Combine Talk: Running Backs

[patchick]

Preparing for Sunday's drills -- thoughts on the RBs?

 

[cstjohn17]

Preparing for Sunday's drills -- thoughts on the RBs?

If Fred Taylor signs it certainly changes the RB draft complexion. As it stands now you could make a case for and against a RB at any point of the draft.

 

[StyLeZ X]

I would cream my pants if we some how got Greene

 

[Ochmed Jones]

I would cream my pants if we some how got Greene

He has a whale of a year and made himself a lot of money in the Penn State game alone.

Did the Iowa-Penn State game expose Maybin's lack of ability to support the run?

 

[dryheat44]

I'm afraid of exactly three things: Nuclear war, Carnies, and Gartrell Johnson's thighs.

 

[Richter]

He has a whale of a year and made himself a lot of money in the Penn State game alone.

Did the Iowa-Penn State game expose Maybin's lack of ability to support the run?

Maybin has a reputation as a guy with trouble anchoring against the run. I don't know how much truth there is to that, since I didn't watch him play much, but it's out there. He's not the only guy with that issue in this draft though. Speed has been emphasized more at the position, which naturally means lighter guys that won't be able to take on blockers as well.

As far as the running backs go, I like Donald Brown as an all-around back to take on a featured role in a committee, and I like Ian Johnson out of Boise State as a do everything type of back that won't be a featured runner but will make plays on third down. There's a lot of value later on from the looks of it.

 

[PatsCanDoIt]

I was most impressed with Andre Brown from NCSt and Cedric Peerman from Virginia. Two backs with different styles but both are a great size to speed combo.

Edit:
Shonn Greene trimmed down to run faster and he was still slow. Pre-combine he said 4.52 and I was excited. Moreno disappointed as well. Last year we really did see something special from the backs.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Well whoever can run in the 4.4 area or faster will make themselves a lot of money. Call it the Kris Johnson phenomenon. Still a 4.5-4.6 isn't bad for a RB, particularly if they are the powerback type.

 

[Richter]

I was most impressed with Andre Brown from NCSt and Cedric Peerman from Virginia. Two backs with different styles but both are a great size to speed combo.

Edit:
Shonn Greene trimmed down to run faster and he was still slow. Pre-combine he said 4.52 and I was excited. Moreno disappointed as well. Last year we really did see something special from the backs.

I forgot about Brown, I liked him a lot too. The knock on him was speed, but he busted out a sub 4.5 at 225 or so. For a guy that was heralded as a natural runner and good athlete with size that lacked speed, turning in that kind of number could cause him to rise quite a bit.

 

[PatsCanDoIt]

James Davis is compareable to Maroney. Both part of a tandem in college. Similar zone scheme. About the same size and speed. Why was Maroney a first rounder again? Those are my thoughts.

 

[VJCPatriot]

40 time posted for RBs thus far:

RUNNING BACKSName Time
Peerman, Cedric 4.45
Johnson, Ian 4.46
Sheets, Kory 4.47
Brown, Andre 4.49
Brown, Donald 4.51
Williams, Javarris 4.52
Goodson, Mike 4.54
Scott, Bernard 4.56
Coffee, Glen 4.58
Lucky, Marlon 4.59
Wells, Beanie 4.59

Nobody ran superfast so far amongst the RBs this combine.

NFL Events: Combine Top Performers

 

[Warren94]

He has a whale of a year and made himself a lot of money in the Penn State game alone.

Did the Iowa-Penn State game expose Maybin's lack of ability to support the run?

absolutely Yes. can not seal the edge at all better fit in a 43

 

[VJCPatriot]

Question - With a 4.59 40 time does Beanie Wells fall to the second round? If so, should the Pats take a chance on him?

 

[Richter]

Question - With a 4.59 40 time does Beanie Wells fall to the second round? If so, should the Pats take a chance on him?

No and no. I'm not high on taking a chance on backs that were injury-prone in college earlier than the 3rd round or so.

 

[StyLeZ X]

Question - With a 4.59 40 time does Beanie Wells fall to the second round? If so, should the Pats take a chance on him?

Even if he fell to the 2nd, he'd be gone by our pick

 

[VJCPatriot]

Even if he fell to the 2nd, he'd be gone by our pick

We have a mid 2nd from San diego this year.

 

[PatsCanDoIt]

I hope some or all of the top ranked guys go in the first. Other players will drop and our competition will be worse off for it. Out of Mayocks top five, (Knowshon Moreno, Donald Brown, Chris Wells , LeSean McCoy, Mike Goodson) I think Wells is the best but still not first round talent. This should play out like last year with the WRs but it probably won't be. It's good news when other teams make mistakes. Especially mistakes in the first round.

 

[StyLeZ X]

We have a mid 2nd from San diego this year.

you think he'd fall past 15 teams? no way

 

[upstater1]

These are decent times for backs. I'm not sure why people think a 4.6 is bad for a big back. It's not.

 

[mayoclinic]

These are decent times for backs. I'm not sure why people think a 4.6 is bad for a big back. It's not.

No, but there were people on this board predicting Shonn Greene would run a 4.4. He ran around a 4.63.

The RB class is respectable, and their on-field performance is probably better than their workouts would show. But there are no Darren McFaddens, Chris Johnsons, Rashard Mendenhalls or Felix Jones' throwing up amazing numbers this year.