2014 Rookie RB Class (1 Viewer)

[cstu]

I've never seen a RB class as all over the place as this, no consensus whatsoever. It doesn't help that we have 6 RB's between 201-209 lbs., not one of which has an elite 40 time. The guy that many people had ranked #1 (Carey) blew the combine. The guy who looks the best on paper (Sankey) doesn't impress me when I watch him play.

Rank	Player	        Height	Weight	40 Time	School	      D.Heins	W.Wood Swinderm D.Hosler Avg	Change1	KaDeem Carey	5'9"	207	4.7	Arizona	        2	3	2	3	2.5	2	Carlos Hyde	6'0"	230	4.66	Ohio State	3	2	5	4	3.5	3	Devonta Freeman	5'8"	206	4.58	Florida State	1	12	3	2	4.5	4	Lache Seastrunk	5'9"	201	4.51	Baylor	        5	9	7	1	5.5	5	Bishop Sankey	5'9"	209	4.49	Washington	9	1	4	11	6.25	6	Storm Johnson	6'0"	209	4.6	UCF	        4	8	9	5	6.5	7	Tre Mason	5'8"	207	4.5	Auburn	        6	5	10	8	7.25	8	Jeremy Hill	6'1"	233	4.66	LSU	        11	4	6	10	7.75	9	Isaiah Crowell	5'11"	224	4.57	Alabama State	8	21	1	6	9	310	Andre Williams	5'11"	230	4.56	Boston College	10	7	11	9	9.25

Edit: ignore the color, it doesn't mean anything.

 

[lsutigers]

Sheesh.

With the exception of Crowell at 1, I think Swinderm (3rd column) is probably closest overall to where I'd have them.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

I feel there's a bunch of very solid RBs in this draft, with perhaps no "elite" talents. Therefore situation is going to be the deciding factor more than ever. I think the overall talent level and depth is a little above last year's class - so if the draft breaks down in the same way - where the top backs are drafted by teams with need - then the rooie drafts will be very fruitful once again.

 

[JohnnyU]

Seastrunk and Hill 1 and 2 assuming Hill can keep his head out of his butt, with Mason a close 3rd.

 

[GeeYouknit]

For the 2nd year in a row situation determines everything

 

[Coeur de Lion]

I feel there's a bunch of very solid RBs in this draft, with perhaps no "elite" talents. Therefore situation is going to be the deciding factor more than ever. I think the overall talent level and depth is a little above last year's class - so if the draft breaks down in the same way - where the top backs are drafted by teams with need - then the rooie drafts will be very fruitful once again.

This, exactly.

I'd also add that last years RBs landed in better offenses overall than this year's group is likely to -- so even though the talent is probably roughly similar, the production might lag a bit behind right out of the gate. GB, Cincy, Pitt vs Cleveland, Oakland, NYJ etc.

 

[Warpig]

I hear Sankey has unimpressive game tape (which I value more than combine numbers). Hyde had impressive numbers for a big back but may be relegated to "Thumper" duties in the NFL. Mason looked impressive to me and I must admit he's the one I got to see more of. I've heard good things about Hill as well. Freeman seems to do everything well, but doesn't excel at any one thing and doesn't jump out at you.

I don't know much about the others.

The ones I am most intrigued with are the ones with red flags...those two being Mason and Hill. Mason makes me think of Ray Rice. Hill seems like a Jamal Lewis.

 

[Milkman]

Hyde can be a thumper if he needs to be but he shows good shiftiness for a 240 pound back. Add his hands and pass blocking and you have a pretty complete back.

http://draftbreakdown.com/video/carlos-hyde-vs-northwestern-2013/

@ 50 sec mark = weaves his way through traffic inside the tackles well

 

[Spike]

SItuation will be a ("the"?) huge key, as others have said.

To me, and I have to fight to always remember it, the RB's ability to pass block can be a very large factor - at least, it could be a good tie-breaker.

 

[Biabreakable]

ctsu what do you not like about what you have seen of Sankey in college?

Here is 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6kmq_sqblg

I like a lot of what I see. He often beats good penetration by defenses with either a broken tackle or getting outside. This keeps the offense out of bad down and distance situations and some times he makes a great play out of those runs that for most RB would be TFL.

Not sure what is not to like here?

