Drafting RBs

[HarveyWallbangers]

From Peter King:

I think I don't care how good Darren McFadden looked last Friday, and if you saw how he steamrolled LSU in Baton Rouge, you know he looked like a future star in the NFL. Probably. I wouldn't use a high first-round pick on him. Of the top 50 running backs in the NFL entering this weekend (ranked by rushing yards), 30 were not first-round picks. In my team rankings this week, I've got New England, Indianapolis, Dallas, Green Bay and Pittsburgh as my top five. The Patriots (11-0) have a running game by committee. Tony Dungy of the 9-2 Colts has given CFL refugee Kenton Keith 9.0 carries a game. The 10-1 Packers have had rushing efforts of 104, 55, 119, 88 and 101 yards from Ryan Grant in the last month. Grant, an undrafted free-agent by the Giants in 2005, entered camp fifth on the Giants' depth chart this summer, then was traded to Green Bay for a sixth-round draft choice. Dallas (10-1) has Julius Jones and Marion Barber III manning the running game. Jones was the 43rd player picked in the draft when he came out, Barber the 109th. Undrafted college free-agent Willie Parker -- who couldn't get consistent playing time at North Carolina -- has 3,624 yards over the last two years and 10 games for the 7-3 Steelers. More than any position in football, running back is the one you can find players from the most disparate sources.

[3irty1]

Stupid. McFadden is a once in a decade prospect.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Stupid. McFadden is a once in a decade prospect.

Dang, must be a new decade since I thought AD was a once in a decade prospect.

More importantly, do you need a once in a decade runner to win the Superbowl? Methinks no.

[Lurker64]

Stupid. McFadden is a once in a decade prospect.

Dang, must be a new decade since I thought AD was a once in a decade prospect.

More importantly, do you need a once in a decade runner to win the Superbowl? Methinks no.

Don't forget, Reggie Bush was also a once in a decade prospect. He was drawing comparisons to every hall of fame running back out there before he was even drafted.

Likewise, don't forget that Tony Mandarich wasn't only supposed to be a "once in a decade prospect" he was supposed to be "the best prospect of all time" (at his position).

Being a "rare prospect" doesn't amount to a damn thing in this league.

[3irty1]

Pretty sure that being a good prospect matters. Once in a while good prospects end up being good players in the NFL.... more often that bad prospects even.

McFadden is bigger than Bush and faster and more versatile than AP. Not saying he'll be better in the NFL than either one but I am saying that he's not someone you should pass on in the draft just because he's a running back.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Pretty sure that being a good prospect matters. Once in a while good prospects end up being good players in the NFL.... more often that bad prospects even.

McFadden is bigger than Bush and faster and more versatile than AP. Not saying he'll be better in the NFL than either one but I am saying that he's not someone you should pass on in the draft just because he's a running back.

Sure, no doubt we could use him. But, can we use him more than another once in a decade CB, QB, etc.

And, with our offense is he the right back or get the use that a traditional running team would?

Good to great RBs are found all the time. History shows you can win the superbowl without having the greatest back. Infact, great backs often don't win the superbowl, Dickerson, OJ, Payton didn't win till he was long gone from being a great back, etc.

NE wins without a great back..Dillon long gone from that role. GB wins with Dorsey. Ravens with Lewis. Bucs win with Pittman. Steelers win without great back. Colts as well.

I understand and acknowlege what you are saying. This is a difference in drafting philosophy. Same as others saying don't draft a linemen in the first round.

Funny, but i recall a similar thread around draft time last year.

[Fritz]

At this point, barring a collapse of both the Packers and McFadden, it looks as if Green Bay won't have the opportunity to draft him anyway. They probably won't even have a chance to draft Felix Jones, either.

[Partial]

Stupid. McFadden is a once in a decade prospect.

Are you crazy? There is a Darren McFadden every year. Hell, there was one out of Cal last year.

[Partial]

Pretty sure that being a good prospect matters. Once in a while good prospects end up being good players in the NFL.... more often that bad prospects even.

McFadden is bigger than Bush and faster and more versatile than AP. Not saying he'll be better in the NFL than either one but I am saying that he's not someone you should pass on in the draft just because he's a running back.

He is not as fast, as powerful, as strong, or as versatile. What's in your OJ this morning. I'm not a huge McFadden fan but if you were around here last year I was screaming for a trade up for Peterson from the rooftops.

[Partial]

Reggie Bush, Calvin Johnson, Darren McFadden, Eli Manning, Charles Rodgers, Julius Peppers (ok, this one worked out ), Mike Vick, Courtney Brown

Hmmmm... Can't miss prospects eh...

We won't be drafting high enough to get DM but I could see us around the time of Ray Rice or Jonathan Stewart. Likewise, I liked what I saw out of that Arizona corner who forced the big time fumble in the Oregon game by laying the wood. He's a low first round prospect as well and seemed to embrace contact at least in that game.

[The Leaper]

He is not as fast, as powerful, as strong, or as versatile. What's in your OJ this morning. I'm not a huge McFadden fan but if you were around here last year I was screaming for a trade up for Peterson from the rooftops.

You could have screamed all you want...it was next to impossible for Green Bay to move up that far without giving up a ridiculous price. The only way teams move up into the top 6 or 8 picks is to have an additional first round pick to work with.

There was no realistic chance at AP last year for Green Bay. Our 4 game win streak to end the season eliminated that chance. Moving up to get Lynch was more realistic.

[Partial]

I realize that. I thought he'd fall further down.

[cheesner]

Selective memories.

I really think King is rather low on the football IQ amongst writers. What about RBs drafted high like Barry Sanders, LT, Edge, etc? All made huge impacts on their teams.

The simple fact remains, the higher you draft the MORE likely you will get a player. Doesn't guarrantee it, but it makes it more likely. King needs to make a list of all the RBs drafted in the last 3 years that have made no impact in the NFL to understand this point.

[Cheesehead Craig]

McFadden is not worth trading that far up for. He won't be a Packer. There are a good number of very good backs available next year.

[hoosier]

Selective memories.

I really think King is rather low on the football IQ amongst writers. What about RBs drafted high like Barry Sanders, LT, Edge, etc? All made huge impacts on their teams.

The simple fact remains, the higher you draft the MORE likely you will get a player. Doesn't guarrantee it, but it makes it more likely. King needs to make a list of all the RBs drafted in the last 3 years that have made no impact in the NFL to understand this point.

I think his point is that none of the backs you name led their teams to a SB win. They may be great backs, but that in itself doesn't make for a great team, and on the other hand it is very possible to put together a great team without having an elite running back. The Colts and Pats are prime examples today. The Lions were perenially mediocre with Sanders, the Colts showed that they can win with or without James, and LT....well, if you have Norv Turner as your head coach you're pretty much screwed no matter how good your running backs are.