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MarShawn Lloyd Dynasty Value

By Shane Hallam | Updated on Fri, 05 Apr 2024 . 10:38 AM EDT

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Lloyd enters the NFL with a lackluster profile … on paper. 

A devastating knee injury as a freshman sapped Lloyd of his athleticism early in college. He never rushed for 1,000 yards nor caught even 20 passes in a season. 

But after transferring to USC, Lloyd showed how his size and athleticism work to his advantage. Is this enough for him to become a fantasy asset?

Let’s take a look at Lloyd’s history and see how he projects to the NFL …

MarShawn Lloyd Dynasty Values

To see MarShawn Lloyd's value for your exact league setup, check out our Dynasty Draft War Room.

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MarShawn Lloyd Draft Profile

MarShawn Lloyd Combine Results

Percentiles vs Combine RBs since 1999, per MockDraftable

MarShawn Lloyd College Stats

Two-Sport Star in High School

Lloyd commuted from his home in Delaware to DeMatha Catholic High School in Maryland every day to play football and run track. 

Lloyd’s track success as a sprinter earned him early praise and accolades in the state. That success translated to the football field, where Lloyd led the team in rushing by his sophomore season.

The 211-pounder drew instant interest from college teams. He fielded offers from Alabama, USC, Ohio State, and others. Lloyd rated as a high four-star recruit – just ahead of Jahmyr Gibbs, among others.

Lloyd’s personal relationships with the South Carolina coaching staff led him to commit to the Gamecocks.

Unfortunately, Lloyd tore his left ACL before his freshman season and would redshirt that year. He struggled to get back to 100% in his second year, not earning much playing time.  

Lloyd Takes Backfield Lead

Lloyd was finally healthy for his third year and emerged as the best back on the roster. He helped lead an offensive resurgence, scoring TDs in six of nine games. 

Lloyd fulfilled the promise he had as a recruit and showed growth throughout the year. But he also missed multiple games with a quad contusion, which coincided with a collapse for the offense.

USC Transfer Reveals Upside

When the transfer portal opened after the season, Lloyd entered to try and improve his NFL Draft stock. USC head coach Lincoln Riley quickly scooped him up, and Lloyd won the starting job in camp.

The spread offense helped Lloyd, who had career highs in carries (116) and rushing yards (820). His 7.07 yards per carry ranked sixth in the nation among RBs with 100+ carries.  

Lloyd earned an 87.2 Pro Football Focus rushing grade, 45th among 157 FBS backs with 100+ carries.

MarShawn Lloyd Highlights

Games watched: Georgia (2022), Texas A&M (2022), Colorado (2023) Arizona (2023), Notre Dame (2023), Utah (2023), Oregon (2023), UCLA (2023)

Lloyd’s highlight reel features his signature athleticism on big plays.

The big question, though: Can he be a lead NFL RB … or just a role player?

Lloyd is Explosive

Lloyd’s athleticism jumps out right off the snap. He gets up to full speed quickly with a burst through the line. At 220 pounds, he often takes the defense by surprise.

In the clip below, Lloyd doesn’t lose any speed as he navigates to the A gap before the LBs and safeties can get there.

This skill makes Lloyd an ideal fit in a spread scheme out of the shotgun, where he saw success at USC. The recent increase in NFL teams rushing out of the shotgun can only help Lloyd’s outlook and draft position.

Lloyd Hits the Home Run 

Every NFL team wants to find playmakers who can score with every touch. Lloyd fits that.

With his track background, Lloyd knows how to maintain his speed in a sprint. He does this even when taking a different angle. In the clip below, he uses the holes opened by the offensive line to navigate from the inside out while keeping his top speed.

Lloyd’s film pops with numerous big runs when his blockers can get to the second level. His knowledge of reading defenses and setting up LBs and DBs to stack big plays is a trait many current NFL RBs lack.

Lloyd Punishes with His Size

We often see 215+ pound RBs with speed not understanding how to leverage their size. Lloyd does not fall into that category. 

Grinding short yardage is more than just pounding into the defense. In this clip, Lloyd utilizes his size to move the pile while keeping his feet moving. This makes him difficult to tackle in traffic.

Neither USC nor South Carolina utilized Lloyd as a goal-line pounder, but he shows the ability on film. At worst, Lloyd should fall into a David Montgomery type of role where his size and feet can produce TDs.

There's a Fumbling Problem

The most glaring issue for Lloyd is the lack of technique in how he holds the football. The classic “high and tight” mentality is lost on him.

In the clip below, Lloyd rushes with his arm flailing between high and low in a loose motion. As he goes for the big play, the defense keys in on separating the ball from Lloyd’s hand.

The lack of technique focus is apparent in other game areas as well. Lloyd drops easy passes. His pad level gets higher as the game goes on. 

All of these issues are correctable, but the bad habits can permeate and ruin an NFL career quickly. If Lloyd gets benched for these focus and technique issues, he won’t be helping your fantasy team.

Can He Be a 3-down RB?

The biggest knock on Lloyd is his lack of receiving throughout college. He was used as a swing option only, often allowing Spencer Rattler or Caleb Williams to check down.

Despite his athletic profile, Lloyd may fit more into the traditional between-the-tackles role and lack the pass-catching.

Now, we have to determine if Lloyd has the hidden talents to be a complete NFL RB despite his lack of production in some areas.

Dynasty Value Conclusion

Lloyd’s dynamic traits fit the modern NFL RB mold. His size and athletic ability create a high ceiling and indicate potential to outperform his draft position.

But can he translate these traits to production? Never having a 1,000-yard college season raises concern. He dealt with injuries each year. Add in his questionable technique habits, and there’s risk that Lloyd never compiles meaningful playing time.

Lloyd’s going in the late second to early third round of rookie drafts right now. His upside is worth the risk at that level.

Check his current dynasty ADP.

MarShawn Lloyd Team Fit: Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys would be an ideal fit. Not only do they need a RB, but HC Mike McCarthy has also had success with bigger, athletic runners who lack polish. 

Tony Pollard simply didn’t fit the Cowboys last year, exhibiting too much patience and the lack of getting to top gear quickly. They appear likely to transition to a rookie who fits the offense better.

The 2011 Packers (which McCarthy coached) had a backfield led by Ryan Grant, an explosive 220-pounder. McCarthy put Grant in position to leverage his speed and explosiveness.

It would be a natural transition for Lloyd to McCarthy’s Cowboys offense, especially with defenses having to worry about Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb. 

Per 33rd Team, the Cowboys used shotgun on 70% of snaps last season, and that number has been ticking up. Lloyd would be right at home if the Cowboys snag him in the third or fourth round.

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