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Official Ameer Abdullah - The Bandwagon (1 Viewer)

EBF

Footballguy
There's no thread for Abdullah yet, so I thought I'd fire up the bus. I think he's an interesting prospect and potentially one of the more underrated talents in this FF class. Amazing college career. Good versatility. Not much of a size/speed specimen. May only run a 4.5. Outstanding quicks though. Best cuts in this RB class by a mile. Most athletic RB in the draft. He has a different body type compared with the typical RB, but his jack-of-all-trades playmaking skills remind me at times of Ray Rice, Shady McCoy, and Gio Bernard.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygW5Y_k6PLg

A few years back we had Knowshon, Beanie, and Dammit Donald go in the first round ahead of LeSean McCoy. McCoy turned out to be the much better pro player. Gordon and Gurley seem far better than Knowshon and Beanie ever were, but could Ameer still turn out to be the superior NFL performer? I won't say yes for sure because he has limitations of his own, but I'm a fan and I'm curious to see how it works out for him.

#FearAmeer

:drive:

<title edited by FBG Mod to help with searching>

 
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I watched a few of his games a couple days ago and came away from that pretty impressed with the way he plays. I thought he finished runs well and had good pad level combined with some pretty slick elusiveness as well as quick burst acceleration at times. From what I saw he caught the ball naturally but that is something I would want to spend more time looking at.

I haven't decided if I like him or Duke Johnson more yet. But I like both of them quite a bit.

EBF what differentiates Ameer Abdulah from Bishop Sankey of last year? I see a lot of similarities between them and I think they compare to Doug Martin from prior to that. I know you liked Martin a lot but you didn't like Sankey. What makes Martin and Abdulah better prospects than Sankey was in your opinion?

 
To JohnnyU's question. Ameer Abdullah was certainly capable of being a feature RB for Nebraska. It is kind of funny to me that some list the his number of carries as a negative against him. That one always gets me.

I think you have to consider the quality of the Huskers offensive line and the competition he faced. How will that translate to a higher level of competition?

When watching him one player that he somewhat reminded me of is Jerrick McKinnon.

 
Pass pro is his downfall, which really undermines his receiving value in the NFL. Watch the Wisconsin game if you want to see some godawful 'lookout!" blocks.

 
Rotoworld:

Nebraska RB Ameer Abdullah made his debut at No. 40 on NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah's board.

"Abdullah is a compact, muscular runner with excellent quickness, balance and surprising power," Jeremiah wrote. "On inside runs, he is quick to the hole and he has excellent lateral quickness to avoid defenders in tight quarters. He carries his pads low to the ground and he pinballs off tacklers. He looks to finish every single run. On outside runs, he has the burst to get the edge and he is very elusive once he gets into the open field. He doesn't have elite long speed, but he piles up a lot of 30-40-yard runs. He is effective out of the backfield because of his reliable hands and ability to make defenders miss in space." Still, Abdullah is not without warts. He's a poor pass blocker, he won't move a pile, and he fumbles more than any other decent RB in this class. "He is an excellent kickoff returner because of his aggressiveness, vision and initial burst," Jeremiah added.

Feb 18 - 11:16 PM
Source: NFL.com
Nebraska RB Ameer Abdullah fumbled once every 35.4 touches across his four-year college career.

CBS' Dane Brugler reports that Abdullah's fumble rate was the most egregious of all draft-worthy 2015 running backs, which won't surprise you if you pay attention to the draft process or college football. To put Abdullah's butter fingers in perspective, Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon finished second on this list with a fumble every 54.4 touches, while Alabama's T.J. Yeldon fumbled every 62.2 touches and Boise State's Jay Ajayi fumbled once every 62.6 touches. In college, Abdullah fumbled 24 times; 17 were lost to turnover. He simply must learn to take better care of the ball, or NFL coaches will deprive him of it. Because Abdullah can't pass block, that would be a very bad development indeed.

Feb 18 - 12:04 PM
Source: Dane Brugler on Twitter
Nebraska RB Ameer Abdullah's ball security remains the biggest question surrounding his draft stock, says NFL Media analyst Mike Mayock.

In a conference call with the media, the analyst mentioned the 24 fumbles on Abdullah's ledger, 17 of which were lost to turnover. Abdullah's running skill and character are lavishly praised, while his fumbling and pass blocking remain big question marks. NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah projects Abdullah as a late-second round or early third-round pick.

