MARSHAWN LYNCH (2007) vs BISHOP SANKEY (2014)
But that brings us to another comparison, about which conclusions are too early to draw: Lynch vs. Bishop Sankey.
Specifically, the Lynch that departed the University of California in 2007 and the Sankey, a junior last fall at the University of Washington, who just completed testing at the NFL combine in Indianapolis. These are the first pertinents:
Year Player School HT. WT. Last Season
2006 Marshawn Lynch Cal 5-11 215 13 games, 1,356 yards, 15 TDs
2013 Bishop Sankey UW 5-9 209 13 games, 1,870 yards, 20 TDs
Not a lot of difference there. Lynch has/had a slight height/weight advantage, Sankey the statistical edge. Scouts — and in hindsight, properly so — loved Lynch’s upside following the 2007 combine, predicting he would go within the first 15 picks in that year’s NFL Draft. He did, at No. 12 overall to Buffalo. Lynch’s 2007 scouting report:
“The Cal star established himself as the second-best back in the nation after Louisville’s Michael Bush, who also declared early, went down in the first week of the season with a broken leg. Lynch had a huge 2007 campaign and ran away with the Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year Award.
“A first-team All-American, Lynch led the conference in rushing with 104.3 yards per game, all-purpose yards (137.3) and touchdowns (15). Lynch is a powerful runner, as he has more than adequate speed for his compact 5-11, 215-pound frame. He is capable of pounding it straight up the gut of defensive lines and can also bounce to the outside where his big-play ability is put on display. Lynch will be the second running back taken in the 2007 draft and should be off the board no later than the middle of the first round.”
A few points: Lynch was, in fact, the second running back taken in 2007 behind Oklahoma’s Adrian Peterson, to Minnesota. Sankey averaged 143.8 rushing yards per game to Lynch’s 104.3 and 167.2 all-purpose yards to Lynch’s 137.3. But scouts aren’t nearly as seduced by Sankey, awarding him an overall grade of 5.3 for his generally favorable performance at Indianapolis. According to NFL.com, a grade of 5.3 projects as “NFL backup or special teams potential.” This is Sankey’s NFL.com scouting report:
Strengths: Good vision and balance. Subtle lateral agility to pick, slide and accelerate. Reads his blocks and instinctively runs to daylight. Fluid gate and efficient movement. Runs competitively. Good hands to pull in throws off his body. Was productive with a heavy workload in a pro-style offense. Team captain.
Weaknesses: Lacks ideal bulk and functional run strength — not a robust tackle-breaker. Too often grounded by single-tacklers or tripped up by the ankles. Shows some hip tightness. Average explosion, speed and elusiveness. Has shown he can be contained by good defenses. Needs to become a more dependable, physical, fundamentally sound pass protector.
Bottom Line: The Pac-12’s leading rusher, Sankey has an overall average skill set and generally gains what is blocked for him. Is instinctive, competitive and shifty enough to be effective as a complementary zone runner, but must improve in pass protection.
Hard to dispute that. But we dug up Lynch’s so-called measureables from the 2007 NFL combine and it’s remarkable how similar they are to Sankey’s.
Category Lynch / ’07 Sankey / ’14 Best Ever
40-Yard Dash 4.46 4.49 4.12 Bo Jackson, RB, Auburn, 1986
225 Lb. Reps 20 26 51, Justin Ernest, DT, E. Kentucky, 1999
Vertical Jump 35.1 inches 35.5 inches 46.0, G. Sensabaugh, S, N. Car., 2005
Broad Jump 10 ft, 5 in 10 ft, 6 in 11-7, Jamie Collins, So. Miss, 2013
20-Yard Shuttle 4.58 4.00 3.73, Kevin Kasper, WR, Iowa, 2001
3-Cone Drill 7:09 6.75 6.42, Jeff Maehl, WR, Oregon, 2011
Lynch clocked a few ticks better in the 40-yard dash, but Sankey did considerably better in weight lifting, pressing 225 pounds 26 times in a row to Lynch’s 20. Sankey also fared better than Lynch, if only slightly, in his vertical jump, broad jump, 20-yard shuttle time and 3-cone drill time.
And yet, scouts projected Lynch as a slam-dunk first-round pick and now are projecting Sankey as, generously, a third-rounder despite their combine similarities.
The measureables tell us that Sankey has the potential, with additional years of training, to become the physical equivalent of Lynch. Still to be determined is whether Sankey has the passion and mental toughness to elevate his game to the point that Lynch has taken his.
By all accounts, Sankey is a “good-character” guy, so it will be intriguing to watch.
http://sportspressnw.com/2179979/2014/further-review-lynch-2007-vs-sankey-2014