Deneric Prince

Deneric Prince is hoping to add his name to the list of UDFA success stories in the NFL history books. The Kansas City Chiefs running back has a long road still to go, however. Undrafted out of Tulsa in 2023, Prince was an older prospect that wasn’t really on any radars. He was able to muster two carries in two years at Texas A&M. He followed that by transferring to Tulsa where he raced for 1728 yards on 314 attempts for a 5.5ypc in three seasons. It was at the 2023 Scouting Combine that he really turned heads.

Posting an Athletic Score of 103.8, good for 3rd among running backs was good, but at 6′ 216 lbs with a BMI of 29.3, Prince outclassed  Jahmyr Gibbs, Bijan Robinson and De’Von Achane with a Speed Score of 114.2. The speed score includes metrics for strength and power which gives it a higher correlation to carries and yards than 40-times by themselves. With a similar size, weight, and speed score to Chiefs current RB1 Isaiah Pacheco, who was drafted 11 picks away from Mr. Irrelevant in 2022’s 7th round, Prince confirms that the Chiefs have a “type” at running back. Prince played well in the 2023 pre-season showing carry ability as well as returning kicks and making tackles, but spent all but two games on the practice squad and didn’t receive any carries. Being the physical analog to Pacheco could go a long way this pre-season.

After Chiefs OTAs and minicamp, Prince is the running back “poised to sneak into the rotation”, according to Charles Goldman via Twitter. This would be among Clyde Edwards-Helaire, whose experience suggests he’s locked in, although he does have a cuttable contract, and 2024’s very large UDFA, Carson Steele. If Prince winds up as Pacheco’s backup, his athleticism and the preferred style of the Chiefs’ run game suggest he would likely put up similar numbers to the 900 yards and 7 TDs that Pacheco averages. He is a back-end handcuff candidate in all formats, and remains a bench stash if owned in Dynasty.