From now until the 2025 NFL Draft, we hope to scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Delaware running back Marcus Yarns.
NO. 21 Marcus Yarns/RB Delaware – 5107, 193 pounds (Senior)
MEASUREMENTS
Player Ht/Wt Hand Size Arm Length Wingspan
Marcus Yarns 5107/193 9 1/8 31 1/8 76 3/8
40-Yard Dash 10-Yard Dash Short Shuttle 3-Cone
4.45 1.55 N/A N/A
Broad Jump Vertical Bench Press
10’2″ 37.5 N/A
The Good
– Impressive vision
– Decent technical route runner
– Makes people miss in space with great juke
– High-effort player in all areas
– Can get skinny to fit through tight holes
– Best used in a zone scheme
The Bad
– Average burst
– Lacks big play ability
– Does not have the speed to beat defenders to edge
– Average long speed but it is nowhere near game breaking
– Needs to be more physical running routes; can easily get knocked off
– Bad play strength
– Low play strength is evident in pass protection, gets knocked back easily by blitzer
– Bad contact balance
-Will never win with power; defenders do not bounce off of him
– Does not turn negative plays into positive plays
– Most big runs come from great blocking
– Average athletic ability overall
– Will struggle to make people miss in the NFL
Bio
– Started 22 games across 4 years at Delaware
– 2024: rushed for 844 yards and 6 touchdowns on 133 carries. Caught 17 passes for 297 yards and 5 touchdowns
– Named All-CAA First Team
– Invited to the 2025 Senior Bowl
– Missed two games with a leg injury
– 2023: rushed for 939 yards and 15 touchdowns on 136 carries. Caught 24 passes for 311 yards and 3 touchdowns
– Named All-CAA Second Team
– 2022: rushed for 481 yards and 2 touchdowns on 73 carries. He caught 21 passes for 199 yards and 3 touchdowns
– Impact player on special teams, blocking a kick vs Saint Francis
– Zero-star prospect out of Parkside High School in Maryland
– Three-sport athlete, playing football, basketball, and lacrosse
– Played running back and defensive back and led team to state playoffs for first time in 10 years
– Never wavered on his decision to stay at Delaware, noting the community and coaches making it feel like home, although he had many offers in the transfer portal
Tape Breakdown
Marcus Yarns is a high pedigree FCS player that has contributed to Delaware’s success for 4 years. Some plays look good on film, but they will have a tough time transitioning to the NFL. The most impressive part of Yarns’ game is his vision. He consistently makes the right call when putting his foot in the ground and making a cut, which can lead to some positive plays. A lot of his explosive runs come from quick decision making when finding the right hole to attack, and he can be untouched moving towards the second level, which helps him greatly.
It turns a lot of plays that may go for 1-2 yards into plays that go for 4-6, which is an essential yet underrated part of a football game. Yarns is best used in a heavy zone scheme where he can be put in space and make good decisions with the ball in his hand. In the red zone, he shows the ability to use his great eyes to bounce it outside as the cornerback loses leverage and picks up a positive gain.
While his vision is very positive, the other parts of his game struggle. Yarns lacks the burst to create big plays, as most of his big runs will come from a tremendous blocking effort by his offensive line or a great play call. His play strength is a big worry, and he struggles to shake off defenders, which puts a cap on how explosive he can be. Defenders find it easy to put two arms around him and easily bring him down. His legs often stop moving when faced with contact, and defenders never bounce off him when he is running straight at them.
In pass protection, he shows good effort, but his play strength is exposed when there is a blitzing linebacker coming through, as he does not have the anchor to hold up. This leads to extreme negative plays for the offense and will limit his chance of being on the field on third down. While he does get to the second level with good vision, he is immediately stopped when faced with a strong defender. He does not have a lot of broken tackles due to power; almost all of them come from a good juke move at the third level, but those opportunities will be limited in the NFL.
Overall, Yarns is an average athlete who lacks the burst to create explosive plays on his own. He can sustain drives by getting positive gains, but the big play ability will be extremely lacking vs NFL defenses. He struggles to put his foot in the ground and create acceleration to beat a defender with speed, which stops many of his runs short.
On perimeter runs, he lacks the lateral speed to beat the defender to the edge, and if he does get into the open field, his long speed is not to the level an NFL back should be at. In this play, he finds himself at the second level but cannot make a defender miss, and he displays his average athletic ability.
As a receiving option, Yarns’ route running ability is technically sound, but his low play strength pops up, as he is not physical down the field. Linebackers can easily knock him off his route because he runs with his hands down at his side and is very focused on beating the defender. If he doesn’t get hit at the line, I like his ability to get open vs man and zone coverage.
Conclusion
Marcus Yarns displays good vision as a zone runner and shows solid effort in all areas. However, his inadequate play strength and average athletic ability will severely impact his ceiling. He has the ability to sustain drives because of his vision but lacks big play ability due to not being able to break tackles and average burst. In pass protection, Yarns will not be able to play unless he gets way stronger, but he can be a decent receiving option if he gets a free release. My comp for him is Salvon Ahmed.
Projection: Mid-Day 3
Depot Draft Grade: 6.4 – 6th/7th Round (End of Roster/Practice Squad)
Games Watched: vs Maine (2024), vs Albany (2024), vs Rhode Island (2024)
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