Woody Marks RB USC | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Woody Marks RB USC
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| ROLE: DUAL-ROLE Back | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 03/10/2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.54 seconds (57%*) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowl Invite: Senior Bowl | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| ROLE: DUAL-ROLE Back | |
| Last Updated: 03/10/2025 | |
| Draft Year: 2025 | |
| 40 time: 4.54 seconds (57%*) | |
| Bowl Invite: Senior Bowl | |
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SHARE THIS PROFILE:
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| Overall Rating: | 82.4 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
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78% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Rushing: |
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83% |
| Break Tackles: |
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64% |
| Receiving/Hands: |
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73% |
| Pass Blocking: |
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53% |
| Run Blocking: |
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61% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
6th
Overall Rank:
#175
Position rank:
#21
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| College Games: 56 College Snaps: 2313 | ||
ESPN RATING: 83/100
College Combine Results
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247 RATING: 94/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.8 (95%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Tyjae Spears - Tulane |
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83% |
| Zonovan Knight - NC State |
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78% |
| Sean Tucker - Syracuse |
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74% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Woody Marks took the long road to becoming an NFL prospect, developing his craft through four productive seasons at Mississippi State before transferring to USC for his final collegiate campaign. Born December 29, 2000, the 5'10", 207-pound back arrived in Starkville as a four-star talent from Carver High School in Georgia, where he dominated with over 6,000 career rushing yards and 59 touchdowns. His high school production carried over immediately to the SEC, where he established himself as a pass-catching weapon from day one.What makes Marks unique is his remarkable consistency and durability throughout his collegiate journey. He appeared in 56 games with 32 starts, missing just one contest in five seasons. He leaves college with an astounding 214 receptions, including a stretch of 45 consecutive games with a catch – the longest active streak in the nation. At Mississippi State, he rewrote the record books, setting new marks for receptions by a running back (214) and receiving yards by a back (1,225), showcasing his dual-threat capabilities that translated perfectly to his final season at USC.
During his 2024 campaign with the Trojans, Marks averaged an impressive 5.7 yards per carry while continuing to display the reliable hands that made him such a versatile weapon throughout his career. His production was consistent across all five collegiate seasons, accumulating 1,883 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns on the ground along with 1,546 receiving yards and 5 scores through the air.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Dispalys exceptional patience behind blockers, allowing plays to develop before decisively hitting running lanes – showed this consistently against top SEC competition throughout his career.
- Possesses elite receiving skills rarely seen from the position – smooth route runner with natural hands who transitions instantly from catch to runner without breaking stride.
- Changes direction with sudden, explosive cuts that leave second-level defenders grasping at air – his footwork in tight spaces is like watching a technical boxer work.
- Accelerates through holes with impressive burst, quickly reaching top gear once he identifies daylight – can turn 4-yard gains into 15-yard chunks in an instant.
- Ball security is exceptional with just one fumble on 608 career carries – treats the football like a precious gem even through traffic.
- Demonstrates advanced vision when working gap schemes, showing patience then exploding through creases that materialize between defenders.
- Runs with calculated tempo, setting up blocks masterfully before shifting into another gear – plays chess while defenders play checkers.
- Creates missed tackles with subtle shoulder fakes and devastating jab steps that leave linebackers frozen and off-balance in the hole.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Age is a significant concern as he'll turn 25 during his rookie season – already approaching the back half of typical RB prime years before taking his first NFL snap.
- Lacks the lower body power to consistently break arm tackles or move piles forward – goes down too easily when contacted below the waist.
- Pass protection technique needs refinement – too often drops his head on contact and doesn't utilize proper hand placement against blitzing linebackers.
- Doesn't possess true home-run speed to outrun defensive backs in the open field – will create big plays but rarely house calls from distance.
- Appears overmatched when facing downhill linebackers in protection, lacking the anchor strength to absorb and redirect power rushers effectively.
Scouting Report: Summary
Marks brings a dynamic skill set to the modern NFL game where versatile backs have become increasingly valuable. The tape reveals a runner with natural instincts in space who can create mismatches against linebackers in coverage while offering enough as a ball-carrier to keep defenses honest. His vision and timing in zone schemes allow him to maximize available yardage, making him particularly effective in offenses that prioritize horizontal stretch concepts.On third downs, Marks will immediately contribute with his exceptional receiving ability and elusiveness after the catch. His understanding of defensive leverage paired with quick decision-making makes him dangerous on option routes and screens. The concerns about his age and limited power between the tackles suggest a complementary role rather than featured duty, but his skill set perfectly rounds out a backfield committee where he can specialize in passing situations.
What separates Marks from similar prospects is his proven production against elite competition and his remarkable consistency as both a runner and receiver. While he definitely won't be the first back off the board, his immediate impact potential exceeds what many might expect. NFL offenses that emphasize creating space and manipulating defensive matchups will find Marks to be a valuable weapon who contributes meaningful snaps from day one as a slashing change-of-pace back with third-down upside.
Written By:
Lennox Tate
Woody Marks percentiles vs other Running Backs (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate Woody Marks (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
185.4
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
21.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.