 

[lod01]

It will sort out at the draft. One of these guys will be picked by Minnesota. He drops like a rock. Another gets picked by Tennessee, he moves up. One gets picked by ATL and he goes right to the top fo the list.

 

[EBF]

Gobs of mediocrity. People will talk about the devaluing of the RB position in the NFL after this draft, but the talent just isn't there. None of these guys have the right characteristics of a first rounder. They're either too small, too slow, or not explosive enough. I think it's a lot like last year's class. Situation will be huge.

I tentatively have it:

1. Hyde

2. Hill

3. Mason

4. Seastrunk

5. Sankey

6. Williams

Not necessarily married to those rankings, but that's the rough picture for me. Big fat "meh" for this group. All are 2nd-4th NFL draft talents. However, we saw last year what merely "good" backs like Bell and Lacy could do in favorable situations. No reason why Hyde, Sankey, or Hill can't duplicate the feat.

 

[cstu]

ctsu what do you not like about what you have seen of Sankey in college?

Here is 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6kmq_sqblg

I like a lot of what I see. He often beats good penetration by defenses with either a broken tackle or getting outside. This keeps the offense out of bad down and distance situations and some times he makes a great play out of those runs that for most RB would be TFL.

Not sure what is not to like here?

I'm probably being too harsh on him since he does a lot of things very well, I'd just like to see him with more of a burst. It seemed to always look like he was going to break a long play but didn't have that extra boost. However, if he goes to a good situation he'll likely be my top RB.

He played a lot of bad defenses and against good defenses BYU, WSU, UCLA, ASU, Oregon, Stanford, Arizona and Boise St. he only broke 4.6 YPC against WSU, Oregon and Boise St.

 

[KellysHeroes]

which ever one the Saints draft will be RB1 in drafts

 

[Bracie Smathers]

Teaser headline and opening paragraph.

Go to the link for the full read complete with charts to compare/contrast the top RBs of this draft.

http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/cfb/46396/349/peshek-rb-metrics-10

Peshek: RB Metrics 1.0Wednesday, March 05, 2014

This running back class has often gotten the reputation of being relatively weak at the top. While that might be true, from a metrics standpoint there are a slew of interesting players to analyze from scat backs that play like bruisers to big backs that don’t play as powerfully as they should. When breaking down running backs, whether it is on film or analytically, it’s often hard to separate performance from their offensive line. By narrowing the scope of the metrics to focus on small segments of play, we can at least try to remove as much of that as possible. Of course, it’ll never be able to control completely for line play, so use these numbers as a complement to film study rather than a hard and fast ranking.

I hand charted every game for each running back. There are some categories that are a bit more subjective, such as broken tackles – but the same methodology has been applied to each RB. Stats like YPC and % of runs by distance may vary slightly from play-by-play data which sometimes may contain information that doesn’t match up with what’s on tape.

[SIZE=medium]How did they generate extra yardage?[/SIZE]

Extra Yd represents an aggregate score combining yards after contact capped for 15 yards and broken tackles as a function of total carries. The score is capped at 100 and an average score is around a 65.

....

 

[thriftyrocker]

However, we saw last year what merely "good" backs like Bell and Lacy could do in favorable situations. No reason why Hyde, Sankey, or Hill can't duplicate the feat.

Hill and Hyde will enter as 2 down RBs. May struggle to get on the field like CM did. There are plenty of "reasons." Bell, Lacy and Ball both picked up the NFL game exceptionally, and that is not common.

 

[EBF]

However, we saw last year what merely "good" backs like Bell and Lacy could do in favorable situations. No reason why Hyde, Sankey, or Hill can't duplicate the feat.

Hill and Hyde will enter as 2 down RBs. May struggle to get on the field like CM did. There are plenty of "reasons." Bell, Lacy and Ball both picked up the NFL game exceptionally, and that is not common.

They will only struggle to get on the field like CM if they're drafted onto a team with great starter entrenched.

Hill and Hyde are eerily similar to Lacy/Bell as overall propositions. Both guys catch the ball well for being 230+ pounds.

No reason why they couldn't put up big numbers on the Raiders or Jags. That doesn't make them elite NFL talents though.

 

[Xue]

The things people are saying about Sankey are the same said about Zac Stacy. Sankey's combine numbers are very close to Stacy's. That's the kind of player I see Sankey becoming in the NFL.

