Denver Broncos select Notre Dame RB Audric Estimé in fifth round of 2024 NFL Draft
In Audric Estimé‘s first season at Notre Dame, he totaled seven carries. Two and a half years later, he’s NFL bound. The Denver Broncos selected Estimé with the 147th overall pick in the fifth round of the NFL Draft on Saturday.
Estimé is so far removed from being the fourth fiddle in the Notre Dame backfield led by Kyren Williams, Chris Tyree and Logan Diggs in 2021. He shared co-starter status of sorts with Diggs in 2022 before becoming the Fighting Irish’s unquestioned lead back in 2023.
And oh, what a junior season it was for the 5-11, 221-pound bruiser of a back.
Estimé ran 210 times for 1,341 yards and 18 touchdowns last fall. He totaled in those statistics in just 12 games; he sat out the Sun Bowl to prepare for the NFL Scouting Combine. Estimé still finished the season with the fifth-most single-season rushing yards in Notre Dame history.
The combine was not as fortuitous for Estimé as his last two seasons at Notre Dame. He logged a 4.71-second 40-yard dash time in Indianapolis, the worst time of any of the 21 running backs who ran. He performed better at Notre Dame’s Pro Day a few weeks later, putting down a time of 4.58 seconds.
Estimé has tape proving he has runaway speed regardless of what his testing measurables say. His 80-yard touchdown in Notre Dame’s 45-24 win over NC State last September was particularly impressive in that regard.
“I feel like I’m very fast, and I feel like I can run faster,” Estimé said after his Pro Day workout. “The 40 is done with. I probably never have to run it again in my life. Time to play football, and that’s what I do best — play football.”
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Estimé takes after his predecessor, Williams, on that front. There were questions about Williams’ speed coming out of college. The Los Angeles Rams took a chance on him anyway with the No. 164 overall pick in the fifth round of the 2022 draft. Last season, he ran 228 times for 1,144 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also caught 32 passes for 206 yards and 3 more scores.
Estimé is a different style of runner than Williams, but like he said — football players are football players. If you’re good, you’re good. Estimé showed that he is just that many times in South Bend, scoring 30 TDs in his final two collegiate seasons.
Like Williams, there should be more end zone entrances to come at the highest level. And so much more.
“I believe I’m the most versatile back in the country,” Estimé said. “You got to pride yourself to run the ball at a high level, pass protect at a high level, run routes at a high level.”
