RAY RICE

[The Leaper]

I like Rice...but I'm not sure he fits our situation. I would prefer more of a bruising RB with some size to compliment Grant and Jackson.

Agreed.

Like TJ Duckett or Ron Dayne?

No, like Jackson in St. Louis or Gore in SF.

[KYPack]

The Ray Rice/Emmitt Smith stories are so much alike it's scary. Both "undersized." Both with "mileage" on their legs in college. Both stars in college. Both in the draft as juniors. Both with similar running styles and speed. Both with similar heart and character. Both (Rice likely to be) overlooked in the draft. Both coming to the NFL with something to prove. Both durable and tough...

Put it this way, if you were TT with the 30th pick and an Emmitt Smith clone was still available (which he's likely to be), how do you pass on him?

A better question: With the 22nd and 28th picks overall, how does Dallas pass on him?

When you look at the short RB's, everybody dreams of getting the next Thurman Thomas or Emmitt Smith.

Everybody misses, but what if Rice was a Emmitt clone?

The guy won't slip to 3, if he did, it'd be a no-brainer.

[The Leaper]

Everybody misses, but what if Rice was a Emmitt clone?

Emmitt would've been an average RB if he wasn't behind an elite OL. If you think you are going to be getting a stud out of some shrimp of a RB, then you better have the OL of the Cowboys in the early 90s to work with.

[red]

Everybody misses, but what if Rice was a Emmitt clone?

Emmitt would've been an average RB if he wasn't behind an elite OL. If you think you are going to be getting a stud out of some shrimp of a RB, then you better have the OL of the Cowboys in the early 90s to work with.

i agree, i think emmitt would have been better then average, but not all world hall of famer if not for that line. he had massive holes to run through

he wasn't at all like sanders or peyton where they could create their own running lanes out of nothing

emmit to me is the most over rated player of my time

[Partial]

I like Rice...but I'm not sure he fits our situation. I would prefer more of a bruising RB with some size to compliment Grant and Jackson.

Agreed.

Like TJ Duckett or Ron Dayne?

Just not sold on the bruising type running back, besides, who said that we need to keep the guy for his whole career? 350 carries a season tells me he is dependable. He is solidly built, good build and weight for his height. He isn't a twig more like Jones-Drew.

That is exactly who I would compare him to, and I think he's one of the better backs in th league stuck behind a legend. He's my favorite non-packer.

[Maxie the Taxi]

Hat tip to Bretsky, Partial and all of us who saw potential in this guy.

The following is from Rotoworld:

Ray Rice leads all NFL running backs with 61 catches.

Not only does Rice have great hands, he's turned into one of the best backs in the league in open space. He's topped 100 total yards in eight straight games and there's no reason to think he'll slow down. The only concern is a Week 16 matchup in Pittsburgh, but he just put up 155 yards on them last week.

Let's hope the Pack is a "concern" he hadn't anticipated. Hope we make a statement Monday night and holds him under a 100. Great player, but I don't wish him well Monday.

[Bretsky]

He's going to be an outstanding RB IMO. I'd have been elated if he fell a couple more picks and GB nabbed him.

[wist43]

I own him in quite a few FF leagues... got him in the 6th round in most of those drafts. Good player...

Myself??? I like those shorter backs that are strong runners... good change of direction, low center of gravity. Being shorter helps them hide behind offensive linemen too. Green Bay has never targetted those types of guys though.

[The Leaper]

I thought Rice would be a solid back...but even I'm surprised at how well he's looked so far. He very easily could develop into a gamebreaker.

[MichiganPackerFan]

I own him in quite a few FF leagues... got him in the 6th round in most of those drafts. Good player...

Myself??? I like those shorter backs that are strong runners... good change of direction, low center of gravity. Being shorter helps them hide behind offensive linemen too. Green Bay has never targetted those types of guys though.

Wasn't Ahman Green close to this description? If not, how was he different? Maybe a bit taller, but definitely a shifty power runner.

[Maxie the Taxi]

Reviewing what I wanted TT to do and what he actually did is a humbling experience. Sort of proves the whole draft is very, very chancy beyond the first round or two...

MY 2008 DRAFT WISH LIST...
Rnd Pick Player

1 30 30 Ray Rice, RB, Rutgers (Starter, Ravins…Star)
2 25 56 John Carlson), TE, Notre Dame (Starter, Seahawks)
2 29 60 Andre Woodson, QB, Kentucky (Cut, Redskins)
3 28 91 Steve Justice, C, Wake Forest (Cut, Colts)
4 29 128 Zack Bowman, CB, Nebraska (Starter, Bears)
4 36 135 Brian Johnston, DE, Gardner-Webb (Out of football)
5 27 162 Mackenzy Bernadeau, OG, Bentley (Starter, Carolina)
7 30 237 Tim Bugg, LS, Indiana (Out of football)

PACKERS ACTUAL 2008 DRAFT...

2 5 36 Jordy Nelson WR Kansas State (Part-time starter)
2 25 56 Brian Brohm QB Louisville (Bench, Buffalo)
2 29 60 Patrick Lee DB Auburn (Bench, Packers)
3 28 91 Jermichael Finley TE Texas (Starter, Emerging Star)
4 3 102 Jeremy Thompson DE Wake Forest (Bench)
4 36 135 Josh Sitton T Central Florida (Starter)
5 15 150 Breno Giacomini T Louisville (Bench)
7 2 209 Matt Flynn QB Louisiana State (Bench)
7 10 217 Brett Swain WR San Diego State (Bench, Injured)

[RashanGary]

I like our guys. Swain and Flynn both have a good chance to have long NFL careers. Brohm and Patrick Lee picks were awful though.

[Smidgeon]

I like our guys. Swain and Flynn both have a good chance to have long NFL careers. Brohm and Patrick Lee picks were awful though.

You don't know about Pat Lee yet. That's premature speculation. Especially since it's injury based. It's not like he's been around in the program enough that he was cut because he was bad and nobody put a waiver on him... Kind of like how Harrell isn't a bad pick because he has talent, but until there's no more hope, you can't quite write him off. This is only Lee's second year. Give him another to see what happens.

[Brandon494]

I like our guys. Swain and Flynn both have a good chance to have long NFL careers. Brohm and Patrick Lee picks were awful though.

Swain has a chance at a long NFL career?

[Brandon494]

I like our guys. Swain and Flynn both have a good chance to have long NFL careers. Brohm and Patrick Lee picks were awful though.

You don't know about Pat Lee yet. That's premature speculation. Especially since it's injury based. It's not like he's been around in the program enough that he was cut because he was bad and nobody put a waiver on him... Kind of like how Harrell isn't a bad pick because he has talent, but until there's no more hope, you can't quite write him off. This is only Lee's second year. Give him another to see what happens.

Pat Lee was a project coming out of college and has shown little since coming to the Packers. I hope he'll turn it around next season but so far I have not seen anything from him to make me think he is not a bust.