What's new
Fantasy Football - Footballguys Forums

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

CJ Spiller--Initial scouting report (1 Viewer)

shader

Footballguy
It's impossible to know where to pick rookies in dynasty drafts until they get drafted. That being said, I'm going to start compiling initial scouting reports on some of the best rookies for my own benefit. Hopefully some of you can find it useful, can add your thoughts..and if not...then my league mates will know all my deepest, darkest thoughts on the upcoming rookie class. :thumbup:

CJ Spiller is very exciting and VERY fast. Watching his replays, you can see that he is explosive in many different ways. He can run the ball, catch the ball, return kicks...basically do it all.

I'll compare him to two people in this article: Chris Johnson (because everyone else is doing it) and Reggie Bush (because that's who he reminds me of). However he differs from both in a number of ways.

First of all, he has the same overall body size as those two. He's listed as 5'11 195. To me, he seems shorter than 5'11. I'll be interested to see what he measures at the combine. From a body standpoint, he seems thicker to me than Chris Johnson in the legs. I get the sense that I'm watching a guy that is 5'10 max, but he runs low, so that's probably the reason.

As far as his speed goes, he's not in Chris Johnson's realm. (who is?) In watching his highlights, there are a number of times where I think to myself "CJ would have scored there". CJ has angles that he breaks where you're like "no way he's going to break that" and than he does. It's almost other-worldly.

The good news for Spiller is that he still has top-end speed and will benefit greatly from CJ's success in terms of where he's drafted.

I do see a few problems for Spiller though. One is that his production isn't anything amazing in college. He was a part-time player until this year, and his ypc isn't anything out of this world. Therefore, there will be legitimate questions as to whether Spiller can take the full load as an NFL RB. There will also be questions as to how well he'll do if he goes to a team with an average OL. There were many games where his ypc was in the 4's, which isn't anything special in college. Especially for a guy that is a home run hitter. What that means is that he has alot of plays where he goes for very small gains. Noel Devine has a ypc over 6 (with more carries), which is more of what you expect from a home run hitter in college.

Looking at highlights on youtube can greatly influence your perception of a player in the wrong way. I can put together a reel of some pretty amazing Reggie Bush highlights IN THE NFL. If that's all a person saw of Bush, they'd be convinced he was a hall of famer.

The problem is that some of these guys that are great in space, just don't get "in space" very often. Therefore, there are only a few times a game where they really shine. The rest of the time they are kind of bottled up.

Chris Johnson is unique in that he never stops churning the legs and his cuts are made at full speed...Spiller (like Bush) makes jaw-dropping cuts and jukes that seem at times more impressive than CJ's. But CJ isn't slowing down to make them, he's cutting on the fly at full speed.

So anyone hoping to get the next Chris Johnson will be disappointed with CJ Spiller.

That being said, what can we expect from Spiller?

I think much will depend on the team he goes to. With a great O-Line that is able to create holes, Spiller could be a dynamic player who gets 15 carries a game and catches 4-5 balls a game. If Spiller avoids the tendency to bounce things outside and always look for the big play, he could be really good, and could potentially be a great RB1 in ppr leagues, and a solid RB2 in regular leagues.

But if he goes to a team with an average line, and starts looking to break everything to the outside, he could easily have a career that is very similar to Bush. A guy with great speed, great moves...a guy that always gets on the highlight reels and who is exciting...but not a fantasy superstar.

