Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich was impressed with the speed displayed by third-round pick MarShawn Lloyd during the team’s two-day rookie minicamp this past weekend.
“I liked his speed. I liked his speed a lot. He had some good runs where you saw his burst. He’s got good vision. I’m really excited about that out of the backfield,” Stenavich said Monday.
Lloyd, the 88th overall pick, ran the 40-yard dash in 4.46 seconds at 220 pounds. Following the draft, general manager Brian Gutekunst said Lloyd has “serious speed” with the elusiveness and contact balance for breaking tackles, something he did often at South Carolina and USC.
Lloyd’s burst and shiftiness at 220 pounds are traits that make him a fascinating running back prospect for the Packers. In terms of “Speed Score,” or a measure of a prospect’s weight and 40-yard dash time, Lloyd ranked fourth among running backs in the draft class. Only Lloyd and Isaac Geurendo weighed at least 220 pounds and ran the 40-yard dash in under 4.5 seconds.
While the Packers signed veteran Josh Jacobs and brought back A.J. Dillon, Stenavich said he wants Lloyd and his explosiveness on the field right away as a rookie.
“I would like to get him out there as much as possible,” Stenavich said. “He’s got a skill set that’s different than A.J. as far as his speed. He’s not quite the bruiser, but he’s got a different skill set. It’ll be nice to get him the ball in space and see what he can do. I think he’ll add a good explosive element to the offense.”
Lloyd’s pass-catching potential could be another avenue for getting him on the field and the ball in his hands. He caught only 34 passes during his collegiate career but was consistently dangerous as a receiver, and the Packers loved the way he attacked 1-on-1s during the Senior Bowl.
“He definitely can be a weapon out of the backfield,” said coach Matt LaFleur. “I love all the measurables. He’s a 220-pound back that runs 4.4 and can run routes out of the backfield. I think he could be a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses.”