Bhayshul Tuten, RB, Virginia Tech
Size:
Height: 5092
Weight: 206
Arm: 29 ½”
Hand: 9”
Accomplishments:
Third Team All-ACC (2023)
“Bhayshul Tuten projects as a complementary ball-carrier with the short-area explosiveness and contact balance to earn touches at the next level.”
Strengths:
- Natural low center of gravity
- Contact balance
- Open-field creativity
- Short-area acceleration
- Always falls forward
Concerns:
- Lateral agility
- Vision
- Limited route tree
Film Analysis:
Bhayshul Tuten projects as a complementary ball-carrier with the short-area explosiveness and contact balance to earn touches at the next level. Primarily aligns in the hip pocket of the QB in shotgun, or directly behind the signal-caller in pistol. Substantial work in zone schemes, where most of his success comes outside the shoulder of the tackle in space. Has shown the willingness to cut and attack the middle of a defense, but Virginia Tech’s offense has prioritized his carries on sweeps, tosses, and zone-reads to the perimeter.
Tuten is a good athlete, runs hard, and has excellent short-area quickness. Vision is spotty at times in locating alleys both front and backside, but does a nice job of working north-south. Minimal wasted movement is a positive after the mesh point. Quick, one-cut runner that accelerates to full speed rapidly (former standout as a track athlete in high school). Tuten operates with a lower center of gravity that makes him tough to bring down in space. Blending speed with his powerful lower half and good pad level forces defenses to gang tackle in the open field (multiple games with over 100 yards rushing after contact).
Ball security is fine at this point, but he must work on keeping it tight when he reaches open grass. Has had multiple instances of backside pursuit defenders jarring it loose (Marshall and Rutgers). He has very average agility to make defenders miss at or near the line of scrimmage—that is a concern against quicker defenders at the next level. He does, however, have some open-field nuance to make defenders miss once past the line of scrimmage.
Through the air, Tuten has been primarily used as a check-down option with a route tree held to screens, leaks, digs, and an occasional wheel route. Tuten does show the ability to haul in passes naturally, which heightens his projection as an aerial weapon down the line. Competitive in pass pro, also.
Overall, Tuten is a highly productive ball-carrier in the ACC but has limitations in his game that remain evident. While his short, stocky build blends well with his short-area quickness and toughness, his limited twitch and lack of creativity near the line of scrimmage could limit his impact at the NFL level. He projects as more of a seam runner than an athlete who can create his own lanes if needed at this point in time. His acceleration and contact balance do stand out, however, and teams that rely heavily on outside zone will prioritize Tuten’s ability to stretch and attack.
Prospect Projection: Day 3 — Scheme Specific
Written By: Ryan Fowler
Exposures: Miami (2024), Boston College (2024), Marshall (2024), Rutgers (2024)
