Eagles Draft Watch: Getting to know Master Teague

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: DEC 19 Big Ten Championship Game – Northwestern v Ohio State
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – DECEMBER 19: Ohio State Buckeyes running back Master Teague III (33) runs to the outside during the Big 10 Championship game between the Northwestern Wildcats and Ohio State Buckeyes on December 19, 2020, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN. (Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire)

Master Teague started his football career playing high school football at Blackman High School in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Teague was a 4 star recruit by the end of his time there and was ranked the 8th and 11th best running back by Rivals and 247Sports respectively. Teague then committed to Ohio State in 2017 and went on to have a good college career. Whilst playing for the Buckeyes, Teague played in the 2021 Sugar Bowl, was named to the Second Team All Big Ten in 2020, Third Team All Big Ten in 2019, and got his major in Communication. 

Here are his 3-year college career stats (via ESPN): 

Strengths: 

  • He’s a physical monster that’s just exciting to watch when he plays. 
  • A sort of hybrid back that has the short area burst of a speedster with the running style of a power back. Plays extremely physical and catches defenders off guard with his speed which makes him very difficult to tackle.
  • Has surprisingly good flexibility and hip movement for a guy who runs like he does and it allows him to be really agile and change directions quickly. 
  • Had very good yard averages in his 2019 season given he was behind JK Dobbins for Ohio State and he was extremely close to a few more huge runs, had it not been for last-gasp tackles.
  • Back in 2017 at a football camp his measurements were out of this world, 40 inch vertical leap and a 4.3 40 yard dash time.  

Weaknesses: 

  • Hasn’t really proven himself in the passing game
  • Had major injury issues, tore his achilles in 2019 and he had a peroneal tendon subluxation that needed surgery back in 2017. That achilles injury is worrying given his explosiveness and speed etc. 
  • Hasn’t had the amount of reps you’d want to really know everything about him. Injuries and a plethora of other talented running backs in the Buckeyes backfield have combined to limit his reps over the past few years.

What he could bring to the Eagles 

Even though the Eagles currently have Miles Sanders as their number 1 back, and have just re-signed Boston Scott to a new contract, it’s pretty clear the Eagles need a back who can produce consistently behind Sanders and be effective between the tackles.

While there are injury concerns when it comes to Master Teague, there’s no denying the talent when he’s on the field. He brings a unique blend of power and speed to his running ability. Simply put, he’d be a talented running back to add to the roster and if he can stay healthy at the next level, he could be one of the steals of the draft. 

Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire