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Scouting Report NFL Draft '03 - RB Class
Georgia back Musa Smith Hopes to Follow Bulldog Running Back Tradition
by Frank Coyle
Courtesy of Draft Insiders Digest
4/14/03


The running back class for the NFL Draft '03 is only an average group this spring despite the addition of several quality underclassmen runners. The senior running back class was one of the weakest groups over the past decade and failed to produce a premier back despite the presence of 2000 yard rusher Larry Johnson. This class saw the only true blue chip prospect back for this draft fall to an injury in January when underclassman Willis McGahee blew out a knee in his final game vs Ohio St. in the national title clash. Surprisingly, he declared to enter the NFL Draft '03 after a knee operation in January. He would have been a top two-three selection on April 26th if healthy, but is currently the wild card prospect of the entire draft after the injury. He tore two knee ligaments which usually means a full year to completely recover to get back to top form before returning to the playing field. Despite a very optimistic prognosis, he has to be considered a back who needs that time to fully recover to become a starting NFL feature back. For the patient club that invests a 2nd or 3rd round selection this year, he could pay huge dividends if healthy for the NFL '04 season. He has the talent to become a special NFL running back.

This class features several other interesting prospects though, that carry a starting NFL grade with none more intriguing than Georgia's Musa Smith. The Bulldog junior declared in January after an impressive '02 season that saw him play an instrumental role in Georgia's first SEC title in twenty years. Smith hopes to follow a rich Bulldog tradition that has produced backs like Herschel Walker, Terrell Davis, Garrison Heart and Olandis Gary who have all become 1000 yard rushers in the NFL. Smith is a big tough back who is quick to the hole with natural running instincts that allow him to put multiple moves together with the ability to run both inside and outside. He checks in at just under 6'1" and a solid 230 + lbs. and he uses his big powerful frame very effectively to run over tacklers, in addition to making them miss. He is capable of breaking a big play with the good speed to go the distance as a runner. At the recent Georgia workout, he ran 4.45 and 4.5 times, in addition to a 38.5" vertical leap. He came up big over his final season after a minor knee injury as a freshman and a broken foot as a sophomore limited his earlier production despite flashing big time running skills vs a high level of competition.

He is a prospect who is capable of surprising as a pro like former Bulldog Terrell Davis who became one of the biggest steals in draft history after being chosen in the 6th round of the '95 NFL Draft. Smith took a major step up over his final season, displaying the game to game toughness and production to become an NFL feature back. He showed the ability and confidence to carry and want the ball as a workhorse back in an offense. During his final season, he was at his best in the most critical contests including the SEC title game vs Arkansas and the Sugar Bowl where he scored the winning TD and won the MVP award. During the '02 season, he averaged over a 100 yards a game and passed the century mark in eight games in a well balanced offense on their way to a 13-1 record and high national ranking. Over the '02 season, he rushed for 1324 yards on 250 carries and a fine 5.3 yard average per attempt. Though not completely developed as a pass catcher, he has shown good hands as a receiver and the ability to get into his routes easily. He did catch 44 passes over his career and with further development in that area, he should be an every down back and most likely as a rookie starter. He is a great goal line runner with the power to run inside and the quickness and speed to get to the corner. Over his short career, he scored 19 TDs as a runner on just 454 carries. He is similar to the Bengals Corey Dillon in size, athleticism and running style and hits the hole very much like the Cincinnati Pro-Bowl runner.

Though not considered a top 50 prospect by most analysts, he is a top 30 prospect on Draft Insiders.com value board and a possible surprise late first round selection. He is capable of being The blue chip runner of this class with the toughness to take his game up a level and become a top NFL feature back. The Cowboys, Redskins and Texans have him on their short list and are hoping to land him in the early 2nd round. He is capable of becoming an impact rookie runner with the critical combination of power; quickness and speed plus the key toughness and Eye of the Tiger to be making a difference quickly as an NFL feature back.

Frank Coyle rated Terrell Davis as the surprise of the NFL Draft '95 class ranking him as the #1 sleeper after an impressive Blue-Gray all-star game that season. Davis went on to rush for over 2000 yards and earned the MVP for the league and the Super Bowl over his career. Davis is currently recovering from a knee injury that has jeopardized his career and forced him to miss the entire '02 NFL season.