 

[thriftyrocker]

However, we saw last year what merely "good" backs like Bell and Lacy could do in favorable situations. No reason why Hyde, Sankey, or Hill can't duplicate the feat.

Hill and Hyde will enter as 2 down RBs. May struggle to get on the field like CM did. There are plenty of "reasons." Bell, Lacy and Ball both picked up the NFL game exceptionally, and that is not common.

They will only struggle to get on the field like CM if they're drafted onto a team with great starter entrenched.

And mediocre backup.

Hill and Hyde are eerily similar to Lacy/Bell as overall propositions. Both guys catch the ball well for being 230+ pounds.

I know you are really low on Lacy/Bell but I think you are really wrong here. It's true all 4 of them put up 4.6ish 40 times. But.

Hyde has no burst and no agility. His jumps and 10yd times are miserable. There is no redeeming physical characteristic.

Hill is not much better. His vert is really the worst it could possibly be. Has any combine invited RB scored lower.

Bell might not be a physical specimen like CM but he had a couple nice indicators. And he had multiple 30 rec seasons in college.

If you don't like Lacy that's ok, but I'll continue to think he's the best RB prospect from 2013 and his value is only affected by career duration red flags not talent.

 

[Brewtown]

Gobs of mediocrity. People will talk about the devaluing of the RB position in the NFL after this draft, but the talent just isn't there. None of these guys have the right characteristics of a first rounder. They're either too small, too slow, or not explosive enough. I think it's a lot like last year's class. Situation will be huge.

I tentatively have it:

1. Hyde

2. Hill

3. Mason

4. Seastrunk

5. Sankey

6. Williams

Not necessarily married to those rankings, but that's the rough picture for me. Big fat "meh" for this group. All are 2nd-4th NFL draft talents. However, we saw last year what merely "good" backs like Bell and Lacy could do in favorable situations. No reason why Hyde, Sankey, or Hill can't duplicate the feat.

What happened to your boy with special/elite talents - Seastrunk? #4 on your board in this so called "meh" class.

You had Seastrunk touted as a first ballot Hall of Famer before the combine.

You are devaluing this class too much! Why? Because it is not easy for you to pick the best fruit from the tree....

Bell and Lacy are quality backs too. They are not "meh" backs. They really showed last year that they can carry their teams. Kudos to them for bringing great value to their teams and their fantasy owners.

Boo to you for not being able to fully recognize how much of a difference maker that they both could be.

You are making the same mistake that you made last year in under-valuing THIS YEARS RB class.

 

[Brewtown]

ctsu what do you not like about what you have seen of Sankey in college?

Here is 2012

I wonder the same thing myself? I don't see what is not to like about the film resume that he has put together.

Add in the combine (he beat Gio in EVERY SINGLE MEASURE).

I'm baffled by the hate???!!!???....

Dude is gonna be a stud!!!

 

[cstu]

Bell and Lacy are quality backs too. They are not "meh" backs. They really showed last year that they can carry their teams. Kudos to them for bringing great value to their teams and their fantasy owners.

I know most of you are high on Bell, but I'm 'meh' on him. The best thing he has going for him is he's the Steelers RB but I'm not convinced he'll be a great RB you can count on for a long time (despite is age (22) which is a major plus for me).

 

[Brewtown]

Bell and Lacy are quality backs too. They are not "meh" backs. They really showed last year that they can carry their teams. Kudos to them for bringing great value to their teams and their fantasy owners.

I know most of you are high on Bell, but I'm 'meh' on him. The best thing he has going for him is he's the Steelers RB but I'm not convinced he'll be a great RB you can count on for a long time (despite is age (22) which is a major plus for me).

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AAT_Z8slfQM

 

[EBF]

I know you are really low on Lacy/Bell but I think you are really wrong here. It's true all 4 of them put up 4.6ish 40 times. But.

Hyde has no burst and no agility. His jumps and 10yd times are miserable. There is no redeeming physical characteristic.

Hill is not much better. His vert is really the worst it could possibly be. Has any combine invited RB scored lower.

