Why LenDale White can't be counted out @ 21

[R_T26]

This may very well be Corey Dillon's last year w/ the Patriots. Either way we know the Patriots need a running back of the future. In most drafts LenDale White is a top 10 pick. He has amazing college production. If you look at White the "player" everyone would agree he is the prototypical Patriots back. Some may say people question his work ethic and @ times appears lazy, sounds exactly like what people said about our last pick @ 21-Vince Wilfork. When Wilfork fell to us it was considered great value. The same can be said for White. Some may say BB would never draft a running back in the first round, but in "Patriot Reign" it says that Kevin Jones was on BB's list of players he wanted. Michael Holley last week said on EEI that if Jones was still on the board @ 32 they would of picked him over Watson. Lets not forget last year @ this time everyone said BB would never take an OL in the 1st round and they took Mankins. If BB can draft a great talent like White to be the running back for the next 6 years, I believe he will. All I am saying is don't be shocked and certainly not dissapointed if White gets his name called.

 

[Remix 6]

He isnt a top 10 pick..he used to be when Cardinals needed a RB or when Ravens werent sure about Lewis. As good a player as he was in college..I wouldnt want him. I really like Maroney a lot more than White. Hes fast..breakaway speed and is just a threat everytime. Hes got pretty good size for an NFL RB and reminds me of Clinton Portis

 

[Pats726]

He isnt a top 10 pick..he used to be when Cardinals needed a RB or when Ravens werent sure about Lewis. As good a player as he was in college..I wouldnt want him. I really like Maroney a lot more than White. Hes fast..breakaway speed and is just a threat everytime. Hes got pretty good size for an NFL RB and reminds me of Clinton Portis

I like neither..nor DWilliams..NOT really Patriot players...can one say busts?? Just think closer to NOT a sure thing..any of the 3 could take the money and do squat...wastes. Not saying that they will, just red flagging them as MORE probable.

 

[fgssand]

I do think he will be sitting there at #21.
What if he really is as good as some people think. What if that "lazy" moniker is as false as Wilfork's??
Is he a second coming of Bettis? What if he is? The guy is big, has great feet, catches the ball nicely, hits the hole hard and can get to the secondary delivering hard shots when there.

Nobody really knows how good this guy can be.......

 

[Pats726]

I do think he will be sitting there at #21.
What if he really is as good as some people think. What if that "lazy" moniker is as false as Wilfork's??
Is he a second coming of Bettis? What if he is? The guy is big, has great feet, catches the ball nicely, hits the hole hard and can get to the secondary delivering hard shots when there.

Nobody really knows how good this guy can be.......

or how poor...THAT is a big question..

 

[fgssand]

or how poor...THAT is a big question..

No doubt about it - isn't that what makes the draft fun? Is he Bettis or Marion Butts (in his last year)??

 

[BelichickFan]

I'm not a huge fan of taking a RB but I do think this is a BPA draft as our needs aren't nearly as bad as many think - IMO of course. And if Belichick loves White, a stud big back for the next 5 years is certainly exciting. I'll be confident that Belichick has him ranked correctly although his mid-low round RB picks haven't been overly impressive.

 

[rookBoston]

We may have a shot at him at #52... and even then, I dont think we'd want him.

If he cant keep himself in shape during the most important offseason of his life, when millions of $ are on the line, how is he going to do when he's only doing it "out of love of the game" and "out of dedication and professionalism".

 

[Patsbacker]

He hasn't been running because of the torn groin...as for his workouts yes I believe he got lazy but sometimes that can be a wakeup call. As for BB he loves production and no one has produced like White...57 TDs!!! Remember how people worried about Dillon's attitude which was far more in question at the time we traded for him. Watch the tape on this guy...he's a beast.

 

[Remix 6]

White

1. Ran behind the best OL in the country
2. Was a compliment to Bush
3. Had the best QB

Sure hes part of their success but hes gotten suspended before I believe...he hasnt practiced/worked out a few times..he doesnt like working out or practicing..he wants to go out there and thinks its college that he can simply outpower people. He wont fall out of 1st in my opinion..hes either at 15 for Denver or 26 for Carolina. People dont like the way he runs his life when he expects to be succesfull not doing the work he needs to. in the nfl you need to run .. workout .. study .. practice .. play and help your team. he said he tore his hammy during the pro day when he was practing. still no reason to show up heavier and only do 15 reps while your fellow teammate Bush does 24 or something like that. the Kicker did 14 !

 

[Willie55]

The knock on Woody a few years ago was that he was lazy and lacked work ethic. But the Pats ended up drafting him anyway.

