NFL Draft Profile: Nathaniel Peat, Running Back, Missouri Tigers

NFL Draft profile scouting report for Missouri RB Nathaniel Peat

Nathaniel PeatMissouri Tigers

#8
Pos: RB
Ht: 5080
Wt: 196
Hand: 848
Arm: 2958
Wing: 7378
40: 4.50
DOB: 8/23/2000
Hometown: Columbia, MO
High School: Rock Bridge
Eligibility: 2023

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One-Liner:

A downhill runner that can gain the tough yards, with speed to stretch the defense horizontally.

Evaluation:

Thick frame with lower body mass and dense upper body. Low center of gravity but not undersized in terms of height. Contact balance and strength pop immediately. Brings a pile with him and falls forward. Stays tight through the hole with clean feet and sharp vision. Fast enough to run stretch plays to the perimeter, and can gash the seam on inside zone. Drops his pads and maintains ball security when raking through defenders. Makes the correct cut when his hole opens and has the burst to turn into a big gain. Won't make a lot of guys miss in short spaces. Tighter hips prevent elite agility and elusiveness required to make second and tertiary-level defenders scared. Has to have a clear runway, won't make lemonade out of lemons behind the line of scrimmage. Questionable cuts in the open field tends to plow into contact too often. Peat is a one-cut, north-south runner that will gain the yards that are there. He needs a runway to get going and won't offer much in terms of short area misses, but his power and perimeter speed make him a suitable prospect. Increased ability in the passing game would leverage a higher draft position come the time.

Grade:

5th Round

Background: 

Born and raised in Columbia, Missouri. Attended Rock Bridge High School where he set multiple school records and became the program’s all-time leader in rushing yards. Ranked as a three-star prospect by 247Sports coming out of high school. Started college career at Stanford playing three seasons there. Played in all 12 games as a freshman but developed significantly going into his later years. As a sophomore played in all 6 games and was a key contributor as both a running back and on special teams. Received All-Pac 12 honorable mention and the Phil Mofatt award. Had a very strong junior season, playing in all 12 games and leading the team in rushing yards. Also led the Pac-12 in kickoff return yards during his junior season. Transferred to Missouri prior to senior season. As a senior, started off really strong before play declined toward the end of the season. Projected to be a 5th-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.