| Michael Smith Scouting Report |
| Michael Smith - Utah State (HT: 5-8⅛ - WT: 207) |
Positives -- Short and compactly built runner with a low center of gravity... Explosive speed, ran a 4.35-40 at the Utah State pro-day... A threat to take it the distance any time the ball touches his hands, had six runs of 40 or more yards as a senior in only 114 carries... Great leaping ability, posted a 40.5"
vertical at his pro day... Former track and field star in high school... Strong blocker, really attacks and anchors well... Has very little tread on his tires after splitting the Utah State backfield with Robert Turbin... Runs through arm tackles... Secures the football well, doesn't expose the ball when he's running and doesn't appear to have any security issues... Very tough to track, can dip behind offensive linemen and explode up field and is a slippery runner... Highly productive when he gets carries, averaged 7.6 yards per carry as a senior... Good receiving ability, caught 38 career passes in limited playing time at Utah State... Smith's best football may still be in front of him.
Negatives -- Has a rather thin lower body and can get stood upright, struggles to push the pile forward, holds most of his strength in his upper body... Never carried the load and is better suited as a change of pace back... Has very short arms... Was never able to beat out Turbin for the starting gig at Utah State... Will extend plays too far to the outside and can get caught for negative yardage... Gets upright after he gets through the hole and takes some big hits... More fast than quick, doesn't have many ankle breaking moves, rather he prefers to lower his head and run straight ahead... Missed all but three games in the 2010 campaign after suffering a season ending foot injury... Will turn 24 before his rookie season after transferring from Eastern Arizona Junior College.
| |
| Combine Results |
| Height |
› |
|
| Weight |
› |
|
| Arm |
› |
|
| Hand |
› |
|
| 40-Time |
› |
|
| Vertical |
› |
|
| Broad |
› |
|
| Bench Press |
› |
|
| Shuttle |
› |
|
| Cone |
› |
|
|
At Utah State -- (Official School Bio) 2010: Appeared in three games and made two starts before suffering season-ending foot injury in third game of season... Carried the ball 24 times for 153 yards and two TD's (51 ypg)... Also caught three passes for 23 yards... Posted season-highs in carries and rushing yards versus Idaho State with 12 rushing attempts for 86 yards. 2009: Played in all 12 games, starting six... Had 46 carries for 304 yards (6.3 ypc)... The 6.3 ypc average would have ranked tied for third on USU's single-season list but did not have the minimum 100 carries to qualify... Had 19 catches for 220 yards (11.6 ypc)... Scored four rushing TD's to go with two receiving TD's... Also added five kick returns for 109 yards (21.8 ypr) with a long of 29 yards... Top outing was eight carries for 100 yards (12.5 ypc) with two TD's against Southern Utah, adding two catches for 60 yards with a 54-yard TD catch, which came in the first quarter for his first USU TD and was his longest catch of season... The two rushing TD's were a 20-yard scamper and a 40-yard run, which was his longest of the season... The 100 rushing yards teamed with Robert Turbin's 104 rushing yards for USU's first running back tandem to both rush for 100 yards since 1989... Added two rushing TD's against Boise State... Other TD catch was against Hawai'i... Season-long 29-yard kick return came at New Mexico State... Signed with USU in December, 2008 and participated in spring drills.
|
|