Feb 17 - 1:11 AM
Source: NFL.com
NFL Media draft analyst Lance Zierlein wrote that Nebraska RB Ameer Abdullah's "personal and football character is considered off-the-charts by the scouting community."

"His high character will make him a hit during interview process," NFL Media draft analyst Lance Zierlein wrote. Zierlein's colleague Daniel Jeremiah projects Abdullah as a late-second round or early third-round pick. An AFC North scout recently said that Abdullah has the "highest overall character grade" he's ever given to a prospect. "He has the highest overall character grade I've ever given to a prospect, and includes both football character and off-the-field. Aside from (Melvin) Gordon and (Todd) Gurley, I think he's the third best running back in this draft," the scout said.

Feb 15 - 4:27 PM
Source: NFL.com
NFL.com believes Nebraska RB Ameer Abdullah's "40 time will be scrutinized" at the combine, but adds that "his work in some of the other drills should be impressive."

"His lack of size -- he measured 5-foot-8 1/4 and 198 pounds at the Senior Bowl -- is bothersome to some scouts, but his production was impressive; he was a full-time starter in his final two seasons with the Huskers and rushed for 3,301 yards and 28 TDs in those seasons," wrote College Football 24/7 writer Mike Huguenin. "He also has proved himself as a receiver and return man." An AFC North scout recently said that Abdullah has the "highest overall character grade" he's ever given to a prospect. NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah projects him as a late-second round or early third-round pick.

Source: NFL.com
Feb 10 - 8:21 PM
One AFC North scout noted that Nebraska senior RB Ameer Abdullah has the "highest overall character grade" he's ever given to a prospect.

"He has the highest overall character grade I've ever given to a prospect, and includes both football character and off-the-field," the scout told Lance Zierlein of NFL Media. "Aside from (Melvin) Gordon and (Todd) Gurley, I think he's the third-best running back in this draft." The 5-foot-8, 198-pounder was named the Senior Bowl MVP after he rushed for 73 yards and added 40 receiving yards. He's faced questions about ball security and blocking, but nobody questions Abdullah's electricity with the ball in his hands. The Nebraska prospect has worked his way into Day 2 consideration.

Source: NFL.com
Feb 3 - 3:46 PM
ESPN's Mel Kiper believes "ball security issues are going to dog [Nebraska senior RB Ameer Abdullah] into the draft."

"While Abdullah performed well enough at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, I think ball security issues are going to dog him into the draft," Kiper wrote. The analyst ranks him as the No. 5 RB. Abdullah is also facing questions about his blocking. The 5-foot-8, 198-pounder was named the Senior Bowl MVP after he rushed for 73 yards and added 40 receiving yards. NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah projects him as a late-second round or early third-round pick.

Source: ESPN Insider
Jan 31 - 5:13 PM
The Guardian's Matt Rybaltowski was reminded of Matt Forte's 2008 MVP performance at the Senior Bowl when watching Nebraska senior RB Ameer Abdullah on Saturday.

Abdullah similarly drew MVP honors by rushing for 73 yards and adding 40 receiving yards at the Senior Bowl. "Much like Forte and other scat backs like Darren Sproles and CJ Spiller, Abdullah has the explosiveness to produce home run plays and can come out of the backfield as a receiver," Rybaltowski wrote. "The aforementioned backs have continued to excel on Sundays in spite of their lack of size. The former Cornhusker back is of a similar mold, but can compensate for the deficiency with his speed and athleticism." The 5-foot-8, 198-pounder has worked his way into Day 2 consideration.

Source: The Guardian
Jan 27 - 3:50 PM
Nebraska senior RB Ameer Abdullah's "terrific agility, balance and acceleration helped him stand out all week" at the Senior Bowl, according to CBS Sports' Rob Rang.

"Leading the victorious North squad in rushing (73 yards) and receiving (four catches for 40 yards) for a game-high 113 all-purpose yards, Abdullah was named the 2015 Senior Bowl MVP. Abdullah's terrific agility, balance and acceleration helped him stand out all week and he rose to the occasion one last time," Rang wrote. The 5-foot-8, 198-pound Abdullah had an impressive week in Mobile, and could hear his name called on Day 2 of the draft.

