Hindsight is 20/20, and looking back at Skattebo's two-year stretch with the Sun Devils, it's safe to say these skills translated to the FBS level.
In his first season playing in the Pac-12, Skattebo carried the ball 164 times for 783 yards (4.8 avg.) and nine touchdowns while adding 24 receptions for 286 yards and another score.
But it was his performance this past season that landed him squarely on the NFL's radar. Skattebo took 293 rush attempts for 1,711 yards, good for an average of 5.8 yards per carry, and 21 touchdowns. The rushing yardage was second in the nation behind only Boise State's Ashton Jeanty. Skattebo also contributed in the passing game, catching 45 passes for 605 yards and three touchdowns. This led to him being named first-team All-American and first-team All-Big 12.
Skattebo was one of only two players in the nation with over 1,000 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards (Syracuse's LeQuint Allen was the other), and the first FBS player to reach 1,500+ rushing yards and 500+ receiving yards in a season since Christian McCaffrey in 2015.
"His lateral quickness is something people don't understand, and especially from his contact," said Aguano. "When he makes contact, his separation from the contact is elite, as well, because he's a strong, strong kid with a good core. But again, lateral quickness, they think that he's going to get hit and next thing you know, we call it "Skat runs." It's supposed to be 3-4 yards because somebody filled it. The next thing you know, he's gone for 20-25 yards because he made an explosive (play)."
It's not just his physicality that makes him so successful on the field.
According to his former position coach, it's also due to his approach to the game.
"What people don't understand about Cam is that he wants to know the why of it," the ASU running backs coach said. "He knows the blocking scheme, he knows the calls, he knows the protection, he knows why that happens, he knows the pressures, the simulated pressures and where they're coming from because he studies the why and he wants to know. He's a guy that asks a lot of questions, but those questions are very intelligent questions because he wants to know 'why do we do it?' He'll challenge you if you don't have an answer to why you do it, because he studies so much of the game."
Despite only transferring to Arizona State as a junior, it didn't take long for Skattebo to take on a leadership role.
Aguano told the Giants Huddle podcast that the talented back went out of his way to help the younger players in the RB room last season, even as he put together an All-American season.
According to his former coach, even though he enjoyed tremendous success last year, Skattebo will enter the NFL with that same underdog mentality he brought when he first arrived in Tempe, Arizona.
"He's intense all the time," said Aguano. "He's actually a very funny guy, but he's an intelligent guy. But once those lights go on, he's ready to play football. He's a big relationship guy. I think in order for people to understand him, he builds relationships, he builds that trust, and then he'll run through a wall for you. He does well in our room because he's taking that leadership role where he'll help out the younger guys. So, he became the leader in that room. He'll wait his turn and play that underdog, and he'll battle every day, until he gets to a spot where he thinks he can compete at a high level."
As for his personality off the field, Aguano has no doubt that Skattebo will fit right in here.
"What you see is what you're going to get," his former coach said. "He's very good out in public with people. He's approachable, he has a great personality. Being in New York, he's going to fit right in. At the same time, you'll love the way he plays. He'll bring that enthusiasm to the game."