McFadden RB in college

[DonBlackmon55]

If he's on the board when the Pats pick, they trade him for 2 1st rounders THIS year

since only the Cowpatties have 2 first THIS yr, if they decide they do not need McFadden, then where are you going to comeup whith a phantom trading partner genius

 

[bruinator]

Screw everything. My 1st option in the off season is sign Moss for 4 to 5 years. No offense issues needed.

 

[ClevTrev]

IMO, we can get more than that for a potential 2nd pick in the draft.

With the 2nd valued at 2600 points, being able to swing a deal for like value for multiple lower picks is hard. The ideal would be for a first and second this year, and a second and third next year. While it may not add up to 2600, the value and number of players is significant. The overall contribution is likely to be better. The team agreeing to this needs some incentive to make the deal, or it won't get done at all.

 

[Stratos]

Could some of you college football watchers compare him to someone in the NFL, please. How good is he? Is he as good as Peterson? I am not a college football watcher so I would appreciate your opinions.

Your thoughts?

Jerious Norwood's clone - long strides, upright, skinny legs.

 

[bruinator]

With the 2nd valued at 2600 points, being able to swing a deal for like value for multiple lower picks is hard. The ideal would be for a first and second this year, and a second and third next year. While it may not add up to 2600, the value and number of players is significant. The overall contribution is likely to be better. The team agreeing to this needs some incentive to make the deal, or it won't get done at all.

I wouldn't settle for anything less than 2 1st round picks that are near 5 and then 15, jmo.

 

[primetime]

And if you take it backwards in time 1 year and draft Peterson you have one of the best RB in football.

Yeah, a guy who runs like a cruise missile, has an injury history a mile long, and already has knee problems? Yeah, that's exactly what I want. Peterson looked awesome (really, I was watching the Vikings because he was so exciting), but watch him to step more tentatively when he's back on the field, and watch him get hurt worse within the next year or so and turn mediocre. Guys who run like that have short careers, even if they're fun to watch while they're up there, and Peterson's injury history just makes it all the more likely.

Give me a couple bargain free agent RBs like Sammy Morris and I'll be fine. I like Maroney and think he'll be a fine back, but you don't need a 1st round RB to succeed. Look at Brian Westbrook, for example. Undrafted out of Villanova. The league's littered with that kind of talent. Kyle Eckel was running better than Maroney last night. Ryan Grant is starting for possibly the second best team in football, and he wasn't even the starter at Notre Dame. With Tom Brady, we don't need an elite RB to carry the load like the Chargers do, for instance.

I think the Patriots trade down and draft a guy like James Laurinaitis, pick up another 2nd and a 1st next year.

 

[Rob0729]

If he's on the board when the Pats pick, they trade him for 2 1st rounders THIS year

Considering that the only team that has two first rounders is Dallas and it is looking that neither pick will be above the 20th pick and Dallas' pick may be anywhere from 28-31, I would rather have a first round pick from a team around 10-15 and next year's number 1 than have two first rounders late in the first round. Dallas would have package a few more picks including their second rounder to get up to #2-4 where our pick will probably be.

 

[Rob0729]

since only the Cowpatties have 2 first THIS yr, if they decide they do not need McFadden, then where are you going to comeup whith a phantom trading partner genius

And Dallas' two first round picks are worth anything close to where the Pats will draft. Unless either the Cowboys or Browns faulter, the Cowboys will have one pick around 21-23 and the other 28-31.

 

[Rob0729]

Personally, I am against drafting in the top 5-10 even if you are high on a player. You guess wrong or one injury could seriously hurt your team's ability to make moves capwise for years and you got an overpriced, non-productive player on your roster.

 

[sebman2112]

Am I the only one who watched Chester Taylor run for 164 yards, while averaging 7.5 ypc against the Raiders?

As Bill Cowher said after the game, maybe that O-line had a lot more to do with Adrian Peterson's early success than some might have thought, especially since some of those same O-linemen have blocked for the top backs in the NFL, and those backs haven't done as good without them?

Frankly, I think some RB's can do it even with a mediocre O-line and others get to much credit, because their O-line is outstanding.

I think Peterson is a great back, but some of us forget just how good their run blocking unit is, and I think some of us forget just how good the Colts run blockers are when talking about Addai. That's not to take anything away from what these backs have been able to do, it's just a fact that they've been able to get almost equal production out of different backs.

Look at McFadden, Arkansas' O-line has at times created some cavernous running lanes for him, and Felix Jones. McFadden is very fast, but he doesn't have the alien speed some posters on this board think he has, as he's listed in the low 4.4's. Don't get me wrong, that's fast, but it's not on the level of a Stallworth (4.18-4.27), Randy Moss (4.25-4.27 early career), Chad Jackson (4.32), or some of the other players with unreal pure speed in the NFL. He looks even faster behind Arkansas O-line, because they open up huge lanes for him, and he gets to run through those lanes untouched at full speed. Obviously, he's shown he can cutback when needed, he's been more than able to break tackles, and he's got a good amount of power in his upper body, but on the majority of his big runs you'll notice a good sized hole for him to run through.

He's nothing like Barry Sanders for those who make the comparison. If anything he's more of a Marcus Allan, the USC OJ, and ****erson combo. That's very nice by the way, it's just a completely different type of back, and I can't see the comparison to Barry at all.

Heatster (a respected board member) claims the RB he thinks of most when watching McFadden is Robert Smith, which I can see.

