Philadelphia Eagles draft buzz: Breaking down C.J. Marable

Third-year running back Miles Sanders may be one of it not the only bright spot on the Philadelphia Eagles stumbling offense. Through his first two years, he’s been a breath of fresh air at times, a decision the Birds actually got right. He also reminds Eagles fans of the good times. Remember when Philly had Duce Staley, Correll Buckhalter, and Brian Westbrook? Needless to say, this has always been a better team when they’re led by a stable of solid running backs.

Last year, the front office scoured the free-agent market and other avenues to find the perfect backs to develop behind Miles Sanders. Despite the long look the Philadelphia Eagles seem to be right where they started a season ago, looking for backs to develop behind Mr. Sanders. While he’s great, the uninspiring backups behind him have, at best, been okay.

Philadelphia Eagles fans, welcome to C.J. Marable.

We at ITI were looking around the 2021 NFL Draft class to find a solid number two. We found an under-the-radar diamond in Coastal Carolina’s C.J. Marable. The five-foot-ten, 205-pound back out of Decatur, Georgia.

Rushing for just under 2,700 yards over the course of the last three seasons, this young man notched 7.4 yards a carry, scored 23 rushing touchdowns, and added another 12 touchdowns as a receiver. Needless to say, the rising star is a true playmaker in both the running game and in the passing game. He’s capable of taking any touch the distance. Marable has the rare combination of speed, quickness, and strength that offensive coordinators covet.

Here’s a quote that will interest Philadelphia Eagles fans.

We at ITI sat down with a scouting source to ask him his thoughts on the Coastal Carolina runner. While he did not want to be named, he did oblige by saying the following:

"I think CJ is the kind of running back that you can rest your hat on really. I just mean you can trust the kid to do the right thing in the offense. He has great hands-on him. (He’s) really a problem for defenders while coming out of the backfield. He can take those receptions and score, and he is a real mismatch on defenders."

Once the conversation shifted to his skillset, things got even more interesting.

"You have to cover him with a legit defensive back because if he catches a linebacker in coverage he is torching that guy. (He’s a) great athlete (with) good speed, strong legs, and great football IQ. He is a guy you lean on and trust to be a big part of the offense. I think (if) you let him develop in the league, you have a real monster on your hands. I think since we are talking Inside the Iggles, you have to talk about how he fits the Philadelphia Eagles offense. You know placing him behind Sanders is a great one-two punch for an offense. It’s basically an overload of speed for a defense to deal with, plus Marable, like Sanders, is a lot stronger than most think. He can get the short yards and get the ugly yards. I could talk about him all day really, but I will end it with this, he is a guy to keep your eye on, he has the potential to be a stud."

It is no secret the Philadelphia Eagles have a bevy of holes across this roster and adding depth to the running back room isn’t the biggest need, but adding a prospect like C.J. Marable would only help the Eagles offense in both the running and passing game.

With his ability to make defenders miss in space, along with his tough style of play, Marable could be an under-the-radar player that could help the Philadelphia Eagles this season and beyond. Might they give him a look as we approach April?