The Mississippi State Bulldogs have an incredibly unique offensive structure. How do their wide splits and Air Raid style affect the NFL Draft projection for RB Jo’Quavious Marks, a senior with 480 career touches in his three seasons for the Bulldogs?
Jo’Quavious Marks Draft Profile and Measurements
- Height: 5’10”
- Weight: 210 pounds
- Position: Running Back
- School: Mississippi State
- Current Year: Senior
Marks may not be a household name, but he also didn’t simply materialize at the college level. ESPN, Rivals, 247Sports, and On3 all placed a four-star rating on him coming from Atlanta, Georgia.
At the time, the 5’10”, 190-pound back received offers from 24 schools. He officially visited Florida, Louisville, and Wisconsin, according to Rivals. He was the 133rd-ranked player nationally at his highest (247Sports) and 214th at his lowest (Rivals_. Rivals billed him as an “all-purpose back.”
Seems accurate. In three seasons with Mississippi State, Marks has caught an astonishing 191 passes while toting the rock 289 times. He has started 23 games for the Bulldogs over his three seasons while playing in 36 games. In that time, Marks has only missed one contest.
His 191 receptions leave him only nine shy of the Mississippi State record. While many of his receptions are of the checkdown variety, particular game plans have seen the Bulldogs use him as a weapon in the passing game by creating unique packages of screens and other manufactured receptions to get the ball in his hands in space.
Jo’Quavious Marks Scouting Report
Strengths
- Very elusive laterally
- Sets up defenders well with head and torso angles
- Wide initial cuts and explosive burst downhill
- Natural hands as a pass catcher
- Outstanding pass pro feel and assignment soundness, especially with a lack of opportunities to show it
- Decisive runner
Weaknesses
- Often shy into contact
- One-cut back that struggles to string moves together
- Lacks big-play ability
- Underwhelming overall contact balance
- MSU offense makes processing projection difficult
Current Draft Projection and Summary
Marks is relatively unheralded as a draft prospect at the moment. However, he landed himself on Shrine Bowl and Senior Bowl watch lists while securing the highest BLESTO grade of any Mississippi State upperclassman.
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Although he’s not a home-run hitter and he has a concerning lack of contact balance, what he brings to the table should get him drafted on Day 3 and could get him on the field very early in his NFL career.
Marks’ willingness in pass protection caught my eye first. The consistency he showed catching the ball cemented his status as someone who could make a positive impact on passing downs at the NFL level.