Ulysses Bentley 2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Background: 

• SMU transfer
• Two-year contributor 

System: 

• Scheme tendencies: Spread
• 2022 projected role:  Rotational player, used more on passing downs 

Pros: In his time at SMU, Ulysses Bentley has proven to be an effective runner due to multiple high-level traits. His best trait running the football is his vision. From the handoff, Bentley does a good job of scanning the defense for a hole and then attacks the opening in the defense. Even when he makes it to the second level, Bentley is still scanning and can manage to find any creases to get him to any openings. Bentley’s other top trait is his lateral agility. Once Bentley can identify an opening, he has the lateral agility to make lateral cuts and get himself to the opening that he identifies. In his time at SMU, he was very productive, making the defense pay when they were undisciplined in their gap assignments. In the Ole Miss offense, I believe he will be able to do similar things.

Cons: Ulysses Bentley doesn’t appear to be a very big back and that shows up in certain aspects of his game. When running the ball, Bentley does a decent job of running through arm tackles, but he doesn’t show the true power necessary to consistently be that bell-cow running back. Bentley has a physical mentality and will attempt to finish runs, I just don’t believe that he will hold up as a consistent 20-30-carries-per-game player. At Ole Miss, he will have TCU transfer RB Zach Evans to split carries with him. The Ole Miss offense will rotate backs to keep each of them fresh—that way Bentley can minimize the amount of punishing blows to this frame. Bentley should be a very productive player. While he doesn’t have one elite trait, he is a solid all-around running back.

Ulysses Bentley NFL Draft Scouting Report by Keith Sanchez