Green Bay Packers must-watch prospect: John Crockett

With the Green Bay Packers falling moments short of the Super Bowl and returning all eleven starters on offense, their roster offers relatively little opportunity for skill position players. As North Dakota State running back John Crockett fielded calls from countless teams as an undrafted free agent, however, he noticed the blank space below the names of Eddie Lacy and James Starks.

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Crockett was one of the most productive FCS players in 2014, dominating the Missouri Valley Conference with 1,944 rushing yards, 397 receiving yards and 23 total touchdowns. Not only did Crockett see opportunity with the Green Bay Packers, he saw the familiarity of winning ways. As a member of the Bison, Crockett has starred in three straight FCS National Championships.

Nicknamed “Taz” for his resemblance to the Tasmanian Devil, always a cloud of spins, jump-cuts and stiff arms, Crockett rushed for over 1,000 yards in each of his three seasons at North Dakota State after academic ineligibility kept him off the field earlier in his career. What appealed Crockett most to the Bison faithful, however, was a motor matched only by his mouth.

This isn’t your classic diva at a skill position, though, Crockett is the eternal optimist, beloved by his teammates with a smile wider than the end zones at Lambeau Field. This will shine throughout offseason activities and training camp as the Packers’ locker room is one of relatively quiet personalities, save for the loveable goofballs along the offensive line.

Crockett will not be without competition for the job, of course, as second-year man Rajion Neal has the benefit of experience within the system, while Alonzo Harris of Louisiana Lafayette and Malcolm Agnew of Southern Illinois are firmly in the running. Taz enters the heart of the offseason as my early favorite, however, due to a pro-ready running style, surprising burst and the ability to play on all three downs.

With DuJuan Harris now departed, I hesitate to assume that Mike McCarthy is seeking a similar style of back to fill out the depth chart. Ty Montgomery should overtake the return duties vacated by Harris, opening the door for a more traditional runner behind Starks, who could leave in 2016 via free agency.

Crockett was hurt by a 4.62-second time in the 40-yard dash, but plays like a low-4.5 on tape. His strength and explosion through running holes is impressive when his vision allows, while a 40.0″ vertical and 125.0″ broad jump highlight the power held in his lower body.

As a receiver, Crockett started slowly with North Dakota State by recording just seven and six receptions in 2012 and 2013 respectively. Moving into a featured role shot his production to 30 catches, however, and when paired with a pass protection game that is decent, albeit raw, he should have the ability to win the ever-valuable trust of coach McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers.

The stumbling blocks for Crockett will be his vision and running style when playing against elite-level competition, something he didn’t encounter at the FCS level. Crockett can run upright, which I typically find to be an irritable, unspecific knock on running backs. With Crockett, however, this style can force his base to become narrow and unbalanced, which may leave him open to arm tackles in the NFL. He’ll also need to prove that he can identify the smaller potential running lanes along the offensive line.

If Crockett can tie up these loose ends in his game, he profiles to be a quality reserve player with the potential to surprise when called upon. His motor and work ethic allow him to exceed the 4.62-second number that followed him through the pre-draft process and transform into something else. In the great ESPN feature above, while calling his mother to inform her that he’d been invited to the NFL Scouting Combine, Crockett asks her “Who am I gonna turn in to, Ma?”

“Taz, Baby!” she replies. If she’s right, Crockett may also transform into a member of the Green Bay Packers.

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