2017 NFL Draft Kansas City Chiefs Scouting Report: Marlon Mack
By Ben Almquist
Marlon Mack seems to have become a person of interest at running back for the Kansas City Chiefs in the upcoming draft.
After releasing star running back Jamaal Charles, the Kansas City Chiefs are making it no secret that they are looking for a running back in the upcoming draft. The Chiefs spent a lot of time at the Combine interviewing running backs. One player who seems to be getting some particular interest is South Florida back Marlon Mack.
Despite the departure of Jamaal Charles, the Chiefs will likely still want to use the run game heavily in their offense. However, neither Spencer Ware or Charcandrick West are ideal candidates to carry the load full time for the KC offense. Ware is more of a power back, while West is best described as a “one-cut and go” back. Neither is similar in style to Charles.
The Chiefs need a running back who is capable of moving well laterally to find holes to run through. He needs to be patient enough to find the gap in the defense and then fast enough to exploit it. Though both are talented in their own rights, neither Spencer Ware or Charcandrick West bring that combination.
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Kansas City’s front office is clearly making this a priority. However, that doesn’t mean they will be drafting a player early on. Part of the reason the Chiefs are being so thorough in scouting running backs is that this is a strong class, and players at that position can slip through the cracks. Remember that Jamaal Charles was a third round pick.
Marlon Mack – RB – USF
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To be honest, the first time I watched Marlon Mack, I just kind of glossed over him. I had already formed a short list of running backs I liked for the Chiefs. Then I saw the interest the team was showing, so I gave him a second look. I am so glad I did. If you give this young man an inch, be prepared for him to take the the whole dang mile!
Marlon Mack is a big play waiting to happen. Excellent balance and agility to make defenders miss, with very good explosion and speed to exploit it. Mack shows a nose for the endzone and is a threat to score every time he touches the ball. Averaged 6.8 yards per carry and scored on every 11.6 carries! Shows patience and determination when running, and is incredibly tough to bring down.
There are some issues with Marlon Mack though. The most pressing concern is his ball security as he does tend to get careless in traffic. While Mack shows good patience to pick his hole, he will give up on an inside lane too quickly at times. He tends to not trust his own power and will duck his head into contact rather than looking to run over a defender.
When it comes down to it, Marlon Mack is a tremendous fit for the Kansas City Chiefs offense. There are some concerns, as I’ve mentioned, but they are all coachable offenses and the Chiefs have one of the best. Mack has a ton of potential and I think KC offers him the best opportunity to make the most of it.
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If the Kansas City Chiefs are intent on replacing Jamaal Charles in the draft, I am quickly coming to the belief that Marlon Mack is the best option. If the Chiefs can get another big play threat in the backfield, the offense instantly becomes more dynamic. That will help out the passing game as well and hopefully get the Chiefs to sustain more drives to keep the defense rested. This could be a perfect fit.