My current prediction is that he'll be a little bit better than Bush, in large part because I think he's faster than Reggie. When Bush got the ball alot, he was pretty good in PPR leagues. Spiller will be no different and I truly think that Reggie Bush is a worst case scenario for Spiller, which isn't too bad of a risk, especially in PPR leagues.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
It's impossible to know where to pick rookies in dynasty drafts until they get drafted. That being said, I'm going to start compiling initial scouting reports on some of the best rookies for my own benefit. Hopefully some of you can find it useful, can add your thoughts..and if not...then my league mates will know all my deepest, darkest thoughts on the upcoming rookie class. :)CJ Spiller is very exciting and VERY fast. Watching his replays, you can see that he is explosive in many different ways. He can run the ball, catch the ball, return kicks...basically do it all.I'll compare him to two people in this article: Chris Johnson (because everyone else is doing it) and Reggie Bush (because that's who he reminds me of). However he differs from both in a number of ways.First of all, he has the same overall body size as those two. He's listed as 5'11 195. To me, he seems shorter than 5'11. I'll be interested to see what he measures at the combine. From a body standpoint, he seems thicker to me than Chris Johnson in the legs. I get the sense that I'm watching a guy that is 5'10 max, but he runs low, so that's probably the reason.As far as his speed goes, he's not in Chris Johnson's realm. (who is?) In watching his highlights, there are a number of times where I think to myself "CJ would have scored there". CJ has angles that he breaks where you're like "no way he's going to break that" and than he does. It's almost other-worldly.The good news for Spiller is that he still has top-end speed and will benefit greatly from CJ's success in terms of where he's drafted.I do see a few problems for Spiller though. One is that his production isn't anything amazing in college. He was a part-time player until this year, and his ypc isn't anything out of this world. Therefore, there will be legitimate questions as to whether Spiller can take the full load as an NFL RB. There will also be questions as to how well he'll do if he goes to a team with an average OL. There were many games where his ypc was in the 4's, which isn't anything special in college. Especially for a guy that is a home run hitter. What that means is that he has alot of plays where he goes for very small gains. Noel Devine has a ypc over 6 (with more carries), which is more of what you expect from a home run hitter in college. Looking at highlights on youtube can greatly influence your perception of a player in the wrong way. I can put together a reel of some pretty amazing Reggie Bush highlights IN THE NFL. If that's all a person saw of Bush, they'd be convinced he was a hall of famer. The problem is that some of these guys that are great in space, just don't get "in space" very often. Therefore, there are only a few times a game where they really shine. The rest of the time they are kind of bottled up.Chris Johnson is unique in that he never stops churning the legs and his cuts are made at full speed...Spiller (like Bush) makes jaw-dropping cuts and jukes that seem at times more impressive than CJ's. But CJ isn't slowing down to make them, he's cutting on the fly at full speed.So anyone hoping to get the next Chris Johnson will be disappointed with CJ Spiller.That being said, what can we expect from Spiller?I think much will depend on the team he goes to. With a great O-Line that is able to create holes, Spiller could be a dynamic player who gets 15 carries a game and catches 4-5 balls a game. If Spiller avoids the tendency to bounce things outside and always look for the big play, he could be really good, and could potentially be a great RB1 in ppr leagues, and a solid RB2 in regular leagues.But if he goes to a team with an average line, and starts looking to break everything to the outside, he could easily have a career that is very similar to Bush. A guy with great speed, great moves...a guy that always gets on the highlight reels and who is exciting...but not a fantasy superstar.My current prediction is that he'll be a little bit better than Bush, in large part because I think he's faster than Reggie. When Bush got the ball alot, he was pretty good in PPR leagues. Spiller will be no different and I truly think that Reggie Bush is a worst case scenario for Spiller, which isn't too bad of a risk, especially in PPR leagues.
Where do the scouts have him rated right now? Top 10 or more of a top 20?
 
I see more of a Reggie Bush career than CJ in Spiller thats for sure. I think he's pretty overrated right now, particularly in FF. Some people are saying 1.1, and he's in almost everyone's top 3.

I just don't see a NFL starter in him. He's made a bunch of big plays in college, but very very few of them came from runs between the tackles.

I actually think Reggie Bush is a pretty spot on comparison., though Spiller will do more returning than Bush has been doing.

 
I will not be drafting Spiller in any dynasty drafts and I am not willing to take a gamble with a guy who just doesnt look the part of "feature" RB. For the CJ's of the league there's always a Darren McFadden/Reggie Bush and to me Spiller looks more and more like a McFadden/Bush then anything remotely like CJ.

right now the #1 RB on my board is Mathews followed closely by Dwyer. Pending on their draft situations and what each measures in and runs at the combine i do not plan on changing up that order what so ever.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Where do the scouts have him rated right now? Top 10 or more of a top 20?
Currently I think he's seen as a top 10-15 player from an NFL draft perspective.In fantasy drafts, he seems to be the consensus number 1 player from what I've seen, though I don't necessarily have an opinion on that until I do the research.
 
I remember a similar subject about CJ3 and the very, very few of us the believed in his abilities were mocked, spit at, and were told what morons we were. The truth is somethings are just obvious. Often times in fantasy football we put way too much emphasis on small issues as if players of high caliber can't adjust to those small issues and we can't see their real abilities in spite of what our eyes are really telling us.

