Demond Claiborne recently made his entry into the 2026 NFL Draft official. The Wake Forest Demon Deacons running back may not be touted as highly as Jeremiyah Love or other running backs in the class, but he certainly deserves some more recognition.
Claiborne is a 22-year-old running back with four seasons of college experience. He played in 44 games for Wake Forest and reached the top five in rushing yards and touchdowns in school history. He has also demonstrated reliability in the passing game and has achieved great success as a returner.
Claiborne had a yards per attempt above four every season of his collegiate career. His last two seasons at Wake Forest have been his most successful, reaching the end zone a total of 23 times, 21 on the ground. The stats are good, but they aren’t what make him an intriguing draft prospect. The ability and skill set he brings to the table will have NFL front offices salivating.
Claiborne is being projected as a mid-late round draft pick. The most likely reason for this lack of hype comes from his size and frame. He stands at 5’10 and is just under 200 pounds. The only other concern with his game is his pass protection technique, but with some guidance from NFL coaches, that issue could be easily resolved.
Claiborne has a long list of strengths; the greatest attribute he possesses is his lateral agility and patience behind the line. If a comparison had to be made, Le’Veon Bell is the first that comes to mind. Claiborne’s contact balance allows him to bounce off defenders as he jumps through the hole; he’s difficult to take down with just arm tackles.
Claiborne not only impacts the game on the ground, but he is also viewed as a big-time returner. He averaged 26.7 yards per return and took two all the way to the end zone. With the NFL’s new kickoff rules, this only adds to his value as a draft prospect.
Claiborne brings one of the most dynamic skillsets of any RB draft prospect. His receiving ability also adds to his immediate value; he had a high catch rate and just two drops. This, combined with his great rushing capabilities and elite return capabilities, gives an NFL team everything they would want and need.
Claiborne has been underrated throughout this whole college season and will be a steal for any front office willing to spend a mid-round pick. His skill set makes him one of the most intriguing picks who can start in the NFL soon after being drafted. Claiborne deserves to have much more hype leading up to April.
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