Holian said:
Russ,
Thanks for checking on the source. I've always been a big fan of PFW and have always believed their draft analysis (the late great Joel Bushbaum) was the very best draft evaluator of talent.
I hope JJ turns it around. I really liked the kid at Cal.
Yes Buchsbaum was top notch.
Regarding JJ, read the scouting report on him from the senior bowl, I'd say they pretty much agree with what I thought.
J.J. Arrington attended the College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita before transferring to California in 2003. Arrington had some fumbling issues early in his career at Cal but he got over those as a senior in 2004, when he rushed for 1,845 yards and 14 touchdowns on 264 carries.
Arrington lacks ideal size but he's a burner in the open field and he has good versatility because of his solid receiving skills. Arrington needs to prove to scouts at the Senior Bowl this week that he's tough and strong enough to hold up as a load-carrier and a blocker in the NFL.
Speed
4.42 in the 40-yard dash. Shows a second gear in open field.
Intelligence
No problem in classroom. Picked up scheme quickly at Cal.
Toughness
Runs hard and is a tough back for his size.
Strength/Flex
Flexible athlete but lacks bulk, strength and power.
Durability
Never had a major injury in junior college or at Cal.
Character
No character or academic issues to our knowledge.
Production
Rushed for 1,845 yards and 14 TDs on 264 carries in 2004.
RB SPECIFICS
Hands B Had a couple of drops late in week but overall receiving performance was impressive.
Run Instincts B Will dance a bit too much on occasion, but shows good vision when holes do open up.
Inside Runner C+ Has good vision and burst but lacks ideal size and power to push the pile.
Outside Runner A- Speed to turn the corner. Huge threat when he hits daylight because of his second gear.
Elusiveness B Not a lot of big moves in space. Shifty back uses initial burst off of cut to ruin pursuit angles.
Power Runner D+ Runs hard but lacks the size and strength to run over defenders or to push the pile.
Block Run/Pass C- Aware, technically sound and willing. But gets run over by bigger blitzing LBs.
Willingness to Block B Is a tough back that will throw his body around and isn't afraid to cut bigger defenders.
Durability B Lack of size a concern but has never had major injury. Not a lot of mileage on his legs.
Fumble A- Was never a problem in college and it wasn't an issue here this week.
PRACTICE NOTES
Monday (1/24/05): Arrington is one of the fastest backs here and it shows. He has a true second-gear when he bounces runs to the outside and hits daylight. He shows good burst to and through the line of scrimmage and he has the top-end speed to run away from defenders. The problem is that Arrington lacks size and elusiveness. He is great on a straight-line and he does a decent job on cutbacks, but he's not nearly as explosive laterally as he is when running north-south. He is a shorter, somewhat squatty back with a good center of gravity but he's not a load-carrying type of RB that will wear an opponent down with 25-plus carries in a game. If put in a system like the one Denver uses with a lot of stretch plays off of zone-blocking schemes, Arrington has a chance to emerge as an impact starter in the NFL. Otherwise, he may never be more than a change of pace back that will have to earn his paycheck on passing downs and on special teams.
Tuesday (1/25/05): Arrington had a good day of practice on Tuesday. We still have yet to see him in full-out pass protection drills, which will play a big role in our overall grade. However, he has shown great fluidity and a strong feel as a route runner and above average hands as a receiver out of the backfield. He is running with great burst and showed better lateral movement and COD skills during the "team session" this morning. Arrington is a tough runner with a good center of gravity and a second level burst if he hits green pasture. If he can continue to run as well as he did today throughout the rest of the week of practice and in Saturday's game, our grade on him will definitely go up.
Wednesday (1/26/05): Arrington is a tough and shifty little back. He won't run over many defenders, but he does get out of a lot of potential tackles with his quick movements and fluid hips. He runs hard and shows a second gear that some of the backs here don't possess. Arrington caught the ball extremely well in today's practice. He looks natural as a route runner, has an adequate feel for his route assignments and shows the ability to "pluck" on the run. He doesn't have great size at the point of attack as a pass blocker, which shows up sometimes against bigger blitzing linebackers. However, he does show good awareness and toughness in pass protection drills, which gives him a chance to compete in that facet at the NFL level.
Thursday (1/27/05): Didn't have his best day. Dropped two passes that we saw, one of which would have gone for a touchdown during a team drill. It seems that he's comfortable as a route runner and natural in terms of tracking down the ball but his hands can be inconsistent -- might be a focus issue.
SUMMARY
He was overshadowed by other backs like Carnell Williams and Darren Sproles, but Arrington put in a strong performance of his own at this year's Senior Bowl. Arrington doesn't have great size and he's never going to be a powerful runner. He's on the shorter side and has some trouble matching up as a pass blocker. However, despite limited experience as a premier collegiate running back, Arrington showed very good instincts and consistency during practice this week. He has the lateral quickness, change of direction skills and acceleration that most other backs in this draft class don't possess. He also had a good week catching the football, which should help him get on the field earlier in his NFL career and will give him more opportunities to showcase his talent. Arrington protects the football, runs hard, knows his assignments and is a home run threat when you get him the ball in space. Despite his physical limitation, Arrington has enough versatility and upside to take a chance on late on Day 1.
FINAL GRADE
B