Good luck,

Tex

 
I remember a similar subject about CJ3 and the very, very few of us the believed in his abilities were mocked, spit at, and were told what morons we were. The truth is somethings are just obvious. Often times in fantasy football we put way too much emphasis on small issues as if players of high caliber can't adjust to those small issues and we can't see their real abilities in spite of what our eyes are really telling us.Good luck,Tex
DEATH to BMI, DEATH to BMI !!!
 
I remember a similar subject about CJ3 and the very, very few of us the believed in his abilities were mocked, spit at, and were told what morons we were. The truth is somethings are just obvious. Often times in fantasy football we put way too much emphasis on small issues as if players of high caliber can't adjust to those small issues and we can't see their real abilities in spite of what our eyes are really telling us.Good luck,Tex
I wouldn't think a relatively low career ypc is a small thing. Also, Spiller isnt as fast as CJ and runs with a completely different style.Thats kind of the key thing I take from watching both of their tape. They get compared to each other alot, but there aren't alot of similarities, other than them being close to the same size and both having great speed.
 
I remember a similar subject about CJ3 and the very, very few of us the believed in his abilities were mocked, spit at, and were told what morons we were. The truth is somethings are just obvious. Often times in fantasy football we put way too much emphasis on small issues as if players of high caliber can't adjust to those small issues and we can't see their real abilities in spite of what our eyes are really telling us.Good luck,Tex
im totally fine when i passed over CJ back then and got Stewart and Rice that year in my drafts. I will also be totaly fine if I get Dwyer or Mathews this year and pass over Spiller this year pending each workouts and draft situations too. If Spiller becomes the next CJ then so be it but I am pretty sure Dwyer and Mathews will be successful or more so in my opinion. I guess I dont mind losing out on a CJ as long as I know for a fact I dont fall victim to selecting a Reggie Bush and passing over a Deangelo Williams that year in the draft, or Passing on a McFadden and taking a Stewart.
 
As of right now I have a very clear rookie top 4 but in particular order, then a very clear #5, and a mess behind them.

Bryant, Dwyer, Matthews, and Best are the top 4. Spiller is #5. Best and Spiller are similar, but I think Best has the better chance of being another Chris Johnson because he runs well between the tackles, which I have not seen from Spiller.

 
As of right now I have a very clear rookie top 4 but in particular order, then a very clear #5, and a mess behind them.Bryant, Dwyer, Matthews, and Best are the top 4. Spiller is #5. Best and Spiller are similar, but I think Best has the better chance of being another Chris Johnson because he runs well between the tackles, which I have not seen from Spiller.
Very interesting. I've read other threads where Spiller is the top prospect or in the top 3. Yet most in this thread aren't too enamored with him.I'd love to hear from the guys who think Spiller will be the best incoming RB.
 
I remember a similar subject about CJ3 and the very, very few of us the believed in his abilities were mocked, spit at, and were told what morons we were. The truth is somethings are just obvious. Often times in fantasy football we put way too much emphasis on small issues as if players of high caliber can't adjust to those small issues and we can't see their real abilities in spite of what our eyes are really telling us.Good luck,Tex
im totally fine when i passed over CJ back then and got Stewart and Rice that year in my drafts. I will also be totaly fine if I get Dwyer or Mathews this year and pass over Spiller this year pending each workouts and draft situations too. If Spiller becomes the next CJ then so be it but I am pretty sure Dwyer and Mathews will be successful or more so in my opinion. I guess I dont mind losing out on a CJ as long as I know for a fact I dont fall victim to selecting a Reggie Bush and passing over a Deangelo Williams that year in the draft, or Passing on a McFadden and taking a Stewart.
To each his own, that's what makes fantasy football so ####### great. But to totally dismiss a player before ever seeing what he can do at the NFL is not smart (no disrespect). And I'm certainly glad many in league passed over CJ3 to pick Stewart and Rice :lmao: . Nearly ever mock draft or ranking I've recently seen has Spiller as the #1 or #2 back. I've seen some that don't even have Dwyer in the top 10.But like I said to each his own, I'm not trying to convince anyone of whom they should or should not pick. I'm just saying they have yet to go to the combine, draft or even spring training and many have already said they will not touch him to the point of nearly calling him a failure or disappointment especially considering how early it is in the War we call Fantasy Football....is comical at best.:twocents:Tex
 
Last edited by a moderator:
As of right now I have a very clear rookie top 4 but in particular order, then a very clear #5, and a mess behind them.

