There was a decent dose of expectation for Christian McCaffrey heading into his sophomore year in the NFL. It didn’t take much to realize that the former Stanford star bulked up in the off-season.
8 game suspension incoming.... pic.twitter.com/2gC1jvT5FQ
— Billy Marshall (@BillyM_91) May 3, 2018
Would the change in his body lead to production? The early results suggest yes. Before last week’s games, he was 4th in the league in yards after contact.
We showed which teams got the most yards after contact in the run game.
— NFL Matchup on ESPN (@NFLMatchup) September 26, 2018
How about which PLAYERS? These guys break tackles and create on their own, which is hugely valuable.#GoNiners #FightForEachOther #BroncosCountry #KeepPounding #DallasCowboys #OnePride #duuuval #SeizeTheDEY pic.twitter.com/4FmX10zKc3
Don’t believe the stats? Well here are some examples:
Rough day for 56 in black. pic.twitter.com/V89UymKcXc
— Billy Marshall (@BillyM_91) September 24, 2018
The one area of improvement that’s gone under noticed is his pass blocking. McCaffrey struggled in this area last season. The objectives for a back in pass protection are to identify the blitzer and have sound technique to prevent a muddled pocket.
McCaffrey’s job is straight forward on this blitz. Cam Newton is taking a short three step drop on a timing route. McCaffrey quickly identifies the blitzing linebacker and forces him back inside.
The Bengals bring a similar blitz later in the game. The defensive line slants to the left, which gives McCaffrey a straight forward ID on the linebacker. He assists Tyler Larsen to give Newton a clean pocket.
There’s a lot going on in this play-action pass. Ryan Kalil gets run over. Greg Van Roten pulls, but he’s late to pick up the edge rusher. McCaffrey lands a solid chip on the edge to help Van Roten. This gives Newton just enough time before attempting his pass.
This isn’t a pretty rep, but he does his job to slow down both blitzing linebackers. His overall strength has improved, but McCaffrey can still improve his technique to become a better blocker. He’s improved upon the mental side by correctly picking up blitz concepts to keep Newton’s pocket clean.
Here is an example of his strength and technique working together. He matches with the stunting rusher, establishes a wide base, and makes perfect contact. McCaffrey doesn’t get ran over, which is a sign that he showed correct technique.
Something that might stand in the way of more playing time for Christian McCaffrey and Kareem Hunt in year two: Among 49 qualifying running backs last season, Hunt ranked 48th and McCaffrey ranked 49th in pass-blocking efficiency.
— Scott Barrett (@ScottBarrettDFB) March 15, 2018
Data available with a PFF Elite subscription.
It’s too soon to tell if McCaffrey will be one of the better pass blocking backs in the league, but considering where he was last year he has undoubtedly shown positive growth. The enhancements as an every down runner, his continued success as a pass catcher, and now his advancements as a pass blocker are beginning to show why the Panthers invested a top 10 pick in CMC.