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James Starks 12/5/2008 vs. Ball State
Overall Strengths:
He has some of the best lateral cuts and change of direction I have seen from any back. He has a very smooth speed and burst with a good first step. He catches the ball with his hands. He is an aggressive pass protector with good footwork to stay in front of his opponent and uses his hands reasonably well. He's not as good as fellow prospect Brandon Minor in this area, but he's better than most I have seen thus far. He has very good vision to spot the cut back and he will carry a defender a few yards. He's stronger than he looks and runs with good pad level. He has good balance to take hits and stay upright. Turner Gill said that Starks is a stud, is as comparable to any back at Nebraska he played with (Mike Rozier), and he has an NFL future. At 6-2, 211, he could easily be 6-2 225 and retain his speed. I think he's the diamond in the rough in this draft at the RB position.
Overall Weaknesses:
He carries the ball under his right arm only and he needs to secure the ball earlier in his exchanges with the QB. If he could learn to switch the ball to his left arm he could be more versatile with a stiff arm to ward off defenders. He could use another 10 pounds of muscle to his core. He missed his senior season due to a labral tear in his shoulder that wasn't
detected until August.
Power:
Starks demonstrated good pad level midway through his 7-yard run on 2nd and 6 with 10:50 in the 1st QTR by attacking the defenders ahead of him with his head down and using his legs and body lean to gain three yards after contact. He ran out of two tackle wrap-ups to his legs on a 3rd and 1 run off left end for 18 yards.
Ball Handling:
Good job covering up with both arms in the hole when he lowered his shoulders into the defenders for a 7-yard gain with 10:50 in the 1st QTR. Starks holds the ball high and tight against his body, but he carried the ball on a swing pass to the left side of the field under his right arm, exposing it to backside pursuit on a this 1st and 10 play with 10:15 in the 1st QTR. He also carried the ball under his right arm on a gain around left end with 5:14 in the 1st QTR. Starks lost the ball on a run off RG versus a run blitz on 2nd and 1 with 1:00 in the half. However, he carried the ball with both hands in front of his stomach without securing it after getting the hand off and it was easily knocked away. This was a clear mental
lapse on his part. Starks lost the ball during an exchange with the QB. The hand off was put on the upper left arm at the last moment and literally tossed it up there at close range. It was credited as fumble on Starks, but it was his QB's responsibility. I'm not scoring it as fumble here.
Elusiveness:
Nice bounce to his change of direction on a four-yard gain from the one yard-line on the first run of the game. Good lateral cut from C to RG about two yards behind the LOS on 2nd and 6 to find a crease behind his lead FB and then veering to the right of his lead blocker through the hole for a few yards before bulldozing his way through three defenders for a seven-yard gain and a first down. His change of direction is very fluid and sharp for a 211-lb back. He turned 90 degrees on a run designed to go around right end and cut inside the right guard with such sharpness he got positive yardage on a play that should have been a loss with 7:39 in the 1st QTR. I liked how Starks finished his run after a catch on a circle route to begin the 2nd QTR. Instead of trying to split defenders by bulling through them, he used his speed and agility to get low and dive across the first down marker. Nice spin to the inside to run through the grasp of a defender at the LOS on a 2nd and 7 screen pass with 14:20 in the 3rd QTR. A terrific lateral cut at the sideline to turn up field and stay inbounds on a 10-yard run on a pitch to right end with 7:26 in the game. Starks made a great dip inside a seal block at full speed on 3rd and 1 to gain 15 yards through the left flat
to the one yard-line, nearly getting the pylon with a diving attempt with 3:33 in the game. He scored on the next play with a patient run for one yard.
Balance:
Excellent balance to stay upright and drag a defender grabbing him in pursuit to get three extra yards for the first down on a pitch to right end with 7:24 in the game. He ran through the grasp of one safety on pitch around left end and then ran through a big hit by the second safety to his side near the boundary, keeping his balance to gain a few more
yards and stay inbounds for 10 yards with 4:06 in the game.
Speed:
Starks has a noticeable burst when uses it. Starks displays a very quick first step to get around left end on a spread formation hand off to gain 15 yards down the left flat with 5:14 in the 1st QTR. He burst through two tackle attempts on a 3rd and 1 run early in the 3rd QTR. He has 10.8 - 100 M speed. A nice plant in the backfield followed by a change of direction and burst through the LOS for a six-yard gain with 8:45 in the game on 2nd and 10.
Blocking:
Good positioning in the pocket to pick up a CB blitz on 1st and 10 with 4:48 in the 1st QTR. Although he didn't get a clean shot on the CB, he altered the path of the pressure to give the QB room to slide to the left and at least throw the ball away. He slid through an opening off LG to engage the LB with a block on a 3rd and 15 pass attempt with 4:20 in the 1st QTR. On 3rd and 6 with 12:06 in the half, Starks aggressively charged to left end to pick up the blitzing DB off the corner and got his hands into the defender's body, doing a good job with his feet to slide with the DB to stay in front of him and keep him away from the QB, giving his teammate time to roll right and throw the ball away. Starks correctly diagnosed a blitz overload to the left side on 1st and 10 with 13:10 in the 3rd QTR and took the inside man, but so did his LT at the last moment and he found himself ducking under them. He turned back to the QB to make himself a target and the QB tossed him the ball at the last second and he had a lapse in concentration by turning up field before he secured the pass, incomplete. On the next play, he did a find job of shielding the edge rush away from the QB.
