LaMichael James: 5 Biggest Strengths and Weaknesses of 2012 NFL Draft Prospect

LaMichael James is an incredible athlete and football player playing running back.  He comes into the NFL out of the University of Oregon.  There are things to really like about LaMichael James as a football player, and there are some questions that need to be answered.

Let's take a look at the five biggest strengths of James’ game.  We will also look at the five biggest weaknesses of his game. 

James is an electric athlete who has dazzled entire stadiums with his athletic ability.  He is naturally athletic and can do great things with that athleticism.  He is very fluid and never looks uncomfortable, and he was very productive at the University of Oregon.  James finished his career with 5082 yards rushing and a healthy 6.6 yards per carry.  He also scored 53 rushing touchdowns

James is a smaller running back even after getting bigger for his senior season. He is a shade over 5'8" tall and is 194 pounds. There are concerns that he will not hold up physically in the NFL. There is a question as to whether he will be able to take the NFL beating that running backs face. He will have to prove that he can stay healthy and on the field in the NFL.

James has the rare ability to move laterally without losing any speed.  He has a little shake to his upper body and can bend his lower body at crazy angles to make defenders miss.  He never seems to take a heavy hit as he simply rolls away from defenders.  James does some incredible things on the football field, and most are related to his lateral athleticism.

James is not a traditional running back from a size perspective, and teams will have to figure the best way to use him. Some consider him to be a third-down back only who will be at his best in the screen game and on the move. James is best suited to touch the ball 10-12 times per game maximum as any more will decrease his effectiveness.

He has remarkable speed, as evidenced by his 4.45 second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine in February.  James actually plays faster than his time would suggest, and he has incredible acceleration from still to top speed.  He runs to open spaces and will make defenders look silly if they take a bad angle.

James is not a power running back, and he sometimes runs to avoid contact. He is not the type of player that will run between the tackles well at all. James is more of an edge runner and a player that will try to bounce everything outside.

James does a really nice job catching the football with his hands and is going to be an asset for a team on third downs.  He looks very natural in this aspect of the game and has good vision.

He will set up a defender and run away from him.  He does a decent job in pass protection and is willing to block, which is surprising considering his size.

James is a feisty player, and he is very competitive. There are times when he should just go down when he is wrapped up, but he will fight for the extra yard. In doing so, he will expose his body to big hits in the NFL. Defenders will also strip the ball from him when he is extending his body and reaching for more yardage.

He is tougher than he is given credit for.  He is tougher to bring down than his size would indicate, and he keeps his legs working through contact.  He has a high pain tolerance as evidenced by his willingness to return to the field after missing only two games due to a dislocated elbow.

James was suspended for the season opener in 2010. He plead guilty to a misdemeanor harassment charge and was sentenced to 10 days in jail. There are some that consider the one-game suspension to be a slap on the wrist in relation to the charges. Regardless, it is something that NFL teams need to consider.