Woody Marks

Marks (5-10, 207) might not have the anchor to thrive on power concepts and might lack the frame to withstand true workhorse volume, but in terms of skill set the rookie fourth-round pick definitely has the ability to play all three downs. Marks played more passing-down snaps in two years at Mississippi State than most running backs do in four years, and in his one season at USC he showed the ability to transform his game from a passing-formation specialist to one who plays in all conventional three-down phases. Marks ran for 1,133 yards at 5.7 yards per carry for the Trojans, both of which were career highs after playing four years with the Bulldogs. As much as it's unlikely that Marks truly steals any touches from starter Joe Mixon, Marks has the skill set to plug into almost any game situation and the Texans might see him as a way to lighten Mixon's workload after perhaps overworking Mixon in 2024. Dameon Pierce has been less than inspiring since his otherwise impressive rookie season on 2022, so there's an opportunity for Marks to establish himself as the RB2 behind Mixon, especially for pass-catching opportunities. Read Past Outlooks