When watching the Houston Texans, it's hard to ignore rookie running back Woody Marks. Some might think they're watching the Toy Story broadcast, and while that's not quite right, there is a correlation.
Marks, a 5-foot-10 running back from Atlanta, Georgia, played his first four seasons of college football at Mississippi State before transferring to USC in his final year.
In 2024, as a Trojan, Marks had a career-best season, rushing for 1,133 yards and nine rushing touchdowns.
While his size raised concerns, Marks made up for it with patience, run vision, and undeniable effort. A play like this perfectly captures how Marks approaches the game of football.
What did I just watch 🫨
— SleeperCFB (@SleeperCFB) September 21, 2024
Josaiah Stewart forces a fumble picked up by Kenneth Grant but USC RB Woody Marks strips him
First down Trojans ✌️
pic.twitter.com/DiRU8PKQDZ
On top of his heart, Marks did not turn the ball over, fumbling only once in his 608 college carries. That was enough for him to jump an entire round from where he was projected in the 2025 NFL Draft, where he was selected by the Texans.
After using their fourth-round pick on the rookie RB from USC, the Texans had no intention of leaning on him heavily. After all, Joe Mixon was coming off an amazing season.
Mixon got hurt, and even then, the Texans had already brought in veteran Nick Chubb. Despite that, Marks continued to prove he was the best available back on the team.
Not long after, Texans fans would fall in love with the 5-foot-10 running back they call "Woody."
AllSportsPeople has everything you need to know about Marks' real name and where his nickname came from.
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What is Woody Marks' real name?
Marks' real name is Jo'Quavious Dequane Marks. In fact, his profile on the Mississippi State Bulldogs Athletics page is still under Jo'Quavious.
There's, of course, a reference to why they chose Woody, but he fully embraced it at an away game in college.
“I once scored in an away game, and they said my name wrong," Marks explained in an SEC Media Day interview. “My mom got mad, and she went up to the press box, and she was like, ‘Just call him Woody.’ We went to an away game again, and they said it wrong. She’s like, ‘call him Woody. Just go by Woody.'”
From this point on, he continued to go by Woody officially.
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Why is Woody Marks called 'Woody'?
As many might have guessed, this nickname stems from the character in Toy Story. Marks was not just a fan of the films; he was obsessed with the cowboy named "Woody."
Marks claims to have worn his Woody costume for seven straight Halloweens.
“I wanted to wear it every day at school. “I actually did. I wore it Monday through Friday. I probably had like 10 (costumes). I would cry if (my mom) wouldn’t let me wear it," Marks said. “I had like a whole closet full of Toy Story. I had the book bag. I was really like him going to school.”
As Marks grew older, his nickname among close family members became Woody. Then, all it took was an away announcer to mess up his real name, Jo'Quavious, for his mom to cement one of the more unique names in the entire NFL.