They're all pretty similar. 230+ pound guys with good versatility, quick feet, good college production, and disappointing workout numbers. The latter variable is what kept Bell/Lacy out of the first round last year and it's the same thing that will keep Hyde/Hill out this year. As we saw with Lacy and Bell last year, you don't need to be a great workout athlete to have some value in the league. Being a big back with decent feet and good hands is enough if you're fed 250+ carries and a bunch of targets. There's nothing separating Hyde or Hill from having that kind of success. Acting like Bell/Lacy were somehow vastly superior prospects has little basis in reality. They were mid-late 2nd round picks (approximately where Hyde/Hill are likely to go). They were very flawed workout athletes.

Hyde is roughly parallel with Lacy. A little less explosive on the field, but a better frame and very very similar workout profile. Hill is roughly on par with Bell. Not quite as fast. Tested a little worse. Similar type of player though. I'd describe him as LenDale White with hands, which is also a pretty apt description of Bell. They're all soft body guys with good feet. Not much measured explosiveness, but still reasonably effective.

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

I like sankeys tape , he looks like he's gliding out there

 

[cstu]

ctsu what do you not like about what you have seen of Sankey in college?

Here is 2012

Not hate, guys, I like him. However, Bernard has superior vision and agility that makes him special. Sankey is a better athlete but he's not as good of a RB as Bernard.

 

[Brewtown]

ctsu what do you not like about what you have seen of Sankey in college?

Here is 2012

What makes you think that?

 

[Biabreakable]

I know you are really low on Lacy/Bell but I think you are really wrong here. It's true all 4 of them put up 4.6ish 40 times. But.

Hyde has no burst and no agility. His jumps and 10yd times are miserable. There is no redeeming physical characteristic.

Hill is not much better. His vert is really the worst it could possibly be. Has any combine invited RB scored lower.

They're all pretty similar. 230+ pound guys with good versatility, quick feet, good college production, and disappointing workout numbers. The latter variable is what kept Bell/Lacy out of the first round last year and it's the same thing that will keep Hyde/Hill out this year. As we saw with Lacy and Bell last year, you don't need to be a great workout athlete to have some value in the league. Being a big back with decent feet and good hands is enough if you're fed 250+ carries and a bunch of targets. There's nothing separating Hyde or Hill from having that kind of success. Acting like Bell/Lacy were somehow vastly superior prospects has little basis in reality. They were mid-late 2nd round picks (approximately where Hyde/Hill are likely to go). They were very flawed workout athletes.

Hyde is roughly parallel with Lacy. A little less explosive on the field, but a better frame and very very similar workout profile. Hill is roughly on par with Bell. Not quite as fast. Tested a little worse. Similar type of player though. I'd describe him as LenDale White with hands, which is also a pretty apt description of Bell. They're all soft body guys with good feet. Not much measured explosiveness, but still reasonably effective.

I do not think they are comparable. Bell had a 6.75 3 cone result at 230lbs and showed great lateral movement ability in college as well. That translated to the NFL. It is a rare combination of size and elusiveness.

Neither Hyde or Hill participated in that drill. Considering that they did participate in most of the other drills, that suggests to me they know they would not perform that drill well, so they did not participate.

None of them are comparable to Fatdale White.

Promptly after declaring for the NFL draft, White's stock tumbled. White did not go through a full workout before NFL scouts at the NFL Combine. Reportedly, there were audible groans when he bared his chest at a weigh-in. One scout was said to have laughed upon seeing White's bare chest. ESPN's Fantasy Focus Podcast referred to him as "Big Fat LenDale White." This also spawned another nickname: "LenWhale" White. As one NFL general manager said after seeing White at the combine: "The guy needed a bra, it was ridiculous. You come to the combine looking like that and you want to be a first-round pick? Come on. The guy had obviously been doing nothing."[2]

During USC's workout day, he cited hamstring worries as a reason for not running or performing any workouts aside from the bench press, where he managed only 15 repetitions at 225 pounds. An out of shape White did sustain a torn hamstring, but surgery was not required to mend it. His injury did, however, keep him off of the football field until May 2006. In April, White was drafted in the second round (45th overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LenDale_White

http://www.steelersdepot.com/2013-nfl-combine-results-running-backs/ for 2013 data for comparative purposes.

 

[EBF]

Bell was okay in the 40 and the three cone. Terrible in the vertical and relatively bad in the broad jump for a 6'1" athlete.

