Indiana's Marcelino Ball makes Bruce Feldman's 'Freaks List' For Second Straight Year

Indiana senior defensive back Marcelino Ball ranks No. 17 on Bruce Feldman's 2020 college football “Freaks List.”

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — For the second straight year, Indiana’s Marcelino Ball is on Bruce Feldman’s 2020 college football “Freaks List.”

Feldman, who writes for The Athletic, has been writing about college football’s freak athletes since the early 2000’s. His idea, as he puts it, is to “spotlight the guys who generate buzz inside their programs by displaying the type of rare physical abilities that wow even those folks who are used to observing gifted athletes every day.”

Of the 50 players Feldman ranked for this upcoming college football season, Ball came in at No. 17, which is eight spots lower than what he was ranked in 2019, which was ninth.

Regardless, the senior defensive back’s combination of strength and speed has kept him among the top athletes in college football.

Feldman listed Ball’s upper body strength as his freakiest attribute.

Here is Feldman’s full analysis on Ball:

“The baby brother of former Georgia Tech QB Reggie Ball is back on the Freaks list for a second time. The 6-0, 220-pound senior produced 47 tackles, three TFLs and six QB hurries in 2019 and has been a starter since his freshman year. Ball has topped out at almost 23 mph and run an electronically timed 4.41 40. He also bench presses over 400 pounds and power cleaned 365.”

Indiana football used this article as an opportunity to release a video of Ball on Twitter where he kips up with no hands in the endzone against Rutgers last season, showcasing some his impressive athleticism.

It's no secret Tom Allen is excited about the young defensive unit brewing in Bloomington, and Ball has been a solid veteran in the locker room.

As Ball enters his final season with the Hoosiers, his role will be more important than ever, both on and off the field, as Indiana’s defense continues to grow.

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