Simple question re Deangelo Williams...

[loshooligan87]

Can someone who has seen him play or watched him tell me why in the name of Jehovah we would want to draft him. Now I dont wanna start a war but I just dont understand why he is so highly rated. A few caveats. Yes I do prefer a big RB especially for us a guy who can grind it out in the cold but I have grown to love Kevin Faulk in his role as 3rd down/relief RB.

Now yes Williams has wonderful stats and his highlight reel looks v impressive BUT I'm sorry the standard of opposition he has amazed his many 200+yd games against is in a pretty weak conference. I mean last season did he even play against Tennessee the one real tough game on Memphis's schedule.

He has no experience receiving out of the backfield which admittedly can be taught though personally I dont want to use the #21 pick on a RB who cant do two of the three things a RB needs to do. The other one I have heard problems with is his blocking ability which due to his size(5'8" but 213lbs) or lack of it is going to hinder his pass blocking. And lets be serious everything must be done to protect the franchise #12.

And yeah he's v good when he's got a hole to burst through but lets be serious our oline has not really made big holes for Dillon or Smith before him to waltz through. This oline is there to look after #12 and didnt do a v good job of it last year. Anyone know the quality of Williams oline?

Then I look at his injury history and I get real scared. If this little RB playing in a weak conference gets a broken leg in 04, MCL tear in 03 and has knee sprain problems in 02 what is going to happen to him in the NFL. And on top of that we'd be drafting a RB who has already got some serious wear on the tires looking at his huge amount of carries in college.

It just doesnt seem logical to draft this guy. I mean yeah he may burst through an get a 80yd td but whats the point if he can only do it for 6-8 weeks a season.

My least concern but still a worry is hows he gonna adjust from playing in the south to a New England winter. Do Memphis even play outdoors coz a number of his highlights seem to have been accumulated in a dome.

I just feel like this guy has maybe not bust potential I just dont think he's gonna be longterm value at #21 unlike Carpenter/Lawson even a WR or CB(well except for Tye Hill)

 

[smg93]

One of the toughest things to do is blame a guy for playing in a weak conference. Personally, I don't know much about DeAngelo Williams nor the Memphis football program. What I do know is that there are a good number of players out there who didn't go to big football programs and have gone on to great things in the NFL. See Jerry Rice, Mississippi Valley State (?). What kind of opposition do you think he faced in college? Yet he went on to possibly become the greatest WR in the history of the NFL.

If you believe that Williams is not a good fit here (and you may be dead on with that assessment) I think that from an evaluation standpoint, one would be better off picking characteristics other than perceived strength of collegiate opposition. We've seen in the past that that is not always a great indication of success or failure in the NFL.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

His biggest fans are on the draft board, this would be a question to repost over there for some discussion.

 

[mavfan2390]

Why? Cuz' the guy reminds me of Emmith Smith. He has great vision, hits the hole with authority, know how to use blockers (is patient), has breakaway speed, good open-field moves, and last but not least, breaks more tackles then anyone else I have ever seen in Conference USA play (which isn't THAT weak).

 

[p8ryts]

Because it didn't matter to the following players

LaDanian Tomlinson, Marshall Faulk, Walter Payton znc others I don't remember seemed to make out ok and they were in a lower competition level.

 

[holyredeemer]

I once remember a certain injury riddled guy, who never played top notch competition and wasnt valued very highly. I cant really remember his name though.
"What was that lil' Timmy?"
"Oh, yeah. You're right, it was Curtis Martin."

 

[shirtsleeve]

Can someone who has seen him play or watched him tell me why in the name of Jehovah we would want to draft him. Now I dont wanna start a war but I just dont understand why he is so highly rated. A few caveats. Yes I do prefer a big RB especially for us a guy who can grind it out in the cold but I have grown to love Kevin Faulk in his role as 3rd down/relief RB.

Now yes Williams has wonderful stats and his highlight reel looks v impressive BUT I'm sorry the standard of opposition he has amazed his many 200+yd games against is in a pretty weak conference. I mean last season did he even play against Tennessee the one real tough game on Memphis's schedule.

