Let the little man rumble.
Terion Stewart 2026 NFL Draft scouting report showcases college football's most fun running back originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Every year, a handful of prospects come out of nowhere to make an impact early in their NFL careers, maximizing their unique archetypes to carve out a role for themselves. In 2023, wide receiver Puka Nacua, a fifth-round pick, shocked the football world and had fantasy and draft analysts asking, "Who's the next Nacua?"
It's a logical fallacy. The next Puka Nacua doesn't exist.
And yet, I haven't learned my lesson. The Virginia Tech Hokies have found the next Cam Skattebo.
Running back Terion Stewart isn't a safe bet to start in Year 1. He isn't a lock to be drafted. But as a short, stout, transfer running back who plays like he has nothing to lose, he fits the bill. Stewart has all the makings of a college football cult hero, and he's someone every fan should keep an eye on this cycle.
Terion Stewart has Sunday skills
Stewart embodies the bowling ball archetype well. He stands a few ticks short of 5'9" and plays with all the power his 220-pound frame provides. That lends itself to a preternatural ability to break tackles, and it's littered throughout his film.
Stewart has elite contact balance. He's not going down on first contact. He eats arm tackles for breakfast and is happy to shed defenders to create big plays. While other powerful backs become proficient between the tackles, making a living in clouds of dust, Stewart frequently hunts explosive plays. Likewise, his competitive toughness is among the best in the class. Football is a game of will in the trenches; Stewart moves the needle in this regard.
His aggressive vision is a blessing and a curse, but it opens up avenues to long runs that similarly-skilled backs often pass on. He'll cut all the way back in zone, abort his aiming spot, and make enough plays to live with the decision. There's enough wiggle and burst in his profile to make him a problem in open space, even without elite athletic traits.
Virginia Tech RB Terion Stewart has a career 4.66 yards after contact/attempt on over 400 carries. After 4 years at Bowling Green he has 16 MTF on only 26 carries (7.19 YAC/attempt in 2025) for VT and has earned a bigger workload going forward #NFLDraftpic.twitter.com/AWqJ6D0yvf
— Steve Letizia (Formerly CFCBears) (@CFCBears) October 1, 2025
Notably, Stewart has good enough footwork to back his wild tendencies. His feet are efficient, he explodes off the mesh point, and he has flashed both patience and the ability to gain vertical ground on lateral cuts. It's the best part of his fundamentals and a reason to believe he might fit within structure at the next level.
Elsewhere, Stewart has taken steps forward as a pass protector. Passing downs are never going to be his most comfortable spot, but in 2025, he's getting more out of his mass and displaying better technique in one-on-one opportunities.
Stewart has a long road to starting
I've laid out a lot of praise for a running back without much draft hype. Stewart isn't some slam-dunk diamond in the rough, nor were his strengths hyperbolized. But there are distinct weaknesses in his profile, some of which will limit his opportunities at the next level.
This is most obvious in the passing game. Stewart is in his fifth collegiate season, having made his debut in 2020. He sat out the 2022 season with off-field issues related to academics and mental health and returned to Bowling Green for the 2023 and 2024 seasons. He's in his first season of Power Four play with the Hokies in 2025.
Stewart has played in 37 games at the time of writing. He has caught seven passes.
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There isn't much reason to think that improves at the next level, outside the optimism of his pass protection buying him snaps. He lacks natural hands and isn't asked to flaunt real routes. Stewart has a one-dimensional skill set, and only so many teams need early-down depth at running back.
Moreover, Stewart's aggression works because he is an elite tackle breaker, not because he has game-breaking speed (low 4.60 40-yard estimation) to compensate for what some may see as recklessness. The former is easy to give back when defenders get bigger, stronger, and more refined. And if he's not breaking tackles, those out-of-structure runs can turn into negative plays very quickly.
Teams aren't lining up for backups they can't trust. There's a chance the extra aggression is coached out of Stewart's game -- he has the feet and burst to play within structure -- but it's another risk factor for a running back that will turn 24 during his rookie season.
Stewart's NFL projection
Stewart gets butts out of seats. But with little to offer on passing downs and wrinkles to iron out within structure, he faces an uphill climb to leading an NFL backfield.
Subsequently, it would be ambitious to consider Stewart more than a late-round prospect. He can make an impact as a backup, and the ceiling remains enticing, even if his median projection limits his draft capital. I'll be keeping an eye on his intangible refinement and passing game growth down the stretch; either development can push him up boards.
Even so, Stewart is the most fun running back I've watched this cycle. That doesn't mean much for his NFL chances, but he's a meaningful piece of this class, if only for those who watch him. Bad film from lower-profile prospects can get ugly. Stewart's was exciting, with flashes of exceptional.
His limitations will keep me from conducting the Stewart hype train. Still, it's worth being open to his stock improving as the cycle continues, especially if he tests better than anticipated.
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