Maroney is a junior who came out early for the draft, but he was definitely frustrating to evaluate because he does not consistently play up to his natural talent. He has very good natural athleticism and it combines with his very good size and playing strength to be a strong and punishing runner who can knock tacklers off their feet and can drag them for extra yards. He has the athleticism to make very sharp cuts and bursts through backside hole quickly. He is not an elusive runner, but can make sharp cuts to avoid tacklers. He has good hands catching the ball and once he gets in the open field he is a dangerous runner because of his combination of size, strength and athleticism. The biggest issue with Maroney is that he does not run aggressively on every snap and when he does not attack the line of scrimmage he is not a productive runner and goes down way too easily. He shared carries his first two years at Minnesota with now Cowboys running back Marion Barber and despite what the media says about Maroney being the better of the two, Barber is the more talented and productive running back. Overall, Maroney has the physical ability to be a very good starting running back in the NFL if he runs aggressively on every snap. However, he will have trouble getting through quick closing inside holes in the NFL and will not be a consistent tackle breaker due to his inconsistent aggressiveness running with the ball. In the end, he will be a good starting running back who flashes ability to be very good, but does not maintain that level of production every game.

Maroney is a very good athlete with the ability to be a strong and dominant runner when he runs aggressively. When he lowers his shoulder, he can punish tacklers and drags them for extra yards -- Keeps feet vs. hard hits and low/grab tackles. He has very good instincts and vision and has the foot quickness to make sharp cuts and gets through the hole fast. He has good hands catching the ball out of the backfield and his combination of athleticism, size, strength and quickness make him a strong and dangerous runner out in the open field.

Maroney does not run aggressively on every snap, which limits his production. When there is no hole he tends to slow up, turns back and goes down easily. Too often he runs upright, does not attack the small hole and does not run aggressively on every carry. When he does not run aggressively, he does not break tackles and struggles to consistently gain yards after contact. He is not an elusive make-you-miss runner. He has a quick burst through the hole, but lacks the explosiveness through the hole and does not have the elite speed to run away from defenses. He is not a consistently productive pass blocker because he does not always step up and pick up blitzers aggressively.

Maroney is a very good athlete, which has helped him be extremely productive during his career at Minnesota. He has the very quick feet to make sharp cuts -- he can avoid tackles in the backside, makes sharp cuts to burst quickly through holes and can bounce runs outside when the middle is clogged up. However, he lacks an explosive burst through the hole and lacks top end playing speed. He gets caught from backside once behind the defense. Despite athleticism, he is not an elusive, make-you-miss runner. He has good natural flexibility to bend his knees, lower his shoulders and deliver a blow to the tackler, but does not consistently run with good body lean -- runs with good lean only when he runs aggressively. He shows athletic versatility by lining up out at receiver and has the hands and coordination to catch the ball consistently well out of the backfield.

Maroney has shown very good toughness playing through pain during his career, but he does not run with an aggressive, tough attitude on a consistent basis. He has shown the ability to make big plays in important situations, but he does not consistently attack the line of scrimmage if there is no hole, which limits his production on important short yardage plays. His overall production has been very good -- despite splitting carries with Barber his first two years. He finished his career at Minnesota as the first running back with three straight 1,000 yard seasons. Despite his production at Minnesota, he is not a consistently dominant runner -- does not attack line of scrimmage if there is no clear hole and does not always lower shoulders to run aggressively. He has been a good team player who has played in a rotating back system through most of his career at Minnesota, but has not complained. He is generally a very competitive runner who fights and competes hard for extra yards, but at times when there is not a hole he will get upright, turns back toward the line of scrimmage and goes down easy.

Maroney is a smart football player -- he's productive lining up out at receiver and could adjust and pick up pass rushers consistently well. He has very good instincts running with the ball and his foot quickness gives him the ability to make sharp cuts and get through the hole quickly. He can bounce runs to outside when the middle is clogged up and has the speed to get the corner. He generally plays with a very high level of concentration, but he does not always run aggressively -- tends to run upright, does not lower his shoulders or attack the line of scrimmage if there is no hole.

Maroney has very good size for a running back, but he does not always play up to his natural size. He has been a durable player in terms of staying healthy and in the lineup, but his ability to be a durable 25-plus carry per game running back in the NFL is a question because he often rotated with another back and did not get a ton of carries on a consistent basis. He has very quick feet and can burst quickly through the hole, but he does not have a real explosive burst to shoot through the hole and get behind the defense in a flash. He has very good natural strength and when he runs aggressively he delivers a hard blow to the tackler, drives defenders backward and drags tacklers for extra yards. The trouble is that if there is no hole and he does not get some space to get up to full speed before contact he tends to stay running upright and gets tackled too easily.