He is not an explosive or dynamic athlete and that's why he was merely a 2nd rounder. Most first round backs jump 35"+ in the vertical and 10'+ in the broad jump. There are occasional exceptions like Ingram and Benson, but in general those are the cutoffs that you need to hit. Nobody from the Lacy/Bell/Hyde/Hill cluster hit any of those marks. They're all pretty bad prospects in terms of their raw athletic measurables. They compensate with versatility, bulk, and good footwork.

Bell might have a better work ethic than LenWhale, but he's not clearly a different type of runner. Bell averaged 3.5 YPC as a rookie. White averaged 3.7 and 3.9 in his two seasons of heavy duty with the Titans. The main difference is that Bell caught a bunch of passes, which padded his FF numbers. So it seems like he was a great rookie when in reality he had a poor season running the ball, but compensated with volume and catches.

I think LenDale White with hands is a pretty appropriate description for him and for Hill. Both of those guys basically look like what LenDale probably would've looked like if he'd trained a bit harder and spent less time partying and smoking blunts. None of these guys are inherently the fast-twitch rock body type like Andre Williams/Christine Michael/Doug Martin. They're naturally softer and doughier ala Bettis. Players of this ilk don't tend to shine at the combine.

 

[Nero]

My top three are

1. Sankey

2. Crowell

3. Mason

I think all three are better prospects than any of the 2013 class.

 

[thriftyrocker]

Bell might have a better work ethic than LenWhale, but he's not clearly a different type of runner. Bell averaged 3.5 YPC as a rookie.

Not gonna repeat what everyone else replied to you when you said similar stuff.

 

[Brewtown]

I know you are really low on Lacy/Bell but I think you are really wrong here. It's true all 4 of them put up 4.6ish 40 times. But.

Hyde has no burst and no agility. His jumps and 10yd times are miserable. There is no redeeming physical characteristic.

Hill is not much better. His vert is really the worst it could possibly be. Has any combine invited RB scored lower.

They're all pretty similar. 230+ pound guys with good versatility, quick feet, good college production, and disappointing workout numbers. The latter variable is what kept Bell/Lacy out of the first round last year and it's the same thing that will keep Hyde/Hill out this year. As we saw with Lacy and Bell last year, you don't need to be a great workout athlete to have some value in the league. Being a big back with decent feet and good hands is enough if you're fed 250+ carries and a bunch of targets. There's nothing separating Hyde or Hill from having that kind of success. Acting like Bell/Lacy were somehow vastly superior prospects has little basis in reality. They were mid-late 2nd round picks (approximately where Hyde/Hill are likely to go). They were very flawed workout athletes.

Hyde is roughly parallel with Lacy. A little less explosive on the field, but a better frame and very very similar workout profile. Hill is roughly on par with Bell. Not quite as fast. Tested a little worse. Similar type of player though. I'd describe him as LenDale White with hands, which is also a pretty apt description of Bell. They're all soft body guys with good feet. Not much measured explosiveness, but still reasonably effective.

I do not think they are comparable. Bell had a 6.75 3 cone result at 230lbs and showed great lateral movement ability in college as well. That translated to the NFL. It is a rare combination of size and elusiveness.

Neither Hyde or Hill participated in that drill. Considering that they did participate in most of the other drills, that suggests to me they know they would not perform that drill well, so they did not participate.

None of them are comparable to Fatdale White.

Promptly after declaring for the NFL draft, White's stock tumbled. White did not go through a full workout before NFL scouts at the NFL Combine. Reportedly, there were audible groans when he bared his chest at a weigh-in. One scout was said to have laughed upon seeing White's bare chest. ESPN's Fantasy Focus Podcast referred to him as "Big Fat LenDale White." This also spawned another nickname: "LenWhale" White. As one NFL general manager said after seeing White at the combine: "The guy needed a bra, it was ridiculous. You come to the combine looking like that and you want to be a first-round pick? Come on. The guy had obviously been doing nothing."[2]

During USC's workout day, he cited hamstring worries as a reason for not running or performing any workouts aside from the bench press, where he managed only 15 repetitions at 225 pounds. An out of shape White did sustain a torn hamstring, but surgery was not required to mend it. His injury did, however, keep him off of the football field until May 2006. In April, White was drafted in the second round (45th overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LenDale_White

http://www.steelersdepot.com/2013-nfl-combine-results-running-backs/ for 2013 data for comparative purposes.

