NFL Draft Profile: Pierre Strong Jr., Running Back, South Dakota State Jackrabbits

NFL draft profile scouting report for South Dakota State running back, Pierre Strong Jr.

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#20
Pos: RB
Ht: 5110
Wt: 207
Hand: 0928
Arm: 3178
Wing: 7628
40: 4.37
Vertical: 36
Broad Jump: 1004
DOB: 8/13/97
Eligible: 2022
Little Rock, AR
McClellan HS

Pierre Strong Jr.
South Dakota State Jackrabbits

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One Liners

Leinweber: Skinny, wide zone running back with above-average speed and below-average to poor physicality.

Pros

Running back with above-average long speed making him a big-play threat in space. Strong stresses defenses laterally with above-average burst on pitches. He has good quicks and is light on his feet. At the second level, he shows good vision and understanding of leverage. He finds cutback lanes on lateral runs. Against linebackers, he is able to separate with his speed.

Cons

A narrow, skinny build means his size is below average and he will struggle to add more mass to his frame. Strong gets arm tackled and is unable to churn forward and pick up tough, extra yards inside. He lowers his pads to no avail as his momentum is quickly stopped. Strong is slow to react to and unable to make gap shooting defenders miss. In space, his jump-cutting ability is below average, causing him to get tackled. As a receiver he suffers from drops when in the vicinity of defenders and lacks awareness to navigate the sideline. Strong is unable to separate as a route runner. An ineffective blocker, he lacks physicality to take on defenders and ducks his head causing him to whiff.

Summary

Skinny running back with above-average speed and below-average to poor physicality. Strong is a big-play threat in space, finds cutback lanes and understands blocking leverage at the second level. He is unable to break tackles and lacks the ability to make defenders miss in space. Strong projects as a practice squad back who has to show increased toughness in order to carve out a role on special teams, which would allow him to make a roster. He fits a wide zone offense but is unlikely to get more than a few touches.

Background:

Born on December 10th, 1998, Pierre Strong Jr. attended McClellan Magnet High School in Little Rock, Arkansas as a multi-sport athlete in football, basketball, and track. McClellan Magnet played in a lower division of Arkansas football and was small compared with many other high school programs. Strong excelled on the field, rushing for 4,268 yards and 57 touchdowns over his final two high school seasons. He was a finalist for the Landers Award and was named to the All-USA Arkansas football team. Despite his excellent production, the relatively low level of competition in high school prevented Strong from being highly recruited. He was unranked in the 2017 class based on the 247Sports Composite, and Strong’s only listed offer was from South Dakota State. He committed to the Jackrabbits, and after a redshirt year, began dominating the competition. Over the next four seasons, Strong accumulated 4,495 rushing yards and 40 touchdowns on 630 carries. He also made 63 catches for 600 yards and three receiving scores. Strong’s performances in 2020 and 2021 saw him named a finalist for the Stats Perform Walter Payton Award, which is given to the top offensive player in the FCS. He received an invitation to the 2022 East-West Shrine Bowl and stood out in the game. Strong showed well in the NFL combine, notching a 4.37-second 40-yard dash time, tied for the best time among the running back group. Given his college production and exceptional athleticism, Strong is expected to be an early day-three selection in the 2022 NFL draft.

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Grade:

5.6/6.6

Quotes:

"I would tell [my trainers], 'Man, I'm from a smaller school, a 4.4 is not good enough. A lot of people run 4.4s, you know? Not too many people who are running backs run 4.3s, so I've got to make myself stand out even more. So once I got to that 40-yard dash, I just knew what time it was." -- Pierre Strong

Latest News:

NFLPA Collegiate Bowl Watch: The play of Pierre Strong Jr. is a big reason for South Dakota State’s success the past three seasons and a catalyst for their 2020-21 trip to the FCS national championship game. At 5-11, 204 pounds, the 2020 FCS first-team All-American is a great combination of size and speed and routinely exploits creases with his vision, balance and foot quickness. What’s more, the Little Rock, Arkansas product demonstrates his football intelligence by flanking out wide to factor in the passing game – one of the many reasons why Strong has caught the attention of NFL evaluators. (08/21/21)