Reports surrounding the Miami Dolphins being in the mix to sign workhorse running back Dalvin Cook have cooled the offseason hype of third-round rookie De'Von Achane.
With the pads coming on this week during the Dolphins' joint practices against the Atlanta Falcons ahead of Friday night's preseason tussle, Achane is once again flashing dynamic potential.
"I've seen him running between tackles and break tackles and stay on his feet and do a lot of amazing stuff this camp," receiver Jaylen Waddle said of Achane, via The Palm Beach Post. "I'm like, 'Man, he's going to be good.'"
Dolphins safety Brandon Jones compared Achane to former Titans speedster Chris Johnson.
"I know he's going to have a super successful rookie season and just overall career," Jones said of Achane.
Achane enters the NFL with white-hot speed, running a 4.32 40-yard dash at the combine, and can be a dual-threat back in both the run and pass.
"He's very talented," backup quarterback Mike White said. "You can see that from Day 1 when he got here after rookie minicamp. Athletically, he's very gifted and I think he's starting to really learn the nuances of the pro game. He's not a gadgety speed guy."
In his final season at Texas A&M, Achane rushed for 1,102 yards on 196 carries with eight touchdowns in 10 games. He also added 196 receiving yards and three scores on 36 catches.
Immediately after the Dolphins made him a third-round selection, Achane profiled as a perfect fit in Mike McDaniel's offense as a third-down speedster who could take advantage of space behind early-down backs Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson.
Achane said Tuesday he can be more than just a player who can get to the edge.
"Some people think I'm fast, that I always want to run outside or do outside zone plays," he said. "But you know, like (Texas A&M) coach (Jimbo) Fisher said, I also can run in between the tackles. Most of my big runs in college were in between the tackles. So I felt like linebackers might overpursue.
"I like running in between the tackles anyway. I feel like it's easier for me, as far as my vision and my patience."
The Cook rumors are likely to persist until the veteran finds a landing spot. However, we'll see how Achane might fit into the Dolphins' offense starting Friday. Preseason games aren't great venues for analyzing most positions, but rookie running backs are among the few who've taken exhibition shine into the regular season action -- see Dameon Pierce in 2022.
