Scouting Report: Mikel Leshoure, RB, Illinois
by
Clint Clearwater
NFL Draft Analyst
November 22, 2010
Ht: 6-0
Wt: 230
40: 4.53
Strengths:
I love his size. Plays with great power. Displays great agility and acceleration. Plays with a great burst for a back his size. Has good decision-making; when he sees the hole there is little hesitation and he shows off impressive explosiveness to get through the line. Surprisingly elusive for a bigger back. He is able to make quick cuts and start and stop immediately. Does not shy away from contact. Soft hands, can catch the football. Does a great job of pass blocking. Has good ball security. Reports of his improved his work ethic and maturity have really been evident this season. He is a playmaker.
Weaknesses:
He needs to be more consistent in keeping his feet moving when engaged. Vision is another thing that often stands out a little bit when I watch Mikel; it isn't his biggest weakness but this is something that I think could be improved. He does a good job of reading his
blockers but he needs to look at the whole field when he is running. Sometimes it looks like he just reads the blockers right in front of him rather than see the whole field. He also often tries too hard for the home run play, rather than hit the hole for a 5 yard gain. Again, this is not the biggest concern for me, but he could improve in this area to become more consistent. He does not have elite speed for a running back (even though for his size it's great). He is a little inconsistent at running low; he needs to get lower when getting through the line.
Summary:
Mikel Leshoure is an exciting player to watch. He is big, powerful, strong, and yet surprisingly elusive, fast and explosive. Add in his natural instincts and you've got a special running back. Leshoure is living up to the hype this season; he went over 1000 yards, has 11 TDs and 14 receptions. He also did this behind an average offensive line and a young QB. Mikel Leshoure is quickly becoming one of my favorite players in the country and he has all the potential in the world. He has improved in key areas from last season and I believe that his best football is ahead of him. It will be exciting to see if he declares for the draft this year.
