Prospect Breakdown- RB Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin

Melvin Gordon

RB-Wisconsin-Redshirt Junior

HT-6-1   WT-215

40 Yard Dash-4.52

Projected Round-First Round

Year        School    Conf Class Pos  G  Att  Yds  Avg   TD  Rec  Yds  Avg   TD  Plays Yds  Avg   TD

*2011    Wisconsin Big Ten    FR  RB  4   20   98  4.9    1                        20   98  4.9    1
*2012    Wisconsin Big Ten    FR  RB 14   62  621 10.0    3    2   65 32.5    1    64  686 10.7    4
2013     Wisconsin Big Ten    SO  RB 13  206 1609  7.8   12    1   10 10.0    0   207 1619  7.8   12
2014     Wisconsin Big Ten    JR  RB 14  343 2587  7.5   29   19  153  8.1    3   362 2740  7.6   32
Career   Wisconsin                       631 4915  7.8   45   22  228 10.4    4   653 5143  7.9   49

    Placing second in the Heisman trophy voting last season, Gordon led the nation in TD's and points, not to mention setting NCAA rushing records with his 2587 yards. Along with all of that, Gordon scored a total of 32 TD's, the most in NCAA Division I history. Gordon was awarded the Doak Walker award, handed to the nations most outstanding running back.

    Gordon is a highly explosive player with good size and great speed, he hits the hole with quick burst, and when he hits the open field, he turns the jets on and is gone. His running style is very much like Jamaal Charles, only Gordon lacks the receiving skills Charles has.

    One of the downsides to his running style is his uprightness. First, he runs so high upright, it won't help him push the pile in NFL ranks. Second, he tries to change direction too much, and that's something that won't help him once he get's the NFL ranks. He struggled to pound the ball against one of the best defenses in the country, Ohio State, the only team, besides Western Illinois, that held Gordon to under 100 yards.

    While his acceleration is slow, his change of direction isn't. Gordon posted the best times in the 20 and 60 yard shuttle in all Running Backs, posting a 4.07 in the 20, and 11.00 in the 60. His body is built very much like former Cowboys Running Back DeMarco Murray, and his explosiveness is lethal.

    Again, Gordon is unaccomplished as a receiver, I haven't seen any real effort to catch passes from him. His pass protection is average, at best, and he isn't a power back by any means. He's a fast cutback runner who has the speed to outrun most NFL defenders.