Thoughts on Sony Michel

[Deus Irae]

I would disagree and if you go back and watch a lot of his big runs he is juking a blitzing DB or making moves outside the tackles. But also notice how loaded the box is. I am not saying they were the best line in football but they were average to above average throughout his career.

I don't need to go back and watch. I grew up watching it. Brown and Glover could play, no question. But, as for the rest of the line over the course of time, not so much.

 

[zydecochris]

Michel is having the best start of any RB the Pats have drafted. He has rapidly become a key cog in this offense, which struggles in the passing game without him. Big win for this pick.

Plus, he has the potential to be a weapon in both the run and pass game in a way that no Patriot RB has been for years.

He already shows great promise on running downs. As the article you posted (Thanks!) pointed out, he is the first Patriot RB to rush for over 100 yards in three of his first eight games (!), and that is while battling injuries.

And, he shows great promise on passing downs also in the future. Out of college he was known as being really excellent in Blitz pickup (unlike many rookies), so he can be kept in on passing downs without worrying about Brady getting killed. And, although he wasn't super-heavily used in the passing game at Georgia, he was an extremely effective weapon when he was.

The Patriots currently have one of the best passing RBs in the league in White, but I think in a year or so it is going to be more and more "Sony" on both running and passing downs.

 

[zydecochris]

Should have drafted Conner.

I don't know, I am hopeful he can become our first RB who can be a weapon on both running and passing downs (to improve deception in offensive play calling) similar to how Gronk is so invaluable on both running and passing downs.

 

[mgcolby]

I don't need to go back and watch. I grew up watching it. Brown and Glover could play, no question. But, as for the rest of the line over the course of time, not so much.

I did too those were my high school years. But I have shown my kids highlights several times and a quick refresh never hurts.

With that said, Sanders is the best running back I ever watched, and Bo Jackson was my all time favorite football player/athlete growing up.

 

[Wheelman]

What a first round bust! Geez, Laurence Maroney 2.0! Seriously, we are horrible at drafting! (sarcasm)

So glad I wasn't here this off season.

 

[maineman209]

I don't know, I am hopeful he can become our first RB who can be a weapon on both running and passing downs (to improve deception in offensive play calling) similar to how Gronk is so invaluable on both running and passing downs.

Michel? As long as he can pass block and pick up blitzes well. As a receiver, though ....

It stuck me as kind of odd that, around the time of the draft, a lot of folks were praising Michel's receiving abilities, even calling him "Barkley lite". IIRC,there were a couple folks who expected Michel to be "like White, except with the ability to actually run the ball."

I never knew where that came from. In four years at Georgia, Michel caught 64 total passes for 621 yards. Barkley, in just three years at Penn State, caught 102 for 1195. He caught 54 for 632 in just his senior season.

And then, during this season, I'm seeing comments about how Michel is struggling in the passing game or "a disappointment."

Anyway, I wasn't suggesting that the Pats should have drafted Conner in 2017 instead of Michel in 2018. It was more a comparison of drafting Conner in 2017 versus "keeping Blount" in 2017.

 

[varjao]

The guy is on the field, making plays and helping the team win. It could be better for sure but in face of the questionable picks they have made recently I'm totally OK with this one.

 

[TheRainMaker]

He has good vision, which is the most important attribute for a RB. As @Deus Irae said, when he's in the open field, he needs to try to shake a DB rather than just running into him.

I didn't really like drafting him that high and would've rather had Calvin Ridley, but Michel is playing fine and is showing promise. It could be a lot worse. Remember Laurence Maroney?

 

[fnordcircle]

Michel is having the best start of any RB the Pats have drafted. He has rapidly become a key cog in this offense, which struggles in the passing game without him. Big win for this pick.

Curtis had a 100 yard game his first week and then struggled for a while, as I recall. But based on the eye test alone I don't think it's accurate to just use stats to say which was the best rookie.

Curtis was exciting on a level that Sony isn't. You could tell Curtis was going to be special if not other-worldly. I remember getting mocked by a Giants fan co-worker when I said I thought Curtis was going to be better than Wheatley. Sony looks like he'll be dependable and show some good flashes.

But yeah if I could trade Sony for 1995 Curtis right now, I would in a heartbeat, so I'm not buying this evaluation.

 

[Mack Herron]

Curtis had a 100 yard game his first week and then struggled for a while, as I recall. But based on the eye test alone I don't think it's accurate to just use stats to say which was the best rookie.

Curtis was exciting on a level that Sony isn't. You could tell Curtis was going to be special if not other-worldly. I remember getting mocked by a Giants fan co-worker when I said I thought Curtis was going to be better than Wheatley. Sony looks like he'll be dependable and show some good flashes.

But yeah if I could trade Sony for 1995 Curtis right now, I would in a heartbeat, so I'm not buying this evaluation.

