Scouting Report: Weaknesses

• Limited production as a receiver out of the backfield with just 30 career receptions for 247 yards – needs to expand route tree beyond simple check-downs and flares.
• Sometimes relies too heavily on power rather than leveraging his agility, missing opportunities to make defenders miss in space with subtle movements.
• Pass protection technique remains a work in progress, as his willingness exceeds his technique with a subpar 44.9% pass blocking grade showing room for substantial improvement.
• Can occasionally get impatient and bounce runs outside prematurely instead of trusting his interior blockers to create space through designed gaps.
• Must prove his production translates to higher competition level after dominating in the AAC before his transfer to face Big Ten defenses.

Scouting Report: Summary

Hughes brings a punishing, compact running style with surprising home-run pop. His elite contact balance allows him to absorb punishment between the tackles while maintaining enough juice to break into the open field. What jumps off the screen isn't just his power, but the vision to set up blocks and explode through creases. Teams running both gap and zone concepts will value his decisive one-cut ability combined with the raw strength to move piles on critical downs. However, his third-down value remains a significant question mark given his limited receiving production and struggles in pass protection.

For all his dominance with the ball in his hands, Hughes needs significant development as a blocker to earn three-down trust at the next level. His willingness to engage blitzers is there, but the technique remains inconsistent. NFL defensive coordinators will target him in protection until he proves capable. The move to the Big Ten offers the perfect proving ground - can he maintain his tackle-breaking prowess against bigger, faster defenders? The answer will ultimately determine whether he's an early-down hammer or a feature back who rarely leaves the field.

For teams seeking a tone-setting runner who breaks spirits with his refusal to go down, Hughes offers day-one impact potential. His violent running style wears down defenses and creates opportunities in play-action. While he may not offer elite third-down versatility immediately, his natural hands suggest room for growth as a check-down option. The team that drafts Hughes will be getting a runner who brings intensity on every snap and has shown the durability to handle significant workloads. His ceiling depends entirely on his ability to round out the rough edges of his game while maintaining the punishing running style that defines his tape.