RealGM

STRENGTHS: Bursty athlete … makes dynamic lateral cuts with the start-stop footwork to make multiple defenders miss … above-average patience and processing, and he uses lockers to his advantage … doesn’t have elite top-end speed but flashes the initial acceleration out of cuts to reach the edges … tough player who strikes squarely because of his agile, well-timed cuts and change-of-direction skills (in tight quarters and in space) … lower-body strength and balance help him regroup and stay afloat when bouncing off contact … his adjustments as a pass catcher show off his loose movements … steady ball skills (one drop in 2023) … the words “determination” and “toughness” are frequently mentioned in his character reviews by coaches and scouts … fewer than 300 carries on his college odometer and wasn’t overused … led his team in rushing each of the last two seasons, at different programs.

WEAKNESSES: Gets bounce-happy at times and passes up workable lanes for the unknown … inconsistent pad level and forward lean as a finisher and can be knocked backwards at contact … workable frame for the position but doesn’t have run-through power in his hips/legs … fumbled eight times in college, including three times in 2023 … wasn’t asked to be a volume runner at USC and had more games with single-digit carries (six) than double-digit (five) in 2023 … has some rough reps on tape in pass protection … very little special-teams experience … durability will be questioned after he missed time in each of his four college seasons, including with a torn ACL in his left knee (August 2020), which forced him to redshirt during his first season at South Carolina; missed three games as a sophomore because of a “deep” thigh contusion (October 2022); missed his sophomore season in high school with a broken left arm (August 2017).

SUMMARY: A one-year starter at USC, Lloyd was the top back on the depth chart in head coach Lincoln Riley’s RPO, spread (multiple-run) scheme. After three years at South Carolina, he transferred to the Trojans and had a productive 2023 season (led the team in rushing in 11 of 12 regular-season games), finishing as one of only five FBS running backs to average more than 7.0 yards per carry. With his vision and dynamic cutting skills, Lloyd is a shift y runner with the short-area explosion and lateral agility to leave defenders diving at air (20.87 percent of his carries resulted in a 10-plus-yard gain). He frequently springs free because of the creativity he shows with the ball in his hands, although he relies too much on his east-west options and needs to be more consistent finishing runs. Overall, Lloyd doesn’t have the profile of a high-volume back, but he can spark an NFL offense with his mix of patience, burst and promise as a pass catcher. His tape gives me flashbacks of a
thicker version of Duke Johnson when he was coming out of Miami

GRADE: 3rd Round (No. 91 overall)

ReasonablySober wrote:That's a real interesting one. I didn't think they would go RB this early.

Saban just called him his 2nd favorite back in the draft.

HKPackFan wrote:A year of seasoning and he could replace Dillion next year.

HKPackFan wrote:A year of seasoning and he could replace Dillion next year.

HKPackFan wrote:A year of seasoning and he could replace Dillion next year.

ReasonablySober wrote:

HKPackFan wrote:A year of seasoning and he could replace Dillion next year.

I would hope he gets Dillon's reps this year if you're drafting a RB in the third.

ReasonablySober wrote:

HKPackFan wrote:A year of seasoning and he could replace Dillion next year.

I would hope he gets Dillon's reps this year if you're drafting a RB in the third.

Ron Swanson wrote:Interesting pick. My only concern was his durability. He's small, but so was/is Aaron Jones. Jeremiah having him as his #1 overall RB ahead of Brooks is pretty surprising, but if his body holds up I like him just as much if not more than Benson, Davis, Wright, Shipley, etc.