Woody Marks has jumped into the USC Trojans’ RB1 slot and has been a playmaking dual-threat back this season. Marks has quickly evolved from a fun collegiate player to a legitimate NFL prospect in his time with the Trojans. Here is a 2025 NFL Draft Early Scouting Report and film analysis on him.
Overview And Film Analysis Of 2025 NFL Draft Prospect And USC RB Woody Marks, A Dual-Threat Weapon In USC’s Backfield
Measurables
- 5’10”
- 208 lbs
Player Background
Jo’Quavious “Woody” Marks was a consensus four-star, top-20 running back recruit in the 2020 class and a top-25 prospect in Georgia. He committed to Mississippi State and was an immediate contributor in the Bulldogs backfield. Marks tallied three touchdowns and 580 total yards on 130 touches in 11 freshman outings. He increased both rushing and receiving totals the following year, accumulating over 900 total yards and nine scores.
Marks was a much more pure runner in his junior campaign, rushing for over 580 yards with nine touchdowns and totaling his lowest collegiate receiving stats. He put up similar numbers in his senior year and decided to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal following the season. Marks has already surpassed most of his career highs through nine games in 2024 and has been USC’s lead back.
Accolades
- Mississippi State All-Time Receptions Leader (2023)
- Doak Walker Award Preseason Watchlist (2023, 2024)
Strengths/Pros
Marks’ makeup as a prospect is most benefitted through the impact that he brings in the receiving game. He’s able to produce in multiple ways and can both create headaches for defenses and make life easier for his offense. His receiving production in college and overall receiving upside make him an appealing player. Marks doesn’t waste time with available vertical space as a ball carrier and efficiently gains ground whenever he can.
He accelerates quickly after his initial burst and maintains impressive long speed on extended plays. While not the most physical runner, his leg drive is strong, he moves forward through tackles by using his frame and can take contact to his lower half and maintain his balance. In the blocking game, he’s very willing to eat momentum rushes.
Weaknesses/Cons
One factor that needs to be mentioned about Woody Marks as a prospect is that he will be 24 on draft day, making him on the older side. His prime will likely be even shorter than most running backs and that has to be considered. In his skillset, his burst is one major area that needs to be improved. He’s slower moving through gaps and making stop-and-go movements which cuts off some bigger play opportunities.
His gap-to-gap vision is very inconsistent and will either hit the wrong hole or wait too long to choose sometimes. In the blocking game, he doesn’t hold assignments for very long and gets beat by bigger defenders. His upside might also be limited in the NFL simply because he isn’t complete enough to be a true RB1.
Potential Team Fits
NFL Projection
Woody Marks projects closest to a third-down specialist in the NFL and/or a piece of a running back committee. His ability to impact the game as both a runner and receiver will find him a spot on any team that drafts him and he can produce from Day 1. Marks likely won’t become a bell-cow back in the league because of his age and lower ceiling but can be a contributor on a contending offense. His durability and athletic maintenance will determine his NFL longevity and his trajectory heavily hinges on that.
Prospect Grade
- Late 4th Round
Film Exposures
- 2024 vs. LSU
- 2024 vs. Michigan
- 2023 vs. LSU
Main Image: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