EBF also said last week that he would put Bishop Sankey in the same cluster of running backs as Toby Gerhart, Benjarvis Green-Ellis and Shonn Greene....

 

[rdrouyn]

I think Crowell and Charles Sims are the most intriguing, but no idea if they will be valued that highly. I also find Terrence West interesting, not sure what to make of his production in college but looks decent on film.

Jeremy Hill, Carlos Hyde, Tre Mason, Sankey for me would be the other top backs. Not sure what order yet.

 

[Gandalf]

I completely agree. If Crowell and Sims land in good spots they could vault to the top of my RB board. I'm sitting with the 1.3 pick and need a RB in my salary cap keeper league where rookies are super cheap for two years. And I'm stacked at WR. Because of all that I'm definitely going RB. If Crowell or Sims get an opportunity to start we could be talking about RB1s this time next year.

 

[Biabreakable]

I agree that Sims and Crowell look like possible feature RB.

I was slightly disappointed with Sims 7.16 3 cone time as I was hoping he would show more there. But not a big deal. He can pass protect and catch the ball. Good landing spot and I like him as much as any other RB in this group.

I was just looking at Mayocks updated top 5 RB

Running back

1. Bishop Sankey, Washington
2. Carlos Hyde, Ohio State
3. Jeremy Hill, LSU
4. Andre Williams, Boston College
5. Tre Mason, Auburn

Rise: Sankey (3)
Fall: Hyde (1), Hill (2)

So he moved Sankey up from 3 to number one and dropped Hyde and Hill down.

 

[False Start]

My top three are

1. Sankey

2. Crowell

3. Mason

I think all three are better prospects than any of the 2013 class.

I was all about Mason until recently. He can't block, at all, it's like he is scared to almost. That alone will affect him in the NFL as far as being an every down back and a third down back as he may need to stay in and block. I can see him drifting down the boards because of that.

 

[Nero]

My top three are

1. Sankey

2. Crowell

3. Mason

I think all three are better prospects than any of the 2013 class.

I was all about Mason until recently. He can't block, at all, it's like he is scared to almost. That alone will affect him in the NFL as far as being an every down back and a third down back as he may need to stay in and block. I can see him drifting down the boards because of that.

I agree on Mason's blocking. He avoided contact as a blocker, so I was worried about his size. He came in over 200, so I'm betting he'll pick up the blocking and become a three down back. I think he is the best runner in the draft. That said, I expect his blocking to improve enough to keep him on the field for all three downs.

 

[Gandalf]

Can anyone discuss Crowell's past in a little more detail? Kicked off of Georgia for felony gun charges which were later dropped. Anyone know anything about this? If I'm am considering him with a first round pick, I want to know as much about this as possible, of course. Seems like things have settled down recently but what they heck actually happened at Georgia?

 

[Gandalf]

My top three are

1. Sankey

2. Crowell

3. Mason

I think all three are better prospects than any of the 2013 class.

I was all about Mason until recently. He can't block, at all, it's like he is scared to almost. That alone will affect him in the NFL as far as being an every down back and a third down back as he may need to stay in and block. I can see him drifting down the boards because of that.

I agree on Mason's blocking. He avoided contact as a blocker, so I was worried about his size. He came in over 200, so I'm betting he'll pick up the blocking and become a three down back. I think he is the best runner in the draft. That said, I expect his blocking to improve enough to keep him on the field for all three downs.

Good to know Mason can't block. That is a big issue for him seeing the field and may take time to develop if a team that drafts him has a RB who can actually block.

 

[cstu]

Can anyone discuss Crowell's past in a little more detail? Kicked off of Georgia for felony gun charges which were later dropped. Anyone know anything about this? If I'm am considering him with a first round pick, I want to know as much about this as possible, of course. Seems like things have settled down recently but what they heck actually happened at Georgia?

Has he been involved in more trouble besides the gun charges?

I found this interesting...Georgia recruits ranked in the national top ten in the past 10 years:

Year 	Recruit 	Position 	Overall National Rank2011 	Isaiah Crowell 	Running Back 	62008 	A.J. Green 	Wide Receiver 	72006 	M. Stafford 	Quarterback 	62004 	Brandon Miller 	Defensive End 	5

 

[thriftyrocker]

Can anyone discuss Crowell's past in a little more detail? Kicked off of Georgia for felony gun charges which were later dropped. Anyone know anything about this? If I'm am considering him with a first round pick, I want to know as much about this as possible, of course. Seems like things have settled down recently but what they heck actually happened at Georgia?

