Running back Kalen Ballage came to Arizona State in 2014 as a four-star recruit, scoring four offensive TDs as a true freshman. He would go on to match that figure in 2015 and double it on a single contest the following season.
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 228 pounds
40 time: 4.46 seconds
Ballage tied the all-time NCAA record with eight offensive touchdowns (seven rushing) against Texas Tech as a junior. He’d finish the season with 15 total scores and a personal-best 44 receptions to showcase an array of useful skills.
Kalen Ballage stats (2014-17)
YEAR ATT YDS AVG LNG TD REC YDS AVG LNG TD 2014 42 126 3.0 12 3 6 64 10.7 38 1 2015 125 653 5.2 65 4 12 60 5.0 16 0 2016 126 536 4.3 75 14 44 469 10.7 71 1 2017 157 669 4.3 35 6 20 91 4.6 10 0
Not a full-time back at ASU, Ballage should translate well to the current theme of shared backfields in the NFL. He was a contributor in several facets of the game and should have no trouble finding an NFL team looking to manufacture a way to utilize him.
Pros
Dual-threat talent with special teams return ability
Plus-athleticism for his size
Little mileage on his body
Short-yardage and goal line prowess
Consistently racks up chunk plays
Just enough lateral mobility to fit any kind of blocking scheme (best suited for power-blocking)
Capable in pass protection
Cons
Noticeably poor field vision — one of the first things to jump off the tape
Displays indecisiveness when met with fast-closing holes
Makes for an easy target to line up in the open field
Lacks upper-body strength and tackle-breaking ability for someone of his size — only 15 reps on the bench, and goes down too often with first contact
Mostly played from unconventional backfield designs
Fantasy outlook
Ballage is capable of fitting into any offensive scheme, though he is unlikely to assume full-time chores at the next level. Common comparisons focus on Ballage being a poor man’s DeMarco Murray or a Rashad Jennings type, both of which are apt representations of the former Wildcat’s game.
He should find his way onto an NFL roster around the fourth round, and going a round earlier or later is within reason. Given his “jack of all trades” M.O., Ballage could be a consideration for virtually every team.
A do-all running back, ASU's Kalen Ballage won't have trouble finding a home in the NFL.
Running back Kalen Ballage came to Arizona State in 2014 as a four-star recruit scoring four offensive TDs as a true freshman He would go on to match that figure in 2015 and double it on a single contest the following season Height 6-foot-1 Weight 228 pounds 40 time 4.46 seconds Ballage tied the all-time NCAA record with eight offensive touchdowns seven rushing against Texas Tech as a junior He’d finish the season with 15 total scores and a personal-best 44 receptions to showcase an array of useful skills Kalen Ballage stats 2014-17 YEAR ATT YDS AVG LNG TD REC YDS AVG LNG TD 2014 42 126 3.0 12 3 6 64 10.7 38 1 2015 125 653 5.2 65 4 12 60 5.0 16 0 2016 126 536 4.3 75 14 44 469 10.7 71 1 2017 157 669 4.3 35 6 20 91 4.6 10 0 Not a full-time back at ASU Ballage should translate well to the current theme of shared backfields in the NFL He was a contributor in several facets of the game and should have no trouble finding an NFL team looking to manufacture a way to utilize him Pros Dual-threat talent with special teams return ability Plus-athleticism for his size Little mileage on his body Short-yardage and goal line prowess Consistently racks up chunk plays Just enough lateral mobility to fit any kind of blocking scheme best suited for power-blocking Capable in pass protection Cons Noticeably poor field vision one of the first things to jump off the tape Displays indecisiveness when met with fast-closing holes Makes for an easy target to line up in the open field Lacks upper-body strength and tackle-breaking ability for someone of his size only 15 reps on the bench and goes down too often with first contact Mostly played from unconventional backfield designs Fantasy outlook Ballage is capable of fitting into any offensive scheme though he is unlikely to assume full-time chores at the next level Common comparisons focus on Ballage being a poor man’s DeMarco Murray or a Rashad Jennings type both of which are apt representations of the former Wildcat’s game He should find his way onto an NFL roster around the fourth round and going a round earlier or later is within reason Given his jack of all trades M.O. Ballage could be a consideration for virtually every team