Former Miami Hurricanes RB Travis Homer expected to be NFL Special teams ace

Former Miami Hurricanes running back Travis Homer is going to have to make it as a special teams ace if he is going to make the Seattle Seahawks roster. Seattle drafted Homer in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draft on Saturday.

Travis Homer was an incredibly versatile running back in three years with the Miami Hurricanes. Homer was an exceptional special teams player and excellent all-around running back in college. He the former Oxbridge Academy star was Miami’s leading rusher in each of the last two seasons.

Homer is going to have to show his prowess on special teams to make the Seattle Seahawks roster. Seattle goes four deep at running back. Chris Carson ran for over 1,100 yards with the Seahawks in 2018. Homer posted back to back 900-yard seasons with Miami the last two years.

Homer’s stellar showing at the NFL Combine garnered a low of attention. It’s surprising based on his numbers in Indianapolis that Homer was not selected higher. Homer was selected higher than his rank of the 255th best player in the draft according to ESPN. He was the 31st pick of the sixth round, 205th pick overall.

Scouts seemed concerned with Homer’s 5’10 height. Homer proved he has excellent speed and athleticism. With the logjam of running backs in Seattle it difficult to see him making an impact in the running game in the Pacific Northwest. He will likely make a bigger impact on special teams if he makes the roster.

Homer had to wait his turn at Miami. As a freshman in 2016 Homer was fourth on the depth chart. He became a star on special teams. Homer had seven carries for 44 yards his freshman season. As a Sophomore Homer moved up to second-string in 2017. After Mark Walton suffered a season-ending injury Homer became first-string.

Homer was a leader of the Hurricanes offense the last two seasons. He finished his Miami career with 1,995 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. Homer added 37 receptions for 405 yards receiving and another touchdown. He also had 22 tackles and two fumble recoveries. Ten of those tackles came in 2018.

Homer continued to play on special teams last season despite entering his second season as the starting running back for the Miami Hurricanes. Homer was quoted by Christy Chirinos of the Sun-Sentinel regarding his love of special teams.

"“I hope I get to do that at the next level. I think special teams is a fun thing to play. I love special teams…My game can translate anywhere. I’m willing to do whatever is needed.”"

ESPN highlights Homer’s strengths in its summary of him after he was selected. Homer was lauded for doing a lot of things well, but not having one exceptional skill stand out.

"“Homer has average height, below-average bulk and excellent top-end speed. He’s an effective cutback runner with good feet running between the tackles.He shows a noticeable burst through the hole and he’s a threat when he gets a seam, but he’s not as much of a breakaway threat as his timed speed would suggest. He’s an above-average pass blocker who steps up and meets defenders at the line of scrimmage.”"

Homer’s all-around football skills will help him have a good NFL career. He can do everything expected of a running back, plus being an exceptional special teams player. Homer has also been a leader and captain of the Miami Hurricanes offense and special teams the last two seasons.

The Seattle Seahawks might not be the best team for Homer to go to make an impact as a running back. Homer has proven he can contribute on special teams and be an ideal teammate while waiting for a chance to contribute on offense.