Demond Claiborne
Minnesota VikingsOur College Grade
How good he was in college at what his position is supposed to do, out of 100. Scored against everyone else at his position, adjusted for the level he played at. This is not his NFL grade.
College Production
Wake Forest · ACC
| Season | G | Car | Yds | TD | Rec | RecYds | Pos Rk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 4 | 14 | 57 | 0 | 1 | -5 | |
| 2023 | 9 | 129 | 604 | 5 | 3 | 50 | 100 |
| 2024 | 12 | 226 | 1,071 | 9 | 23 | 254 | 28 |
| 2025 | 12 | 169 | 871 | 9 | 27 | 144 | 56 |
The seasons in our college data. It does not always reach back to a player's first year.
Scouting Report
Wake Forest · 2026 draft class
Demond Claiborne is a dynamic playmaker who became the first Wake Forest running back since Cade Carney in 2018 to eclipse the thousand-yard mark. At 5'10" and 195 pounds, he's undersized but makes up for it with hyperactive leg churn, surprising lean mass, wiry strength, and elite contact balance. Claiborne torched ACC defenses in 2024 for 1,049 yards and 11 touchdowns on 228 carries while hauling in 23 passes for 254 yards and 2 scores-earning third-team All-ACC honors as both a running back and all-purpose threat. His superpower is his devastating evasion fusion: Claiborne has the combined vertical explosiveness, rapid recalibration, lateral burst, vision, and spatial IQ to leave defenders lurching at multiple levels. He uses head and shoulder fakes, spin moves, and natural wiggle to leave tacklers grasping at air. It's also worth noting he's an experienced kick returner, having returned one 100 yards against Miami for a touchdown. His speed stresses pursuit angles from second-level defenders, though he lacks elite burst and may struggle through cluttered interior gaps. He's done enough damage in both zone and gap runs to be a scheme-diverse prospect, doing his best work in zone schemes.
Strengths
- Elite contact balance despite undersized frame
- Devastating evasion fusion with vertical explosiveness
- Rapid recalibration and lateral burst
- Elite vision and spatial IQ at multiple levels
- Hyperactive leg churn through contact
- Head and shoulder fakes leave defenders grasping
- Natural wiggle and spin move repertoire
- Speed stresses second-level pursuit angles
- Scheme-diverse in zone and gap runs
- Experienced kick returner (100-yard TD vs Miami)
Concerns
- Undersized at 5'10" 195 lbs
- Lacks mass to work through cluttered interior gaps
- May not have top-end speed to stretch outside consistently
- Too patient behind line allowing defenders to rally
- Processing speed and lack of urgency create negative plays
- Underdeveloped as pass catcher
- Size limits effectiveness in pass protection
- Not a true three-down back
Honors
#66 overall; #2 RB behind Jeremiyah Love; Third-team All-ACC (2024); First 1K rusher since Carney