Running Backs

[manxman2601]

So, probably not the most exciting topic for Patriot fans, but we're barely into the pro day season and the Patriots have taken a look at four RBs so far:


1. Marcus Lattimore: Doesn't need an introduction

2: Derrick Washington (Tuskegee): Powerful runner (5'11", 210lbs). Ran for 1400 yards this season @ 8.1 yds per carry. Was on the Missouri roster (one 1,000 yd season) and previously projected as a 4th round picks but was then sentenced to 120 days in prison for sexual assault. likely UDFA but with a lot of upside but controversial because he'll spend the rest of his life on sex offenders register.

Derrick Washington MIzzou Highlights - YouTube

3. Kendial Lawrence (Missouri): Ran a 4.3 40 at his pro day. Smaller speed back who had 1,000 yds rushing this season.

4. Miguel Maysonet (Stony Brook): Smaller one cut productive back. Has some nice short are explosiveness but doesn't have great long speed or too much ability to make players miss or make yards after contact. Not too dissimilar to Danny Woodhead.

NFL combine -- Miguel Maysonet's path to the NFL draft - ESPN New York

Miguel Maysonet Draft Profile

Miguel Maysonet vs Syracuse (2012) - YouTube

Running Back is probably my favourite position so, if you'll forgive the indulgence, I'll use this thread to start writing up some likely candidates.

 

[I.M. Fletcher]

Lattimore is such an interesting prospect in this draft. Hes probably the best RB prospect since AD, with a lot of similarities, which in this draft could have landed him in the top 5.

With all the injuries and the severity of them, a team will have to take a leap that he will eventually return to his dominant ways. Will a team be patient like Buffalo was with Mcgahee all those years ago?

I think he ends up as a day 2 pick, and as deep as the pats are, could see them taking a flyer on him. I wonder how much trust they have in ridley as an every down back, as his carries kept bouncing around from game to game. Maybe I am wrong, but I think if they could find a guy who could eventually take the reigns and be the between the tackle runner, I am sure they would consider it. The chances of finding a guy like him that late almost never happens, so it may be worth the gamble.

 

[DaBruinz]

Christine Michael is very intriguing. Only ran a 4.54 at the combine, but his 10 yard split was a 1.49. Good for 2nd best amongst RBs. He also had an outstanding 3-cone at 6.69 and a good short shuttle at 4.02.

His vertical was a mind-blowing 43" and his Broad jump 10'05"

He's 5'10 and 220 lbs.

What makes him intriguing is that he's got red flags with injuries and coachability..

 

[manxman2601]

Christine Michael is very intriguing. Only ran a 4.54 at the combine, but his 10 yard split was a 1.49. Good for 2nd best amongst RBs. He also had an outstanding 3-cone at 6.69 and a good short shuttle at 4.02.

His vertical was a mind-blowing 43" and his Broad jump 10'05"

He's 5'10 and 220 lbs.

What makes him intriguing is that he's got red flags with injuries and coachability..

Slept in and missed two combine interviews (didn't Mallett do something similar on a visit to the Panthers?). Michael has loads of upside but I doubt he falls past the 3rd or 4th with those numbers. I suspect the Pats are looking at 7th round/UDFA types.

 

[manxman2601]

Just making my way through the 36 minute highlight video for Derrick Washington that I highlighted in the OP. Very interesting prospect with clear #1 back upside. Powerful runner with wiggle, good but not great pace and very good hands out of the backfield.

Edit: Just watched more and he's lining up at WR quite a lot in Mizzou's spread. He's like a Ridley, Vereen, Hernandez hybrid - his hands are excellent. Hard to look past the sex abuse, but purely as a prospect, he's really rather exciting. Take the time to watch the video because with his versatility, he'd make an excellent 7th round/udfa pick. Lots of upside.

 

[VJCPatriot]

you're suggesting we draft sex offenders? ::facepalm::
I think we're deep enough with Ridley, Vereen, Woodhead that we don't need to do that.
Don't want to root for a Bengals East team.
It's already bad enough that Dennard is in trouble with the law.

 

[manxman2601]

you're suggesting we draft sex offenders? ::facepalm::
I think we're deep enough with Ridley, Vereen, Woodhead that we don't need to do that.
Don't want to root for a Bengals East team.
It's already bad enough that Dennard is in trouble with the law.

Well we'll be starting a cop beater next year so I don't see too much difference. And Woodhead is a FA in case you missed it :facepalm: . also, Bolden, a drugs cheat by the by didn't get much usage post his ban so he might be expendable too.

As for not wanting to be Bengals-East, in case you hadn't noticed, we're pretty much already there. Three of our last big trades are Ocho (wife beater), Haynesworth who pulled off a players helmet before stomping on his head, Talib (taxi driver beater) and we signed Donte Stallworth, a drink driver who killed someone. So lol at the Patriots being pure as driven snow.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Well we'll be starting a cop beater next year so I don't see too much difference. And Woodhead is a FA in case you missed it :facepalm: . also, Bolden, a drugs cheat by the by didn't get much usage post his ban so he might be expendable too.

As for not wanting to be Bengals-East, in case you hadn't noticed, we're pretty much already there. Three of our last big trades are Ocho (wife beater), Haynesworth who pulled off a players helmet before stomping on his head, Talib (taxi driver beater) and we signed Donte Stallworth, a drink driver who killed someone. So lol at the Patriots being pure as driven snow.

The Patriots have never been insistent on players having sterling reputations coming in.

They do insist, however, on players towing the line once they're here. Minor to moderate transgressions and lapses of judgment are permitted (see: Edelman, Julian), but serious ones are not (see: Andrews, Willie).

 

[manxman2601]

The Patriots have never been insistent on players having sterling reputations coming in.

