From now until the 2024 NFL Draft takes place, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Sacramento State running back Marcus Fulcher.
#9 MARCUS FULCHER, RB, SACRAMENTO STATE (SR) — 5075, 215 lbs.
Pro Day Measurements
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Marcus Fulcher | 5075/215 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
The Good
— Strong, compact build
— Patience and vision to read blockers
— Good burst through gaps
— Can make a guy miss with quickness or run through arm tackles
— Finishes forward, rarely sent backwards
— Good ball security
— Used on short-area routes and wheels
— Solid hands and tracks ball over the shoulder well
— Effective in pass protection
— Successful as a punt returner
The Bad
— Speed is adequate overall
— Doesn’t have the extra gear to get to the edge
— Footing slips on some cuts, limiting his power
— One-cut runner; won’t string together a bunch of moves
— Body catcher, overuses his hands away from the body
— Angles in pass-protection can get wide
— Obvious competition jump coming
Bio
— Career: 285 carries, 1,449 yards, 19 TD, 5.1 YPC; 75 receptions, 668 yards, 6 TDs, 9.5 YPR
— Career: 22 PR, 197 yards, 9.0 YPR; 8 KR, 150 yards, 18.8 YPR
— 2023: 121 carries, 590 yards, 8 TD, 4.9 YPC; 18 receptions, 171 yards, 2 TD; 9.5 YPR
— 2023 All-Big Sky honorable mention
— Ranks 10th in school history with 19 career rushing touchdowns
— Had 2,464 all-purpose yards during his career.
— 2022 third-team All-Big Sky (RB and punt returner)
— Majoring in criminal justice
Tape Breakdown
Marcus Fulcher led a running back rotation for the Hornets that saw four players receive between 60 and 130 carries in 2023. It was a zone-heavy scheme that used him on all downs. He has a thick build with strong legs and solid speed.
As a runner, he shows good patience and vision to read the blocks with good burst to hit the hole quickly. Behind pulling blockers, he is good setting up his block and gets up to speed quickly. Playing with a very low center of gravity, he runs with a very good pad level. Getting low and behind his pads, he runs with good physicality through arm tackles. He has good feet and lateral agility, using hesitation and jump cuts to avoid tacklers. Finishing runs is a strong point, Fulcher finishing forward for the extra yards. In the games watched, his ball security was very good.
An assortment of runs showing his patience, vision, and cuts.
Fulcher breaks a tackle, scores a touchdown, and celebrates with a beverage.
Yards after contact are part of his game.
In the passing game, he was used primarily in the short area on swings and flat routes but also had success out of the backfield on wheel routes. He has solid hands and tracks the ball over his shoulder well. After the catch, he has the play strength to run over a defensive back and quickness to make a guy miss.
Some of Fulcher’s receptions.
In pass protection, he displays good mental processing to identify his assignment. He uses good pad level, hand placement and leverage to get under rushers. He had several reps taking on defensive linemen and edge rushers alone, slowing them to give the quarterback time to throw. Cut blocks on the edge were also effective to neutralize pass rushers.
Mental processing, form, and physicality in pass protection.
Fulcher also has his share of time on special teams and was a punt returner in 2022.
His speed to get to the corner was adequate, and he did most of his best work inside. His speed won’t blow you away, and he doesn’t have the extra gear. When getting low behind his pads, he will get out over his toes, leaning forward too much and losing his footing. He is a one-cut runner and isn’t going to put together a bunch of moves. I saw one concentration drop as a receiver. More often than not, he was a body catcher rather than plucking the ball with his hands. When blocking on the edge, he will get too far outside giving the edge rusher a lane inside.
Fulcher trying to get to the edge.
The lone concentration drop I saw from Fulcher.
Conclusion
Overall, Marcus Fulcher runs with good vision, patience, and burst to hit the hole quickly. He runs with toughness and physicality, getting good pad level to run behind his pads. Yards are added by making a defender miss with quickness or finishing forward through a tackle. In the passing game he is adept as a receiver and pass blocker and can be used on all downs. He additionally has experience as a returner.
Areas to improve include keeping his feet under him before making contact, keeping his concentration as a pass catcher, using his hands more to catch the ball, and consistency in his angles in pass protection.
Fulcher is short but he is not small. He is solidly built. While watching another player, he caught my eye and going back to watch him I wasn’t disappointed. He has value as a return man and can be used on third downs. Sure, there are areas, even ones he does well, that can be fine-tuned, but I think he can make his way onto a roster. Maybe the practice squad initially but I can see him running in the NFL.
The Steelers don’t have a need, per se, at running back and aren’t likely using a draft pick on one. But they could bring him in as a priority free agent. If he doesn’t get picked, some team will definitely bring him in for a look. The best fit would be in a zone-running scheme.
For a player comp, I’ll give you JaMycal Hasty. Similarly sized backs who can make an impact in the passing game and special teams and can be the third running back on a team.
Projection: Late Day 3
Depot Draft Grade: 6.0 Undrafted Free Agent (PFA)
Games Watched: 2022 – Incarnate Word; 2023 – At North Dakota, At South Dakota
