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The Green Bay Packers have added a collection of young and exciting offensive skill players over the past two draft classes, and that trend has a chance to continue in 2024.
CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso put together his list of each team’s ‘perfect’ selection during the NFL Draft, and lauds Green Bay’s third-round pick, running back Marshawn Lloyd because of his upside and scheme fit.
“Lloyd is the absolute perfect type of runner to be deployed in Matt LaFleur’s offense,” Trapasso writes for CBS. “Compact, thick-lower half, one cut burner to either stay on his intended course on the frontside of stretch plays or plant his foot in the ground one time to hit the cutback lane and crank the acceleration throttle.
“This is not just a 5-9, 220-pound rocket with 4.46 speed. He’s quite elusive in space, too. I know Josh Jacobs is there in Green Bay now, but Lloyd is a better scheme fit for this offense.”
Last season, Lloyd rushed for 820 yards and nine touchdowns while averaging 7.1 yards per carry, and adding 13 receptions for 232 yards which could be an underrated aspect of his skill set in LaFleur’s offense.
“Very comfortable in the passing game,” Lloyd told reporters shortly after being drafted. “I feel like coach Lincoln Riley put me in really good positions to be able to, not having many routes, but being very effective with it. I played with a team that had really good skills on the outside, a really good quarterback (Caleb Williams). It was just more of when things worked out.”
Lloyd spent the first three seasons of his collegiate career at South Carolina before transferring to USC where he had the opportunity to flourish in Riley’s offense that emphasizes running backs as pass-catchers out of the backfield.
“While he ran with improved patience and set up blockers more diligently in ’23,” NFL Media’s Lance Zierlein writes of Lloyd. “He ran with a greater sense of urgency the year prior and proved he could create explosive plays without as much help from his offensive line.
“Lloyd runs with slightly below-average vision but has the juice to play the role of “chunk-play slasher” and dangerous open-field pass catcher. Lloyd is a low-mileage prospect, and the scope of his role will obviously depend on scheme fit.”
Alongside Jacobs in the Packers’ backfield, Lloyd’s athleticism and elite burst give him a chance to create big plays both on the ground and as a receiving option for quarterback Jordan Love.
As Pro Football Focus points out, Lloyd posted an elite 177 elusive rating during the 2023 campaign, averaging a whopping 3.97 per carry after contact.
“He definitely can be a weapon out of the backfield,” LaFleur said during the draft. “I think he could be a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses.”
Marshawn Lloyd Not the Only Packers Rookie Running Back
Lloyd won’t be the only running back on the field during Packers rookie minicamp.
Green Bay also signed electrifying Alcorn State and Syracuse running back Jarveon Howard as an undrafted free agent, on the heels of a productive collegiate career.
In addition to catching a career-high 31 passes in 2023, Howard finished his six college seasons with 2,773 yards with 29 touchdowns.
The Packers backfield now boasts a blend of productive veterans in Josh Jacobs and A.J. Dillon with Lloyd, Howard, and Emmanuel Wilson in the fold offering explosive upside.