With that being said, I don' think the Pats take White with the first round pick. After Dillon is done in the next couple years the Pats can easily wheel and deal to get a stud running back. They did that when they acquired Dillon. Also, if you remember Edgerin James and Shaun Alexander were on the market and there weren't any takers. Two of the premier running backs in the league were on the market and the teams that had them couldn't get rid of them.

 

[fgssand]

White

1. Ran behind the best OL in the country
2. Was a compliment to Bush
3. Had the best QB



Maybe LW was the reason the line developed into being the best, that Bush was more effective after he wore the "D" down and certainly reasons #1 & #2 led to Leinhart becoming the best.

 

[Pats726]

We may have a shot at him at #52... and even then, I dont think we'd want him.

If he cant keep himself in shape during the most important offseason of his life, when millions of $ are on the line, how is he going to do when he's only doing it "out of love of the game" and "out of dedication and professionalism".

And that is why a BIG question mark...even with BB talking to him...
If he can't get it together for millions of bucks..what does one think he would do once he had them??? Bad work habits = a LARGE possibility for a big bust...
Would rather take..at a lower round...a lesser known back who would work to improve...and ultimately better.

 

[bucky]

There is 1 very simple reason why BB won't take White at 21. The Patriots draft players with the highest floor - Wilfork, Warren, Graham, Mankins, even Seymour all attest to that. White might have a high ceiling, but he's also got a pretty low floor. After the 2nd or 3rd round, they're willing to take a risk on a boom or bust type. But not at 21 and not at 52.

 

[PATSNUTme]

I've changed my thinking on White over the past couple of days. I did not want the Patriots to take him at all.

However, I think that if BB has checked him out and feels that he can be a Patriots type of player, then I won't be disappionted if they take him.

I have not changed my thiniking on Williams. He is just not a Patriots type player and running back.

 

[ilduce06410]

i keep thinking of warren sapp

I've changed my thinking on White over the past couple of days. I did not want the Patriots to take him at all.
However, I think that if BB has checked him out and feels that he can be a Patriots type of player, then I won't be disappionted if they take him.
I have not changed my thiniking on Williams. He is just not a Patriots type player and running back.

sapp sank like a rock on draft day, lotta bad press.
BB/SP seem to love 29-year-old FA RBs who have an axe to grind. they stuck with antowain smith in that 2nd year, when he ran slower than any nfl RB i've ever seen. but was successful throught the playoffs.
to pick a RB in the first round would be surprising, but IMO there's about a 50-50 chance that white turns out to be john riggins.

 

[Handel]

We may have a shot at him at #52... and even then, I dont think we'd want him.

Wtf. He will be gone a long time before #52.

 

[shakadave]

The Patriots draft players with the highest floor

Is this an original thought? I hadn't heard the "highest floor" phrase before, but it's a good one, especially for Round One picks. That really sums up how I think they felt with Mankins.

Someone said this will be Dillon's last year. I recall it's as expensive this year to release him as to keep him, so he's here for 2006. Does anyone remember how expensive it might be if we release him for 2007?

 

[gomezcat]

I do think he will be sitting there at #21.
What if he really is as good as some people think. What if that "lazy" moniker is as false as Wilfork's??
Is he a second coming of Bettis? What if he is? The guy is big, has great feet, catches the ball nicely, hits the hole hard and can get to the secondary delivering hard shots when there.

Nobody really knows how good this guy can be.......

Digger44, in a previous thread, noted that talk of White's work ethic only surfaced since the end of the season. I disagreed with him, so I did a google search. It could well have been my poor research, but I found little to suggest that there were concerns about his work ethic before January. The scouts have access to the people on the inside and will be able to ignore the rumours and the hype.

 

[spacecrime]

He hasn't been running because of the torn groin...as for his workouts yes I believe he got lazy but sometimes that can be a wakeup call. As for BB he loves production and no one has produced like White...57 TDs!!! Remember how people worried about Dillon's attitude which was far more in question at the time we traded for him.

The last sentence is not true. No one ever questioned Dillon's work ethic. He was a malcontent, which is different from somebody who cannot get into shape for a championship game. Dillion was upset with Bengals front office and coaching staff. White let himself get out of shape. He was 253 # long before the torn hammy on pro days. He was fat at the championship game, and though he had production, he could not convert a fourth and one when needed because he was winded and/or fat. At the combine, he was reputed to need a bra.

As far as production goes, White did have a lot of TDs, but I doubt production is the only thing BB looks at.

People change, and he could be a monster. Or he could be Ken Sims.

BB/SP interviewed him at the combine. They probably have a better feel for him than I do. For me, I'd take a mid-round flyer on him, not a first or second round pick for such a risk. It isn't like he's the only good RB out there.