Source: CBS Sports
Jan 26 - 2:36 PM
Nebraska senior RB Ameer Abdullah's "will be in the top-75 mix and possibly the top senior running back drafted due to his natural burst, balance and playmaking skills," wrote CBS Sports' Dane Brugler.

"However, his deficiencies in pass protection stand out on tape and were exposed again during Tuesday's practice," Brugler wrote. "He is willing and tough, but his 198-pound frame simply lacks the base strength or upper body power to control or stop rushers in their tracks. Abdullah is a versatile talent who is fun to watch run the rock, but it's clear his best role in the NFL is probably as a change of pace option where he won't be tasked with protecting the pocket." Brugler's colleague Rob Rang wrote Thursday that Abdullah "is the most exciting runner participating in the Senior Bowl." The 5-foot-8, 198-pound Abdullah has worked his way through a muddled RB class to find solid Day 2 footing. For now, anyway.

Source: CBS Sports
Jan 22 - 6:19 PM
 
EBF what differentiates Ameer Abdulah from Bishop Sankey of last year? I see a lot of similarities between them and I think they compare to Doug Martin from prior to that. I know you liked Martin a lot but you didn't like Sankey. What makes Martin and Abdulah better prospects than Sankey was in your opinion?
Ameer is much more athletic and elusive than Sankey. Sankey never really passed the eyeball test for me.

Martin was a different type of player. Much bigger. He weighed 223 pounds at 5' 9" 1/4".

 
I'm not that impressed realky. Jay Ajayi is a much better prospect and should go a lot closer to Gurley/Gordon than Ameer.

 
Bit of a :sadbanana: for Ameer today. Was hoping for something closer to 4.50 in the 40.

My hunch is that when the detailed numbers come out, he'll have a reasonably good 10 yard split to go along with his junk 40. Watching him run in college, it's clear that he has no second gear. His stride does not build momentum or speed. However, he's pretty quick off the mark.

The time today still hurts him. If he falls into the 3rd round of the NFL draft and the early 2nd round of rookie drafts, he may yet provide good value though. He never figured to be a great height/weight/speed guy given his unconventional game and body type. I do think he looked crisp in the running and catching drills.

 
I'm lukewarm on him, but I think he has exceptional vision and rushing instincts. 4.6 is certainly disappointing. I like him a lot outside of the top 10 or 12 in rookie drafts.

 
Crushed it in the other drills:

42.5" vertical

10'10" broad jump

6.79s three cone

3.95 short shuttle

11.18 long shuttle

There's your silver lining to go along with the bad 40.

 
Crushed it in the other drills:

42.5" vertical

10'10" broad jump

6.79s three cone

3.95 short shuttle

11.18 long shuttle

There's your silver lining to go along with the bad 40.
Iw ant to like him more because this is evident on film, but against better competition he consistently struggled.
 
Crushed it in the other drills:

42.5" vertical

10'10" broad jump

6.79s three cone

3.95 short shuttle

11.18 long shuttle

There's your silver lining to go along with the bad 40.
Iw ant to like him more because this is evident on film, but against better competition he consistently struggled.
That's because the team wasn't capable of carrying their share of the load when Abdullah was gameplanned against. Tommy Armstrong was far too inaccurate at QB to carry them when good teams could stuff the run.

 
Crushed it in the other drills:

42.5" vertical

10'10" broad jump

6.79s three cone

3.95 short shuttle

11.18 long shuttle

There's your silver lining to go along with the bad 40.
Iw ant to like him more because this is evident on film, but against better competition he consistently struggled.
That's because the team wasn't capable of carrying their share of the load when Abdullah was gameplanned against. Tommy Armstrong was far too inaccurate at QB to carry them when good teams could stuff the run.
Coleman and Gordon didn't suffer in similar situations.
 
Looks like the kind of player who wont see the field much as a rookie. Think I will pass on him in my rookie draft and maybe make a buy low player during the season.

 
Killed every drill but the 40, weighted in well for his expected size, fumbling and pass pro issues, good hands...this guys an enigma and I'm going to have to see how NFL teams value him.

