As NFL scouts studied De’Von Achane leading up to the 2023 NFL Draft, they needed to know: Was he a track star playing football or a football player running track? The chicken-and-egg question may sound silly, the difference a matter of semantics.
But scouts and coaches alike investigated it during the pre-draft evaluation that ultimately led to the Miami Dolphins selecting Achane in the third round, 85th overall.
What they found can help us understand how Achane went from inactive Week 1 to last Sunday’s 233-yard, four-touchdown performance that launched Achane into the NFL spotlight in a lightning-fast way befitting a lightning-fast player.