The Pittsburgh Steelers selected running back Anthony McFarland Jr. out of Maryland in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft, No. 124 overall.
McFarland joins a crowded running back room in Pittsburgh that includes James Conner, Jaylen Samuels, and Benny Snell. It's the third straight year the Steelers added a tailback in the middle rounds of the draft.
Prospect Profile
School: Maryland
Height: 5-8
Weight: 208 lbs
Positives
- Young running back that didn't accumulate many touches in college
- Slashing tailback who cuts on a dime and has good contact balance
- Very good speed for his size
- Able to absorb contact well and rack up additional yards
- Still effective on a poor Maryland team in 2019
- Slippery in the open field with a good burst through the hole
- Good vision and is able to work his way through traffic
- Always plays at full speed - never slows down
Negatives
- Neither experienced nor productive as a receiver in college and his pass protection needs work
- Not very effective on short-yardage/goal-line scenarios
- Doesn't possess ideal size or frame
- Below-average athlete for the position
Bottom line
After flashing abilities as a dynamic runner in college, McFarland heads to the NFL in need of some fine-tuning as a receiver. He profiles best as a zone runner, where he can see the hole and burst through it. There are tools here to work with, but McFarland will likely be part of a committee early in his pro career while he works on his receiving chops and pass protection.
