Mississippi St.
Ht. 5-11 Wt. 220
Strengths: Ballard is a big back that has a nose for the endzone. He has excellent balance for his size and underrated speed. While he won’t outrun defenders he has the burst and acceleration to get to the hole quickly. There is no wasted movement with Ballard as he gets north and south and his shoulders square to the line of scrimmage and doesn’t look back.
Weaknesses: Ballard lacks the elusiveness to be an everydown back in the NFL. He also doesn’t possess the receiving skills to be considered a threat out of the backfield at the next level. He has split carries throughout his career.
Bottom Line: The former JUCO standout could be a nice short yardage and goal line back in the NFL and could spell a No. 1 back for carries. His thick lower body are perfect as a redzone threat in the backfield and he will fool you with his speed.
Draft Projection: Ballard should be taken between the 4th-5th round.
