Kalel
Mullings.
Kalel
Mullings.
Michigan· 6'2"· 226 lb
"Mullings spent three years as a Michigan linebacker before moving to running back, and one 948-yard season later he was an NFL draft pick."Pre-draft read
Mullings runs like the linebacker he used to be. At 6-2 and 226 pounds he attacks downhill, lowers his shoulder into contact and consistently falls forward, and he is close to unstoppable in short yardage — 12 touchdowns on 185 carries as a senior reflects how Michigan used him near the goal line.
The finesse elements are undeveloped. His vision is still improving, he does not set up blocks with any subtlety, and lateral agility is not part of his game. He has eight career receptions, so the passing-game role is theoretical, though his linebacker background makes him a natural in pass protection.
Gap and power run scheme that lets him run behind a pulling guard and go straight ahead rather than asking him to read and bounce zone concepts.
Year 1: goal-line back and core special teams. Ceiling: 120-carry early-down back in a committee.
Zone-based passing offense that needs its back to catch 50 balls and win in space.
He is a converted linebacker with one year of offense — the upside is real but so is the rawness.
Kalel Mullings Highlights vs. Minnesota | Michigan Football | 09/28/2024
Kalel Mullings Highlights vs. USC | Michigan Football | 09/21/2024
Kalel Mullings Highlights vs. Fresno State | Michigan Football | 08/31/2024
Mullings carried 235 times for 1,200 yards and 16 touchdowns in his Michigan career, with essentially all of the meaningful production coming in 2024: 185 carries, 948 yards and 12 scores. He caught eight passes total across three seasons on offense.
The appeal is the physical profile and the newness. A 226-pound back with only one full season of carries has genuine developmental runway — the tread on the tires is minimal and the vision should improve simply from repetition. His pass protection is already better than most rookie backs because of the linebacker years.
The limitation is what he is not. He is not a receiving threat, not elusive, and not going to run away from NFL defenders in space. Tennessee is drafting a short-yardage and goal-line specialist who plays special teams and might grow into more. At this stage of the draft, buying a specific skill plus untapped upside is a reasonable bet.
- 01
Punishing short-yardage runner
He scored 12 touchdowns in 2024.
- 02
Prototype power build
He is built at 6-2, 226 pounds with a linebacker's contact mentality.
- 03
Low career mileage
He has accumulated only 235 career carries.
- 04
Advanced pass protection
He exhibits advanced pass protection due to three years on defense.
- 05
Immediate special teams value
His linebacker background provides immediate special teams value.
- 01
Limited college production
He has only one productive season of college running back tape.
- 02
Vision and patience developing
His vision and patience are still developing behind zone blocking schemes.
- 03
Minimal receiving production
He has recorded almost no receiving production with eight career catches.
- 04
Limited lateral agility
He possesses limited lateral agility and cannot make defenders miss in space.
| Yr | Team | G | Att | Yds | TD | Rec | RecYds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Michigan | 9 | 14 | 30 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | Michigan | 11 | 36 | 222 | 1 | 2 | 32 |
| 2024 | Michigan | 12 | 185 | 948 | 12 | 6 | 35 |
| Career | — | 32 | 235 | 1200 | 16 | 8 | 67 |
A dash means the figure is not published by a source we trust — never a zero we invented.
- Colston LovelandTE16%
- Davis WarrenQB14%
- Tyler MorrisWR7%
#3 of 18 tracked contributors · Production leaned on volume · Offense explosiveness 1.11 (p1) · CFBD — usage x PPA per tracked player
Like Tolbert, Mullings could carve out a niche as a hard-nosed short-yardage and goal-line back while providing special teams value.
Mullings shares Murray's size, short-area burst, and power, projecting as a strong early-down contributor and goal-line threat.
Mullings' floor mirrors Washington's, finding a role as a core special teamer with occasional carries in short-yardage situations.
Everything above is the pre-draft evaluation. This section is what actually happened — updated year over year.
Tennessee drafted a short-yardage answer in the sixth round, which is a specific and defensible use of the pick.
The one-year sample is why he was available. Backs with 235 career carries and no receiving profile do not get taken early.
The likely outcome is a roster spot built on special teams and goal-line work, with a chance to grow into a real early-down role if the vision develops. The physical tools justify the patience.