Khalan Laborn 2023 NFL Draft Profile
A DEEP DEEP SLEEPER TO KEEP YOUR EYE ON
The horse has been beaten to death by the NFL Network and ESPN. I don’t know how many more times they can possibly discuss who goes in the first round and where. Or is Will Levis good or bad and is CJ Stroud capable of running an NFL offense? It is exhausting to watch. In my opinion, a much better approach to running the show would be to educate the public on all of the prospects in the draft. Vendetta Sports Media has exposed you to way more content than the networks have. ESPN and NFL network could also do a much better job on their video clips. Every time you see a Will Anderson highlight, it’s the same sacks and there is a good possibility after 10 seconds of the clip that you see the same highlight repeated. Time to do better, but enough of my rant.
In this post, I want to spotlight a player who is way down the rankings of every so-called “expert”. This prospect is particularly interesting to most fantasy fans because he is on the offensive side of the ball and fantasy owners should keep an eye on his situation. Now don’t get me wrong, this player may not get drafted, or if he does it will be late. Lucky for most owners their draft will not take place until August. This will give you an opportunity to monitor the situation, let’s get to it. Meet Khalan Laborn running back at Marshall University. The measurables are not going to blow you away in this case. Khalan is 5 foot 11 inches and 212 pounds but it is the back story and the production late in his career that I think we all need to focus on.
Last year’s production is off the charts. Laborn rushed for 1567 yards on 302 carries a 5-yard per-carry average that resulted in 16 touchdowns. Laborn averaged 116.4 yards per game on the ground. He also added 16 catches for 116 yards but I believe he is a better receiver out of the backfield than those numbers indicate. Khalan was not invited to the NFL combine but participated in Marshall’s pro day. The numbers were rather impressive:
- 40 time: 4.5
- Vertical: 38.5
- Broad Jump: 10-4
- 3 cone: 6.92
The results would have firmly placed Khalan Laborn as one of the best testing running backs at the combine.
If you are not impressed yet then let’s get to the backstory. Out of high school, Laborn was rated as a 4-star recruit although he earned a 5-star ranking from one service. Laborn signed with Florida State along with another running back by the name of Cam Akers. He reportedly committed to the Seminoles by pulling up to a camp in a black Lamborghini which tells you something about his maturity at the time. Laborn played in the Under Armour All-America Game. He rushed for 74 yards on 8 carries and scored a touchdown and earned MVP honors for his team. During his time at Florida State, Khalan redshirted as a freshman, and then dislocated his kneecap during his redshirt freshman season. As a redshirt sophomore, Laborn rushed 63 times for 297 yards including 69 against Clemson. He did not see the field for much of 2018 and 2019. Cam Akers and Zaquandre White played a whole lot more than he did. Laborn was then dismissed from the Florida State team for violating team rules. He thought about going the JUCO route to get his career back on track but ultimately decided to stay at Florida State and finish his degree. Tells you more about his maturity now. Laborn then transferred to Marshall last year for his final season of college football. Now 23 years old, Laborn has worked various jobs to pay for his education and keep his NFL dreams alive.
Time to temper the enthusiasm, as I mentioned above he may not get drafted, and if he does it will be late. Does he have a shot? Yes, I definitely think so. Could he get into a camp and impress a team enough to make the team? I believe so. Will he be a week one starter? Of course not. We have all seen a number of running backs come out of basically nowhere to be significant contributors on NFL teams. Terrell Davis is a prime example of a back not drafted who turned into a stud. All this article should point out to you is that you should monitor this situation. Check preseason box scores and find that diamond in the rough. Playing fantasy football and selecting the next name that ESPN or another service recommends has to be the most cowardly act to commit. Fantasy football was much more interesting when we all had a magazine that was printed in April and we had to actually think and strategize. Playing in a league that utilizes a snake draft league requires little skill or thinking. It kind of sounds like the draft content that we are all exposed to by the networks. It is a shame that ESPN and the NFL networks don’t feel that a story like this is worthy.
