Wednesday, March 15, 2017

2017 NFL Draft Profile: Elijah McGuire

Elijah McGuire, Louisiana-Lafayette
5-10, 214
McGuire was a four year player for the Ragin' Cajuns. As a freshman, he was the second leading rusher on the team with 863 yards and eight TDs on 103 carries. He averaged 7.92 carries per game, and 8.38 yards per carry. He also added 22 receptions for 384 yards and three scores as a receiver, making him the third best receiver on the team.
As a sophomore, McGuire finished with 1264 yards as the rushing leader on the team. He scored 14 times on 166 carries, and averaged 7.61 yards per carry on just 12.61 carries per game. He was the second leading receiver on the team with 45 catches for 468 yards and two scores.
As a junior, McGuire ran for 1047 yards on 209 carries, and scored 13 times. He averaged 17.42 carries per game, a career high, but dropped to 5.01 YPC. He fell to fourth on the team in receiving, with a line of 34-304-3.
As a senior, McGuire was hampered by a foot injury, and rushed for 1127 yards on 232 carries. He scored just seven times, and averaged 17.85 carries per game, with a career low 4.86 YPC. He finished fourth on the team once again as a receiver, with a line of 29-238-2.
The Good
Finished with over 4000 yards rushing.
Sun Belt freshman of the year.
Conference player of the year as a sophomore.
Highly productive back who is also a very good receiver out of the backfield.
Can return punts.
Solid ball security guy who limits turnovers.
Thick lower body with power to churn away.
Excellent cut back ability.
Can line up in the slot, and is a solid route runner as a receiver.
The Bad
Does not have excellent body control at all times.
Field vision is average, and eyes are not always in the right place.
Will not allow blockers to set up, and will outrun his blocks.
Solid receiver, but poor pass blocker.
Will not break tackles easily, and does not run with a ton of power.
Good speed, but not great, and does not possess multiple gears.
Seems to be more productive the less he is used.
There is a lingering concern over a foot injury that may have hampered him as a senior.
Final Overview
McGuire is a back that lacks a complete package on any given level. It seems that the more that is asked of him, the more he drops off in play. He is best utilized as a special teams guy, rather than being identified as a running back that can crack a starting lineup. He is worth a shot, but he is going to have to do some work on the next level. Definite late round pick, but I would not be shocked to see him fall off the board into UFA territory.

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