Bryant, Dwyer, Matthews, and Best are the top 4. Spiller is #5. Best and Spiller are similar, but I think Best has the better chance of being another Chris Johnson because he runs well between the tackles, which I have not seen from Spiller.
Very interesting. I've read other threads where Spiller is the top prospect or in the top 3. Yet most in this thread aren't too enamored with him.I'd love to hear from the guys who think Spiller will be the best incoming RB.
:lmao: I didn't see this when I made my last post. By the way, to the other posters let the record show that I'm NOT comparing him to CJ3 and most certainly NOT comparing him to Bush, LOL!

Spiller: "I'm fast. I have great speed and vision. I'm really tough too. People compare me to Clinton Portis because I hit the holes hard and can explode like he does," said Spiller. "I want to improve the mental aspects of my game and have better preparation. I also need to get bigger so I can break more tackles and be more physical."
http://recruiting.scout.com/a.z?s=73&p...amp;nid=1760917
 
Last edited by a moderator:
As of right now I have a very clear rookie top 4 but in particular order, then a very clear #5, and a mess behind them.

Bryant, Dwyer, Matthews, and Best are the top 4. Spiller is #5. Best and Spiller are similar, but I think Best has the better chance of being another Chris Johnson because he runs well between the tackles, which I have not seen from Spiller.
This is my thinking as well. I think Best is going to be a nice value pick as most view him as the clear #5 of the consensus top 5. Though i think Best has slightly more causes for concern than Spiller. Best looks thinner than Spiller is to me at least. It could just be an illusion by the jersey or something, but that's how it looks. Also Best seemed to struggle against the top teams in the conference. He never did well against USC, and he struggled against Oregon this year. Though against the non-elite teams, that are still pretty good, he had nice numbers so maybe i'm just nitpicking. Either way, i like his prospects of being a workhorse back more than Spiller.

 
Reggie Bush? Are you insane? Spiller seems much faster than Bush and is absolutely the most electric player in this year's draft!

 
to the Browns near the top of the 2nd round?
Spiller's success over the next 2-3 years (along with Best and Devine) will in large part be due to where they go.If they go to teams that have established RB's, that can't bode well. If a team that is relatively light at RB (Houston, Buffalo, Seattle, TB, Washington, etc) drafts them, then they have a great chance of getting significant PT and doing very well.If they are drafted as gadget players and guys that will get 10-12 carries a game, then it's really going to be tough for them to be ultra successful fantasy options, despite their explosion.Felix Jones is a prime example. He has a huge YPC, and is one of the most explosive backs in the game. But he's completely unreliable as a fantasy option. Maybe that will change one day, but as of now, he's been a huge bust from a fantasy perspective.Spiller hasn't had as much success as Felix Jones from a ypc standpoint in college, despite having similar explosive abilities.
 
shader said:
pecorino said:
to the Browns near the top of the 2nd round?
Spiller's success over the next 2-3 years (along with Best and Devine) will in large part be due to where they go.If they go to teams that have established RB's, that can't bode well. If a team that is relatively light at RB (Houston, Buffalo, Seattle, TB, Washington, etc) drafts them, then they have a great chance of getting significant PT and doing very well.If they are drafted as gadget players and guys that will get 10-12 carries a game, then it's really going to be tough for them to be ultra successful fantasy options, despite their explosion.Felix Jones is a prime example. He has a huge YPC, and is one of the most explosive backs in the game. But he's completely unreliable as a fantasy option. Maybe that will change one day, but as of now, he's been a huge bust from a fantasy perspective.Spiller hasn't had as much success as Felix Jones from a ypc standpoint in college, despite having similar explosive abilities.
If you draft Devine, Best or Spiller with the expectation that they will reliably get more than 12 carries per week you will be severely disappointed. If you draft them with the hope that they become a reliable RB2 in PPR leagues then you are being realistic.
 
As of right now I have a very clear rookie top 4 but in particular order, then a very clear #5, and a mess behind them.

Bryant, Dwyer, Matthews, and Best are the top 4. Spiller is #5. Best and Spiller are similar, but I think Best has the better chance of being another Chris Johnson because he runs well between the tackles, which I have not seen from Spiller.
Very interesting. I've read other threads where Spiller is the top prospect or in the top 3. Yet most in this thread aren't too enamored with him.I'd love to hear from the guys who think Spiller will be the best incoming RB.
:thumbdown: I didn't see this when I made my last post. By the way, to the other posters let the record show that I'm NOT comparing him to CJ3 and most certainly NOT comparing him to Bush, LOL!

