NFL Draft Profile: Trestan Ebner, Running Back, Baylor Bears

NFL Draft profile scouting report for Baylor RB Trestan Ebner

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#1
Pos: RB
Ht: 5110
Wt: 206
Hand: 848
Arm: 2968
40: 4.43
Vertical: 30
DOB: 1/2/1999
Hometown: Henderson, TX
High School: Henderson

Trestan Ebner
Baylor Bears

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One-Liner:

Elusive and explosive athlete who creates big plays and excels running outside zone due to vision and burst but is inconsistent at pass protection.

Pros:

Trestan Ebner is an electric weapon who is a terror to tackle and big play waiting to happen. As a runner, Ebner has great vision on zone runs, especially outside zone where he astutely presses gaps and reads defender’s leverage, before bursting upfield with good explosiveness or beating defenders to the edge due to his stellar acceleration. Ebner possesses quick, light feet which allows him to vary the tempo of his pace and make subtle changes of direction when running through traffic, maximizing yards. Ebner is great at finishing runs at the 2nd and 3rd level as his elusive jump cuts regularly make the first defender miss in space and he occasionally breaks arm tackles from defensive backs due to his low pad level and pure foot speed to run through light contact. In the passing game, Ebner is stellar at running routes out of the backfield. He regularly beats linebackers in man coverage as he sells his route in one direction, then gets low to explode through his break. Additionally, Ebner exhibits stellar body control as a receiver, contorting his body to stay in bounds on the sideline and quickly getting upfield to maximize yards after the catch. Ebner also has reliable hands, even when throws are behind him, above or below his catch radius. Furthermore, Ebner is deadly in the screen game as he processes his blocks well and is a blur in the open field, with scary top end speed. Ebner has flashes of adding value as a pass protector, having the athleticism and processing to position himself to block rushers and executes cut blocks well. Finally, Ebner’s versatility is a huge plus, he is a strong returner, can take jet sweeps, speed options and tosses, utilizing his dangerous foot speed to stretch defenses horizontally.

Cons:

Ebner isn’t built like a traditional bell cow back and has never carried the load for an offense - which has become less necessary out of modern running backs, but some teams may not like that and his draft stock will likely be lower due to his niche role. In addition, Ebner is not a consistent pass protector yet, he often absorbs contact rather than initiates it and has below average play strength to truly anchor and displace defenders. Ebner could improve on not lowering his head when making contact and ensuring he squares up, rather than throwing a shoulder.

Summary:

Ebner is an electric offensive weapon who excels on outside zone runs due to his vision, speed and elusiveness plus is a dangerous receiving threat who runs good routes, has great hands and gets yards after the catch. Immediate complimentary back who can play a big role in the passing game and excel on outside zone runs plus jet sweeps and speed options.

Background:

Trestan Ebner attended Henderson High School in Texas where he was a two-time all-state honoree who played receiver, quarterback, linebacker and defensive back. In his senior year, Ebner totaled 57 receptions for 1,074 yards and 16 TDs offensively and had 69 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, five sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery on defense. After high school, 247Sports ranked him as a 3-Star recruit, the 432nd-best recruit nationally, the 28th-ranked athlete recruit in the country and the 62nd recruit in the state of Texas.

In his freshman year in 2017, Ebner appeared in 11 games, playing a rotational role and tallying 23 rushes for 121 yards and two touchdowns, plus adding 20 catches for 267 yards and three touchdowns. In 2018, Ebner appeared in all 13 games and was third on the team with 413 rushing yards on 82 carries, plus he finished fourth on the team in receiving yards with 29 catches for 348 yards and three touchdown catches. In 2019, Ebner appeared in all 14 games, rushed 53 times for 250 yards for three touchdowns and had 24 receptions for 317 yards and two touchdowns. In 2020, Ebner appeared in nine games and had a decorated season, being named to 2020 Walter Camp Second Team All-American, 2020 Sporting News Second Team All-American as a return specialist, 2020 AFCA Second Team All-American (all-purpose), 2020 Phil Steele Third Team All-American (kick returner), 2020 Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year, 2020 Second Team All-Big 12 as a returner, AP First Team All-Big 12 (all-purpose) and Phil Steele First Team All-Big 12. In 2021, Ebner has had his most productive season yet, totaling 126 carries for 706 yards and two touchdowns, plus has 21 catches for 139 yards and one touchdown catch.

As a fifth year senior, Ebner has been depended on as a leader, a task he has embraced and improved upon, according to fellow senior running back, Abram Smith, “I always looked at him as a leader — a vocal leader. He’s actually improving a lot and he’s got that kind of influence on the team. The more that he speaks, the more the guys listen to him, the more we go out there and we actually execute.” Furthermore, head coach Dave Aranda has seen Ebner grow since last season (2020) into a player who has been more vocal during practice in encouraging his teammates. He said during one practice, he was pleased to hear Ebner supporting the team and telling the players to “bring the energy” into practice.

Grade:

5th Round