MarShawn Lloyd Interview: How Senior Bowl Impacts His NFL Draft Stock (Senior Bowl)
Senior Bowl

MarShawn Lloyd Interview: How Senior Bowl Impacts His NFL Draft Stock

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
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The 2024 Senior Bowl will provide an opportunity for NFL draft prospects to prove themselves on the largest pre-draft stage. USC running back MarShawn Lloyd plans on taking full advantage. Lloyd recently spoke exclusively with the Senior Bowl and Draft Network to discuss his motivation for accepting his invitation to compete in Mobile, Alabama.

Lloyd also discussed what he's striving to prove to NFL general managers and scouts in attendance at the Senior Bowl, versatility at the running back position, how he’d write his own scouting report, and more. Let's get to know Lloyd better ahead of his journey to the Senior Bowl.

JM: Where were you when you found out about your Senior Bowl invite and what was your initial reaction?

MarShawn Lloyd: I had just told everyone at USC that I would be declaring for the 2024 NFL Draft. It was actually late at night. I headed back to our facility to grab some of my belongings. I had started packing some of my things.

One of our admission workers told me he had something special for me. That’s when he handed me the Senior Bowl invite. I was super excited. I was told the invite was coming, but I hadn’t seen it yet. When I got it, showing the invite to my mom was a special moment.

JM: That sounds amazing. What motivated you to accept the Senior Bowl’s offer?

MarShawn Lloyd: I’ve always had a ton of respect for the Senior Bowl. I understand how prestigious a pre-draft event it is. I know what the Senior Bowl means to so many people. When I got that invite, it just felt amazing. I couldn’t say no.

I’m aware of how many all-time greats have walked those Senior Bowl halls. So many great talents played in the Senior Bowl. It’s a great opportunity for me to go out there and showcase what I know I’m capable of doing.

JM: What are you hoping to prove to NFL general managers, coaching staffs, and scouts in attendance in Mobile?

MarShawn Lloyd: I want to prove to everybody in attendance that I’m versatile. I can do it all. I can catch the ball and run the ball. I’m extremely explosive. I’m a quick-footed player that gets in and out of cuts. 

Honestly, ball security is a big thing as well. I want everybody to see how I hold and protect the ball. Pass protection is another big one. That’s one of the most important things from my position. Showing the scouts how I pass-protect can prove that I’m an all-around back. I’m super excited to showcase my three-down abilities.

JM: How would you describe your skill set in your own words? Self-scout yourself.

MarShawn Lloyd: Explosive is always the first word that comes to mind. I’m very explosive. I can make a play when there’s nothing there. I’m still working to improve in pass protection. I’m working on ball handling as well. I’m always working on the things that every ball carrier wants to have. We all want to have great ball security. You also have to be able to protect in pass pro at this position.

You’re always working to be great at those things. I’m continuing to work. I’m very explosive, but if I was writing my own scouting report, I’d mention that I’m working on ball handling and pass protection.

JM: You’ve mentioned explosiveness a few times. It pops on tape. Do you feel like speed is your X-factor?

MarShawn Lloyd: Honestly, my X-factor is being able to make defenders miss in close quarters. I never get tackled by the first defender. Contact balance is something I also really pride myself on. I think it showed on tape this year with the way I made people miss. It takes a lot of defenders to take me down to the ground. In addition to explosiveness, my bread and butter is getting in and out of my cuts while making defenders miss.

JM: I love that. I want to expand on your abilities to catch the ball. You made some explosive plays in the passing game at USC this season. You averaged 17.8 yards per catch. Talk to me about creating in the passing game, and your room for growth in that area.

MarShawn Lloyd: You have to be able to catch the ball, period, especially in this era of football. Running backs have to be able to pass protect first and foremost. We also have to catch the ball coming out of the backfield.

It’s really cool that I went to USC because we pride ourselves on maximizing a player’s skill set. Being able to catch the ball helped me take a step forward. I’ve proven that I can catch the football effectively. I can catch it over my shoulder, or at the back shoulder. 

I’m a natural hands-catcher. I take a lot of pride in that, especially with how the NFL is using running backs nowadays. Everybody wants a back that can catch the ball. It’s very important. It’s a skill that I’ve always wanted to showcase. USC helped me a lot by allowing me to showcase that particular trait of mine.

JM: We’ve seen it on tape. If you had to compare yourself to a current NFL offensive tackle, who would you choose and why?

MarShawn Lloyd: I would choose a mixture of D’Andre Swift and Josh Jacobs. The way Swift gets in and out of his cuts, I’ve been told I remind coaches of him. From a body type perspective, a lot of my coaches say I run like Jacobs. We have NFL cutups we study and whatnot. Swift and Jacobs are two backs I’m similar to. I definitely have a different skill set from both of them though. Those are two backs I’m probably closest to.

JM: That’s an interesting mix. What can MarShawn Lloyd achieve at the Senior Bowl that he can’t at other pre-draft events?

MarShawn Lloyd: I’m going to be performing on the field in front of a bunch of scouts and coaches. I’ll be front and center in front of pretty much every scout in the country. Getting that exposure is going to be really cool. 

The showcase is like no other. I'm going to be around so many great people, some of the best players in the country at every position. I take a lot of pride in that. I’m not taking this Senior Bowl invite for granted.

JM: What’s on MarShawn Lloyd’s pre-game playlist?

MarShawn Lloyd: I’m a Rod Wave fan. I love Rod Wave. My pre-game playlist has a ton of Rod Wave. I love listening to motivational music that I can relate to, things that remind me of my life. It helps remind me why I’m doing what I’m doing. I love the motivational stuff that gets me ready to go.

I also like to listen to calming music to calm my nerves. Slow-paced songs. I listen to Adele and Billie Eilish. That stuff calms my nerves. My playlist is a combination of motivational music and stuff that calms me down.

JM: That’s a great mix of artists. At the end of the week, what does a successful Senior Bowl look like for MarShawn Lloyd?

MarShawn Lloyd: Dominance. I want to prove that I’m dominant. I want to open some eyes and drop some jaws. If they think they didn’t see something on tape, I want them to see it in person. I want them to say, okay, MarShawn Lloyd is a good-sized back. He can move and cut. He can run really well. He’s explosive.

I want all of my abilities to be on display. Being able to catch the ball and pass protect is huge. I know I’m going to put those traits on display at the Senior Bowl. I’ve been waiting for this opportunity. I’m going to take full advantage.



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