2022 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Dameon Pierce

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Dameon Pierce, 5-9/220 Running Back Florida

Dameon Pierce Scouting Report
By Charlie Campbell

Strengths:

Runs hard

Physical runner

Serious ability pick up yards after contact

Will power through tacklers

Short-yardage and goal-line back

Has an element of speed

Good vision

Decent feet

Quickness to hit the hole

Can accelerate into the open field

Can push the pile

Has some moves to dodge tacklers

Can contribute as a receiver

Three-down starter ability

Strong build

Can handle a big workload

Willing blocker

Good quarterback protector

Advanced blitz-protection technique

Little wear and tear

Fresh legs

Weaknesses:

Lacks elite speed

Can be caught from behind

A little stiffness

Never was feature back

Summary: Over the past few seasons, the Gators had some talented running backs who were used in a platoon fashion by former head coach Dan Mullen. Pierce ran well in limited opportunities as a freshman and sophomore, recording 69 carries, 424 yards, two touchdowns – a 6.1-yard average – in 2018 and 54 carries, 305 yards, four touchdowns – a 5.6-yard average – in 2019. Pierce was given more opportunities as a junior, turning 106 carries into 503 yards – an average of 4.7 yards per carry – and four touchdowns. He also caught 17 passes for 156 yards and a touchdown. In 2021, Pierce took 100 carries but he averaged 5.7 yards per carry for 574 yards and notched 13 touchdowns. He also caught 19 passes for 216 yards and three touchdowns. Pierce played really well as a senior and could have had a huge season if Florida had fielded more consistent quarterback play. After that, Pierce had an excellent week at the Senior Bowl. His 40 at the combine, however, was on the slow side, although that was somewhat expected.

With his skill set, Pierce is a sleeper back who could have the potential to be a three-down starter in the NFL. He is a hard-nosed back that runs angry and often brings pain to defenders who try to tackle him. Coming downhill, Pierce shows serious aggression to run through defenders and power through them to continue to add yards. He has the lower body strength to move the pile and keeps his legs moving after contact.

Even though Pierce is a powerful runner, he is not a slow plodder, possessing some agility. He is quicker than fast, however, and lacks elite speed to run away from defenses. While teams have speed concerns with Pierce, he plays with quickness, showing a burst to hit the hole before it closes and accelerate to the second level. Pierce will get caught from behind in the NFL at times, but he was not a slow back for the SEC.



Pierce has some moves for the open field to dodge tacklers, and while he is not super elusive, he is not completely straight line. On top of his strength and quickness, Pierce has other good traits like very good contact balance, vision, patience and instincts.

In the passing game, Pierce shows a nice ability to serve as an outlet receiver. He is smooth in space and has soft, reliable hands. As a pro, he could be a solid contributor as a receiver and should be a treasure as a blocker. At the Senior Bowl, Pierce put his superb blocking ability on display. He used his size and strength to stonewall defenders on contact while setting up well to hold his ground. Pierce has excellent pass-protection skills and could be a valuable quarterback protector.

Pierce could go as high as the second round in the 2022 NFL Draft or as low as the fourth round. It all depends on how teams view his speed. Pierce could start out his career as a backup rotational back, but he is a sleeper who could evolve into being a quality starter.



Player Comparison: Chris Carson. Pierce reminds me of Carson. Both have a mix of power, quickness, receiving ability, and the toughness to handle a big work load. Pierce could be a similar pro back to Carson.

2022 NFL Draft Player Previews - Choose Player 2022 NFL Draft Player Previews - Home Adam Anderson, OLB, Georgia Calvin Austin, WR, Memphis Tyler Badie, RB, Missouri Amaré Barno, OLB, Virginia Tech Andrew Booth, CB, Clemson David Bell, WR, Purdue Nik Bonitto, OLB, Oklahoma Jaquan Brisker, S, Penn State Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas Zachary Carter, DE, Florida Leo Chenal, LB, Wisconsin Lewis Cine, S, Georgia Damone Clark, LB, LSU Micheal Clemons, DE, Texas A&M Bryan Cook, S, Cincinnati James Cook, RB, Georgia Yusuf Corker, S, Kentucky Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State Nick Cross, S, Maryland Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State Greg Dulcich, TE, UCLA Arnold Ebiketie, DE, Penn State Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida Ikem Ekwonu, OT, N.C. State Martin Emerson, CB, Mississippi State Kingsley Enagbare, DE, South Carolina Daniel Faalele, OT, Minnesota Luke Fortner, C, Kentucky Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner, CB, Cincinnati Luke Goedeke, G, Central Michigan Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington Kenyon Green, G, Texas A&M Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State Logan Hall, DE, Houston Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame Christian Harris, LB, Alabama Daxton Hill, S, Michigan Chasen Hines, G, LSU Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Michigan Ed Ingram, G, LSU Drake Jackson, DE, USC Jermaine Johnson, DE, Florida State Zion Johnson, G, Boston College Travis Jones, DT, Connecticut Kerby Joseph, S, Illinois Cam Jurgens, C, Nebraska George Karlaftis, DE, Purdue Darian Kinnard, OT, Kentucky Charlie Kolar, TE, Iowa State DeMarvin Leal, DT, Texas A&M Isaiah Likely, TE, Coastal Carolina Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah Drake London, WR, USC Abraham Lucas, OT, Washington State Boye Mafe, DE, Minnesota Phidarian Mathis, DT, Alabama Trey McBride, TE, Colorado State Roger McCreary, CB, Auburn Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington Verone McKinley, S, Oregon John Metchie, WR, Alabama Skyy Moore, WR, Western Michigan Chad Muma, LB, Wyoming David Ojabo, DE, Michigan Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State Cade Otton, TE, Washington Evan Neal, OT, Alabama Josh Paschal, DE, Kentucky Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa Nick Petit-Frere, OT, Ohio State George Pickens, WR, Georgia Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh Alec Pierce, WR, Cincinnati Dameon Pierce, RB, Florida Jalen Pitre, S, Baylor Brock Purdy, QB, Iowa State Bernhard Raimann, OT, Central Michigan Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati John Ridgeway, DT, Arkansas Brian Robinson, RB, Alabama Wan'Dale Robinson, WR, Kentucky Justyn Ross, WR, Clemson Jeremy Ruckert, TE, Ohio State Jamaree Salyer, G, Georgia Tyler Smith, OT, Tulsa Isaiah Spiller, RB, Texas A&M Derek Stingley, CB, LSU Kayvon Thibodeaux, DE, Oregon Cameron Thomas, DE, San Diego State Tyquan Thornton, WR, Baylor Kenneth Walker, RB, Michigan State Rasheed Walker, OT, Penn State Quay Walker, LB, Georgia Travon Walker, DE, Georgia Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State Zamir White, RB, Georgia Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama Malik Willis, QB, Liberty Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State Perrion Winfrey, DT, Oklahoma Tariq Woolen, CB, UTSA Devonte Wyatt, DT, Georgia Jalen Wydermyer, TE, Texas A&M

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