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Malaefou Mackenzie
SELECTED BY CINCINNATI , ROUND 7, PICK 17, OVERALL PICK 218
RB | (0-0, 233) | USC
By Pro Football WeeklyNotes: Lived in Samoa until he was 9 years old. Played in nine games and started two in 1997 as a true freshman. Carried 96 times for 332 yards with three touchdowns and caught five passes for 22 yards. Carried 7-28-0 in the '98 opener, then tore his left anterior cruciate ligament and redshirted. Came back in '99 and carried 25-121-3 and caught 5-40 in eight games. Missed four games with a pulled left hamstring. Started twice in 2000 and played a lot on third downs, carrying 41-284-0 and catching 27-249. Missed the start of the '01 season with a sprained knee, returned to Samoa due to a death in the family and returned to USC. Sprained his knee and was given a second redshirt year. MacKenzie had his knee scoped before the start of spring practice '02. Played in 13 games and was the starting tailback for the first three games and starting fullback for the last seven. Rushed 47-174-2 and caught 39-365-7. His seven TD catches were the most-ever by a Trojans running back. Was an honorable-mention All-Pacific-10 selection and played in the Senior Bowl.Positives: Big, thickly built tailback with good size, hands and athletic ability. Shows some burst and elusiveness. Runs good routes. Versatile and quick. Will compete. Good inside runner with vision. Shows likeness to Larry Centers. Catches well and has some run skills. Negatives: Inconsistent blocker. Because of injuries, has never been a full-time starter. Not durable. Tweener who is not elusive and a little tight in the hips. Average blocker who struggles to adjust laterally. Hasn't carried the ball much since '97. Durability is a concern.Summary: May be best-suited as a Centers-type, pass-catching fullback, but is versatile enough to force teams to show interest on the first day.* Player biographies are provided by Pro Football Weekly.
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