Cam Skattebo’s last season was one of the most incredible stories of college football. Not many can do what Cam Skattebo has done at ASU against opponents as big as Texas, playing for a Tier 2 program like ASU. Kenny Dillingham’s influence was apparent, and Skattebo fit in the offense like a glove. By the end of the season, the running back broke multiple programs’ records, racking up 1,711 rushing yards and 605 receiving yards. It was obvious that some NFL team would be knocking on his door. But the road to the draft? It was far from smooth.

Skattebo was selected in the fourth round, being the 105th pick by the Giants. But does this mean that the RB deserved to go in the 4th round? Certainly not! The draft position was more because of the devalued market that RBs garner in initial rounds than Skattebo’s abilities. Teams are reluctant to pick an RB in the first round, giving him a $30 million contract when they can churn out the same production from later round picks. This later round preference for RBs made Cam Skattebo wait with dread until his name was finally called by the Giants.

But when you look at things objectively and analyze his performances for the Sun Devils, no draft spot could do him justice for what he did at ASU. Just watch the Texas game highlights in the playoffs last year, and you will know. Despite the Sun Devils losing that game, Skattebo earned the MVP award after producing 143 rushing and 99 receiving yards for 2 TDs. By the end of this breakout year, an unknown Cam Skattebo, who came from an FCS team to ASU, became a household name. Still, the recognition didn’t translate into an early draft pick; until Giants’ head coach Brian Daboll came to his rescue, as he tells.

Speaking on the 28th May Episode of ‘St Brown Podcast’, the Giants’ RB described how taxing and emotional the whole draft process was. “I actually thought I was going to end up going to San Francisco, with that 100th pick. Vibes started getting high. The lights started turning on, the video started turning on, and no phone call. “ Cam Skattebo was rightly expecting a 49ers call since they were his favorite team growing up, instead, they opted for Upton Stout with their 100th pick. For Skattebo, that moment was a gut punch. The tension subsided only after the announcement of the 105th pick.

“We woke up at 9:00 am the next morning on Saturday, and we knew it was going to be within the first 10 picks cuz the Niners, the Giants, Tennessee, and somebody else had another pick, back to back to back. And I knew one of those teams was going to take me. I didn’t know which one. And then the Giants called, and you know, emotions poured.” At pre-draft mocks, Cam Skattebo was heavily touted to be a 3rd or 4th-round pick.

For instance, Ian Cummings of Pro-Football Network placed the RB at 86th position, going to the Chargers. But while all these mocks were speculating and conjecturing, the Giants did extensive homework on Skattebo. Daboll always wanted to add a running back to their room who would complement Tyrone Tracy Jr.. Cam Skattebo, a dual-threat talent, fit perfectly for Brian Daboll after Saquon Barkley walked into free agency. Now, a New York Giant, Skattebo finds himself sharing the locker room with someone he once hated- Russell Wilson.

Cam Skattebo opens up on hating Russell Wilson

Giants recently signed Russell Wilson from the Pittsburgh Steelers on a one-year, $10.5 million contract. This came after Brian Daboll was left with Tommy DeVito as the only QB on the roster. So, GM Joe Schoen signed Wilson as a stop-gap solution until Jaxson Dart, who was picked in the first round this year, becomes ready. But Cam Skattebo is a Niners fan, and Wilson played for the Seahawks for 10 years. This meant Wilson faced off Niners regularly in the NFC West Division. Hence, some of the hatred started germinating.

“I mean, I’m arguing my friends from the age of 12 years old to 16 like Russell Wilson sucks. You know, like I’m saying this, you know, to my boys, cuz I’m a Niner fan,” said Cam Skattebo. The RB, however, agreed that now that he is at the Giants with Wilson, he is starting to admire his talent. “He’s on the Seahawks, and then he comes, now I’m on the same team, and I’m like he’s actually pretty good. You know, I want him to play.”

Russell Wilson, in his time with the Seahawks, won Super Bowl XLVIII and produced those moments year after year. At this time, though 49ers were grappling with their problems, and the Super Bowl was a distant dream. So yes, for a teenage fan, the frustration is justified. They did come close in 2019 and 2012, but never made it to the Super Bowl.