Cam Skattebo ‘could get away from a baby hippo’ at current stage of recovery

The hippopotamus is one of the most well-known and fearsome animals living on the planet. Despite carrying a body weight of up to three tons, full-grown and baby hippos can run as fast as 19 miles per hour when on land.

Such a fact is not only a mind-blowing reminder of nature’s wonders, but the current benchmark of where New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo is in his injury recovery process.

“I can get away from like a baby hippo maybe, but that’s about it,” Skattebo said on the Rich Eisen Show.

💻 @camskattebo5

How is the #NYGiants running back feeling after his mid-season ankle injury? And what was it like meeting John Harbaugh for the first time?#NFL #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/c5PP0buSsz

— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) March 11, 2026

The Sun Devil of two seasons was selected in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft by the New York Giants after he helped Arizona State reach the College Football Playoff and finished as a first-team All-American in 2024.

Despite making an immediate impact with over 600 total yards and seven combined touchdowns in eight games, Skattebo suffered a dislocated ankle in late October that caused him to miss the remainder of his rookie season.

Right before the remark about outrunning a baby hippo, he specified that he had re-incorporated running into his rehab regimen on March 11 at about “75%” speed, which, in his words, is “a little bit over a jog.”

Skattebo also stated that he is on track to participate in both organized team activities and training camp despite needing another month before he can be considered fully healthy.

Whether he knows it or not, being able to outpace a baby hippo is a sign that the running back’s recovery from such a severe injury is on the right track.

If this hypothetical scenario ever played out in real life, Skattebo better hope he can reach such speed considering that a baby hippo is usually right next to the mother.

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