Noah Whittington

● Rocked-up body type with quality mass in his upper and lower halves ● Runs low to the ground with pinball toughness between the tackles ● Good lateral quickness and accelerates well off his plant foot ● Doesn’t have breakaway speed but maintains pace to threaten the sideline ● Shows patient feel to play off blocks and find openings (counter or zone) ● Above-average physicality and effectiveness in pass protection ● Fumbled only once in four seasons with the Ducks ● Averaged 22.1 yards per kick return, including a 100-yard return in 2024 (although he dropped the ball before crossing the goal line) ● NFL scouts describe him as an “all-football guy” and a “grinder” who “sets an example for the younger guys”

● Smaller-framed runner and appears maxed out physically ● More tough than powerful when running downhill 58 Back to table of contents -- 62 of 629 -- ● Accelerates to top speed quickly but lacks a finishing gear ● Some question his ability to hold up between the tackles ● Active on screens and option routes but can be more reliable finishing catches ● Torn ACL in left knee (Sept. 2023), which required season-ending surgery; missed two games early in his final season because of injury (Sept. 2025); missed most of Oregon’s playoff game against Indiana because of a turf toe injury (Jan. 2026) ● Has always been a complementary back (never more than 140 carries in a season)

A one-year starter at Oregon, Whittington was the Ducks’ top ball carrier in former offensive coordinator Will Stein’s balanced scheme (zone/gap). A transfer from Western Kentucky, he shared the backfield with Bucky Irving before suffering an ACL injury. Whittington became the starter in 2025 and led the Big Ten with 6.4 rushing yards per attempt, although injuries limited him at times. Whittington is a self-made player who developed into a productive college runner. He has the run instincts and short-area quickness to find the crease and elude defenders in the open field. Though he sculpted his body in the weight room, his frame appears maxed out and he offers little power as an inside runner, although his contact balance is encouraging (see his touchdown run vs. Minnesota in 2025). His effectiveness and attitude as a pass blocker are plusses. Overall, Whittington is a compact, muscular runner with vision and burst through the hole and toughness as a finisher and blocker. Given the questions about his size and durability, he projects as a rotational back in an NFL backfield.