Stopped at a checkpoint while driving, coming home from a club. Had a gun with altered serial number in the car, under the seat. He said other people drive his car and he didn't know it was there, so the court couldn't prove it was his.

I am not concerned about it. I would only become concerned if he isn't drafted, or something surprising like that. Which would more indicate he didn't interview about it well, not that the crime is any worse.

 

[Gandalf]

Can anyone discuss Crowell's past in a little more detail? Kicked off of Georgia for felony gun charges which were later dropped. Anyone know anything about this? If I'm am considering him with a first round pick, I want to know as much about this as possible, of course. Seems like things have settled down recently but what they heck actually happened at Georgia?

Stopped at a checkpoint while driving, coming home from a club. Had a gun with altered serial number in the car, under the seat. He said other people drive his car and he didn't know it was there, so the court couldn't prove it was his.

I am not concerned about it. I would only become concerned if he isn't drafted, or something surprising like that. Which would more indicate he didn't interview about it well, not that the crime is any worse.

Not the best judgment but it wasn't like he was packing heat in the club. Gun was probably his. Or at the very least he should know whether there is a gun in his car. I mean seriously think about that for a second. That said, I could see a scenario where he a friend gives it to him because he is famous and should have protection. Who knows? This reassures me and I agree if no one drafts him, then there likely is something we don't know. Conversely, if he goes to the Patriots (I know, not gonna happen), fire all the guns to get him because I'd imagine the Pats are very freaked out right now about bringing in someone with a prior gun charge...

 

[Nero]

Can anyone discuss Crowell's past in a little more detail? Kicked off of Georgia for felony gun charges which were later dropped. Anyone know anything about this? If I'm am considering him with a first round pick, I want to know as much about this as possible, of course. Seems like things have settled down recently but what they heck actually happened at Georgia?

Stopped at a checkpoint while driving, coming home from a club. Had a gun with altered serial number in the car, under the seat. He said other people drive his car and he didn't know it was there, so the court couldn't prove it was his.

I am not concerned about it. I would only become concerned if he isn't drafted, or something surprising like that. Which would more indicate he didn't interview about it well, not that the crime is any worse.

Not the best judgment but it wasn't like he was packing heat in the club. Gun was probably his. Or at the very least he should know whether there is a gun in his car. I mean seriously think about that for a second. That said, I could see a scenario where he a friend gives it to him because he is famous and should have protection. Who knows? This reassures me and I agree if no one drafts him, then there likely is something we don't know. Conversely, if he goes to the Patriots (I know, not gonna happen), fire all the guns to get him because I'd imagine the Pats are very freaked out right now about bringing in someone with a prior gun charge...

A gun with an obliterated serial number means it was probably a stolen gun. It's a reflection of who he is and who he associates with. It's a big red flag.

 

[False Start]

My top three are

1. Sankey

2. Crowell

3. Mason

I think all three are better prospects than any of the 2013 class.

I was all about Mason until recently. He can't block, at all, it's like he is scared to almost. That alone will affect him in the NFL as far as being an every down back and a third down back as he may need to stay in and block. I can see him drifting down the boards because of that.

I agree on Mason's blocking. He avoided contact as a blocker, so I was worried about his size. He came in over 200, so I'm betting he'll pick up the blocking and become a three down back. I think he is the best runner in the draft. That said, I expect his blocking to improve enough to keep him on the field for all three downs.

Good to know Mason can't block. That is a big issue for him seeing the field and may take time to develop if a team that drafts him has a RB who can actually block.

Watched a lot of film on him as I do with most of the high prospects. He looks to avoid contact as much as possible and disguises it by walking back with quick feet. Marshall had to scramble out of pocket a lot because of him, good thing Marshall is a running QB. We know blocking in college is different than blocking a Clowney and Suh type on most plays. I love love love the kids running talent, but as we seen in the NFL a lot of players who have great talent cant get on the field because they can't block.

Unless he lands in the right spot I can see him falling out of the first round fantasy rookie drafts all together.

 

[JohnnyU]

My top three are

1. Sankey

2. Crowell

3. Mason

I think all three are better prospects than any of the 2013 class.

