Alvin Kamara
Despite being underutlized for most of the season, Alvin Kamara went on a tear down the stretch for the Vols and increased his draft stock in the process. Kamara has scored a touchdown in five straight games in which he played (he missed games against South Carolina and Tennessee Tech) and has 11 total touchdowns in those five games.
Kamara is averaging 7.8 yards per touch on his 129 touches this season and just over 7 yards a touch in his two seasons with the Vols. He’s even returned a punt for a touchdown last season and has averaged 10.1 yards per punt return on 28 returns in his two years at Tennessee.
Kamara has proven he is a dynamic play-maker in college. He’s not just a running back; Kamara is an athlete who knows how to find lanes and make explosive plays. This year’s running back draft class is very deep, but Kamara has the skill set to succeed at the next level. The shelf life is short for running backs, and it wouldn’t be surprising if Kamara declared early.
Probability: Likely
My Take: Even though this year’s running back class is loaded with talent, Kamara shouldn’t risk injury just to come back and be the No. 1 running back for the Vols. Yes, he could improve his draft stock a bit and help out Tennessee in the process, but his stock is already high enough as it is and probably won’t improve enough to justify coming back for another year. Kamara should go to the NFL now.
