With 2016 NFL Combine is in the rearview mirror, it is time to look at a nice surprise aka former Georgia Bulldog, Keith Marshall, who ran a blazing 4.31 40 yard dash. Many dynasty owners 
might reason that this is a fluke since the former five-star recruit could not beat out Todd Gurley and Nick Chubb. Injuries helped derail his college career, but can he overcome them as a professional. I reviewed a couple highlight reels along with games against UL Monroe and Penn State to get a better feel with what this back can bring to the next level.
RB-Keith Marshall, Georgia 5′ 11″ 219 lbs.
Cons: This runner has sustained multiple knee injuries that ended several seasons. Backs can come back from injuries, but how many more can he sustain without losing his explosiveness? The injuries also cost him experience as Marshall has only started one out of a possible nineteen games played. In those 19 contests, he got more third down and fourth quarter work than anything else. Can this former Bulldog handle the workload of an NFL back? Marshall also seems to have lost some of his power and played a bit hesitant, perhaps due to his multiple injuries. Will he be more of a change of pace back? There are a lot more questions than answers here.
Pros: Marshall has elite vision that helps him read his blockers and expose cutback lanes. His combine performance demonstrated that he still has amazing speed and explosion despite the knee injuries. The back has good balance and combines that with spins, stiff-arms, jukes, and shakes to break things loose in the open field. Despite his lack of power, he has a nose for the end zone. In the passing game, the runner steps up to attack would-be blitzers while squaring his shoulders and holds his own. When sent out on routes, Marshall shows off his soft hands by catching the ball in stride along with good concentration adjusting to the pigskin in the air. He is very quick on pass patterns and was quite effective on wheel routes. The former Bulldog has some kickoff return experience that might help out an NFL team or a dynasty owner that plays in leagues that score return yardage.
Overall thoughts: Marshall comes with plenty of high marks (vision, speed, passing game), but with a multitude of injury and playing time concerns. While he shouldn’t be viewed as a first or second round rookie pick, this back could be a great prospect to have on your taxi squad. There have been a few college injury prone backs that have gone on to much NFL success like Curtis Martin, so you never know.
Thanks for reading.
You can follow me on Twitter @AndrewMiley and/or the site @Dynasty_Blitz.