He has no experience receiving out of the backfield which admittedly can be taught though personally I dont want to use the #21 pick on a RB who cant do two of the three things a RB needs to do. The other one I have heard problems with is his blocking ability which due to his size(5'8" but 213lbs) or lack of it is going to hinder his pass blocking. And lets be serious everything must be done to protect the franchise #12.

And yeah he's v good when he's got a hole to burst through but lets be serious our oline has not really made big holes for Dillon or Smith before him to waltz through. This oline is there to look after #12 and didnt do a v good job of it last year. Anyone know the quality of Williams oline?

Then I look at his injury history and I get real scared. If this little RB playing in a weak conference gets a broken leg in 04, MCL tear in 03 and has knee sprain problems in 02 what is going to happen to him in the NFL. And on top of that we'd be drafting a RB who has already got some serious wear on the tires looking at his huge amount of carries in college.

It just doesnt seem logical to draft this guy. I mean yeah he may burst through an get a 80yd td but whats the point if he can only do it for 6-8 weeks a season.

My least concern but still a worry is hows he gonna adjust from playing in the south to a New England winter. Do Memphis even play outdoors coz a number of his highlights seem to have been accumulated in a dome.

I just feel like this guy has maybe not bust potential I just dont think he's gonna be longterm value at #21 unlike Carpenter/Lawson even a WR or CB(well except for Tye Hill)

Astute observations. There is only one true first round back, and we have a better chance of seeing god (to reference your first sentence) than seeing a flying elvis on his helmet.

 

[RayClay]

Why? Cuz' the guy reminds me of Emmith Smith. He has great vision, hits the hole with authority, know how to use blockers (is patient), has breakaway speed, good open-field moves, and last but not least, breaks more tackles then anyone else I have ever seen in Conference USA play (which isn't THAT weak).

I was watching his highlights. Quick and shifty.

The next REAL broken tackle will be the first I've seen, though.

 

[RayClay]

I once remember a certain injury riddled guy, who never played top notch competition and wasnt valued very highly. I cant really remember his name though.
"What was that lil' Timmy?"
"Oh, yeah. You're right, it was Curtis Martin."

Virginia Heinz Field TBA
Fri 09/08/06 Cincinnati Cincinnati ESPN2 TBA
Sat 09/16/06 Michigan State Heinz Field TBA
Sat 09/23/06 The Citadel Heinz Field TBA
Sat 09/30/06 Toledo Heinz Field TBA
Sat 10/07/06 Syracuse Syracuse TBA
Fri 10/13/06 UCF Central Florida ESPN 8:00 PM
Sat 10/21/06 Rutgers Heinz Field TBA
Sat 11/04/06 USF South Florida TBA
Sat 11/11/06 Connecticut Connecticut TBA
Thu 11/16/06 West Virginia Heinz Field ESPN 7:30 PM
Sat 11/25/06 Louisville Heinz Field TBA

Don't know who they played then but those aren't all cupcakes.

 

[RayClay]

Astute observations. There is only one true first round back, and we have a better chance of seeing god (to reference your first sentence) than seeing a flying elvis on his helmet.

“Here's another startling revelation, on par with those. The sky is blue.†...Bill Belichick


What does that quote refer to. I have to know.

 

[Remix 6]

Yes he versed weaker competition..its a fact. What did LT do at TCU? What did Marshall Faulk do at San Diego State?

 

[loshooligan87]

Okay so re the matter of the weak conference I can understand the disagreement yet I still feel there's there's "cupcake" and then theres "cupcake" and also not every guy who excels in a weaker conference becomes Jerry Rice or LT2 or Sweetness. Though as stated Cmart at Pitt and Faulk at SD St were not in weaker conferences but we'll forget that for a moment and wont judge him on level of opposition BUT nobody out there is scared about these injuries(and if I remember correctly Curtis had one major injury which wrecked his final year and led to him being dubbed an injury worry not a succession of pretty serious injuries for 3 years in college) or the incredible amount of carries and wear and tear this guy has already got on his tires? If not then thats cool as I want to be happy if he does fall to us and Belio

Just curious...see I feel I can understand the debate over the weaker conference aspect. Or the size issues. Or the lack of experience receiving and the problems with blocking. Or even the injuries and wear and tear BUT I find it hard to get that enthusiastic when they're combined even though he does look v good on a highlight reel.