Tyjae Spears (RB) – Tulane / Junior
5’9-1/2”, 204 Lbs. (Senior Bowl)
2022 Stats: Rushing – 14 Games, 229 carries, 1581 rushing yards, 6.9 yards per carry, 19 rushing touchdowns. Receiving – 22 receptions, 256 receiving yards, 11.6 yards per reception, 2 receiving touchdowns.
{Reference: https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/tyjae-spears-1.html}
Awards: 2022 AAC Offensive Player of the Year, #1 2022 AAC in Rush attempts (229), Rush yards (1589) and Rushing Tds (19), #1 2022 NCAA TDs from scrimmage (21)
Measurables: (AVAILABLE POST COMBINE/PRO DAY)
Games Watched: 2022 Vs. USC, 2022 Vs. Cincinnati
PRO’S
Tyjae Spears is lightning quick, If you give him an inch he will take a mile. Breaks tackles by any means necessary. Impressed by his willingness to bang, not just a quick/elusive back. Against USC in the 2022 Cotton Bowl, Spears receives a ball on the right sideline, gets swallowed by the defender but ducks below the contact and the defender rolls over the top of him. Good vision paired with burst and the ability to get lean through creases. Problem solver who never gives up a carry.
CON’S
Injury history will be a concern as well as his height/weight. Spears is willing to bang but that willingness as well as his lack of prototypical size may end up being a fault. I don’t think Spears is built to handle an every down back role, might just be a complimentary piece.
OVERALL
Voted the top practice player of the week at the 2023 Senior Bowl after absolutely putting on a show and ripping off big run after big run. Spears tore his ACL in 2020 and didn’t get back to full strength until his 2022 season, Tyjae’s medical check-up at the NFL Combine will play a big factor in determining the draft capital teams are willing to invest in him. If Tyjae’s knee is cleared, the talent is there and I have no doubt Spears can produce at the next level. Some of my knocks on Spears are assumptions based upon his size and injury history…that being said, you can’t measure heart and I wouldn’t be surprised if he proves those knocks wrong.
Completed by: @coachschepps, 03/02/23
Reviewed & edited: J. Clark, 03/02/23
