-picture via Motorcycle Sports

Saturday, March 1st, 2025.

Prior to this date, not many people outside diehard college football fans or devy/C2C (Campus To Canton) players knew the name Bhayshul Tuten.

On this day, however, he vaulted his name into NFL Draftnik’s heads by blazing a 4.32 40 yard dash time at the NFL Combine, bettering notable running backs such as Texas Running Back Jaydon Blue (4.38), Ohio State Running Back TreVeyon Henderson (4.43), UCF Running Back RJ Harvey (4.40), and Georgia Running Back Trevor Etienne (4.42). Despite being a relative unknown to this point, Tuten had been one thing during his time at North Carolina A&T and Virginia Tech: productive. 

Throughout his college career, Tuten averaged 6.0 YPC (Yards Per Carry) and 9.9 YPR (Yards Per Reception) numbers that scream difference-maker. With a unique blend of power, speed, and agility, Tuten was a force for the Hokies.

Last season, despite being eighth in the ACC for rushing attempts (183, North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton was first with 281), he was 4th in the ACC in rushing yards (1,159, Hampton was first with 1,660). Tuten also finished third in the ACC in rushing yards per attempt with 6.3 (Louisville’s Isaac Brown was first with 7.1).

So why the disparity between how people thought about him and his college production? Tuten’s great between the tackles and is an above-average receiver, with the playmaking skills to take a screen pass for a long gain or even a touchdown.

Maybe it was his fumbling? Tuten had nine lost fumbles between the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Maybe it was his his size? He’s 5’9”, as that can scare some teams away. Maybe it was transferring up from North Carolina A&T? Or: that playing for Virginia Tech didn’t put him in the spotlight like a major or historic program. If we’re going to go off these metrics alone, we’d have to also dislike Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty for his below-average height and not playing in the SEC.

The Paulsboro, NJ native was branded a 0 star recruit and received no offers after his Senior Year. He then enrolled at North Carolina A&T and in his freshman year posted 189 yards on 34 carries (5.6 YPC), with 2 Touchdowns, while adding 224 receiving yards on 9 receptions (24.9 YPR) and 1 Touchdown. After that season, he put his dominance on display. In the 2022 season for the Aggies, he posted 1,370 rushing yards on 208 carries (6.6 YPC) with 13 Touchdowns, and added an additional 333 receiving yards on 30 receptions (11.1 YPR0 and 4 touchdowns).

After 2022, Tuten once again hit the transfer portal and flipped to Virginia Tech. His first year for the Hokies wasn’t pedestrian, but it wasn’t enough to garner him national attention either, posting 875 yards on 175 carries (5.0 YPC) with 10 Touchdowns, and an additional 227 yards on 25 receptions (9.1 YPR) and 2 Touchdowns. A great start to his Virginia Tech career, but in 2024, he decided to amp it up. He finished that season with 1,150 yards on 183 carries (6.3 YPA) and 15 Touchdowns, but lowered his receiving total to 81 yards on 23 receptions (a paltry 3.5 YPR) and 2 touchdowns.

Despite being a relative unknown to this point, Tuten had been one thing during his time at North Carolina A&T and Virginia Tech: productive. 

Opposing teams were starting to take notice, and in September of 2024, with a narrow defeat to #7 Miami, the nation would start to rub the crust from their eyes and see Bhayshul Tuten as the offensive weapon he is.

A few minutes into the second quarter, Virginia Tech found themselves down 14-7 after a pair of Cam Ward touchdowns. Enter Bhayshul Tuten, ripping off a monstrous 55-yard run to tie the game at 14 apiece. Tech held a 24-14 lead at one point, but eventually fell to Miami 38-34 after a failed last-second hail mary. I vividly remember watching this game, and Tuten immediately earned a weekly spot on our Bonus Patreon Podcast “Rewind After Dark” for our new favorite college prospects.

After his almost heroics to Miami, a massive game against Boston College (18/266/3) was marred by average-to-decent statistics capped off by a respectable 124 yards outing against in-state rival Virginia. Tuten opted out of the team’s Bowl Game, leaving more excitement to be desired from his new fans like myself.

The 2025 NFL Combine and April’s rookie draft were Tuten’s next chances to deliver on hype, and boy did he come through. Tuten impressed with his 4.32 40 yard dash (again, fastest among participating Running Backs), 40.5” vertical jump, and 10’10” broad jump. With many pundits thinking Tuten only had a Day 3 grade, the Jaguars solidified what I saw in Tuten. Jacksonville selected him as the first Running Back off the board in Day 3, the 104th pick overall and second pick in the fourth round.

Despite having fumbling issues, somewhat small stature (5’9”, 206lb), Tuten showed he has the athletic prowess to make it in this league. Now firmly in the NFL, all he needs is some reps in practice, which may come sooner than we think, with incumbent starter Travis Etienne missing the 4th day of (voluntary) OTA’s. Tuten will also have to compete with fellow Rookie LeQuint Allen (Syracuse). While physically Allen is the more imposing back, Tuten packs a punch with his low center of gravity and contact balance, as well as being a more nuanced receiving back. The Jaguars’ new coaching staff clearly wanted Tuten, and made himself their first deliberately-chosen running back on the roster. I’m paying attention.

If Etienne is in fact moved as many speculate, Tuten’s primary competition will come from third-year man Tank Bigsby, who had a decent year in 2024 with 766 yards rushing on 168 carries (4.6 YPC) and 7 touchdowns, adding 54 receiving yards on 7 receptions with no receiving touchdowns. Tuten can pave his way in PPR formats as Bigsby isn’t the best receiving back, and will have a role if Etienne is moved or misses time. It’s important to note that after the NFL Scouting Combine, NFL.com had Tuten’s grade at a 6.29, which equates to “an average starter”, so if Etienne is gone and Bigsby gets injured or misses time, an offense that contains Trevor Lawrence, Brian Thomas Jr., Travis Hunter, and Brenton Strange can thrive with a back like Bhayshul Tuten carrying the load. He stands to benefit from the overall talent on that side of the ball having more success than the Doug Pederson regime as well.

I have frequently seen Tuten going in the 2.08-3.02 range in 12-team dynasty rookie drafts. I’m not crazy about a mid 2nd round pick being spent on Tuten, as the trade market could get you a more solidified player, but in the late 2nd round or third round I highly recommend drafting Tuten with confidence. His competition (Etienne, Bigsby) do not look to be bulletproof, and we’ve seen coaching staffs come in and prefer their choices for reasons we can’t see yet. Liam Coen and crew specifically picked Tuten. They didn’t handpick Etienne or Bigsby, and today’s speculation could prove there’s a reason tomorrow.

You may be waiting for Tuten’s opportunity most of the first half of 2025, but Tuten has low-end RB2 upside with enough volume, and at worst is a bye week/injury FLEX fill in. There’s always an outside chance he wins the job by December (or is the last to be injured) and goes into 2026 with a huge boost in trade value. Given that you only have to spend a late 2nd or 3rd round pick on a player with so much upside, Tuten represents a rare case of high-level talent being overlooked at a fantasy football position that’s hard to find consistency in.