 
What do you guys who like him realistically thing he'll be in the NFL? Looks like a 3rd down back with no chance of being anything more.
Starter in the right system. Used like McCoy. He's an awesome receiver. Line him up anywhere and get him the ball in space.

 
Rotoworld:

Nebraska RB Ameer Abdullah clocked forty times of 4.61 and 4.62 at the combine.
Before you overreact, you ought to know that Abdullah essentially dominated the field in all non-40 drills. He was best amongst running backs in four of seven drills, including the vertical jump, broad jump, 3-cone drill and 20-yard shuttle. He also added seven pounds between the Senior Bowl and Combine. As NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah recently wrote, Abdullah "doesn't have elite long speed, but he piles up a lot of 30-40-yard runs."

Feb 22 - 12:02 AM
 
What do you guys who like him realistically thing he'll be in the NFL? Looks like a 3rd down back with no chance of being anything more.
Starter in the right system. Used like McCoy. He's an awesome receiver. Line him up anywhere and get him the ball in space.
| would have thought that you'd be the last person promoting an tiny player with no speed. Surprising.

 
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What do you guys who like him realistically thing he'll be in the NFL? Looks like a 3rd down back with no chance of being anything more.
Starter in the right system. Used like McCoy. He's an awesome receiver. Line him up anywhere and get him the ball in space.
| would have thought that you'd be the last person promoting an tiny player with no speed. Surprising.
He's not that small. 205 pounds. That's below average, but his 30.7 BMI is above average compared with a typical 1st round back.

He benched 24 reps of 225 at the combine. Second most among RBs. Perhaps most importantly, he popped a 42.5" vertical. Dude has very strong and explosive legs. Also evidence by his 10'10" broad jump. An insane mark for a 5'8" man.

Ameer's game is about quickness in space. Nobody in the draft is better (or even close to him) in that regard. Just get him the ball and he will make things happen. Should add massive value in PPR formats.

 
amnesiac said:
slow, bad in pass protection, and a fumbler.

haven't watched the film yet, but i'll pass.
Watch the film.
he's slippery, but i'm not sure if he's an NFL talent.where do you see him being drafted in fantasy?
Depending of course on draft slot and team fit, he's probably an early 2nd rounder. I'm absolutely in love with him though and think he's one of the best players in this draft (in PPR).

 
amnesiac said:
slow, bad in pass protection, and a fumbler.

haven't watched the film yet, but i'll pass.
Watch the film.
he's slippery, but i'm not sure if he's an NFL talent.where do you see him being drafted in fantasy?
Depending of course on draft slot and team fit, he's probably an early 2nd rounder. I'm absolutely in love with him though and think he's one of the best players in this draft (in PPR).
As long as he is a 3rd round pick or better in the NFL draft, he will be in play for me around the 1.10.

 
I've been saying it for awhile... kid can play. Being a Big 10 fan, I've seen him play several times and if he can stay healthy, he can contribute immediately. Should be one of the first RBs taken in fantasy drafts this year.

 
Rotoworld:

Nebraska RB Ameer Abdullah posted a Speed Score of just 91.6 at the NFL Combine.
The average Speed Score of Round 1 RBs over the past decade is about 110. Abdullah's Speed Score pegs him "as a lower-round pick," according to ESPN's Aaron Schatz. Though Abdullah clocked disappointing forty times of 4.61 and 4.62 at 5-foot-8 and 205 pounds, he essentially dominated the field in all non-40 drills, especially those that measured agility and explosion. He was best amongst top running backs in four of seven drills, including the vertical jump, broad jump, 3-cone drill and 20-yard shuttle. "Researchers have suggested that a Speed Score that incorporated these drills would be a better predictor of NFL success, and such a system would certainly rate Abdullah as a better prospect," Schatz wrote.

Source: ESPN Insider
Feb 28 - 5:28 PM
 
Rotoworld:

NFL Media analyst Charles Davis observes that Nebraska RB Ameer Abdullah "plays hard" and "does not give up on plays."
"RB Ameer Abdullah of Nebraska is one of my faves to watch. Plays hard does not give up on plays-McNeese game winning catch and run shows absolute desire," Davis tweeted. The 5-foot-8, 205-pound Abdullah has explosive potential as a runner and a weapon out of the backfield in the passing game, and is seen as a high character guy. The Nebraska prospect gets knocked for his pass protection and ball security issues, but should come off the board in the late-second or early third-round of the draft.

