Marion Barber III is the son of former University of Minnesota and New York Jets running back Marion Barber, Jr. He stepped in as a true freshman in 2001 and made an immediate impact, rushing for 742 yards and seven touchdowns. As a sophomore Barber suffered a severe hamstring injury, forcing him to miss the final eight games of the season. He was awarded a medical redshirt for that season and has had two outstanding seasons since then. He was forced to split time with Laurence Maroney this past season but he still managed to put up over 1,200 yards and eleven touchdowns on the year. Because of the medical redshirt season, Barber still has one year of eligiblity left but has opted to enter the NFL after his junior season. He is a powerful back who runs low to the ground and is most effective when running between the tackles. He is always moving forward, rarely loses yards, and has the strength to move the pile and gain additional yardage. He isn't the most elusive back, but he does have the ability to make a defender miss in the open field. His speed has been question in the past, but he put those questions to rest when he posted a 4.49 in the 40 at his pro day. He only had 18 career receptions and he needs to do a better job of catching the ball with his hands to be an effective receiver out of the backfield in the NFL. He displays great field vision and has a real nose for the end zone. He was also a return man in college which may give him some added value on draft day. Durability may be a question mark for Barber. In addition to missing the majority of the 2002 season with a hamstring injury, he also suffered a sprained knee last spring. However he was able to recover from that injury and put together a great season for the second consecutive year. Marion Barber is one of many excellent underclassman at the running back position this year. He is a player on the rise and has a good chance to be a first day pick in April.