Joe McKnight Scouting Report

The latest Trojan to jump ship in 2010 before their eligibility expires, McKnight could prove to be the best of them all. A Parade All-American in high school, the 6-foot-0 product of River Ridge, LA, was compared to former USC great and Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush. The comparison may have added more pressure to the all purpose tailback early in his college career. After averaging just 578 yards rushing during his first years at Southern Cal, McKnight exploded in 2009 with a 1,000+ rushing effort. He was the Trojans' primary weapon during most of the season as the team broke in a new quarterback. One of the better athletes in the draft, McKnight is a surprisingly aggressive runner with great burst. Hits the hole fast and is a threat to score when he reaches the open field. Fast (4.39) and elusive. Has excellent hands. Makes tough catches look easy. Runs good routes and shows explosiveness off the cuts. Great balance and change-of-direction ability. Can be fumble prone as he does not consistently wrap up the ball. Is not a physical runner and lacks the power to take it inside. Needs to add strength. Is just an average pass blocker. Runs too upright and absorbs many hard hits. McKnight did the right thing in declaring for the draft. There's simply nothing he could have gained by staying in school for one more season. After struggling with injuries during his career, he had a huge junior season. Besides running, McKnight will have a huge impact as a receiver out of the backfield and kickoff returner. He is a solid late second round pick with the ability to develop into a full time starter within a few seasons.