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What does Elijah Holyfield’s poor Pro Day mean for his NFL draft stock?

By Bryan Perez

ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 01: Elijah Holyfield #13 of the Georgia Bulldogs runs with the ball in the second half against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the 2018 SEC Championship Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 1, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 01: Elijah Holyfield #13 of the Georgia Bulldogs runs with the ball in the second half against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the 2018 SEC Championship Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 1, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images) /
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Georgia RB Elijah Holyfield failed to capitalize on a second chance to run his 40-yard dash at his college Pro Day.

Georgia running back Elijah Holyfield had a terrible 2019 NFL combine performance. It was downright brutal, and it called into question whether he has enough athletic ability to play running back in the NFL.

In case you’ve forgotten, here are Holyfield’s test results from the combine:

Height: 5-10
Weight: 217
40-yard dash: 4.78
Vertical: 29.5 inches
Broad: 118 inches

According to the Mock Draftable database, Holyfield’s 40-yard dash and vertical jump ranked in the fourth percentile for NFL running backs.

He had a chance for redemption Wednesday at his college Pro Day. It didn’t go well.

According to the Atlanta Journal Constitutional’s D. Orlando Ledbetter, Holyfield actually ran a slower 40-yard dash on his home turf.

Most NFL prospects see marked improvement at their Pro Day, so for Holyfield to run slower than he did at the combine is a major red flag. It can mean only one of two things: 1) He isn’t putting in the work to get ready for the 40-yard dash, or 2) he’s really, really slow.

Regardless of which is the case, it doesn’t bode well for his NFL draft stock.

On tape, Holyfield presents as a quick-footed bowling ball of a runner who can make a living churning out yards in chunks between the tackles. And while he flashed some ability to turn the corner in the SEC, it’s highly unlikely he’ll be able to reach the edge in the NFL with 4.8 speed.

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Holyfield finished 2018 with 159 carries for 1,018 yards and seven touchdowns, numbers that are even more impressive considering the conference he played in. But NFL evaluators won’t be able to ignore his troubling athletic scores and, as a result, Holyfield may have run himself right out of the draft.

At this point, Holyfield appears destined for the seventh round or undrafted altogether.

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