Profiling Colts Running Back Joseph Addai

Joseph Addai

Born:  3rd of May, 1983

Hometown:  Houston, TX

College:  Louisiana State University

Draft:  1st round, 30th overall – 2006 (Indianapolis Colts)

Height:  5 feet 11 inches

Weight:  214 lbs.

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College

Professional

Pre-Draft Measurables*

40-yard Dash: 4.40 seconds

3 Cone Drill: 7.10 seconds

20-Yard Shuttle: 4.48 seconds

Bench Press:  18 reps

Vertical Jump: 38.5 inches

Broad Jump: 125.0 inches

* – NFL Scouting Combine

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Breakdown

Joseph Addai played collegiately at Louisiana State University as a 1 year starter who saw significant time as a primary backup in his four years at LSU.  While only being the signature back in his senior year at LSU, Addai showed solid growth and development rushing, receiving, and blocking — in order to gain high marks as an all purpose back.

Addai started his college career as a fullback before moving to halfback as a junior.  Despite redshirting as a true freshman, no reason was offered to explain why he was granted a medical redshirt — and Addai showed no signs of durability concerns during his college career.

As a primary back in the NFL, Addai has seen his value take a number of hits.  He was not only  unable to sustain the “high” level of production from his rookie season, he also from a string of injuries in his third year — which prompted the Colts to draft another First Round running back serve as the team’s primary backup behind Addai.

Although he has failed to achieve “wow-status” as a running threat, Addai has shown potential as an all purpose back — acting not only as a backfield blocker for Peyton Manning, but also as a legitimate dump-off target for Manning.  In recent years, due to a continually poor run-blocking performance by the offensive line, Addai and Manning have developed a pseudo-rushing attack that operates like an extended delayed hand-off — but is really just a dump-off pass to Addai in the backfield.

While Addai initially received high marks from scouts in nearly every aspect of his game, he has lost much of the flair from his rookie and sophomore seasons with the Colts — seemingly because he is now too patient to wait for a hole to form, often taking hits for a loss.  While Addai has still retained some general elusiveness, he lacks the dominant slippery nature of some of the NFL’s marquee running backs.  Addai has developed enough as a receiver that he can line up in the slot on some plays, and is one of Manning’s most reliable options, even when he lines up behind Manning.

Video

http://youtube.com/watch?v=CfBefxM-DEE

http://youtube.com/watch?v=-7alHVMRDsM