Nov 24, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Tulane Green Wave running back Makhi Hughes (21) runs against UTSA Roadrunners safety Rashad Wisdom (0) during the first half at Yulman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-USA TODAY Sports
Makhi Hughes RB Houston |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #20 ROLE: Work-Horse Back | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 08/03/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2027 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.44 seconds (86%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #20 | |
| ROLE: Work-Horse Back | |
| Last Updated: 08/03/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2027 | |
| Forty time: 4.44 seconds (86%*) | |
| Overall Rating: |
58.9 / 100
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|---|---|---|
| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
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80% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Rushing: |
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76% |
| Break Tackles: |
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69% |
| Receiving/Hands: |
|
51% |
| Pass Blocking: |
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49% |
| Run Blocking: |
|
73% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
UDFA
Overall Rank:
#1041
Position rank:
#38 (RB)
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| College Games: 32 College Snaps: 1224 | ||
ESPN RATING: 75/100
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247 RATING: 84/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.4 (89%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Elijah Mitchell - Louisiana |
|
62% |
| SaRodorick Thompson - Texas Tech |
|
60% |
| Bryant Koback - Toledo |
|
54% |
Draft Profile: Bio
After a modest three-star recruiting profile at Huffman High School, Makhi Hughes committed to Appalachian State before flipping to Tulane. Following a 2022 redshirt, he became the first Tulane player to rush for 1,000 yards as a freshman, earning AAC Rookie of the Year in 2023, then totaled 1,401 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2024 with first-team All-AAC honors and a Doak Walker Award semifinalist nod.Hughes transferred to Oregon for 2025 carrying 2,779 career rushing yards, but the fit never materialized in a backfield shared with Noah Whittington, Dierre Hill Jr., and Jordon Davison. Across four games he received 17 carries for 70 yards, topping out at nine attempts for 30 yards against Oklahoma State and adding a 20-yard reception against Oregon State.
In early October, Oregon coach Dan Lanning announced that Hughes had requested and been granted a redshirt to preserve a season of eligibility, ending his year after four appearances. Hughes entered the transfer portal in January and committed to Houston for 2026, reuniting with Willie Fritz, who had coached him at Tulane.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Two thousand-yard seasons and an AAC rookie-of-the-year trophy sit in the career file.
- Nearly 2,800 career rushing yards with elite per-season durability before 2025.
- Plus timed speed with the one-cut patience that made Tulane's zone scheme sing.
- Houston reunion with a power-run identity fits the rebuild plan cleanly.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Buried at Oregon: seventeen carries for 70 yards before an October redshirt.
- Pass protection grades sit below the NFL line across the career.
- Receiving production has always been an afterthought, 247 career yards.
- The 2025 demotion happened without injury, the most uncomfortable kind.
- Two transfers in two years now bracket the lost season.
Scouting Report: Summary
Eighteen months ago he was one of the most productive backs in college football: consecutive thousand-yard seasons at Tulane, an AAC rookie-of-the-year trophy, nearly 2,800 career rushing yards and per-season durability that never wavered. Then the Oregon season happened, seventeen carries for 70 yards, a crowded backfield that never once opened for him, and an October redshirt decision that turned a marquee portal addition into a season-long bystander.The real discomfort in this file is that nothing snapped or tore in Eugene; he was simply and plainly beaten out, which forces evaluators to re-weigh the Tulane tape against a Power Four room that watched him daily and chose others. The protection grades sit below the NFL line across the career, the receiving production was always an afterthought, and two transfers in two years now bracket the lost season.
Houston's power-run identity and a featured depth chart give the rebuild its best possible shape, and 2,800 career rushing yards do not simply evaporate from a resume because of one buried autumn in Eugene. A thousand-yard return season in Houston would restore a late-round grade almost by muscle memory; anything less confirms the league's quiet read on the demotion. He projects as a priority camp free agent carrying the largest proven-production fallback of anyone in this tier.
How other scouting services rate Makhi Hughes (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
635.0
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
38.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.