Jacquizz Rodgers: The Second Coming Of MJD?

On Monday, in my post about the offense, I mentioned how productive I thought second year running back Jacquizz Rodgers could be in a more consistent role. Well, as promised, I made it to the Falcons Friday Night Lights scrimmage and I couldn't help but notice how big our "small" back out of Oregon State really is and it got me wondering, could this guy be the heir apparent to the throne? 

When mentioning Quizz before, I compared him to Jacksonville's Maurice Jones-Drew, mainly because the Falcons new offensive coordinator coached the Jaguars and had a lot of success with the run game but after watching his thick thighs as he hit the holes, I realized just how accurate that comparison might be. I know some of you may be thinking, that's a steep comparison for a late round pick, but I encourage you to follow along.

First off, his size. Rodgers stands 5 feet 6 inches and weighs about 196 pounds which is similar to MJD's 5 feet 7 inch 210 frame. Quizz looks like a little ball of muscle and is easily lost behind those huge linemen up front. However, unlike Jones-Drew, as a rookie, he had to split carries with two other backs (Turner and Snelling) while in Jacksonville there was only one name above MJD's on the depth chart, Fred Taylor. Rodgers saw almost three times less carries and half as many receptions in his first year, had he received as many as Jones-Drew, I project his numbers at 166 carries, 597 yards three touchdowns and 46 receptions 414 yards and adding two more scores. Not too shabby for a third string fifth rounder huh?

If you watched Rodgers play last season, you may have heard an announcer say, "He is a good back but does not possess that breakaway speed necessary to hit those home run plays as a change of pace back." While he isn't as fast as MJD, he did run a 4.47 at his pro day in 2011. I think that's fast enough to you there. The NFL is just as much about speed as it is angles and Quizz has been lauded for his quick feet and ability to change direction leaving defenders grabbing at the turf.

Lastly, and possibly the biggest of them all, like the stud in Jacksonville, Jacquizz Rodgers has veteran leadership in front of him, giving him time to learn the game at a pro level. In Jones-Drew first three seasons he looked to Fred Taylor and in year four he took over full time and never looked back. This could be just a mere coincidence but when Quizz is entering year four, Turner is scheduled to be a free agent... Hmm ponder that.

That’s size, power, speed, Dirk Koetter, veteran leadership and oh did I forget to mention that Quizz recently given his old number (22) to Asante Samuel. This clears the path for the second year pro to dawn the 32 like you know who down in Jacksonville. If things pan out, in a few years, Atlanta could have their very own Pocket Hercules.

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