Patience Pays Off for Gillislee

Sep 8, 2012; College Station, TX, USA; Florida Gators running back Mike Gillislee (23) runs the ball for a touchdown against the Texas A

Coming into the 2012 college football season, not many had Florida running back Mike Gillislee on their radar for the 2013 NFL draft. I do not think that will be the case come December.

They say patience is a virtue, and Gillislee is a very patient man. He was a highly recruited prospect coming out of high school and has been waiting in the wings behind running backs Jeff Demps and Chris Rainey.

Gillislee stayed at Florida despite the crowded backfield and was rewarded his senior year by being handed the title of ‘Feature Back’.
Through two games this season, Gillislee has 38 attempts for 231 yards and four touchdowns. That is an impressive 6.1 yards per carry in his first year as a significant contributor.

The 5’11”, 210 pound back has a very well-rounded skillset and very little tread on his tires. He won’t blow you away with his speed or power, but his vision and cuts are very impressive.

Gillislee runs the ball like a man who has had limited opportunities; and that is a compliment. He hits the holes with authority and decisiveness that is often lost on running backs who are trying to always break the big play.

Gillislee is a patient, mature runner who takes what is given to him and rarely takes losses. He has a sharp jump-cut and NFL-level acceleration. 

He has a lot of untapped potential as a runner, but he certainly has some areas of concern since he has seen so little playing time. 

Gillislee only has eight career receptions and hasn’t had his blocking abilities tested yet. If he wants to be an every down back at the NFL level he is going to need to show that he can catch the ball and block if need be on third downs.

The patient Gillislee is certainly making the most of his starting job so far this season. If he keeps up this pace, his patience could be rewarded with a day two selection in April.