Let me preface this by saying that I do not necessarily believe that Henry should be taken this high,but I think you could make the argument.
The majority of draft boards have these players (in whatever order) going in the top five.
1/ LT
2/ Steven Jackson
3/ Larry Johnson
4/ Frank Gore
5/ Shaun Alexander
After that first tier is gone (I don't consider Alexander 1st tier anymore but most people do) it's a guessing game as to who will emerge as a top rb.
a) Willie Parker - May or may not be getting goal line carries + he is in an all new system. You don't really know what you are going to get.
b) Joseph Addai - Coach Dungy is on record as saying that Addai should continue to get 18 carries per week. No doubt his work load will go up, but is he going to get enough td's?
c) Brian Westbrook - Great #'s but far to fragile to spend you #1 pick on. I'd hate to waste my #1 pick on a guy who might only play in 12 games.
d) Rudi Johnson - ypc was way down last year. At best he is a late 1st rnd pick early 2nd rnd guy who will put numbers up because of the system he is in. He is consistent,but not good enough to take this high.3
e) Reggie Bush - Take away his last few games of the season he was a mediocre 3rd rb. No doubt he will improve, but he will not score enough to take him this high.
f) Lawrence Maroney -Great system, but his injuries worry me. Plus, early word of New England is that Heath Evans may be the goal line man. Worst of all New England might give him 25 touches one week and 8 the next. They change things up too often.
g) Edgerrin James - He is just a big name at this point behind that weak (3.4 ypc) offensive line. He is a late third round pick at best in 2007.
h) Clinton Portis - Already having physical problems. Not worth the headache or the high draft pick. This guy has bust written all over him.
That leads me to Travis Henry.
Is there a more perfect fit than Travis Henry and the Denver Broncos? His one cut/bruising style is exactly what coach Shanahan likes.
Just look at the numbers that mediocre runners like Mike Anderson,Tatum Bell and Olandis Gary have put up in Shanahan's system.
If Henry is given the job (and Mike Bell does not steal carries) isn't it possible that Henry could put up 1,500 yds and 14-17 td's?
In what was basically a rbbc situation a journeyman like Mike Anderson put up 1,014 yds + 13 td's (T.Bell in the same year had 921 yds and 8 td's) in 2005.
That's 1,935 yds and 21 td's combined.
If Travis Henry is the man in Denver (maybe 1st time since C.Portis one man gets the vast majority of carries) he could be a big time (somewhat) under the radar stud.
That said picking a Denver rb this high not named Terrell Davis is rolling the dice. You NEVER know what coach Shanahan is thinking (I can tell you from years of frustration) in terms of his rb's..
Am I off base by saying Henry might be the 5th or 6th best rb on the board?
My question is two fold.
1/ Where would you take Henry and why is he (or isn't) a better option than the 2nd tier of rb's listed?
2/ How do you rank the 2nd tier of rb's
Discuss
The majority of draft boards have these players (in whatever order) going in the top five.
1/ LT
2/ Steven Jackson
3/ Larry Johnson
4/ Frank Gore
5/ Shaun Alexander
After that first tier is gone (I don't consider Alexander 1st tier anymore but most people do) it's a guessing game as to who will emerge as a top rb.
a) Willie Parker - May or may not be getting goal line carries + he is in an all new system. You don't really know what you are going to get.
b) Joseph Addai - Coach Dungy is on record as saying that Addai should continue to get 18 carries per week. No doubt his work load will go up, but is he going to get enough td's?
c) Brian Westbrook - Great #'s but far to fragile to spend you #1 pick on. I'd hate to waste my #1 pick on a guy who might only play in 12 games.
d) Rudi Johnson - ypc was way down last year. At best he is a late 1st rnd pick early 2nd rnd guy who will put numbers up because of the system he is in. He is consistent,but not good enough to take this high.3
e) Reggie Bush - Take away his last few games of the season he was a mediocre 3rd rb. No doubt he will improve, but he will not score enough to take him this high.
f) Lawrence Maroney -Great system, but his injuries worry me. Plus, early word of New England is that Heath Evans may be the goal line man. Worst of all New England might give him 25 touches one week and 8 the next. They change things up too often.
g) Edgerrin James - He is just a big name at this point behind that weak (3.4 ypc) offensive line. He is a late third round pick at best in 2007.
h) Clinton Portis - Already having physical problems. Not worth the headache or the high draft pick. This guy has bust written all over him.
That leads me to Travis Henry.
Is there a more perfect fit than Travis Henry and the Denver Broncos? His one cut/bruising style is exactly what coach Shanahan likes.
Just look at the numbers that mediocre runners like Mike Anderson,Tatum Bell and Olandis Gary have put up in Shanahan's system.
If Henry is given the job (and Mike Bell does not steal carries) isn't it possible that Henry could put up 1,500 yds and 14-17 td's?
In what was basically a rbbc situation a journeyman like Mike Anderson put up 1,014 yds + 13 td's (T.Bell in the same year had 921 yds and 8 td's) in 2005.
That's 1,935 yds and 21 td's combined.
If Travis Henry is the man in Denver (maybe 1st time since C.Portis one man gets the vast majority of carries) he could be a big time (somewhat) under the radar stud.
That said picking a Denver rb this high not named Terrell Davis is rolling the dice. You NEVER know what coach Shanahan is thinking (I can tell you from years of frustration) in terms of his rb's..
Am I off base by saying Henry might be the 5th or 6th best rb on the board?
My question is two fold.
1/ Where would you take Henry and why is he (or isn't) a better option than the 2nd tier of rb's listed?
2/ How do you rank the 2nd tier of rb's
Discuss
I'll be suprised if he is top 12... Taylor is still the #1 RB there...
I'll be suprised if he is top 12... Taylor is still the #1 RB there...
I'll be suprised if he is top 12... Taylor is still the #1 RB there...
I'll be suprised if he is top 12... Taylor is still the #1 RB there...
)
My tier after the top 4 is huge and depending on how his hand injury goes, I may drop Gore into it. I couldn't fault any of these players going in the next 10 picks or so in any kind of order:
Now this I have to see....
He won't be close to 5.7 ypc. Probably won't be close to 9.5 ypr. Won't be close to 15 TDs. Also, while you noted that he didn't play the first 2 games last year, you didn't note that Taylor was injured and had only 9 carries in the last 3 1/2 games. Are you counting on that again? And you didn't mention Greg Jones either; he'll get some touches.
