RB, South Dakota State
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 207 lbs
Class: rs-Senior
An unranked recruit in the 2017 class, Strong did receive some interest from his home state Arkansas Razorbacks. An offer was not forthcoming though and he settled instead on the South Dakota State Jackrabbits in the FCS. After redshirting his freshman season, Strong burst on to the scene and has been a key part of their offense ever since. A four-time FCS All-American, he enters the draft with over 5,000 all-purpose career yards to his name.
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Strengths
If you are looking for a home run threat in this draft class, you could do far worse than Pierre Strong. He possesses outstanding long speed that allowed him to consistently rip off big plays during his college career. He had 10 rushing touchdowns of 50+ yards at South Dakota State and 20.4% of his career carries went for 10+ yards. His burst is also outstanding and he accelerates through the hole better than almost anyone in this class. Strong backed this up at the Combine where he ran a 4.37 in the 40-yard dash.
Another big factor behind Strong’s success in college was his vision. He is excellent at reading the field and shows great patience to allow his blocks to develop. Strong does a great job of pressing the hole when running between the tackles before identifying cutback opportunities. He was at his best on wide zone runs where he could utilise his burst, forcing defenders to flow laterally before cutting back. His second level vision is a strong point too and his ability to slalom through defenses is hugely impressive.
South Dakota State didn’t often utilise Strong as a receiver, but when they did he looked impressive. He operated principally out of the backfield but showed the ability to flex out and run routes from the slot. He showcases nuance to his routes too, using his quick footwork to create separation. When it came to catching the football, Strong showed capable hands. Teams will certainly be intrigued by his upside as a third down back.
Strong also has a strong record of production behind him in college. He ran for 4,527 yards during his time with the Jackrabbits, becoming just the third player in school history to hit that mark. He did so whilst scoring 40 touchdowns and averaging a hugely impressive 7.2 yards per carry. Strong was also voted as an FCS All-American in each of his four seasons in college.
Weaknesses
The biggest weakness to Strong’s game is his play strength. This is partly a product of his size – at just 5’11” and 207 lbs he is smaller than you would like an NFL back to be. He struggles to break tackles and is too easily brought down on first contact. What makes this even more troubling is that this showed up against FCS opposition, far below the quality of defenders he will face in the NFL.
There are some other concerns too. Strong is incredibly fast, but doesn’t have much twitch to his game. He is very much a one-cut and go type runner and there is some tightness to his hips. This limits his ability to redirect in space when working at the second level. He has also had issues with ball security, with four fumbles on his 239 carries in 2021. Strong is also one of the older running back prospects in the class, turning 24 in his rookie season.
Bottom Line
Strong is a home run threat with a tonne of production and upside as a pass catcher. His lack of size and play strength through contact will undoubtedly limit his ceiling, and his age is a concern at a position not known for longevity. That said, his vision and one-cut running style should see him have success as a rotational option in a wide zone offense.
Ideal role: Rotational back in a wide zone offense
Round projection: 5th round
