Here’s a De’Von Achane stat that will leave you impressed.
I don’t usually get emotional over a stat, but this one about De’Von Achane genuinely took my breath away—I couldn’t believe it.
According to ESPN, Achane recorded as many 40-yard runs in his rookie season as Reggie Bush did throughout his entire 11-year career.
Bush, a former Heisman winner and Miami Dolphin, had an impressive career. At USC, he did things on the field that only a few, like Barry Sanders, could replicate. He consistently made entire defenses look powerless.
In the NFL, Bush was hyped to be a revolutionary running back. While he didn’t completely live up to that expectation, he still had a solid career.
But if someone had told me that Bush only had 11 runs of 40+ yards in his entire career, I would have thought they were mistaken.
Then, if they said De’Von Achane matched that number of 40+ yard runs in his rookie season alone, I would have felt like my reality was crumbling because it seems impossible.
But it’s true—and I still can’t believe it.
I would have thought that though Bush’s career didn’t live up to being the second-overall pick in 2006, in his 11-year career, he certainly would have broken off more than 11 runs of 40+ yards. He was one of the most electrifying football players that ever laced them up. Of course, he had dozens of big runs.
But reality is often disappointing and he didn’t have that many big runs.
This just makes what De’Von Achane did in 2023 even more special. We know about the YPC, which was 7.8 on 103 rushes in 11 games. We know about what he did against the Broncos. We know about the elite speed and how when Achane takes the corner he doesn’t give it back.
It’s a new year and it’s a new De’Von Achane. He is being used even more as a pass-catching threat, and is determined to shed the idea that he isn’t durable, which is one that he 100% has to do for this team to excel. This offense needs the duo of both Achane and Raheem Mostert to keep defenses off-balance.
Everything is set for Achane to make that highly anticipated leap in his second year. Whether or not he starts on September 8 doesn’t matter—he’s going to be a key part of every game plan. He’s simply too dynamic to be overlooked. With Mike McDaniel at the helm, there’s every reason to believe Achane will excel. McDaniel has a knack for getting the most out of his running backs, and with a talent like Achane, we can expect more special moments to come.