Colts select Marlon Mack, RB, South Florida (Merge)

[BlueCollarColts]

From USF. Love it.

[BlueShoe]

5'11" 213

 

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2017/profiles/marlon-mack?id=2558123

 

Lot of happy Colts fans right now.

[Dark Superman]

YESSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111111

[Dark Superman]

Wanted this guy for two months!!

[UKColt13]

Really nice pick.

[JColts72]

Great pick.

[James]

Great pick by Ballard.

 

Good situation for Mack to learn from Frank.

[Kyle]

This is the first time in years I have felt we are killing it in the draft. 

 

A+

[KB]

Good compliment to gore and turning. I have wanted him for a bit now. Up to him how high we draft a RB next year

[jameszeigler834]

Just now, Kyle said:

This is the first time in years I have felt we are killing it in the draft. 

 

A+

A lot of awesome picks.

[Hoosiernsavga]

I wanted Mack with our initial 4th rd pick. So we traded down still got him and picked up an extra 5th rd pick. I'm stoked :).

 

[LJpalmbeacher2]

YES! YES! YES!!!

Of the non-Top Tier RB's he's been my Fav for months.

Finally a Big Play RB for us.

[LJpalmbeacher2]

3 minutes ago, I'm Negan said:

Wanted this guy for two months!!

 

Me too.

[GwinnettColt]

I like this pick.  We got him at the right time.

[ReMeDy]

Grigson sitting on his couch, eating popcorn, thinking, "Finally Ballard went offense. Took him long enough. Now where is the WR?"

[CamMo]

Oh yeah, this is good.

[Creekside]

6 minutes ago, Kyle said:

This is the first time in years I have felt we are killing it in the draft. 

 

A+

 

I was just thinking the same thing......I don't remember being this optimistic with draft picks....

[Coltsfanforlife12]

Just watched a highlight tape of him.  He looks to be Frank Gore with break away speed!  Very excited about this!!

[stitches]

I love the potential here. I don't know if he will be great between the tackles runner, but he has exciting speed and burst and nice cut ability.

 

 

[funktacious2]

11 minutes ago, LJpalmbeacher said:

YES! YES! YES!!!

Of the non-Top Tier RB's he's been my Fav for months.

Finally a Big Play RB for us.

Same! This weekend has been like Christmas as a kid.

 

I'm so stoked and we still have 2 picks to go!

[indyagent17]

16 minutes ago, Kyle said:

This is the first time in years I have felt we are killing it in the draft. 

 

A+

YEP

[funktacious2]

Just now, stitches said:

I love the potential here. I don't know if he will be great between the tackles runner, but he has exciting speed and burst and nice cut ability.

 

 

Yep, I think he'll be more of a "slasher" than a bruiser, so he may always be part of a tandem, but I think he has great potential in our offense! Who knows until we see what we really have, though!

[stitches]

Scouting report

https://www.profootballfocus.com/draft-pff-scouting-report-marlon-mack-rb-south-florida/

 

Quote

 

Name: Marlon Mack

School: South Florida

Position fit: Running back

Stats to know: In 2016, 52.3 percent of Mack’s 1,182 rushing yards came on his 15 runs of 15-plus yards, the fifth-highest breakaway percentage among draft-eligible running backs with at least 90 carries.

What he does best:

• One of the best pure athletes in the running back draft class.
• Outstanding acceleration and change of direction, fast enough to rattle off big runs.
• Strings moves together exceptionally well. Utilizes stiff arm to keep distance from defenders and extend runs
• Experience with inside zone-, power-, and counter-blocking schemes out of a shotgun, spread offense.
• Showed improvement as a receiver over his college career. In 2016, he was utilized mainly on screens when lined up out wide, giving him space to make the first defender miss.
• Capable of creating his own yardage at every level.

Biggest concerns:

• Can be indecisive and dance in the backfield, tries to do too much.
• Far more willing to bounce runs outside than take on defenders on inside runs.
• Rather than cut his losses or just get what he can, he too often completely reverses field. Can lead to the occasional big play, but also causes him to lose even more yards.
• Sometimes will also bounce even when he’s not forced, which caused blockers to lose leverage and get called for holding as defenders changed direction.
• Fumbled 12 times in three years, one of the higher fumble rates in the draft class. Ball security gets more lax the further downfield he gets and/or after he changes from one arm to another
• Limited experience in pass pro in recent seasons.

Bottom line: Mack’s greatest asset is his athletic ability. His speed, acceleration, and quick change of direction always make him a threat to break off a big run. However, it is also a double-edged sword for Mack. He’s too quick to bounce runs outside and runs east-west too often. While those do lead to some of his biggest runs, there are more times where he gains nothing extra and may have actually gained more yards by just taking on a single defender in the hole or at the second level. He needs to create a better feel for when to bounce and when to stick inside. His athleticism made it work in college more than expected, but that works far less often in the NFL against better athletes and more disciplined defenders, particularly when completely reversing field. Mack won’t be a lead back unless he learns to be more willing to keep and finish runs inside. He also needs to show better ball security or teams may be less keen to give him the ball.

 

 

[Stephen]

Mack was one of my top picks at rb along with hooker at safety. Great draft. I also had eyes on jarrad davis and tjwatt but both got picked

[AlanNC]

Great pick Mr. Ballard!

