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USC Trojans' Woody Marks Meets With Washington Commanders Before NFL Combine Workout

USC Trojans running back Woody Marks spoke to reporters at the NFL Combine before his workout on Saturday. He talked about his visit with the Washington Commanders. Marks is coming off of a career-best season at USC, where he amassed 1,133 rushing yards, nine rushing touchdowns, 47 receptions, and 321 receiving yards.

Kyron Samuels

Sep 21, 2024; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; USC Trojans running back Woody Marks (4) rushes against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Sep 21, 2024; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; USC Trojans running back Woody Marks (4) rushes against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
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USC Trojans running back Woody Marks is one of three Trojans participating in the NFL Combine, and he spoke with the media before participating in the various workouts on Saturday.

He was asked about his meeting with the Washington Commanders by Florida State on SI reporter Logan B. Robinson.

"It was great. I met with a lot of coaches, running back coach. It was great just talking with them. We talked at the Senior Bowl," Marks said.

Will Washington add Marks to the backfield with Offensive Rookie of the Year in Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniel?

He was also asked which NFL quarterback he would love to receive passes from, if he could pick any in the league. Marks' answer was Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson.

Marks is a 5-10, 208-pound running back who spent his final season with the Trojans. Before transferring to USC, Marks was a starter in the SEC at Mississippi State. Marks is coming off of a career-best season at USC where he amassed 1,133 rushing yards, nine rushing touchdowns, 47 receptions, and 321 receiving yards this past season.

Marks had a career-long touchdown run of 65 yards and a career-long reception of 33 yards in 2024. he had one of the best single-season efforts in Trojan history and became the first running back since Ronald Jones II in 2017 to run for over 1000 rushing yards in a season. Marks was named second-team All-Big-Ten after finishing in the top five in the conference in rushing yards.

USC Trojans coach Lincoln Riley on Marks:

“[Woody Marks] was awesome. We didn’t even know if he was going to play. He was a little dinged up, but he’s been a warrior for us all day long. We’re going to enjoy him for the next several games here as he’s going a terrific pro when he’s done here,” said USC coach Lincoln Riley in his postgame interview with FOX after Marks ran for a career-high 148 yards against Nebraska. 

"Consistency, [Woody's] been, he's been awesome. We didn't know certain that he was going to play, and so he did a great job. We had a little flu outbreak, which is perfect timing. I'm not supposed to have the flu out here. Weather's too good. So, you know, we had a, we had a number of guys that battled through it, not quite feeling their best, but now he's been consistent, steady, just a tough, physical runner," said Riley after the Nebraska game.

NFL Comparison:

Marks is a stout, fluid back with vision, patience, and explosive acceleration to creative big runs. He runs well behind his pads and is also a massive advantage to the passing game of any offense. At Mississippi State, Marks had 83 receptions for 502 receiving yards, and three receiving touchdowns. Marks is a decent blocker but certainly can improve in that facet. An appropriate NFL comp would be a player like Kyren Williams of the Los Angeles Rams.

There’s not been much smoke surrounding Marks and a specific team, but that should change after the NFL Combine. Marks can severely improve his stock with a strong showing and draw more interest which can lead to top-30 visits from NFL teams which franchises only do for players they have legitimate interest in.

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Kyron Samuels
KYRON SAMUELS

Kyron Samuels is a former college and professional football player now a writer, analyst, & digital host. Kyron is a writer for USC Trojans on SI and contributes to Oregon Ducks on SI. A graduate and letterman at Jacksonville State University, Samuels was a three-year starter, two-time all-conference, and won three consecutive conference titles. After a four-year professional stint between the AFL & XFL, Samuels retired from football. In 2022, Samuels was inducted into the Fairhope Athletic Hall of Fame. Post-playing career, Samuels has become a credentialed sports media member covering the NFL, UFL, USFL, & college football. The NFL Combine, Reese’s Senior Bowl, & East-West Shrine Bowl are amongst the events Kyron has covered. As a guest and host, Samuels has been featured on ESPNRadio, FoxSportsRadio, & IHeartRadio. Outside of sports media, Samuels works as a scouting consultant and has experience coaching at the collegiate level.

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