Spiller: "I'm fast. I have great speed and vision. I'm really tough too. People compare me to Clinton Portis because I hit the holes hard and can explode like he does," said Spiller. "I want to improve the mental aspects of my game and have better preparation. I also need to get bigger so I can break more tackles and be more physical."
http://recruiting.scout.com/a.z?s=73&p...amp;nid=1760917
This year he had 9 TD's of 50+ yards (21 in career) and 12 of 30+ yards. He avg nearly 10 EVERY TIME he touch the ball. :shock: LOL, you guys convince yourself he won't make an impact at the NFL level but I'm not interested in buying your wolf tickets. :loco:

 
As of right now I have a very clear rookie top 4 but in particular order, then a very clear #5, and a mess behind them.

Bryant, Dwyer, Matthews, and Best are the top 4. Spiller is #5. Best and Spiller are similar, but I think Best has the better chance of being another Chris Johnson because he runs well between the tackles, which I have not seen from Spiller.
Very interesting. I've read other threads where Spiller is the top prospect or in the top 3. Yet most in this thread aren't too enamored with him.I'd love to hear from the guys who think Spiller will be the best incoming RB.
:thumbdown: I didn't see this when I made my last post. By the way, to the other posters let the record show that I'm NOT comparing him to CJ3 and most certainly NOT comparing him to Bush, LOL!

Spiller: "I'm fast. I have great speed and vision. I'm really tough too. People compare me to Clinton Portis because I hit the holes hard and can explode like he does," said Spiller. "I want to improve the mental aspects of my game and have better preparation. I also need to get bigger so I can break more tackles and be more physical."
http://recruiting.scout.com/a.z?s=73&p...amp;nid=1760917
This year he had 9 TD's of 50+ yards (21 in career) and 12 of 30+ yards. He avg nearly 10 EVERY TIME he touch the ball. :shock: LOL, you guys convince yourself he won't make an impact at the NFL level but I'm not interested in buying your wolf tickets. :loco:
Are you counting kickoff returns? Thats a QUICK way to skew the stats.His ypc was 5.6. Thats not bad or anything..just a little low for a guy who breaks off big runs. That usually means that its feast or famine for that particular player.

I don't think anyone thinks Spiller won't make an impact in the NFL. Reggie Bush makes an impact. He's had alot of big td's, and might be an x-factor in the playoffs. But from a fantasy perspective, he's a disappointment, in terms of his expectations.

 
NFL combine: Spiller up, Dwyer and Ford down

Former Clemson running back C.J. Spiller, who was the top player at his position on the Scouts Inc. board, ran well on Sunday and kept his spot at the top of the class, according to Todd McShay, who was at the NFL combine in Indianapolis.

Here's what McShay had to say on Spiller:

C.J. Spiller of Clemson -- the No. 1 back on our board -- was right behind [Jahvid] Best with an official 4.37. Spiller also put up 18 reps on the bench press and his top-end speed combined with his versatility has locked him in at the top of the class.

McShay isn't the only one who liked what he saw from Spiller. Here's what AFC North blogger James Walker had to say:

If the Browns don't go the free-agency route, Clemson tailback C.J. Spiller could be a sleeper candidate for Cleveland at No. 7. Already a top-10 player, Spiller solidified, and likely improved, his stock with a blazing (unofficial) 40-yard dash time of 4.28. The Browns drafted Spiller's former Clemson teammate James Davis last season. So rest assured, Cleveland's scouts have spent a lot of time the past two years tracking Spiller's career. Cornerback and safety are obviously bigger needs. But if those positions are taken off the draft board, I would take the top tailback (Spiller) over the top receiver (Dez Bryant) at No. 7 every time.

According to McShay, former Georgia Tech B-back Jonathan Dwyer wasn't as productive:

He looked sluggish clocking at 4.64 in the 40, and Dwyer's struggles catching the ball only increase concerns about what he can contribute on third down. He is in danger of falling out of the top 50 picks of the upcoming draft.

Speed isn't everything, though. Former Clemson receiver Jacoby Ford is blazing fast, but it will take more than that to be successful at the next level, writes McShay.

Clemson's Jacoby Ford blazed an official 40 time of 4.28, which is the top result thus far in 2010 and is the second-fastest posted at the combine since 2000. However, Ford's track speed does not always translate to the field. He struggles to transition in and out of breaks, lacks overall fluidity and has inconsistent hands. Ford is likely to be over-drafted because you can't coach his burst, but we would have a hard time considering Ford before Round 5.

