This Oregon Ducks star was slammed with a harsh NFL Draft prediction.
The Oregon Ducks had nine players invited to the NFL Scouting Combine later this month, with one of them being running back Noah Whittington.
Whittington rushed for 829 yards and six touchdowns on 6.4 yards per carry this past season, the most productive collegiate campaign of his career.
So, when will the Fort Valley, Ga. native come off the board in the NFL Draft?
Well, Ian Cummings of Pro Football Network does not seem to think it will happen at all, projecting that Whittington will go undrafted this April.
While this isn't completely stunning, it's still a rough prediction for Whittington, who some feel could sneak into the early rounds of Day 3.
The 24-year-old actually began his career at Western Kentucky in 2020 and spent a couple of years with the Hilltoppers before transferring to Oregon in 2022.
Whittington rattled off 779 yards and five scores while averaging 5.6 yards per attempt during his debut campaign with the Ducks, but the following year, he suffered a torn ACL after just four games.
Noah Whittington. Credit: Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.In 2024, Whittington served as Jordan James' backup, finishing with 540 yards and six touchdowns on 4.6 yards per tote. Then, he proceeded to enjoy his most prolific season this past year.
Whittington stands 5-foot-8 and weighs 205 pounds, so he is a bit of a bowling bowl who can be tough to bring down. However, he is not the most explosive runner in the world, and he profiles as more of a complementary back on the NFL level.
That's if he actually gets a chance, of course.
The running back position is fairly deep this spring, so plenty of other halfbacks while likely have to get selected before Whittington hears his name called.
Considering that Whittington never rushed for 1,000 yards in any one individual campaign and was not incredibly impactful as a pass-catcher, it wouldn't be a complete shock if he ends up becoming an undrafted free agent.
Surely, some team will take a chance on Whittington, even if it means adding him after the draft concludes. But it will be interesting to see if he does ultimately get picked on Day 3, with some feeling he could even be a fourth or fifth-round selection.
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