From OnlineAthens.com
April 30th, 2016 05:33 PM
With the NFL draft winding down Saturday, Washington took a flyer in the seventh round on Georgia running back Keith Marshall who had the fastest 40 time at the scouting combine.
A heralded high school recruit, Marshall formed a dynamic duo in the Bulldogs backfield with Todd Gurley in their freshmen seasons, but never regained that form after a season-ending knee injury as a sophomore.
Marshall said he had heard he could be drafted in the fourth to sixth round range.
"You know, it was a long wait," Marshall said in a conference calls with media in Washington. "It was kind of expected, so it was tough but I’m very happy to be a part of the Washington Redskins. I’m blessed for the opportunity and I’ll make the most of it."
Marshall ran a 4.31 40 yard-dash in Indianapolis at the combine, but even that didn’t vault him up draft boards too much.
"There’s no substitute for speed and he’s fast," Washington coach Jay Gruden said. "We’re excited about that. We’re going to take a good long look at him. It’s an element in the backfield that we don’t have is that 4.28 40 or 4.31 or whatever it is. Very explosive. Unfortunately has had some injuries in his career, but still, he overcame the injury and ran a very fast time at the combine. (Running Backs coach) Randy Jordan knows him extremely well and we decided to take a shot at him and I think it’s going to be a great pick.”
Kirk Olivadotti, Georgia’s inside linebackers coach from 2011-13 , is an assistant coach for Washington.
A knee injury as a sophomore in a game at Tennessee knocked Marshall out of the 2013 season and his 2014 season also was cut short by injury.
Marshall found himself behind Nick Chubb, Sony Michel and Brendan Douglas last season, but chose to give up a final year of eligibility after rushing for 350 yards and three touchdowns on 68 carries.
"They have got backs coming out the woodwork," Gruden said. "I think it’s a great chance to take with a guy in the seventh round, a guy that can run like that and was highly touted out of high school going to Georgia. I think he was ranked ahead of Gurley going to Georgia, so he’s got the makeup to be a great back and hopefully he stays healthy and learns this thing and can be a force for us.”
Marshall finished his college career with 1,379 yards and 12 touchdowns and averaged 5.5 yards per carry.
“I’m going to take that next step in life and see where that goes,” he said after deciding to pursue a pro career.
Marshall was the last of five draft picks this year for Georgia.
The 5-foot-11, 218-pound Marshall, from Raleigh, N.C., was the 242nd overall pick, which was the 12th to last of the entire draft. The wait apparently got monotonous because near the end of the sixth round Marshall tweeted an emoji of a person sleeping.
Now he has a chance to land a roster spot in Washington.
“They just said they are looking for a fast, explosive player," Marshall said, "and I feel like I can fit that role for them.”
...READ MORE HERE...
April 30th, 2016 05:33 PM
With the NFL draft winding down Saturday, Washington took a flyer in the seventh round on Georgia running back Keith Marshall who had the fastest 40 time at the scouting combine.
A heralded high school recruit, Marshall formed a dynamic duo in the Bulldogs backfield with Todd Gurley in their freshmen seasons, but never regained that form after a season-ending knee injury as a sophomore.
Marshall said he had heard he could be drafted in the fourth to sixth round range.
"You know, it was a long wait," Marshall said in a conference calls with media in Washington. "It was kind of expected, so it was tough but I’m very happy to be a part of the Washington Redskins. I’m blessed for the opportunity and I’ll make the most of it."
Marshall ran a 4.31 40 yard-dash in Indianapolis at the combine, but even that didn’t vault him up draft boards too much.
"There’s no substitute for speed and he’s fast," Washington coach Jay Gruden said. "We’re excited about that. We’re going to take a good long look at him. It’s an element in the backfield that we don’t have is that 4.28 40 or 4.31 or whatever it is. Very explosive. Unfortunately has had some injuries in his career, but still, he overcame the injury and ran a very fast time at the combine. (Running Backs coach) Randy Jordan knows him extremely well and we decided to take a shot at him and I think it’s going to be a great pick.”
Kirk Olivadotti, Georgia’s inside linebackers coach from 2011-13 , is an assistant coach for Washington.
A knee injury as a sophomore in a game at Tennessee knocked Marshall out of the 2013 season and his 2014 season also was cut short by injury.
Marshall found himself behind Nick Chubb, Sony Michel and Brendan Douglas last season, but chose to give up a final year of eligibility after rushing for 350 yards and three touchdowns on 68 carries.
"They have got backs coming out the woodwork," Gruden said. "I think it’s a great chance to take with a guy in the seventh round, a guy that can run like that and was highly touted out of high school going to Georgia. I think he was ranked ahead of Gurley going to Georgia, so he’s got the makeup to be a great back and hopefully he stays healthy and learns this thing and can be a force for us.”
Marshall finished his college career with 1,379 yards and 12 touchdowns and averaged 5.5 yards per carry.
“I’m going to take that next step in life and see where that goes,” he said after deciding to pursue a pro career.
Marshall was the last of five draft picks this year for Georgia.
The 5-foot-11, 218-pound Marshall, from Raleigh, N.C., was the 242nd overall pick, which was the 12th to last of the entire draft. The wait apparently got monotonous because near the end of the sixth round Marshall tweeted an emoji of a person sleeping.
Now he has a chance to land a roster spot in Washington.
“They just said they are looking for a fast, explosive player," Marshall said, "and I feel like I can fit that role for them.”
...READ MORE HERE...