Vision:
Good patience on a 4-yard run off RT on a 1st and 10 from their own one yard-line to start their first drive. He got the ball in a two-TE I formation and pressed the hole off RT by veering towards LG with a slow approach and then bounced outside to his FB, actually running into his back momentarily and bulling forward for a four-yard gain. Although he took a
hand off from the Pistol towards right end and the Ball State defense pushed his linemen 1-3 yards into the backfield on that side, Starks managed to find a cutback off RG for a 1- yard gain when it should have been a 2-yard loss. He showed good vision to try to reverse his field back to left end where there was a huge opening but he just got tripped up from
behind as he was about to turn the corner and was down for a two-yard loss with 7:13 in the half. He got 18 yards on 3rd and 1 from the I-formation because of a great play design against Ball State's defense. The WR split left and the lead FB converged to left end to block down the CB in the left flat so Starks could sprint through left end for the first down. He then ran through two tackles at his legs eight and ten yards past the LOS before getting pushed down by the safety. Although he didn't gain any yardage on the play, he showed great reaction and recognition of a defender shooting the A gap just as he go the ball heading for the middle of the line and stopped on a dime to nearly avoid his grasp and change
direction. He avoided the grasp initially but couldn't move his feet without the defender wrapping him. All he could do was fall forward for no gain.
Receiving
Starks' third consecutive touch on the first drive of the game was a swing pass to the left flat that he caught with his hands while running away from the QB and turned up field with his linemen leading the way to the left sideline. When he reached the LOS with a defender a yard from him in pursuit from the backside, Starks put his foot in the ground and burst
down hill, running through the backside defender's attempted tackle and falling forward another three yards after the safety's hit from the inside for an 11-yard gain. Starks caught circle route at the LOS on a 1st and 10 top open the 2nd QTR after releasing from the spread formation flanking the QB. He caught the ball with his hands close to his body and turned up field for 12 yards. He gained six yards on the second play of the 3rd QTR, catching a middle screen and running out of the grasp of a defender at the LOS as he caught the ball, spinning inside of the hit and then spinning to stay upright while in the grasp of second defender for another four yards to gain six on 2nd and 7.
Durability:
He missed his senior season with a labral tear in his shoulder that was detected in August just before the season began. He had surgery immediately and will be ready to showcase his skills in the NFL.
Overall Strengths:
He has some of the best lateral cuts and change of direction I have seen from any back. He has a very smooth speed and burst with a good first step. He catches the ball with his hands. He is an aggressive pass protector with good footwork to stay in front of his opponent and uses his hands reasonably well. He's not as good as fellow prospect Brandon Minor in this area, but he's better than most I have seen thus far. He has very good vision to spot the cut back and he will carry a defender a few yards. He's stronger than he looks and runs with good pad level. He has good balance to take hits and stay upright. Turner Gill said that Starks is a stud, is as comparable to any back at Nebraska he played with (Mike Rozier), and he has an NFL future. At 6-2, 211, he could easily be 6-2 225 and retain his speed. I think he's the diamond in the rough in this draft at the RB position.
Overall Weaknesses:
He carries the ball under his right arm only and he needs to secure the ball earlier in his exchanges with the QB. If he could learn to switch the ball to his left arm he could be more versatile with a stiff arm to ward off defenders. He could use another 10 pounds of muscle to his core. He missed his senior season due to a labral tear in his shoulder that wasn't
detected until August.
Power:
Starks demonstrated good pad level midway through his 7-yard run on 2nd and 6 with 10:50 in the 1st QTR by attacking the defenders ahead of him with his head down and using his legs and body lean to gain three yards after contact. He ran out of two tackle wrap-ups to his legs on a 3rd and 1 run off left end for 18 yards.
Ball Handling:
Good job covering up with both arms in the hole when he lowered his shoulders into the defenders for a 7-yard gain with 10:50 in the 1st QTR. Starks holds the ball high and tight against his body, but he carried the ball on a swing pass to the left side of the field under his right arm, exposing it to backside pursuit on a this 1st and 10 play with 10:15 in the 1st QTR. He also carried the ball under his right arm on a gain around left end with 5:14 in the 1st QTR. Starks lost the ball on a run off RG versus a run blitz on 2nd and 1 with 1:00 in the half. However, he carried the ball with both hands in front of his stomach without securing it after getting the hand off and it was easily knocked away. This was a clear mental
lapse on his part. Starks lost the ball during an exchange with the QB. The hand off was put on the upper left arm at the last moment and literally tossed it up there at close range. It was credited as fumble on Starks, but it was his QB's responsibility. I'm not scoring it as fumble here.