Curtis is a hall of fame back so of course we prefer him now. Too early to judge Michel. Martin averaged 4 ypc in 95 as compared to Sony's 4.6 ypc. Solid pick.

 

[tom444]

Name a single back that could run well without quality OL play? There isn't and never has been one. Not Sanders, Not Sweetness not even the ig bad Brown. That is an oxymoron.

No. Brown would have been Brown on any team, behind any line. And that's not a put down of the line he had.

 

[WaterfallJumper]

Curtis had a 100 yard game his first week and then struggled for a while, as I recall. But based on the eye test alone I don't think it's accurate to just use stats to say which was the best rookie.

Curtis was exciting on a level that Sony isn't. You could tell Curtis was going to be special if not other-worldly. I remember getting mocked by a Giants fan co-worker when I said I thought Curtis was going to be better than Wheatley. Sony looks like he'll be dependable and show some good flashes.

But yeah if I could trade Sony for 1995 Curtis right now, I would in a heartbeat, so I'm not buying this evaluation.

Are there better highlights to watch than these? I see a guy who's a bit shiftier and has more long speed, but otherwise isn't on a completely different level to Michel -- although I do agree he looks better. Don't take that to mean that I'm knocking Martin, just that I think you might be slightly biased against Michel, who has been plenty exciting when healthy, in my opinion.

 

[denverpatsfan]

Best RB since Curtis and he is not even close to as good as he was. I like that he can find the openings and takes them without hesitation. Great vision.

 

[Deus Irae]

Best RB since Curtis and he is not even close to as good as he was. I like that he can find the openings and takes them without hesitation. Great vision.

I assume you mean best in house draftee, and forgot about Edwards...?

 

[denverpatsfan]

I assume you mean best in house draftee, and forgot about Edwards...?

Edwards was great too. It's a shame he got hurt. Watching those Curtis highlights makes me happy.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Best RB since Curtis and he is not even close to as good as he was. I like that he can find the openings and takes them without hesitation. Great vision.

As of right now, Stevan Ridley was better. And it's not even close. He was a very decisive-quick runner with good power. A lot of people on this board seem to either forget or don't care he had the best season since Corey Dillon's '04 season. He had 1,264 yards with a 4.4 average and 12 TD's. He had 7 100 yard games during his time in NE. He would've had more good years had he not had that collision with Bernand Pollard in the AFCCG. He then had another collusion against the Bills on opening day the following year where he fumbled and it was returned for a TD. He was never the same after that but still had 773 yards rushing and 7 TD's his second year starting.

Overall, he was fantastic value pick in the 3rd round.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Are there better highlights to watch than these? I see a guy who's a bit shiftier and has more long speed, but otherwise isn't on a completely different level to Michel -- although I do agree he looks better. Don't take that to mean that I'm knocking Martin, just that I think you might be slightly biased against Michel, who has been plenty exciting when healthy, in my opinion.

Curtis Martin was one of my favorite players. How dope was it that he was one of only player wearing elbow pads? Terry Allen wore them in '99. It just looked so 90's and cool. I was absolutely pissed he went to the Jets. However, it was a sacrifice that needed to happen. Had he stayed, I think the Pats do well enough that Carroll survives a few years and BB ends up elsewhere.

 

[WaterfallJumper]

Michel? As long as he can pass block and pick up blitzes well. As a receiver, though ....

It stuck me as kind of odd that, around the time of the draft, a lot of folks were praising Michel's receiving abilities, even calling him "Barkley lite". IIRC,there were a couple folks who expected Michel to be "like White, except with the ability to actually run the ball."

I never knew where that came from. In four years at Georgia, Michel caught 64 total passes for 621 yards. Barkley, in just three years at Penn State, caught 102 for 1195. He caught 54 for 632 in just his senior season.

And then, during this season, I'm seeing comments about how Michel is struggling in the passing game or "a disappointment."

Anyway, I wasn't suggesting that the Pats should have drafted Conner in 2017 instead of Michel in 2018. It was more a comparison of drafting Conner in 2017 versus "keeping Blount" in 2017.

Well, 64 total passes for 621 yards is not that bad. A lot of college running backs never reach 500 yards receiving. Conner, for example, since I know you like him.

James Conner College Stats | College Football at Sports-Reference.com

 

[RobertWeathers]

Sure, but before we get too carried away:


Michel has 10 targets in the passing game, catching 6 for 43 yards:

10 6 43 7.2 0 13 0.8 5.4 60.0%

Barkley has 87 targets in the passing game, catching 71 for 581 yards and 4 TDs:

87 71 581 8.2 4 57 6.5 52.8 81.6%

...and hes a burn out waiting to happen.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I don't think he's 100%. Doesn't look as explosive as he did in college. Great vision like everyone has mentioned. Will be an even bigger threat once he is 100%.

Still should have kept Blount.

Blount was 2 years ago.