Akrum Wadley – Iowa

Akrum Wadley

College- Iowa

Height- 5 feet 11 inches

Weight- 195 pounds

Position- Running back

Akrum Wadley is a 22-year-old junior running back for Iowa. He shows good patience at the line and when a hole develops he has the acceleration to shoot through it like he was shot from a cannon. With some speed and great agility, he has a knack for making defenders miss in the open field and when running through the tackles he runs like he wants to punish defenders. The Iowa back has power to be effective in short yardage plays but can also get to the second level. Wadley is also a very good receiver out of the backfield. With soft hands he makes catches look easy and runs crisp and clean routes. One thing that stands out in his receiving game is his ability to get open when the play breaks down. His lateral movement and shiftiness really help him excel in yards after the catch.

Wadley will probably be a solid two down back at the next level. He lacks true speed and needs to work on his ball security. He now has 7 fumbles in his college career (2015-2018). He also seems rather lost when it comes to pass blocking and looks like he is confused or disinterested. Most of the time he will stand there and make a poor attempt to pass block and other times he just gets beat.

Overall Wadley has the tools to be a solid running back at the NFL level. He is a true two down back who will be used a lot on short yardage plays. His NFL comparison is Chris Ivory. He may not be a superstar, but he would be a great complimentary back to any team. Wadley is being valued as a 3rd round pick.

This year’s game against Iowa State is a great showcase of Wadley’s talents. He finished the game with 28 carries for 118 yards and a touchdown and 4 catches for 72 yards and a touchdown. His best play was a 46-yard catch and run where he demonstrated his elusiveness and power by making 2 defenders miss in the open field and then trucking over another defender to get the touchdown.