Elusiveness:
Nice bounce to his change of direction on a four-yard gain from the one yard-line on the first run of the game. Good lateral cut from C to RG about two yards behind the LOS on 2nd and 6 to find a crease behind his lead FB and then veering to the right of his lead blocker through the hole for a few yards before bulldozing his way through three defenders for a seven-yard gain and a first down. His change of direction is very fluid and sharp for a 211-lb back. He turned 90 degrees on a run designed to go around right end and cut inside the right guard with such sharpness he got positive yardage on a play that should have been a loss with 7:39 in the 1st QTR. I liked how Starks finished his run after a catch on a circle route to begin the 2nd QTR. Instead of trying to split defenders by bulling through them, he used his speed and agility to get low and dive across the first down marker. Nice spin to the inside to run through the grasp of a defender at the LOS on a 2nd and 7 screen pass with 14:20 in the 3rd QTR. A terrific lateral cut at the sideline to turn up field and stay inbounds on a 10-yard run on a pitch to right end with 7:26 in the game. Starks made a great dip inside a seal block at full speed on 3rd and 1 to gain 15 yards through the left flat
to the one yard-line, nearly getting the pylon with a diving attempt with 3:33 in the game. He scored on the next play with a patient run for one yard.
Balance:
Excellent balance to stay upright and drag a defender grabbing him in pursuit to get three extra yards for the first down on a pitch to right end with 7:24 in the game. He ran through the grasp of one safety on pitch around left end and then ran through a big hit by the second safety to his side near the boundary, keeping his balance to gain a few more
yards and stay inbounds for 10 yards with 4:06 in the game.
Speed:
Starks has a noticeable burst when uses it. Starks displays a very quick first step to get around left end on a spread formation hand off to gain 15 yards down the left flat with 5:14 in the 1st QTR. He burst through two tackle attempts on a 3rd and 1 run early in the 3rd QTR. He has 10.8 - 100 M speed. A nice plant in the backfield followed by a change of direction and burst through the LOS for a six-yard gain with 8:45 in the game on 2nd and 10.
Blocking:
Good positioning in the pocket to pick up a CB blitz on 1st and 10 with 4:48 in the 1st QTR. Although he didn't get a clean shot on the CB, he altered the path of the pressure to give the QB room to slide to the left and at least throw the ball away. He slid through an opening off LG to engage the LB with a block on a 3rd and 15 pass attempt with 4:20 in the 1st QTR. On 3rd and 6 with 12:06 in the half, Starks aggressively charged to left end to pick up the blitzing DB off the corner and got his hands into the defender's body, doing a good job with his feet to slide with the DB to stay in front of him and keep him away from the QB, giving his teammate time to roll right and throw the ball away. Starks correctly diagnosed a blitz overload to the left side on 1st and 10 with 13:10 in the 3rd QTR and took the inside man, but so did his LT at the last moment and he found himself ducking under them. He turned back to the QB to make himself a target and the QB tossed him the ball at the last second and he had a lapse in concentration by turning up field before he secured the pass, incomplete. On the next play, he did a find job of shielding the edge rush away from the QB.
Vision:
Good patience on a 4-yard run off RT on a 1st and 10 from their own one yard-line to start their first drive. He got the ball in a two-TE I formation and pressed the hole off RT by veering towards LG with a slow approach and then bounced outside to his FB, actually running into his back momentarily and bulling forward for a four-yard gain. Although he took a
hand off from the Pistol towards right end and the Ball State defense pushed his linemen 1-3 yards into the backfield on that side, Starks managed to find a cutback off RG for a 1- yard gain when it should have been a 2-yard loss. He showed good vision to try to reverse his field back to left end where there was a huge opening but he just got tripped up from
behind as he was about to turn the corner and was down for a two-yard loss with 7:13 in the half. He got 18 yards on 3rd and 1 from the I-formation because of a great play design against Ball State's defense. The WR split left and the lead FB converged to left end to block down the CB in the left flat so Starks could sprint through left end for the first down. He then ran through two tackles at his legs eight and ten yards past the LOS before getting pushed down by the safety. Although he didn't gain any yardage on the play, he showed great reaction and recognition of a defender shooting the A gap just as he go the ball heading for the middle of the line and stopped on a dime to nearly avoid his grasp and change
direction. He avoided the grasp initially but couldn't move his feet without the defender wrapping him. All he could do was fall forward for no gain.
Receiving
Starks' third consecutive touch on the first drive of the game was a swing pass to the left flat that he caught with his hands while running away from the QB and turned up field with his linemen leading the way to the left sideline. When he reached the LOS with a defender a yard from him in pursuit from the backside, Starks put his foot in the ground and burst
down hill, running through the backside defender's attempted tackle and falling forward another three yards after the safety's hit from the inside for an 11-yard gain. Starks caught circle route at the LOS on a 1st and 10 top open the 2nd QTR after releasing from the spread formation flanking the QB. He caught the ball with his hands close to his body and turned up field for 12 yards. He gained six yards on the second play of the 3rd QTR, catching a middle screen and running out of the grasp of a defender at the LOS as he caught the ball, spinning inside of the hit and then spinning to stay upright while in the grasp of second defender for another four yards to gain six on 2nd and 7.
Durability:
He missed his senior season with a labral tear in his shoulder that was detected in August just before the season began. He had surgery immediately and will be ready to showcase his skills in the NFL.
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