Musa Smith #32 - 6'1" 225 LBS - GEORGIA - SP. 4.5 RATING 89
Explosive junior tailback completed an outstanding career in the SEC, which culminated with being named the MVP of the Sugar Bowl this past January. Musa is a big fast running back who finished with an impressive final season, including rushing for 100 yards in 8 of the 13 games he started in. He was instrumental in the Bulldogs first SEC title in 20 years. He is a big physical runner with quick feet and the balance and vision to hit the hole quickly and use his fine power and speed to break the play. He has the good natural running skills necessary to be an NFL feature back, displaying the instincts, quickness, strength, decision-making and speed to be an early pro starter. He is the type of runner who gets into a rhythm over the course of a game and wears down a defense, getting stronger as the game progresses. He has the ability to hit the home run from the line of scrimmage and is similar to the Bengals' Corey Dillon and Packers' Ahman Green in size, running skills and combination of power and speed. He has a big frame, which will allow him to carry over 225 lbs. without sacrificing quickness or speed. He displays very good lower body strength, which allows him to consistently run through tacklers and the cutting skills to make tacklers miss and move quickly laterally. He has the ability to find the soft spots in a defense and hits the hole with both quickness and authority to consistently get to the second level. He is a good cutback runner despite his big frame with the ability to set up defenders well on the perimeter. He does need further development in the passing game after limited experience in that aspect of the offense. He does show sure soft hands as a receiver with the ability to follow blockers in the openfield and break the play. He needs further work on his route running and reading coverage to become more comfortable as a pro receiver, but he has shown all the talents necessary to become a well-rounded feature back.

KEY FACTORS
Athletic Ability 8
Speed 8
Quickness 8
Hands 8
Blocking 8
Durability 9
Run Inside 9
Run Outside 8
Intangibles 8
Instincts 9
HINDU THEORY
Corey Dillon

The Numbers
During his junior season, he led the club in rushing with 1324 yards on 250 carries for an excellent 5.3 yard average per carry and 8 TDs. He became the first Bulldog runner since Garrison Hearst in '92 to rush for over 1000 yards. He averaged 101 yards rushing each game with 8 games of over 100 yards on the ground. He also caught 15 passes for 107 yards during the '02 season and finished his career with 44 receptions for 436 yards and 2 TDs. He completed his college career with an MVP performance in the Sugar Bowl when he ran for the game winning score. He averaged almost 5 yards a carry over his three-year career in the tough SEC. He came up big in the most critical spots over his career, including the SEC Championship game vs. Arkansas when he ran for 106 yards on 19 carries and 2 TDs

The Skinny
Big powerful tailback shows the quick feet, vision, balance and speed to break an ordinary play for a big gain. His combination of power and speed coupled with sound running decisions and natural instincts give him a chance to start as a rookie next fall. He gets excellent use of a straight arm that allows him to break tackles in the open field. With a quick burst to the hole and the change-of-direction and lateral movement skills of a much smaller runner, he turns a routine carry into a big play. He is an excellent goal line runner with 19 career rushing TDs on only 454 career rushing attempts. He has the power to run inside between the tackles and the quickness and speed to get outside and break the big play. He is a tough durable back who showed the ability to carry the load on a weekly game-to-game basis. He is an aggressive player who is not afraid to take on LBers as a blocker, but he certainly needs more technique work and recognition in that vital area before being able to pick up the blitz well. He did not run at the combine, but had a 35.5" VJ and a 10'3" broad jump. He had an impressive March workout catching the ball and solidified his high rating. Though not considered among the top three by many analysts, he is the total package for the position and a runner with the well-developed talent to be an early impact player in the NFL. His combination of size, speed and running skills should allow him to be the next great Georgia back to enter the NFL and it is not outside the realm of possibilities that he could be the best of a fine group of recent runners of Terrell Davis, Garrison Hearst and Olandis Gary. Though not considered a top 50 prospect by most, he is a top 30 prospect on my board and a possible surprise late first round selection. Blue chip runner with the toughness to take his game up a level and become a top NFL feature back. The Cowboys, Redskins and Texans have him on their short list. Impact rookie runner with the Eye of the Tiger.

Draft Projection: 2nd Round

:: comments to frank coyle


Frank Coyle has published Draft Insiders' Digest for 12 years.
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