Source: Charles Davis on Twitter
Mar 3 - 2:30 PM
 
Rotoworld:

Ameer Abdullah - RB - Cornhuskers

Nebraska RB Ameer Abdullah "is one of the more elusive and versatile backs in this class," wrote ESPN's Steve Muench and Kevin Weidl.

Some were disappointed by Abdullah's 40-yard dash time of 4.60 at the combine, but the Scouts Inc. duo notes that he "turned in outstanding results in the jumps and agility tests, which speaks to his elusiveness and short-area quickness to create yards on his own." To wit, Abdullah led all backs at the combine in the vertical jump (42.5 inches), broad jump (10 feet, 10 inches), short shuttle (3.95) and three-cone drill (6.79). "Abdullah comes with some durability and ball-security issues, but he should land in somewhere in the Day 2 range," wrote Muench and Weidl.

Source: ESPN Insider

Mar 5 - 10:14 PM
 
With Pierre Thomas gone in New Orleans, do you think Abdullah is on the Saints radar to fill the Reggie Bush/Pierre Thomas role?

 
In on Page 1 of this thread, for the sole purpose of telling my grandkids "I knew this guy was gonna be good".

 
Thanks for posting. Decent write up, but pretty clear the writer is churning those out without much thought. Namely:

Abdullah has no return experience, though his skill set could probably be utilized well for the return game.
Abdullah returned 61 kicks in his career for a 26.1 yard avg and 1 TD along with 31 punts for a 10.1 yard avg and 1 TD.

 
I'll finally say out loud the comparison I first made watching his high school highlights that I know people will make fun of me for.

If Ameer were 3 tenths of a second faster in the 40 we'd be comparing him to a poor man's Barry Sanders. He's not on Barry's level in terms of elusiveness and balance, but he's way better than most (including nearly every starting RB in the NFL, IMO), and their physical comparisons are almost spot on.

Here's a quote from Barry Sander's wiki page:

Though there were concerns about his size, it turned out these concerns were unfounded. Sanders was far too quick for defenders to hit solidly on a consistent basis, and too strong to bring down with arm tackles. Though short at 5'8", his playing weight was 203 lb (91 kg) and Sanders had a large portion of this weight in his exceptionally large and muscular legs, which provided him with excellent acceleration and a very low center of mass; his weight was also the same as Walter Payton and only slightly under the NFL average for a back.


In contrast to many of the star players of his era, Sanders was also noted for his on-field humility. Despite his flashy playing style, Sanders was rarely seen celebrating after the whistle was blown. Instead, he preferred to hand the ball to a referee or congratulate his teammates.
That's Ameer's game. Never taking the big shot, always contorting for those extra couple of yards (which does lead to more fumbles, just like Barry), and meets contact with a pad level so low he sometimes slips under the tackler completely. Before his senior season, Ameer was squatting 580 lbs and benching 365 lbs, and that's before he put on weight for his combine and pro day. His non-40 combine numbers speak for themselves as to his overall strength and explosiveness.

While he has been known to celebrate a big run on the field, by all accounts he's a model citizen and leader off of it. This guy, like Russell Wilson, already has the mentality of a professional. He will step on to the practice field confident and ready to compete for the starting job.

Actually, the more I think about it the more I like the Russell Wilson comparison. Russell Wilson is pretty much everything you want in a QB save his one flaw: height (and throwing at the 1 yard line, I suppose). For Ameer, that flaw is top speed. No matter how fast he pumps those legs, he's just not going to outrun most defensive backs in the NFL. I'm excited to see whether Ameer sees similar successes.

So, while I fully acknowledge that Gurley and Gordon and Ajayi are very good prospects and could also end up as good starters in the league, Ameer is my #1 RB target (and really overall player) in this draft.

 
mcintyre1 said:
So, while I fully acknowledge that Gurley and Gordon and Ajayi are very good prospects and could also end up as good starters in the league, Ameer is my #1 RB target (and really overall player) in this draft.
As someone with the 1.02, I hope the 1.01 in my league is also a Nebraska homer.
Not even I would draft him 1.01. The smart play is to trade away the 1.01/1.02 and secure him later in the first or early second, depending on where he gets drafted and his perceived opportunity.

 

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