I was all about Mason until recently. He can't block, at all, it's like he is scared to almost. That alone will affect him in the NFL as far as being an every down back and a third down back as he may need to stay in and block. I can see him drifting down the boards because of that.

I agree on Mason's blocking. He avoided contact as a blocker, so I was worried about his size. He came in over 200, so I'm betting he'll pick up the blocking and become a three down back. I think he is the best runner in the draft. That said, I expect his blocking to improve enough to keep him on the field for all three downs.

Good to know Mason can't block. That is a big issue for him seeing the field and may take time to develop if a team that drafts him has a RB who can actually block.

Watched a lot of film on him as I do with most of the high prospects. He looks to avoid contact as much as possible and disguises it by walking back with quick feet. Marshall had to scramble out of pocket a lot because of him, good thing Marshall is a running QB. We know blocking in college is different than blocking a Clowney and Suh type on most plays. I love love love the kids running talent, but as we seen in the NFL a lot of players who have great talent cant get on the field because they can't block.

Unless he lands in the right spot I can see him falling out of the first round fantasy rookie drafts all together.

Would that be youtube, or do you record games and play them back?

 

[False Start]

My top three are

1. Sankey

2. Crowell

3. Mason

I think all three are better prospects than any of the 2013 class.

I was all about Mason until recently. He can't block, at all, it's like he is scared to almost. That alone will affect him in the NFL as far as being an every down back and a third down back as he may need to stay in and block. I can see him drifting down the boards because of that.

I agree on Mason's blocking. He avoided contact as a blocker, so I was worried about his size. He came in over 200, so I'm betting he'll pick up the blocking and become a three down back. I think he is the best runner in the draft. That said, I expect his blocking to improve enough to keep him on the field for all three downs.

Good to know Mason can't block. That is a big issue for him seeing the field and may take time to develop if a team that drafts him has a RB who can actually block.

Watched a lot of film on him as I do with most of the high prospects. He looks to avoid contact as much as possible and disguises it by walking back with quick feet. Marshall had to scramble out of pocket a lot because of him, good thing Marshall is a running QB. We know blocking in college is different than blocking a Clowney and Suh type on most plays. I love love love the kids running talent, but as we seen in the NFL a lot of players who have great talent cant get on the field because they can't block.

Unless he lands in the right spot I can see him falling out of the first round fantasy rookie drafts all together.

Would that be youtube, or do you record games and play them back?

A little of both, I have great resources. Where do you watch game film/video/replays?

 

[thriftyrocker]

A gun with an obliterated serial number means it was probably a stolen gun. It's a reflection of who he is and who he associates with. It's a big red flag.

I think you have to desensitize yourself to that. Kids are kids. Poor kids even worse. Cam stole a laptop. Who cares if he can help your fantasy team. If anything it presents value because other people misread the draft stock. Where's he supposed to buy a gun, Walmart?

 

[False Start]

A gun with an obliterated serial number means it was probably a stolen gun. It's a reflection of who he is and who he associates with. It's a big red flag.

I think you have to desensitize yourself to that. Kids are kids. Poor kids even worse. Cam stole a laptop. Who cares if he can help your fantasy team. If anything it presents value because other people misread the draft stock. Where's he supposed to buy a gun, Walmart?

I wonder how many of the best players in the NFL would never of played a down if twitter and the internet was what it was 20 years ago.

 

[Nero]

A gun with an obliterated serial number means it was probably a stolen gun. It's a reflection of who he is and who he associates with. It's a big red flag.

I think you have to desensitize yourself to that. Kids are kids. Poor kids even worse. Cam stole a laptop. Who cares if he can help your fantasy team. If anything it presents value because other people misread the draft stock. Where's he supposed to buy a gun, Walmart?

If he didn't associate with the type of people he associates with, he wouldn't need a gun. I've been a poor kid from the inner city, so I understand that dynamic more than most. NFL teams care what type of person they are allowing into their organization and how much they are willing to invest in him. That is why talents such as Crowell go undrafted or drafted very late. If he isn't able change his ways after entering the NFL, it is a lot easier to get rid of him.

 

[thriftyrocker]

If he didn't associate with the type of people he associates with, he wouldn't need a gun.

I rented Boys in the Hood from Blockbuster in the 90s; nothing is ever that easy.