Andrew Beard

Physical Profile

Listed at 5-10, 195 lbs. Taller than 21% and heavier than 29% of 2027 Running Back prospects in the SEC Scouts database (24 with a listed size).

Play Style

On film he looks like a patient zone runner. He presses the line, keeps his shoulders square, waits for a crease, then commits with one hard cut and gets downhill. He does not dance or waste steps behind the line, and he runs with good forward lean so he usually falls forward for extra yards. He uses his first-step burst to get through the line and into the second level. He is effective on screens, swing routes and routes from the slot, and he tracks the ball well over his shoulder. 247 compared him to Jordan James (Oregon), a smaller, creative, productive back who wins with vision and balance rather than size or pure speed. He is most dangerous on inside and outside zone and on cutback runs against over-pursuing defenses.

Strengths

• Vision and patience: coach Jon Richt called his one-cut movements 'pretty exceptional.' He lets blocks develop, reads the flow, then plants and goes downhill without wasting steps. Ivins said he quickly spots cutback lanes.
• Proven production: 1,937 rushing yards and 21 TDs at 8.7 yards per carry as a sophomore, then roughly 1,260-1,292 yards and 12-13 TDs (about 8 yards per carry) as a junior, with 16 career 100-yard games over those two seasons. As a senior he ran for about 215 yards and 3 TDs against Greater Atlanta Christian and was averaging about 174 yards per game early in 2026.
• Three-down receiving value: 32 catches for 525 yards and 5 TDs as a sophomore, and 29-31 catches for 435-450 yards and 5 TDs as a junior. That is roughly 15 yards per catch, so he is a real receiving option out of the backfield, not just a dump-off target. This supports 247's 'three-down upside' projection.
• Balance and yards after contact: his low center of gravity lets him bounce off arm tackles and keep his feet through traffic. Ivins described him as a back who 'constantly finds yardage,' and Richt said he can turn a 3-4 yard run into 10-12.

Areas to Improve

• Long speed: Ivins wrote that he 'will break into the secondary with his initial burst, but isn't going to win every foot race.' His 4.52 forty means SEC safeties will catch him from behind on some runs that went the distance in high school, so he needs to improve his sprint mechanics and top speed.
• Pass protection: at his size, picking up SEC blitzers is what earns a back third-down snaps. He needs to learn blitz recognition and keep his hands inside to stay on the field on passing downs.
• Durability and workload: a preseason ankle injury cost him the 2026 opener. He should add mass carefully so his 197-pound frame can handle SEC contact without losing his burst.

College Projection

He should join a committee right away as a change-of-pace and receiving back, getting situational snaps as a true freshman in 2027 (screens, third-down routes if his pass protection holds up, and some kick returns). His balance and route-running make an early role likely even if he isn't the starter. By his second or third season, after adding 8-10 pounds, he projects as a lead back or co-starter in a two-back rotation. A reasonable peak is 900-1,200 all-purpose yards per season.

NFL Outlook

He projects as a mid-round (Day 2-3) prospect if he stays healthy. NFL teams value backs who can catch and pass-protect, and his vision, balance and receiving production fit that profile. What limits his draft ceiling is his size (about 5-10) and his lack of top-end speed. To move above that range he would need a good college timed speed and consistent explosive plays against SEC defenses. His most likely path is a rotational NFL role as a third-down or complementary back, with a ceiling as a starter in a zone scheme.

Best Fit

A zone-blocking, spread offense that uses its backs in the passing game, which is what he is committed to under Jon Sumrall at Florida. Programs that rotate backs and feature screens, swing routes and routes from the slot get the most from his vision and receiving skills. He would be less suited to a power or gap-scheme offense that wants a 220-pound workhorse to carry 25 times a game.