Marion Grice RB Arizona State #1
Wt: 207
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[level-2014-scouting-reports]
Size/Athleticism: Adequate measurables and above-average athleticism. Capable of making guys miss in the open field. A decent receiver out of the backfield.
Vision: Vision is adequate but nothing special. He’s basically a one-cut runner. If he has room, he’ll make the first guy miss but doesn’t seem to consistently see the whole field. He maneuvers around the guys directly in front of him, but fails to see the play developing and where the holes will be opening/closing.
Power: Inside running ability falls well short of expectations based on his measurables. He doesn’t break tackles and doesn’t consistently push the pile. Once contact is made, you can bet on him going down almost immediately. The few missed tackles he forces are almost exclusively in the open field when he has the space to juke a defender. He lacks the ability (or maybe simply the desire) to be a short-yardage back.
Speed/Agility: Straight-line speed is adequate but he isn’t a serious home run threat. He has the quick footwork to makes some nice cuts and force missed tackles in the open field but he isn’t the type of shifty runner that can slip through tights holes at the line of scrimmage. His big runs are almost exclusively on the outside, or when hr runs untouched up the middle.
Passing Game: Contributes as a receiver out of the backfield. He runs crisp routes and knows how to get open in the flat as a check down option. He’ll drop some passes and struggles to go up and fight for the ball when challenged, but he shows potential to improve. He gives a decent effort in pass protection, but he’s very inconsistent with his technique. He does a poor job of staying low and using leverage to slow down pass-rushers and often gets easily tossed aside.
Intangibles: Junior college transfer with two years of experience at the D-I level. Starting running back in both years at Arizona State.
Durability: No known issues.
[/level-2014-scouting-reports]
Comments: Grice has some potential as a third-down back but he lacks the power to be a feature back in the NFL. He has a nice combination of size and athleticism, but he plays like a guy who is 5’10”, 190 pounds rather than his actual measurables. In the short term, Grice is little more than a decent backup option but his potential to develop may elevate his stock slightly in the eyes of some teams.
