2 min read • March 03, 2022
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When the season starts in September, Baylor running back Abram Smith will be the oldest rookie running back.
Smith is 23 years old and turns 24 on Sept. 14. That will make him older than Jonathan Taylor, Cam Akers, Najee Harris and Clyde Edwards-Helaire.
However his age may not worry teams as much as his troublesome right knee. Smith suffered two ACL tears before getting his first official carry at Baylor.
His first tear came in October 2014, during his sophomore year of high school. He then re-tore the right knee ACL in his first spring practice with Baylor in April 2017.
With those setbacks, Smith struggled to find playing time in his first three years. He had just 12 rushing attempts for 46 yards through his junior year.
He even played five games as a linebacker his junior year, finishing with 48 total tackles, 5 tackles for a loss and 1 sack.
After switching back to running back ahead of his senior year, he burst onto the scene.
Smith played in all 14 games and led the Big-12 in rushing yards with 1,601. That total was also the highest single-season rushing total in school history.
His right knee ACL will be examined thoroughly at the Draft Combine, said Dr. David Chao, ProFootballDoc.
“Assuming the second surgery was done well with good tunnel position and the graft healthy, the ACL becomes a minimal issue,” Chao said. “The worry and exam will be focused on early arthritis or wear and tear from the initial ACL injuries.”
However, with how sparingly he was used his first three years in college, the wear and tear issues are unlikely.
At 5-foot-11, 221 pounds, Smith currently projects as a sixth-round draft pick. Assuming his ACL injuries and knee “wear and tear” check out alright, he could provide great late-round value for many NFL teams in need of running back depth.
Injury history data provided by the 2022 rookie injury guide written by Dr. Ethan Turner, PT, DPT. Twitter @ETurnerFF. If you'd like to learn more about the injury histories of the 2022 class you can pre order your copy here
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