne McBride, who the Vikings selected in the seventh round of the 2023 Draft.
Background
DeWayne McBride was a relatively highly thought of recruit coming out of Vanguard High School in Ocala, Florida, being a three-star recruit in the Class of 2020, coming into college as the 121st-ranked running back by 24/7 Sports. He also was the 118th-highest back on ESPN’s prospect rankings.
The running back chose the UAB Blazers as his collegiate program, and it proved to be a perfect fit for him offensively. His freshman season didn’t amount to much, recording just 47 carries, but he made the most of the limited touches, totaling 439 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns over six games in the 2020 season. UAB finished the year with a 6-3 record, winning the Conference USA-West division. However, they were not awarded with a bowl game appearance.
Things really took off for McBride in his sophomore year, though. After showcasing flashes of talent during that freshman season, there were rumblings that UAB may have a potential star on their hands, and those rumors were proven correct. The running back walloped opposing defenses all year to the tune of 204 carries for 1371 yards (6.7 yards per carry) and 13 TDs. UAB went 9-4 that year behind McBride’s rushing ability and a stout defense, earning a 31-28 Independence Bowl victory over BYU to conclude the year.
UAB had less team success in 2022, battling through a tougher conference schedule, but once again, McBride put together a fantastic season, totaling 233 carries for a ridiculous 1714 yards and 19 TDs. He ranked second in all of the FBS in rushing yards and came in third for rushing TDs. The Blazers would finish the year 7-6 after a Bahamas Bowl victory over Miami (Ohio).
McBride then opted to forgo his senior season with the Blazers, and he entered the 2023 NFL Draft. It proved to pay off as he landed with the Minnesota Vikings in the seventh round, being selected with the 222nd overall pick. He now hopes to provide some depth for a team that has to navigate the loss of Dalvin Cook.
How McBride Can Impact the 2023 Vikings
Throughout his career, McBride was a bit of a one-trick pony at the running back position. While he was able to rack up massive rushing yardage totals at UAB, he very rarely got involved in the passing game. The RB totaled just five receptions over his collegiate career, and he left much to be desired as a blocker.
Over his first two seasons at UAB, McBride was given pass-blocking grades of 21.9 in 2020 and 47.7 in 2021 by PFF. The 2022 season went better in that department, jumping to 64.7 in 80 opportunities.
However, despite being a bit lacking as a pass-catcher and receiver, McBride can still earn touches in the Vikings offense. He is a very difficult tackle, especially in open space. During 2022, he totaled 1072 yards after contact, finishing with a yard more than 8th overall pick Bijan Robinson in that department. Additionally, he earned about two-thirds of his carries in a zone running scheme (155 in zone, 77 in gap). With the Vikings tackle duo of Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill, McBride will have more talent in front of him in the trenches than he ever did at UAB.
McBride is a pure bowling ball in the trenches, standing at 5’10 and 209 pounds, and it shouldn’t be surprising if Minnesota gives him chances near the goal-line to finish off drives while Alexander Mattison and Ty Chandler get carries between the 20s.
Obstacles in His Way
On top of his limited skill set, McBride needs to cut back on costly fumbles if he is going to carve out a role for himself in the NFL. The running back fumbled four times in 2021, and that total jumped up to five in 2022. Among HBs and FBs in the FBS last year, that tied for the most.
The Vikings are not strangers to some fumbles from running backs, considering they’ve relied largely on either Adrian Peterson or Dalvin Cook over the past 15 years, but McBride is not a star in the league yet nor was he selected with a top-end draft pick. In order to separate himself, he needs to shore up his ability to hang onto the ball.
The Prediction
McBride finds himself in a very interesting spot heading into the 2023 season. Firstly, with the Vikings getting rid of their star RB Cook this offseason, the door is opened to some of the young players to take on a larger role in the offense, whether it be himself, Chandler, or even Kene Nwangwu.
In all, don’t expect to see the rookie running back earn the majority of touches out of the backfield this year, or even the second-most. However, he could certainly be in the mix to be among the Vikings leaders in rushing TDs this season given his ability to break tackles. He likely will be on the 53-man roster when training camp concludes.
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Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.