Film study: Notre Dame RB commit Deon McIntosh
RB Deon McIntosh, 5-11, 170; Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Cardinal Gibbons.
The numbers: McIntosh rushed 134 times for 681 yards and seven touchdowns in his senior season at Cardinal Gibbons. He also totaled 117 receiving yards and one TD. The Chiefs (4-6) finished the season without a spot in the FHSAA playoffs.
The rankings: Rivals – Three stars, No. 18 all-purpose back. 247Sports – Three stars, No. 83 running back.
FILM BREAKDOWN
First impression: McIntosh is a speedy running back who could be a weapon on the ground and through the air. He runs away from defenders in the open field. McIntosh’s experience as a three-year varsity running back should be valuable at Notre Dame.
Strengths: McIntosh looks most comfortable in a sprint. If he can make one cut and get upfield, McIntosh can cause problems for an opposing defense. He runs hard and attacks the hole when it’s there. McIntosh leans in for hits and isn’t afraid of contact. He also brings versatility to an offense with the option to play in the slot.
He did what? (:56) McIntosh shows his hard running style by not getting tripped up in the backfield and lowering the boom on a safety trying to come up to make the tackle. McIntosh is swarmed after planting the safety into the ground … (3:35) McIntosh makes an easy catch out of the backfield to find nothing but grass and apparently sand traps that can’t slow him down. He speeds down the sideline for a long touchdown with the help of a couple blocks downfield … (5:20) McIntosh takes advantage of a big hole to start a long touchdown run. When greeted by defenders in the secondary, he stutter steps to throw off one defender, cuts behind a blocker and speeds away from the defense.
Competition level: Cardinal Gibbons struggled to find consistency with a tough schedule. The Chiefs lost to three teams ranked in the top 20 in the state according to MaxPreps: American Heritage (No. 9), Hallandale (No. 13) and Deerfield Beach (No. 20). Another loss came to Coconut Creek, which features four of the top 100 players in the Florida for the 2016 class per Rivals. There’s no doubt that McIntosh played against a roster of talented players in South Florida.
Left to prove: McIntosh isn’t the smoothest running back. He’s herky-jerky with his cuts and often has to turn his shoulders to change directions. While his tendency to run hard is an asset, he does it at times with too much forward lean which gives him poor balance. He’ll also need to add strength to a skinny frame. The good news is that Notre Dame shouldn’t need McIntosh in the backfield immediately, and he’ll have time to sharpen his game.
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