Marshawn Lynch RB 5'11 215 Cal Jr. 4.46

After being heavily recruited out of high school, Lynch paid immediate dividends for the Bears as a true freshman in 2004. Backing up Adimchinobe Echemandu, he averaged 8.8 yards per carry, rushing for 628 yards and eight touchdowns, and added 19 catches for 147 yards and two touchdowns out of the backfield. Taking over as a sophomore last year, Lynch became one of the best backs in the entire country. He ran for 1,246 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground, and caught 15 passes for 125 yards, despite only starting nine games on the year. His rushing totals as a junior were remarkably similar. He ran for 1,245 yards and nine touchdowns, and added 311 yards and four touchdowns on 31 receptions out of the backfield.

Lynch is the total package. He has very good size for a running back, and he is a good interior runner. He attacks the hole, and has the ability to break tackles. Once through the hole, he has the elusiveness to make people miss, and the speed to outrun defenders. Lynch has the big play ability that teams crave, but the steady ability to run between the tackles. He has also shown the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield and make things happen.

It is tough to find faults in Lynch’s game. He is a very well rounded back. If pressed to come up with something, it’s that he is not a pure burner and is not a massive running back.

Marshawn Lynch entered college with a lot of hype, and he has produced to justify it. Lynch is the second best back in the draft, and could hear his name called in the middle of the first round.