Joe McKnight: NFL Draft Profile

We’ll take a look at USC running back Joe McKnight as he enters the 2010 NFL Draft.  We’ll examine his strengths/weaknesses, college career and our expectations for his upcoming NFL career.

Strengths

• Versatility: McKnight catches the ball well out of the backfield with 66 receptions in three years at Southern Cal.  His blocking skills are also respectable and should serve him well as he enters the pro game
• Acceleration: Along with his impressive top-end speed, his initial burst through the front seven along with his ability to beat defensive players to the edge are both outstanding qualities to have in the league
• Elusive: McKnight consistently showed qualities that Barry Sanders possessed in his playing days.  He has the inherent ability to juke defensive players with ease.  As long as he consistently moves forward and doesn’t dance too much in the backfield, then this trait will serve him well in the NFL

Weaknesses

• Inconsistency: At times, McKnight has the capability to be the best player on the field, whereas at other times, he can be a significant liability with a history of questionable ball security
• Character concerns: After a scandal involving the improper use of an automobile with alleged recruiting violations at Southern Cal, it’s only natural that NFL franchises will question McKnight’s character.  With his success in the NFL questionable, he better pray that character concerns don’t affect him while he is in the league because the team will not hesitate to “pull the plug” quickly if McKnight slips to the 3^rd round on draft day
• Toughness: McKnight was often injured in 2008 with a multitude of nagging injuries throughout the season.  He doesn’t break tackles and gets knocked around easily in the trenches

(All statistical information obtained from Wikipedia.com and ESPN.com)

After being dubbed “the next Reggie Bush,” expectations were high before McKnight’s college career began at USC.  Unfortunately for McKnight, the hype he received never reached fruition as health concerns, injuries and fumbling problems derailed what McKnight and Trojan coaches had hoped would be an outstanding stint at Southern Cal.

After his first two years, the Reggie Bush comparisons seemed to be unwarranted, but his junior season turned out to be the year where he impressed coaches with the dazzling agility and versatility that he displayed while attending John Curtis Christian High School in East Louisiana.  McKnight rushed 164 times for 1,039 yards and eight touchdowns; 22 receptions for 146 yards.  While his final season at Southern Cal was not outstanding, it did spike the interest of NFL scouts.

For his career, McKnight totaled 347 rushes for 2,213 yards and 13 touchdowns; 66 receptions for 542 yards and two touchdowns.

McKnight is a tough prospect to judge.  He is an electric athlete and a dynamic playmaker, which every NFL team covets.  When he is in the open field, he is at his best because he anticipates angles very well.

Conversely, his pure rushing skills have come into question over the duration of his career.  He is a one-cut-and-go rusher with little patience and a propensity to bounce it outside before attempting to follow his blockers up the middle.   His vision, ball protection and toughness in the trenches will need to improve for success to be plentiful in the league.

A good fit for McKnight would be in a system where he would take 8-10 carries per game to offset the featured running back on the team. Another potential option could be a punt/kick returner because when healthy, he has top-tier speed.

McKnight’s draft stock is strictly based on potential alone.  His college career was a minor letdown, so that will leave skeptics pondering what McKnight will bring to a faster, stronger NFL game.  With all the off-the-field issues that McKnight has endured, he is unlikely to be selected in the first round.