Seattle Seahawks 2015 Profiles: Marshawn Lynch

In preparation for the 2015 NFL season, we are continuing to look at the player profiles of the top five players on the Seattle Seahawks’ current roster. Today at #1 on the list it’s the turn of “Beast Mode” himself, running back Marshawn Lynch.

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No. 24

Full Name: Marshawn Lynch

Birth Date: April 22, 1986 (Age 29)

Place of Birth: Oakland, California

Height: 5ft 11in (1.80m)

Weight: 215 Lbs

Professional Career Highlights:

Super Bowl Champion (XLVIII)

5x Pro Bowler (2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014)

First-team All-Pro (2012)

Second-team all-Pro (2014)

2x NFC Champion

2x NFL Rushing Touchdown Leader (2013, 2014)

Tied NFL Total Touchdown Leader (2014)

2x NFL Post-season Rushing Leader (2013, 2014)

2x Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week (Weeks 7, 10, 2007)

Ranked in the NFL’s top 100 (2012-2015)

NFL Career Statistics (As of week 17, 2014):

Rushing yards: 8,695

Rushing average: 4.3 yards per carry

Rushing touchdowns: 71

Receiving yards: 1,899

Receiving touchdowns: 9

Jan 18, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch (24) carries the ball as Green Bay Packers outside linebacker Nick Perry (53) attempts the tackle during the third quarter in the NFC Championship Game at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

How did Marshawn Lynch become a Seattle Seahawk?

Lynch attended the University of California and played for head coach Jeff Tedford and the California Golden Bears football team from 2004-2006. He majored in social welfare. In college Lynch was given the nickname “Money”.

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In 2004, Lynch was a backup to senior running back J.J. Arrington. He carried the rock 71 times for 628 yards and scored eight rushing touchdowns. Lynch also put up 147 receiving yards and scored two receiving touchdowns.

After Arrington graduated in 2005, Lynch took over as the starter. He amassed 1,246 rushing yards and scored 10 rushing touchdowns with an additional 125 receiving yards. Lynch was named MVP of the Las Vegas Bowl, where he rushed for 194 yards and three touchdowns.

As a junior in 2006, Lynch was named as a First-team All-American and to the First-team All-Pac-10 team. He also won the Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year Award and was named Co-MVP in the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl, a game in which Lynch rushed for 111 yards and scored two rushing touchdowns.

Lynch finished the season with 1,356 rushing yards, 11 rushing touchdowns and averaged 6.1 yards per carry. He also gathered in 34 receptions for 328 yards and scored four receiving touchdowns. Lynch holds the school record for most 100-yard rushing games at 17.

On January 2, 2007, Lynch announced he would forgo his senior season and enter the 2007 NFL Draft. Lynch was drafted by the Buffalo Bills 12th overall in the first round.

Lynch was an immediate starter for Buffalo in 2007 and put up two solid 1,000 yards seasons. In 2009 Lynch served a suspension for violations of the NFL’s personal conduct policy. He missed the first three games of the season and was replaced as the Bills starting running back by Fred Jackson. Lynch did not break 100 rushing yards in a single game.

In 2010 Lynch started three games for the Bills before being traded. On October 5^th 2010 he was traded to the Seattle Seahawks for a fourth round draft pick (2011) and a conditional draft pick in 2012 (Which would become a fifth round pick)

2014 Stats

Lynch started 14 out of 16 regular season games in 2014. He pounded opposing defences for 1,306 rushing yards and scored a career best 13 rushing touchdowns. Lynch also scored four receiving touchdowns and had 367 receiving yards. Lynch helped the Seahawks rank second in overall rushing yards and was fourth in the league in rushing. He led the league in rushing touchdowns.

Overall

There have been few better running backs in the NFL over the past four years than “Beast Mode”. Lynch is a bulldozing running back that can run through an eight man box with ease. His power is outstanding and is quick enough to bounce the ball outside and still be productive.

He is a critical part of the Seahawks team and to what they do on offense; he handles all parts of the job effectively, including blocking and receiving. The Seahawks offense relies so much on Lynch’s ability to pound opposing defenses.

He is a force to be reckoned with when he has the ball and has the talent to break off a 60-yard run at any time. Lynch’s 67-yard touchdown run against the New Orleans Saints later named “Beast Quake” (For the seismic activity Hawks fans’ celebrations caused) will forever go down as one of the most memorable plays in NFL history.

Even with the addition of new tight end Jimmy Graham and explosive rookie wide-out Tyler Lockett I still see the Seahawks as a run first offense. Look for Lynch to have just as many carries as in 2014.

Lynch is an elite running back, one of the NFL’s best. I expect him to have another season of over 1,200 yards on the ground and double figure touchdowns.

“Beast Mode” is the Seahawks number one guy and Hawks’ fans will be hoping he can help lead the team back to a third straight Super Bowl in 2015.

Next: Are The Seahawks Looking To Bolster Their Running Back Corps?

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