L.J. Scott 2019 NFL Draft Profile

L.J. Scott 2019 NFL Draft Profile

Early in his college career, Michigan State running back L.J. Scott was a highly thought of NFL draft prospect. Ranked 93rd overall in his high school class by ESPN, Scott was a four-star recruit from Hubbard High School in Ohio. A finalist for Ohio’s Mr. Football honor, Scott landed in East Lansing and became a Spartan in 2015.

Scott burst onto the scene as a freshman handling 146 carries and scoring 11 touchdowns in 2015. His draft stock would only go up from here, as he set a career best in rushing yards in 2016 with 994. Yet Scott’s current draft projections are more based upon his 2017 and 2018 seasons. 2017 saw a decline in his rushing total to 898 yards. While this certainly was not enough to drop him too far in terms of draft stock, his 2018 was. Scott was plagued by a number of injuries and missed so much time he would have qualified for a redshirt year had he not played in the Spartans bowl game. Still, Scott played and went on to declare for the 2019 NFL Draft.

Strengths

versatility as a pass catcher – still has not reached ceiling this department;

a willing pass blocker;

stiff arm packs a respectable punch;

patience is good and does not panic when the initial read is not there;

does a good job allowing blockers to get into position;

start/stop ability is above average.

Weaknesses

hesitant at times especially when contact is imminent;

does not have elite burst to get through holes;

susceptible to mental lapses in interior blitz pickup;

needs to be more decisive on outside runs;

leg drive is average – will limit effectiveness on the goal line and in short yardage situations;

does not break tackles enough to be a consistent home run threat;

limited lateral quickness.

NFL Comparison: Rod Smith

Projection: fifth to seventh round

Bottom Line

Scott is a player who has yet to live up to his immense potential. With limited lateral quickness, it is hard to imagine Scott emerging as a three-down back in the NFL. However, Scott’s ability as a pass catcher and effective north-south runner can be appealing to teams looking for a role-playing third down back. Think of the role Rod Smith of the Dallas Cowboys plays in relation to Ezekiel Elliott. A team will take a flyer on Scott late in the draft and may see some production on third downs or in the event of an injury.