Seth McGowan Draft Grade | Round 7, Pick 21 | FanVerdicts

A+

Top 3%Pick Grade

Pick Context

Market Value

Steal

Position

RB · Discount Position

Decision Grade reflects market consensus at the moment of the pick. Teams often have private information the consensus does not.

Scouting Report

Big Board Rank: #160 · Day 3 Sleeper

Seth McGowan emerged as Kentucky's primary rushing threat over his three-year career, developing from a rotational back into a reliable bellcow by his senior season. A physical runner with excellent vision and contact balance, McGowan's patient running style and ability to maximize blocking schemes made him a consistent producer in the SEC. His draft stock has remained steady as a mid-round developmental prospect, with scouts appreciating his durability and pass protection acumen. While lacking elite burst or breakaway speed, McGowan's complete skill set and high football IQ project as valuable depth pieces in zone-heavy rushing attacks.

Strengths

+Exceptional vision and patience allow him to identify cutback lanes and let blocking schemes develop, consistently finding the designed gap or creating when the primary option is closed.

+Outstanding contact balance enables him to bounce off arm tackles and maintain forward momentum through traffic, rarely going down on first contact.

+Elite pass protection fundamentals with proper hand placement, anchor strength, and recognition of blitz packages make him a reliable third-down option.

+Demonstrates excellent ball security with only three fumbles across three seasons, showing proper carrying technique in traffic and when absorbing contact.

+High football IQ evident in his pre-snap reads and ability to adjust routes based on linebacker depth and coverage shells in the passing game.

+Physical running style between the tackles with good pad level and leg drive allows him to consistently fall forward and convert short-yardage situations.

+Versatile receiving skills from the backfield with soft hands and natural route-running ability on screens, checkdowns, and wheel routes.

+Proven durability having carried heavy workloads without missing significant time due to injury, handling 20-plus carries per game consistently.

+Excellent work ethic and leadership qualities recognized by coaches, serving as a mentor to younger players and maintaining consistent preparation habits.

+Shows good spatial awareness in pass protection, sliding to pick up delayed blitzers and communicating protection adjustments to linemen.

Weaknesses

-Limited breakaway speed prevents him from turning long runs into touchdowns, lacking the second gear to separate from pursuing defenders in the open field.

-Struggles to create yardage when blocking breaks down, overly reliant on scheme and lacking the lateral agility to consistently make defenders miss in space.

-Route tree in the passing game is somewhat limited, primarily running checkdowns and screens rather than more complex option routes or deep patterns.

-Average acceleration off the snap affects his ability to hit gaps quickly in gap-scheme runs, allowing linebackers to close running lanes.

-Lacks the elite size to consistently break arm tackles from linebackers and safeties, sometimes going down easier than expected against length.

-Limited experience in no-huddle or hurry-up offenses may require adjustment period in NFL systems that emphasize tempo and quick-strike capability.

-Occasional tendency to leave yards on the field by not pressing holes aggressively enough, sometimes settling for covered gaps rather than bouncing outside.

NFL Comparison: Damien Harris

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