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Former Aggies RB De'Von Achane Returns To Houston For Tyreek Hill's Speed Camp

Former Texas A&M Aggies running back De'Von Achane is headed back to Houston as a member of the Miami Dolphins.

Cole Thompson

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South Beach speed has made its way to Houston — and it now features a former Texas A&M sensation at the forefront. 

Aggies running back De'Von Achane returned to his stomping grounds as part of All-Pro receiver Tyreek Hill's Football and Speed Camp. Third-year receiver Jaylen Waddle was also in attendance to help out with the camp. 

Waddle, a former standout at Alabama, also grew up in the Greater Houston area and attended Espisciol High School. Achane, who attended Marshall High School in Fort Bend, grew up playing AAU basketball with Waddle and remained friends in college. 

"It meant alot," Achane said of Hill, inviting him to be an instructor. "When I saw him text me and invite me, I was thankful. I'm a rookie. I wasn't even expecting it." 

Drafted 84th overall last April, Achane will now have a chance to take over the Dolphins' backfield by midseason as the team's lead back. Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel raved of Achane's speed and versatility as a receiver/special teams player throughout the pre-draft process. 

Once the board fell in Miami's favor, Achane seemed destined to head to the 305. Throughout the early stages of training camp, the Aggies' lead back of 2022 has built a promising relationship with his teammates and new head coach. 

"He's a great coach," Achane said of McDaniel. "He's one of the best coaches and he knows what to do with my talent. I'm just glad [Maimi] was the one that drafted me ... it's going to be fun." 

Primarily serving as the team's No.2 runner, Achane made scouts turn on the tape again during the pre-draft process following his career season in College Station. Despite standing 5-9, Achane proved his durability by rushing for a career-high 196 carries for 1,102 yards, third-most among SEC runners. 

The Dolphins' backfield features an abundance of speed that's ready to terrorize the AFC, including talents like Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson. Achane serves as the missing link. At the NFL Scouting Combine, he posted a 4.32 40-time, the fastest among running backs and third-fastest in the class. 

"Track helped me alot [with my speed]," Achane said. "I really wasn't this fast as I was all my life. It's kind of something that's kept going. I've put a lot of work into it. If you work on something long enough, you tend to get it right." 

Track often factored into Achane's weight during his playing days at Kyle Field. An All-American member of the Aggies' 4x100 relay team, Achane weighed as heavy as 188 pounds in A&M's backfield. 

Gaining pounds hasn't been a problem for the speedster since arriving in South Florida. He said he weighed 192 pounds after the first day of training camp and wants to add a bit more before the regular season begins. 

Achane will soon be running his way to the end zone at Hard Rock Stadium, a place he knows far too well. Back in 2020 as a freshman, his 164-yard, two-touchdown performance in an Orange Bowl win over North Carolina capped off A&M's 9-1 season, its best record since Jimbo Fisher was named head coach in 2017. 

There's only one question left for Achane before the regular season begins; is he faster than Waddle or Hill in a footrace? 

Even as a rookie, he knows it's best to remain silent on that conversation — for now. 

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Cole Thompson
COLE THOMPSON

Cole Thompson is a sports writer and columnist covering the NFL and college sports for SI's Fan Nation. A 2016 graduate from The University of Alabama, follow him on Twitter @MrColeThompson

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