INDIANAPOLIS — In the final moments of his podium session at the NFL Scouting Combine, Maryland RB Anthony McFarland was asked by a reporter about being compared to former Kansas City Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles. While the comparison is one that McFarland could appreciate, like every player at the combine, McFarland is attempting to make a name for himself and stand out among a crowd.
“I like that comparison because that’s a guy I looked up to,” McFarland said. “Him playing at Texas, what he did at the Chiefs. His explosive ability. I like how decisive he was in the NFL, just him making one cut. His speed. I like that comparison, but at the end of the day, I’d like to create my own name and be my own player.”
McFarland doesn’t have the same signature speed as Charles, running a 4.44 40-yard dash at the combine, compared to Charles’ 4.36 in 2008. Despite the difference in speed, the comparison does have merit, and it’s not just the similar hairstyles. The explosive nature of their game and their decisiveness are very similar, as McFarland says. Turn back the clock to 2018, when the Terrapins faced Ohio State in mid-November, and you’ll see it. McFarland broke that game open with runs of 81 and 75 yards, giving his team the early lead.
“It was just clicking, man,” McFarland said of the Ohio State game. “The offensive line was doing their job. Everything was just clicking. I could say that game I was hot. At the end of the day, they just were feeding me the ball.”
Against Ohio State, McFarland carried the ball 21 times for 298 yards and two touchdowns. He averaged 14.2 yards per carry and helped keep Maryland in what would be a tightly contested game, one that came down to a single point in the end. Some of McFarland’s favorite plays of his college career came in that game.
“Against Ohio State, one play, it was an inside zone and I just [saw] the defensive line and the linebackers just shift over to overflow, and I just cut it back inside and broke free,” McFarland said of his favorite play. “That’s the thing I like about inside zone — you have to have a feel of where the cutbacks are going to be. It’s not going to always be where it’s supposed to be. You have to have a feel for it.”
McFarland attempted to recapture some of his late-season success and carry it over into the 2019 season, but an ankle injury early in the season hindered his progress.
“It hindered me a lot,” McFarland said of his injury. “Getting injured in the second week against Temple and just trying to play out through the whole season. I wasn’t able to move like I wanted to. I wasn’t able to make explosive cuts and big plays like I wanted to. But like I said, it’s part of the game. Things happen. At the end of the day, it is what it is.”
There’s a good chance that McFarland will become a better professional than he was a college player, especially if he stays healthy. He’s become committed to showcasing parts of his game that weren’t featured in Maryland’s offense. For instance, his ability catch passes out of the backfield. McFarland only caught 24 passes during his time in Maryland, which is just one more pass than games played in his two years playing with the Terps.
“I didn’t really get to show that in college,” McFarland said of his pass-catching ability. “I know that’s something I can do. At the end of the day, it’s just about proving that I can be one of those guys. [Guys like] Christian McCaffrey, Alvin Kamara, guys who can do it all — line up in space, be mismatches, all of those things like that.”
The Chiefs have taken an interest in McFarland and spent a lot of time with him at the combine. He’d be a perfect fit in their zone-blocking scheme and would add another speedy threat to an already potent offense.
“Yeah, the Chiefs reached out to me,” McFarland said. “They’ve been reaching out to me a lot. I remember the first night I came here, I sat down with the offensive coordinator [Eric Bieniemy]. I didn’t get a chance to meet with the running backs coach, but I’ll meet with him pretty shortly.”
Kansas City fans have pondered what it would look like to see Jamaal Charles suit up with the current iteration of the Chiefs’ offense. McFarland isn’t Charles, but he just might be the next best thing.