They do insist, however, on players towing the line once they're here. Minor to moderate transgressions and lapses of judgment are permitted (see: Edelman, Julian), but serious ones are not (see: Andrews, Willie).

I don't disagree but a guy picked in the 7th or UDFA is expendable and therefore not a risk to draft. I can see Washington's sex assault history being a locker room problem and if so, he's not worth drafting but he's a potential #1 back with versatility who'd be going much much higher on a traditional career path. Great value pick aside from the sex stuff.

 

[Avenger]

Slept in and missed two combine interviews (didn't Mallett do something similar on a visit to the Panthers?). Michael has loads of upside but I doubt he falls past the 3rd or 4th with those numbers. I suspect the Pats are looking at 7th round/UDFA types.

Mallet had food poisoning after going to dinner with Panthers executives.

 

[Avenger]

The Patriots have never been insistent on players having sterling reputations coming in.

They do insist, however, on players towing the line once they're here. Minor to moderate transgressions and lapses of judgment are permitted (see: Edelman, Julian), but serious ones are not (see: Andrews, Willie).

The Julian Edelman incident where there was video evidence that he did absolutely nothing wrong? :bricks:

 

[s3antana5757]

Love me some Marcus Lattimore. Great kid, great work ethic, bad luck.

I like this Washington kid, but I watched a few clips from that video above, and he never even gets touched in half his runs. I could pick up 10-12 yards on some of those runs.

 

[manxman2601]

Love me some Marcus Lattimore. Great kid, great work ethic, bad luck.

I like this Washington kid, but I watched a few clips from that video above, and he never even gets touched in half his runs. I could pick up 10-12 yards on some of those runs.

It's true he's working out of the spread and that helps, but part of going untouched is his tremendous close quarter vision and awareness. His catching and route running are also excellent. Leaving aside the character issues which I acknowledge are a problem and needs to resolved, I'm really starting to believe that he,s a 3 down back in a year or two and could be one of the best value picks in the draft - I'm thinking Dennard Or maybe even Alfred Morris type value. Think:

A. He has ideal size at 5'11" and 210
B. Can make people miss in close quarters and whilst I'd rather he ran 4.5, at 4.6, he's faster than AP or Arian Foster.
C. Has ideal receiving skills, runs a variety of routes and a hand catcher that can high point the ball.
D. His ability to do everything needed as a 3 down back makes him ideal for our quick pace offense.
E. With only two full seasons as a starter, he has plenty of mileage in those legs.
F. As a 7th rounder, what's the harm? Based on playing ability alone, I believe he's a 2nd to 4th rounder - he received a 4th round grade in his junior year.

Moral and locker room issues aside, I'm absolutely buying for the cost of a 7th.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Take a look at Kenjon Barner:

http://proplayerinsiders.com/2013-nfl-draft-player-profile-kenjon-barner-2/

Could be a mid to late round pick who offers a lot of versatility because he's also a dangerous kick returner. He was also very productive in the Chip Kelly offense, so he'd fit right in with the high pace/high octane offense that the Pats are running.

Compares to David Wilson:
Kenjon Barner NFL Draft 2013: Pro Potential Projections | Bleacher Report

 

[s3antana5757]

It's true he's working out of the spread and that helps, but part of going untouched is his tremendous close quarter vision and awareness. His catching and route running are also excellent. Leaving aside the character issues which I acknowledge are a problem and needs to resolved, I'm really starting to believe that he,s a 3 down back in a year or two and could be one of the best value picks in the draft - I'm thinking Dennard Or maybe even Alfred Morris type value. Think:

A. He has ideal size at 5'11" and 210
B. Can make people miss in close quarters and whilst I'd rather he ran 4.5, at 4.6, he's faster than AP or Arian Foster.
C. Has ideal receiving skills, runs a variety of routes and a hand catcher that can high point the ball.
D. His ability to do everything needed as a 3 down back makes him ideal for our quick pace offense.
E. With only two full seasons as a starter, he has plenty of mileage in those legs.
F. As a 7th rounder, what's the harm? Based on playing ability alone, I believe he's a 2nd to 4th rounder - he received a 4th round grade in his junior year.

Moral and locker room issues aside, I'm absolutely buying for the cost of a 7th.

I agree completely. Hell he could be nice value anytime on Day 3. I'm completely on board but I would've liked to see him actually hit someone. His vision and awareness are good, but he's also picking up 10-12 on some plays before he even gets looked at the wrong way. He should fit nicely in a system where we end up running out of a spread alot and sometimes get to the line very quickly in order to snap it. He's not going to get those types of holes in the NFL or even if he was playing in the SEC. It can't hurt at all to take him and I'd be in love with the pick.

He looks good as a receiver but I don't even think he'd be as good as Vereen. I like him much more for his running than anything else. Also, I didn't watch the whole video but I don't remember seeing him block at all which is going to be big in the NFL.

 

[manxman2601]

I agree completely. Hell he could be nice value anytime on Day 3. I'm completely on board but I would've liked to see him actually hit someone. His vision and awareness are good, but he's also picking up 10-12 on some plays before he even gets looked at the wrong way. He should fit nicely in a system where we end up running out of a spread alot and sometimes get to the line very quickly in order to snap it. He's not going to get those types of holes in the NFL or even if he was playing in the SEC. It can't hurt at all to take him and I'd be in love with the pick.

He looks good as a receiver but I don't even think he'd be as good as Vereen. I like him much more for his running than anything else. Also, I didn't watch the whole video but I don't remember seeing him block at all which is going to be big in the NFL.

There was one play on the video where he blocked - and handled a DE fairly comfortably. I agree it's something that would be nice to see more of.