Marshawn Lloyd, RB, USC (Junior)
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Valentin
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Strengths :
- explosiveness
- Speed
- Agility
- Big plays ability
- Ability to lower the shoulder
- Potential in the receiving game
Weaknesses :
- Size
- High center of gravity
- Contact balance
- Ball security
- Vision ?
RB Marshawn Lloyd
— Valentin (@ScoutValentin) March 3, 2024
Imo he is the most talented RB in this class and has a high ceiling BUT his ball protection is very concerning.
He has the potential to be a big reception weapon and a big play machine on the ground with his great athleticism but he needs to work on his vision. pic.twitter.com/jOjDMJeLKW
TTProfil
Marshawn Lloyd has a smaller-than-average stature for the position, a trait that has become somewhat more common in the NFL in recent years. He is an explosive athlete with excellent acceleration and solid speed, capable of reaching the third level (deep) and creating big plays. His agility and quickness should not be underestimated, nor should his power, despite his smaller size, which is compensated for by his ability to lower the shoulder and his aggressiveness.
Marshawn has good footwork with light and aggressive feet, and excellent lateral agility, allowing him to make side cuts in the backfield and thrive in a zone scheme. His direction changes are smooth thanks to his footwork. His vision and patience are inconsistent; he struggles to consistently identify developing holes in front of him and tends to bounce to the outside. This could be due to USC's offensive line's inability to open A and B gaps. However, when he can read his offensive line, he bursts through the gap with impressive acceleration, making him a big-play threat. Due to his relatively high center of gravity, he lacks elite ability to attack inside as he can be brought down easily and needs to work on lowering his center of gravity. Even though he can lower his shoulder, this limits his ability to gain yards after contact.
Marshawn Lloyd has shown very promising abilities in the receiving game, possessing good hands and a smooth transition from receiver to runner. However, his route tree is not extensively developed, and his utilization in the passing game has been limited, but I believe he has the technical skills to significantly expand his range of routes. He is also a significant threat with the ball in hand, thanks to his athletic qualities and vision, but once again, his ball protection needs attention. Marshawn Lloyd's ball security is mediocre to concerning. He does a good job protecting the ball with his second arm when lowering his shoulder, but in most other situations, his elbow appears too far from his body, providing an opportunity for opposing defenders to target the ball. He has been credited with 10 fumbles over three seasons by ESPN. He really needs to improve in this area; otherwise, he won't see much playing time despite his talents.
It's challenging to get a clear understanding of Lloyd's pass protection level. Primarily, I've observed cut blocks and, on a few reps, blocking with good technique, but the material is too scant. He seems to put effort and aggressiveness into this aspect of the game but will need to gain experience to face the NFL's top defensive linemen effectively.
Marshawn Lloyd, in my view, is the running back with the most potential in his draft class. The comparison to Aaron Jones, which I find apt for once, highlights this potential. Lloyd's measurements and athletic abilities are almost identical in many aspects, and his strengths and weaknesses are also very similar to Aaron Jones, except for stiff-arm capability and contact balance as an NFL prospect. I believe that if Marshawn's development goes well, and especially if he improves his ball protection, we could see him approaching the potential of a top running back in the league, much like the former UTEP running back.
I evaluate Marshawn Lloyd as a 4th-round draft prospect.