Marcus Lattimore would have easily been a top-20 pick if it wasn't for a serious late-season knee injury that has caused many scouts to question whether he can actually stay healthy at the next level. For the South Carolina product, it was another setback in a long line of injury issues since high school. 

When healthy, Lattimore is a dynamic force in the running game and can be one of those stud starting running backs that seem to be far and few between in the NFL today. 

Here is eDraft's look at the talented young running back.

Strengths

Power/Build: A low center of gravity, much like what we see with Frank Gore, enables Lattimore to blow past defenders and gain the tough yards between the hashes. He has the balance and size to be a dominating short-yardage player at the next level. You will not see defenders take him down with arm tackles. 

Pass Catching: Lattimore will be able to put up a nice amount of receptions at the next level. He already runs pro-ready routes and slips into the defensive backfield extremely well. He possesses soft hands, which will go a long way in determining whether he will be an every-down running back in the NFL. 

Field Vision: While Lattimore will press through the line in relatively short order, he does possess the field vision to find holes and follow blockers. South Carolina's scheme didn't focus a lot on utilizing a fullback, which could be an issue in the NFL. That being said, he understands when and where to hit the hall and displays tremendous patience until said hole opens up. 

Pass Blocking: Probably one of Lattimore's greatest assets. He will lay his body out there to protect the quarterback; utilizing a tremendous technique that we in the scouting world like to call "shoulder first, mid section second." This means that he will go out there and lead block with his shoulder pads, while still being able to frame up and lay wood on an incoming pass rusher. He wont struggle against stronger defenders at the point of contact. 

Will Carry Tacklers: This is just an extension of his power and build. Lattimore will not be brought down at the line too often, but it is when he gets into the second gear that makes him so darn dynamic. The South Carolina product will carry tacklers with him down the field and rarely gets stopped on a nose. He will turn a six-yard rush into an eight-yard gain and so on. 

Weaknesses

Injuries: Two major knee injuries in the matter of a couple seasons really has dropped Lattimore's draft stock. It is highly unlikely that he will be able to make an impact or even play as a rookie in 2013. Instead, the team that selects him will do so with the understanding that the earliest he will be able to contribute is 2014. Of course with lesser of a focus on the running back position in the NFL, this drops Lattimore's stock even further. There are also worries about his ability to handle the day-to-day grind of the NFL. 

Speed: Lattimore will not explode into his second gear. He will not be able to beat defensive backs down the field and will rarely break long runs. The majority of his runs will be between the hashes, as you will not see Lattimore string it to the outside too often. 

Bottom Line

As I mentioned before, if it wasn't for a string of injuries and concerns over his ability to stay healthy, Lattimore would easily go in the  first round next month. It isn't going to happen. That being said, the South Carolina product would be a great third-day find for a team with plenty of picks and the ability to stash him in 2013. Remember, Frank Gore had two ACL injuries at Miami before San Francisco spent a third-round pick on him. I can easily envision something like that happening here. It is important to note that Lattimore's two injuries were both of the freakish variety. This means that his injury concerns, outside of his ability to make an impact in '13, could be overblown. 

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