Travis Dye NFL Draft

Travis Dye

  • RB USC
  • Graduate
  • #159
  • 5'10"
  • 200lbs
  • Prospect
  • Pac-12

Prospect Summary

Travis Dye 2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Background: 

  • Transferred to USC after four seasons of play at Oregon
  • Accounted for 3,980 yards from scrimmage and 29 TDs for the Ducks
  • Brother of Minnesota Vikings LB Troy Dye

System: 

  • Scheme tendencies: Spread offense
  • 2022 projected role: Starting RB

Pros: Travis Dye enjoyed a super productive season for the Ducks in 2021, nearly doubling his career production after several years of sharing the backfield with other backs in the Oregon offense. Dye found a great awakening as both a ball carrier and a receiver, showing what he’s capable of in a bigger volume role. Projecting him forward, this is a slasher-style runner who offers a bit of a unique build; his stride length is short and his step frequency is high. This allows for some sudden stutter cuts and shallow adjustments on the track to maintain his pace and clear early penetration. He’s a feisty runner, too. He isn’t built like your traditional back with a lot of mass below the waist and a low-cut build. Instead, he’s angular with some length, yet his foot-fire is tenacious and he offers a willingness to attack tacklers if called upon in the hole. While he isn’t going to flat-back any linebackers, he’ll confidently trust his pads and lean. Dye is likely a part of a stable of backs at the next level but he’s a natural pass-catcher, ran ample routes out of the backfield, and has abilities as a zone runner to pick his way through the front and key gaps out of the mesh point.

Cons: Travis Dye’s high-cut build and lack of mass will make consistently pushing piles and falling forward on contact a challenge at the next level; he did benefit from playing in the PAC-12 in this regard, in my opinion. I did not see consistent long-speed on film, either. He’s a slasher capable of chunk gains but as foot races extend past 20-30 yards, I thought he was challenged from behind by pursuit. There’s a third-down skill set present here, but I don’t necessarily envision his pass protection skills being a consistent staple of what his next-level role will be—there’s a better foundation to serve as a pass-catcher. I am a much bigger fan of his work in wide/inside zone as compared to consistency in gap concepts, which may cut down on his market when the NFL comes calling.

Travis Dye NFL Draft Scouting Report by Kyle Crabbs