Draft Prospect Profile: Eddie Lacy, RB Alabama

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Eddie Lacy
Alabama running back Eddie Lacy

 

Green Bay Packers NFL Draft prospect profile: RB Eddie Lacy

Player Information:

Eddie Lacy, RB Alabama 5-10, 231 pounds   Hometown: Geismar, Louisiana

STATS: Eddie Lacy college stats

NFL Combine:

Lacy did not attend this year’s NFL Combine due to a small hamstring tear.  He will work out at Alabama’s pro day, tentatively scheduled for March 13th.

News and Notes:

Lacy started for the Crimson Tide in 2012 after spending his first two seasons at Alabama backing up future 1st round NFL running backs in that of Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson … Lacy had 1,322 yards rushing and 17 touchdowns last season for Alabama … Lacy recorded 140 yards along with one rushing and one receiving touchdown in this past BCS National Championship game, earning him MVP honors … Lacy earned MVP honors in the 2012 SEC championship game vs. Georgia after he dropped 181 yards and two touchdowns on them … Lacy is a sizeable back who does not shy away from contact.  He has quick feet and the patience to let the play develop.  He can catch the ball out of the backfield and tends to run straight ahead versus dancing around would-be tacklers

What they’re saying about him:

  • Footballnation.com: “Eddie Lacy is the perfect build for a power back in the NFL. This means he can power through the defense while being very hard to bring down due to his lower center of gravity.  Lacy is also a decent receiver out of the backfield – he has 35 receptions for 335 yards and 2 receiving touchdowns during his time at Alabama.  Lacy does not have a history of major injuries, he’s a pretty healthy back considering he’s a power running back who doesn’t shy away from contact”
  • FF Toolbox.com: “Lacy is a power back with surprising burst in tight spaces.  He has good height and is a tough back to tackle. Quick, choppy feet when running through the line.  Lacy has a nice blend of power and quickness.  Must learn to play with high intensity more consistently. Adequate straight line speed.  Average in pass protection reads.  Not afraid of contact and won’t always rely on lateral movements.  A north-south runner.”

Video:

Video Analysis:

  • Although playing against college-level talent, he did face some of the best defenses that the NCAA has to offer.  Note in the video (3:50 mark) Lacy hits Georgia defender Jarvis Jones (another first round prospect), bounces off and picks up another 25 yards
  • Quick to hit the hole.  Has both speed and quickness for his size
  • Has good speed at the second and third level.  Can break away
  • Always tries to pick up some extra yardage and runs hard.  Not an easy tackle and can move the pile.
  • Gets quite a bit of yardage after contact
  • Has agility, speed and power, which is a rare combo
  • Has good acceleration both inside and getting to the edge
  • Shows patience and can cut back, although tends to try and muscle through the gap
  • Good check down option.  Has good ability to sit down in coverage
  • Initiates contact and rarely brought down by one tackler

If drafted by the Packers…

Lacy would be the type of back the Packers have rarely had and who offers the most since Ahman Green was in green & gold.  His combination of speed, power and agility would add another dimension to an already-potent Green Bay offense.  With opposing defenses already scheming to contain Aaron Rodgers, Lacy would create his own set of problems for defensive coordinators.  Lacy would have to work on his pass protection but if all else fails, he can escape and become a safety valve as a check down.  With some question marks at wide receiver, given the loss of Donald Driver and almost certain departure of Greg Jennings, Lacy would take some of the pressure off of an offense that has lived and died by the pass.  Having a back that can carry it 20 times a game and be productive would help Green Bay control the tempo and clock.  With an offensive line that has struggled in run blocking, Lacy is the type of back who can create something that may not always be there.

I have stated before that I am for the Packers addressing the defensive and offensive lines first.  Those of you who listen to our podcasts know that I’m a huge fan of players coming out of Alabama.  Barrett Jones is a guy that I like to add to the mix at O-line but it’s becoming apparent that he will fall out of the first round and the Packers can turn their attention elsewhere.  If Lacy is still on the board when Green Bay is on the clock in round one, I’d gladly see him hoisting a Packers jersey when his name is called on draft day.

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Jason Perone is an independent sports blogger writing about the Packers on AllGreenBayPackers.com

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9 thoughts on “Draft Prospect Profile: Eddie Lacy, RB Alabama

  1. I like Lacy as a 2nd round pick. I don’t believe he is nearly as special as Richardson, and I don’t think he has the running instinct of Ingram. I would take either before I would take Lacy. He’s a good power RB that benefitted from an outstanding Bama OL, that has 2 and possibly 3 1st round picks. If the Packers can get him in the late 2nd or move to the mid 2nd to take him, that would be great. As long as they don’t take him at 26.

    Barrett Jones I don’t have interest in. I wasn’t the biggest critic of Colledge when he was a Packer by any means, but anyone being compared to Colledge, as NFL.com did, isn’t a 1st round pick. Further, any OL that comes w/ the best traits being versatile and technician is not a 1st round pick, unless he’s viewed as a starting LT, which Jones is not. I would take Jones at the top 3rd, but not in the 2nd, where the Packers pick.

    Both these Bama players while very good, are not elite NFL players and are lacking too much, to make them 1st round picks. I like them if I can get them at value, but not becuz they are great players and not becuz they are from Bama.

  2. Watching the highlites its easy to fall in love w/ the guy. But in all of that there was at most 2 or 3 plays where 1st contact w/ him was prior 5 yards downfield when he has a full head of steam and the D is looking to slow him down. Even the run where he supposedly runs over Jarvis Jones (who btw was also being blocked to prevent him from making the tackle and is known as a pass rusher, not a great run D player) it wasn’t till 5 yds downfield. Lacy is the best RB in this draft, but he isn’t going to have 5 yds to get momentum in the NFL like he had at Bama and he’s not going to be as able to run over LB’s like in college.

    Somewhere from 38-40 seems about right to me for Lacy.

    1. Totally agree Stroh. A good back behind a dominant line. Not sure how he would fare behind our picket fence. If we don’t have something special fall to us, I would like to see us reinforce both lines and look for something next year.

      Improving our running game will start with the coaching and play calling. The O-line will be next and the running back will simply execute the instructions. Let’s start at the beginning rather than the end.

  3. While I’d like to see the Packers grab someone like Geo Bernard if they have the chance in the first couple of rounds, I totally agree with you. I’d like to see the Packers take a RB nice and early. I recognise the need for a lineman, but we are WELL overdue for a power runner.

  4. Read somewhere..(here?) that something like 28 of the top 42 rushers of all time were drafted in rounds 1 or 2. If MM really wants a running game as he has often proclaimed, time to start investing in one with a RB talent & olineman who can do more than pass block.

  5. Lacy in the 1st and Frederick in the 2nd (move up if need be) will help GB get those 3rd and one’s that were missed last year. THe sustained drives keeps the D off the field and rested. Lacy will force the other teams to respect the running game. Frederick can backup the three interior positions. He can also come in on 3rd and ones and in the 4th quarter for sustained drives.

    GB has a comp 3rd which they can use to get Lattimore for the future as well or OLB to groom.

    TT should sign goldshon the SF S.

  6. A small hammy? Just what distinguishes a small hammy from a big hammy? GB already has more than their fair share of hammy problems. 1st round pick must be a starter and play at least 90% of the snaps next year.

    No more experiements in terror please.

  7. Really very hesitant about drafting a RB in the 1st round when the O line is where the problem is, not in the backfield. Especially one that has run behind the best O-line in the college game his whole career. Not to mention that he is, contrary to some of the stuff above, a straight line runner. This would be a mistake, IMHO.

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