This year’s class of running backs has a sizeable cluster in the range between the second through fourth rounds. It’s a talented group but also one that is difficult to sort out.
Thanks to a superb athletic display at his pro day on Wednesday, Pittsburgh’s Israel Abanikanda helped move himself closer to the top of that RB cluster. Abanikanda put on quite a show for the 32 NFL teams in attendance. Scouts on the scene clocked the 5-foot-11, 218-pound runner with a sub-4.4 40-yard dash, a 41.5″ vertical and a broad jump of nearly 11 feet.
Abanikanda showed during his on-field time at Pitt that he can plant and go out of a cut extremely well, and he’s capable of lowering his pads and dishing out as much punishment as he takes.
Abanikanda wasn’t the only Panthers prospect to show out at the pro day. The vertical jumps from three different Pitt players would have been the best at their positions at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine — Abanikanda at RB, linebacker SirVocea Dennis and wideout Jared Wayne all topping 41 inches.
Pitt Pro Day 🛫 Vertical Jump@Sirvocea 41.5-inch leap 😮@JWayne_5 41.5-inch leap 😮@IAbanikanda 41-inch leap 😮
All would've been the best at their positions at the @NFL Combine!
Watch 💻 https://t.co/av8qwwnsqx#H2P » @NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/A0XYN2UWOS
— Pitt Football (@Pitt_FB) March 29, 2023
