STRENGTHS
Zack is a natural athlete with excellent size, strength, and speed to be an impact running back for the team that selects him. He has quick feet to make tacklers miss him at the line of scrimmage. Zack because of his size and overall strength, will break tackles and make yardage after impact better than most running backs in this draft. He does a solid job catching the ball out of the backfield, in check-down situations. Zack is very smart and understands how to set up his blocks making it easy for his offensive lineman. He is a smooth striding, patient runner who can run the ball and make the needed yardage between the tackles and on the outside when everyone in the stadium knows he is getting the ball.
CONCERNS
A running back who knows how to run sweeps and run in-between the tackles by setting up his own blocks is not going to sit well with most young coaches who prefer a typical cut-and-go, zone-blocking runner that teams use nowadays. This will affect his draft status along with the fact he did not run in the SEC. Add to those concerns, a running back that has a lot of carries and lots of yardage, and the “used up” factor comes into their thought process also.
BOTTOM LINE: 1.50
Zack is smarter than most running back coaches and his style of setting up blocks, running with patience, and having a lot of carries is not going to sit well with them. Nevertheless, Zack is a hell of a running back and the type that if you’re a smart team you will draft him early because I’m sure he can run behind any style of blocking scheme. It’s a sub-concise reaction for coaches just like for years teams would not draft an athletic quarterback who would not stay in the pocket and extend plays out of the pocket. Zack’s style of running is not taught anymore, it’s just that simple. This is why you don’t see big backs anymore, the type of back who can control the clock, especially in the 4th quarter. Zack is a good pass blocker and that means you can use Zack on all three downs, running multiple styles of offenses, and run-blocking schemes. Zack’s size and ability to gain yardage after contact between the tackles and have the speed and football IQ to run wide is unique. Add to that his skill set to catch the ball out of the backfield, and pass block, makes him the type of running back who is an exception to that rule…You can get a running back in any round in the draft. I wouldn’t bet on it if your team needs a franchise running back.
