I think there is no doubting the physical skill Maroney has. I think once he gets through a hole, he is one of the better backs in the league. I think he is powerful, agile, extremely fast and a very, very underrated pass blocker. However, I think he is really struggling to commit to a 3-4 yard run. There is a lot of evidence of Maroney showing fatal hesitation at the LOS. As a tailback, sometimes you have to simply commit to the small lane, square your shoulders and hope you come out the other side. I see him frequently trying to bounce a play outside with the c and d gaps already well closed. This has always been a problem from backs advancing to the next level. Be it highschool to college or college to pro. The speed of the game changes dramatically from level to level, and these players are often not used to a minute hesitation killing a play.
I think that he has a long way to go as far as an NFL running back. Do I think he will, in time, become a top-teir back? Yes. For certain. Do I think it will be soon without signifigant holes and lots of 5-7 man looks? Nope.