[Stephen]

11 minutes ago, Coltsfanforlife12 said:

Just watched a highlight tape of him.  He looks to be Frank Gore with break away speed!  Very excited about this!!

He is like david johnson

[RomanianColtsFan]

I need to read about RAS, no idea what it means. I noticed that he has same number of  bench presses as C. McCaffrey.

Anyway, I'd watch highlights of this guy runs all day.

[MackAttack]

[throwing BBZ]

Compares to Dennard Robinson?  Great!

[NewColtsFan]

 

Couldn't be happier....       Love this pick!

 

He's a true change of pace back....    he's not like Gore or Turbin....

 

We now have a home-run hitter out of the backfield....     not every team has that....

 

Well done Chris Ballard!

[Fluke_33]

if only the nfl network was playing "return of the mack" like a few years ago.

[Austin Leonard]

im not sure where the denard robinson comparison comes from,maybe atheltic ability but hes a much more polished runner

[ColtsBlueFL]

MARLON MACK–SOUTH FLORIDA
5113|213 lbs|3JR Sarasota, Fla. (Booker) 3/7/1996 (age 21) #5
MEASUREABLES Arm: 32 | Hand: 09 | Wingspan: 76 5/8
COMBINE 40-YD: 4.50 | 10-YD: 1.55 | 20-YD: 2.61 | BP: 15 | VJ: 35 1/2 | BJ: 10’05”
PRO DAY N/A (positional drills only)
A three-star running back recruit out of high school, Mack was named the defensive player of the year as a senior safety at Booker, but he wished to stay on offense and originally committed to UCLA before switching to South Florida, deciding to stay close to home. He immediately earned the starting running back role as a true freshman and started all 12 games, rushing for 1,041 yards and nine scores, earning First Team All-AAC honors. Mack started 12 games as a sophomore and set career-bests with 1,381 yards, setting a school-record with nine 100-yard performances to earn First Team All-Conference honors. For the third straight season, he earned First Team All-AAC honors and led the team in rushing with 1,187 yards and a personal-best 15 touchdowns. With Willie Taggart leaving for the Oregon head coaching job, Mack also decided to leave school early, entering the 2017 NFL Draft.
STRENGTHS: Adios speed to win the corner, bounce runs outside and out-race defenders…second level burst to turn on the jets once he beats the first wave…crazy legs to maneuver through the defense like a distraught cabbie in rush hour traffic…excellent short-area quickness and composed footwork to put his foot in the ground and redirect…easily transitions his weight to dart between open spaces…deceiving body strength to forcefully run through arm tackles…trusts his vision to find open spaces…ingrained work ethic from his blue collar parents…steady production the last three seasons and leaves South Florida as the school’s all-time leading rusher (3,609) – also holds the USF records for 100-yard rushing performances (20), all-purpose touchdowns (33) and all-purpose yardage (4,107).
WEAKNESSES: Lacks ideal bulk and body armor on his frame…runs tough, but offers minimal run power to consistently break through overcrowding at the line of scrimmage…lacks commitment or patience between the tackles and prefers to turn runs outside…holds the ball loose from his frame and needs to better secure the rock – 12 fumbles the past three seasons…inconsistent snaring balls away from his body as a receiver…willing, but very raw in pass protection with undeveloped base strength and hand technique…undersized frame leads to durability concerns – missed one game as a junior due to a sore neck/shoulder (Sept. 2016) and one game as a sophomore due to a strained hamstring (Oct. 2015)…averaged 18.1 offensive touches per game in college and wasn’t a high-volume grinder.
SUMMARY: A three-year starter at South Florida, Mack was consistently productive for the Bulls with three straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons, averaging 6.2 yards per rush over his career – leaves USF with 14 program records. He is at his best on stretch and outsize zone designed runs, using his sudden acceleration and controlled feet to bounce between open spaces and race downfield. Mack doesn’t have ideal build, power or patience as an inside runner and is quick to freelance and break runs outside. But that is where he is best on tape, using his instant speed to get east-west and burst outside the hashes. Mack isn’t built to take steady punishment as a feature NFL runner, but he projects as a dynamic scatback – his NFL playing time trajectory will depend on his development as a blocker, receiver and fumbler.

[LJpalmbeacher2]

30 minutes ago, Coltsfanforlife12 said:

Just watched a highlight tape of him.  He looks to be Frank Gore with break away speed!  Very excited about this!!

 

I can't agree Mack being like Gore. Mack Loves to bounce to the outside and then just hit it upfield. A inside runner is a good compliment to Mack. Gore/Turbin , I think fill that bill.

[lester]

Is there concern with his fumbles - will he lose his job before he gets a chance to do anything? Or is this something than can be taught?

[RockThatBlue]

RB of the future.

[TheBlueAndWhite]

He rins more like lesean mccoy imo

[Coltsfanforlife12]

15 minutes ago, LJpalmbeacher said:

 

I can't agree Mack being like Gore. Mack Loves to bounce to the outside and then just hit it upfield. A inside runner is a good compliment to Mack. Gore/Turbin , I think fill that bill.

I was referring to his physicality and ability to break tackles once hit.  I agree he like sit outside but, when he's out there he's hard to bring down.

[Architects08]

Heavy sigh 

[ricker182]

He dances in the backfield WAY too much.  

  

He can only be used as an outside runner or receiving back (if he can catch).  

  

Still need a guy that can pound it between the tackles to replace Gore whenever he's gone.