I personally think he's built more like a WR, than a RB, and I question his ability to stay healthy in the NFL. I do think he's one of the more physically talented players coming out, but I wouldn't spend a top 5 pick on him, as it would bring a $10M+ cap hit. What's funny, is his partner in crime Felix Jones has a stronger lower body, and he's also produced on a high level in the system, but he'd come at a much lower cost in the draft.

 

[VJCPatriot]

What's funny, is his partner in crime Felix Jones has a stronger lower body, and he's also produced on a high level in the system, but he'd come at a much lower cost in the draft.

I was actually looking at Felix Jones numbers the other day. If we don't draft McFadden I wouldn't mind taking a shot at Felix Jones. Don't worry BB and his scouts will do the filmwork and then pull the trigger on 'their guy'. Remember that they 'discovered' Maroney when they were actually scouting his platoon mate Marion Barber.

 

[primetime]

Heatster (a respected board member) claims the RB he thinks of most when watching McFadden is Robert Smith, which I can see.

Robert Smith had unreal hands, though. McFadden would need to put on 15-20 lbs. to survive in the NFL at his size, and that would slow him down. I don't see drafting a RB as being worth it, especially McFadden that high.

 

[ClevTrev]

Personally, I am against drafting in the top 5-10 even if you are high on a player. You guess wrong or one injury could seriously hurt your team's ability to make moves capwise for years and you got an overpriced, non-productive player on your roster.

Amen. Right there with you, as the Pats have proven they get better overall team value with later picks compared to the "stars" who come out in the first 10 picks of the draft. There was an article around the time of the 2005 draft outlining the draft positions, expected contracts, cap impact, and overall team value. The author made a rational argument that those picking from 15 and beyond received far better long-term value than those picking earlier. Picks in the 2nd and 3rd rounds are gold in terms of long-term value.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

There is no doubt that McFadden runs too upright and shows a lot of chest, and we all know that is a sure fire recipe for injuries.

However he has incredible vision, cutting ability, power and feet. HE probably can't catch 50 balls a season, but he could easily become a 1,500 yard back that can also pick of blitzers on passing downs if in the righty system.

He is the real deal and I thought a better back than Peterson by far last year.

However the 2008 draft when all the juniors are counted could be very very deep at RB and we could easily pick up a Stewart of Oregon or a Davis of Clemson in the second or third round.

 

[sebman2112]

I was actually looking at Felix Jones numbers the other day. If we don't draft McFadden I wouldn't mind taking a shot at Felix Jones. Don't worry BB and his scouts will do the filmwork and then pull the trigger on 'their guy'. Remember that they 'discovered' Maroney when they were actually scouting his platoon mate Marion Barber.

You mean back in 2005? Marion Barber was drafted in 2005, and Maroney was drafted in 2006.

Oh, and they won't draft McFadden

 

[makewayhomer]

and others get to much credit, because their O-line is outstanding.

ding ding ding ding

 

[VJCPatriot]

You mean back in 2005? Marion Barber was drafted in 2005, and Maroney was drafted in 2006.

Oh, and they won't draft McFadden

That's right. You DO realize that the scouts keep their film/notes on players right? Maroney caught their eye when they were scouting Barber (presumably in 2005). They ended up taking him the next year. I clearly remember hearing this around draft time. Maroney was certainly not an unknown quantity to the Patriots. And I would never say never when talking about BB and the draft. Well maybe never take a LB in the 1st... that's held true for a few years now.

 

[Dragda]

Could some of you college football watchers compare him to someone in the NFL, please. How good is he? Is he as good as Peterson? I am not a college football watcher so I would appreciate your opinions.

Your thoughts?

He's good. Second pick good? No. I've seen him play a few games this year and wasn't terrifically impressed. But I didn't think Peterson would make a great pro. His upright running style and his injuries seemed like too much to overcome. But I knew Maurice Drew, Marshall Faulk, Emmit Smith, LT, Steven Jackson and Larry Johnson would be good to name a few.

I understand from a production stand point why everyone is so high on McFadden. I think he's in the perfect system at Arkansas. Not a knock on him, but he won't be running behind that kind of offense in the NFL.

 

[Coleslaw]

He's good. Second pick good? No. I've seen him play a few games this year and wasn't terrifically impressed. But I didn't think Peterson would make a great pro. His upright running style and his injuries seemed like too much to overcome. But I knew Maurice Drew, Marshall Faulk, Emmit Smith, LT, Steven Jackson and Larry Johnson would be good to name a few.

I understand from a production stand point why everyone is so high on McFadden. I think he's in the perfect system at Arkansas. Not a knock on him, but he won't be running behind that kind of offense in the NFL.

Larry Johnson is the epitome of an upright running style.

What are you even talking about.

 

[AzPatsFan]

And if you take it backwards in time 1 year and draft Peterson you have one of the best RB in football.

Is the word has or H-A-D ? Bunged up knee... after what, 10 games? RBs are expendable as was succinctly and unabashedly truthful saying by no other than the TUNA himself.

The Tuna's teams always were good running clubs but he wouldn't waste a high pick on any RB. He has picked RBs at the end of the first, in the second and in the third rounds. He has gotten good RBs there inlcuding a future HOF in Curtis Martin. Why would he waste a high pick on a RB?

Trade down, and stock the Lines, CBs and/or Linebacking, or more likely all three, with the payments from the single pick. Oh, and take a RB on the first day as well. Much better results.