RB Tony Pollard is one of the Dallas Cowboys 30 pre-draft visitors, though he’s hardly been on the radar of draftniks much this offseason. That’s because Pollard has been a backup to the very impressive Darrell Henderson at the University of Memphis and has been relegated to a role that doesn’t get much natioanl attention. However Pollard has the traits necessary to be a role player at the next level.

A member of the 2015-16 American Athletic Conference All-Academic Team, Pollard made Dean’s List and the Tiger 3.0 Club for the 2017 fall semester. A 2017 All-America first team by Walter Camp, Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and Phil Steele and an All-America second team by Sports Illustrated, his special teams prowess will make him a name in the NFL. Pollard was a two-time American Athletic Conference Special Teams Player of the Year (2016, 2017) and those skills made him a All-American Athletic Conference first team in both seasons.

Name: Tony Pollard

Position: Running Back/Wide Receiver

School: Memphis

Height: 5-feet-11 5/8

Weight: 210 pounds

Date of Birth: 4/30/1997

pSparq Score: 118.8 Z-Score: -0.2 NFL Percentile: 42.0

pSparq is an approximation of the “Sparq Score” metric invented by NIKE (with the help of former USC and current Seattle Seahawks Head Coach, Pete Carroll), designed as a way to standardize athletic testing of High School athletes and interpret their athleticism with a sport specific formula. For more on pSparq,(and the man behind the math Zach Whitman) check out 3sigmaathlete.com.

Games Studied UCF, Houston, Georgia State, UCF (AAC Final)

UCF Tape Houston Tape Georgia State Tape

Pass Game Review

Pollard lined up all over the field for the Tigers offense, in the backfield, the slot, and to the boundary as a wide receiver. As a receiver, the majority of his routes were screens and underneath routes, but occasionally he would be asked to take a true vertical stem and run a seam, dig, or corner route. He exhibited the ability to run these types of routes and track the ball down the field.

He wasn’t asked to line up in the back field and act as a true pass protector often, but showed an understanding of how to diagnose where the pressure was coming from and a willingness to step into the line of fire and take on the blitzer. He has work to do from a technique and power standpoint in this area.

After the catch he is slippery and rarely goes down on first contact, gets the extra few yards that often make the difference between a first down and a punt.

Run Game Review

In the run game, Pollard was often used on Jet Sweeps and showed the ability to get to the perimeter, and to make the first man miss. He was also used regularly as a runner from the backfield, as an off-set back in the shotgun, a true tail back from under center, and as a wildcat quarterback. Most of his runs in these scenarios came on zone concepts that allowed him to showcase his patience, balance, and acceleration. These traits allow him to quickly get through to the second level of the defense, and once he is there he is tough to bring down.

As a blocker in the run game he again exhibited the same willingness and intelligence as a lead blocker as well as wile stalk blocking on the outside as a receiver. That he showed as a pass protector, but his issues in terms of power and technique show up in this area as well.

He is the type of runner who rarely goes down on first contact because defenders are rarely able to square him up for solid contact in space.

Measurables & Stats

Conclusion/Cowboys Projection

For a Cowboys team searching for a complete back to compliment Ezekiel Elliott, Pollard brings a great deal of value. His prowess as a kick returner (7 return TDs in 3 seasons) as well as his ability to play as a true wide receiver would provide additional opportunities beyond the reps behind Elliott as a true running back, and could be something that the organization looks favorably on especially as day three selection.

He doesn’t have much wear and tear on his body with only 139 total carries in his career, but he possesses ideal size and speed for a running back and has shown the ability to do everything you’d ask a reserve runner to do.

Grade – 5th round