The top 4 RB's for 2008 draft class: Not one played in a conventional offense.

[Lomax to Green 84]

McFadden and Jones at Arkansas, Stewart at Oregon, and Mendenhall at Illinois all played in what most would consider wide open, shotgun, "gimic" style offenses.

I am in no way an expert, but even just being a common fan, its pretty obvious that all of these guys (even McFadden) are in no way certain to be bigtime NFL players. I would guess that NFL scouts are really scrambling trying to fit each of these guys into a conventional NFL offense and its going to be tough to evaluate these guys considering not one of these consistently ran out of a traditional offensive set.

McFadden and Jones played in that shotgun offense where McFadden often times lined up at the quarterback position and the snap went directly to him. He had numerous options out of that set. He could run, pass, or option to Jones. Fexix Jones has tremendous speed, but some of the monster runs he had came when he got the ball on reverses and was already at full speed.

Stewart played in a shotgun offense and had the luxury of playing with a quarterback that teams had to key on because the QB was such a tremendous running threat. Same goes for Mendenhall at Illinois.

I am all for us taking one of these guys with the 16th pick, but its going to be a bit of a roll of the dice. I am one who thinks Felix Jones will end up being a better pro than Darren McFadden. Just a gut feeling.

 

[Shane]

Mcfadden will be a stud and I highly doubt any NFL scouts are worried about what type of offense he played in at Arkansas.

 

[abomb]

Just say no to round 1 RBs.

 

[football karma]

Adrian Peterson also played in a spread --

but your point is well taken. The spread does make it tough to evaluate the Rbs. In watching the bits of video available (almost all highlights) -- it seems like 90% of their big runs, nobody is even close until they get into the second level. You really have to watch the highlights closely to find one where they had to break an arm tackle in the hole.


Working for Mendenhall is the fact that even in the spread, a good showing against a run tough USC defense is a positive

Working for Stewart is that he remained productive after Dixon went down and the defense knew that Oregon's back up QB was lost

 

[Lomax to Green 84]

Mcfadden will be a stud and I highly doubt any NFL scouts are worried about what type of offense he played in at Arkansas.

I agree that McFadden is dynamic, however early in the season I heard an interview with a NFL personnel guy (name escapes me) who said that McFadden needs to be better at hitting the hole. The concern was that he was a bit of a glider who can get away with that style at the college level but may struggle early on at the NFL level.

Garrison Hearst had similar issues coming out of Georgia. Hearst eventually adjusted his running style and became a very good NFL back, but it took him a while.

 

[Lomax to Green 84]

Adrian Peterson also played in a spread --

but your point is well taken. The spread does make it tough to evaluate the Rbs. In watching the bits of video available (almost all highlights) -- it seems like 90% of their big runs, nobody is even close until they get into the second level. You really have to watch the highlights closely to find one where they had to break an arm tackle in the hole.


Working for Mendenhall is the fact that even in the spread, a good showing against a run tough USC defense is a positive

Working for Stewart is that he remained productive after Dixon went down and the defense knew that Oregon's back up QB was lost

I was at the Rose Bowl and came away extremely impressed by Mendenhall. The fact that he ran away from a very talented and fast USC defense showed what type of talent he is. He is a good kid as well. Good student, solid family.

 

[Shogun]

Just say no to round 1 RBs not named Jon Stewart.

I agree.

 

[earthsci]

Just say no to round 1 RBs.

http://www.arizonasportsfans.com/vb/showpost.php?p=1606123&postcount=14

 

[john h]

Adrian Peterson also played in a spread --

but your point is well taken. The spread does make it tough to evaluate the Rbs. In watching the bits of video available (almost all highlights) -- it seems like 90% of their big runs, nobody is even close until they get into the second level. You really have to watch the highlights closely to find one where they had to break an arm tackle in the hole.

Many of McFadden's runs were up the gut. He has a tremendous ability to make cuts near the line of scrimmage. He is also a great stiff arm RB. Most of Jones big runs were to the outside. No one here in Arkansas except maybe the coaches really know who is faster. Jones or McFadden? We will find that out at the combines. Although McFadden is much larger at around 225 he often pulled away from fast DB's in the open field. Who will be more successful in the NFL? I think it has to be McFadden. He won the Doak Walker best RB in the nation two years in a row. He was runner up Heisman two years in a row. He was all SEC two years in a row. He was second only to Hershel Walker in yards gained all time in a tough SEC conference. Opposing coaches often raved about him. I have seen many RB's over the past 60 years and he is surely special. He will go in the top five and could go number one. NFC teams rarely do not draft RB's this high unless they see something very special.

 

[football karma]

i prefer Stewart to Mendenhall --

in part because I have seen more of Stewart (who also had a very good game against USC), but more because of his NFL size. 235 lbs on a 5-10-ish frame with good speed

Mendenhall isnt small by any stretch, but I think Stewart is bigger and faster

 

[Stout]

Just say no to round 1 RBs.

Yeah, who needs a Tomlinson or an Emmit Smith? Bah.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

I'm more of a believer of ,if you're a good RB, you can run in any scheme. The guys i worry about are the guys like Arrington. You know, very productove RB's in college but they never had anyone to deal with until they were about 8 yards downfield. Arrington never made anyone miss in college.He didn't have to.

 

[BigRedMO]

Yeah, who needs a Tomlinson or an Emmit Smith? Bah.

If we allow the 3rd most points in NFC again neither would matter. Even if a rookie RB had a rookie of the year season (1600 yds)his net improvement in yards over Smith is maybe 400 or 25 yds agame. At a 1,400 yd season it is only 12.5 yds more a game.

If you look at points scored and points allowed the offense as is is one of the best in the NFC. The defense is one of the worst. It is obvious to me which part of the team needs attention.

 

[Pariah]

Maybe, Holian. But regardless of what kind of offense he played in, I think McFadden is one helluva running back. You could put him in the wishbone and he'd break records.

 

[Captain Matt]

Do you guys think all 4 will run at the combine? I doubt it. I hope to see all of 'em but I doubt we'll be so lucky - unless folks are telling them the combine will decide if they go in the top 5 v/s the top 20. Then we might see some fellas show up.