 
Wonder how James Davis would feel having Spiller in Cleveland........and vice -versa
Orange helmets, talentless team, and a lousy coach.....They'd probably feel like they were back in college.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
For one thing, I think it's wrong to dismiss Reggie Bush as a failure. He hasn't lived up to his pre-draft hype, but he had a very good season this year in limited duty, averaging 5.6 yards per carry and scoring 8 TDs on just 117 touches from scrimmage. It's very possible that he could have a Tiki Barber-type career; Tiki averaged 3.8 and 3.2 ypc in his first two years, didn't have a decent season until his fourth in the league, and was 27 years old before he got 250 carries. Yet he wound up retiring as a 10,000 yard rusher averaging 4.7 yards per carry. Bush could easily still become a feature back; he certainly looked a lot better running out of the backfield in 2009 than he has previously.

Frankly, with Spiller, I think Bush is about his upside, not his downside. I just don't see the open-field moves. He might be faster than Bush in a straight line, but I don't think he compares well with either Bush or Johnson (or Best, for that matter) in terms of football moves.

 
For one thing, I think it's wrong to dismiss Reggie Bush as a failure. He hasn't lived up to his pre-draft hype, but he had a very good season this year in limited duty, averaging 5.6 yards per carry and scoring 8 TDs on just 117 touches from scrimmage. It's very possible that he could have a Tiki Barber-type career; Tiki averaged 3.8 and 3.2 ypc in his first two years, didn't have a decent season until his fourth in the league, and was 27 years old before he got 250 carries. Yet he wound up retiring as a 10,000 yard rusher averaging 4.7 yards per carry. Bush could easily still become a feature back; he certainly looked a lot better running out of the backfield in 2009 than he has previously.

Frankly, with Spiller, I think Bush is about his upside, not his downside. I just don't see the open-field moves. He might be faster than Bush in a straight line, but I don't think he compares well with either Bush or Johnson (or Best, for that matter) in terms of football moves.
:thumbdown: Come on. I know that you defend your Cal guys to the death but give me a break with this. Check out the catch and run along the sideline at 1:25 in the You Tube video

. Makes two guys miss on great moves. He does something similar on the play starting at 3:31. In fact, watch the whole thing. How can you say he doesn't have open field moves with a straight face?
 
Come on. I know that you defend your Cal guys to the death but give me a break with this. Check out the catch and run along the sideline at 1:25 in the You Tube video

I think the most notable difference is how much more of Best's yardage is gained between the hash marks. But Best is clearly better at cutting laterally than Spiller.

I don't want to turn this into a Spiller vs. Best thread; I just think that Spiller has a ways to go to be considered as good as Reggie Bush, let alone as good as Chris Johnson.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Come on. I know that you defend your Cal guys to the death but give me a break with this. Check out the catch and run along the sideline at 1:25 in the You Tube video

Ehh...lateral agility is close but I would probably give the edge to Best. Not by much though. I've seen most of those highlights before but that edit is much clearer, so thanks for that. Regarding between the hash marks though, I have to laugh a bit. The reason Best has more yardage between the hash marks is because he has much bigger holes there. If you watch that video or his 2008 one you can see that. He has nice holes to get to the second level, makes a move on a LB or S and is off to the races. Now watch the Spiller highlights. He often has no hole in the line, so he has to break it outside. I'd say at least half of his highlights in these videos are on plays that start right up the middle. It's not like he is running a bunch of misdirection or toss sweeps like, say Felix Jones did at Arkansas.

Anyway, I know I'm fighting an uphill battle with Spiller on here. That's OK. I might not even take him at 1.3 myself, it just depends. But I'm happy that Mathews is shooting to the top so the guy at 1.2 takes him and I have at least a shot at Spiller. :banned:

 
Spiller = lower quality Reggie Bush.

Good luck and god speed to all those who draft him with their #2 picks.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
After the combine, I've changed my tune a bit on Spiller. I think he could be an explosive NFL player. I still don't seem him as a RB that can handle 20 carries though.

For my money, Jahvid Best is still the best RB in this class, and I don't see much else happening to change that.

 
ConstruxBoy said:
Regarding between the hash marks though, I have to laugh a bit. The reason Best has more yardage between the hash marks is because he has much bigger holes there. If you watch that video or his 2008 one you can see that. He has nice holes to get to the second level, makes a move on a LB or S and is off to the races.
I don't really agree. Look at Best's video. The first run, the play is designed to go right off-tackle, the defender gets contain, and Best cuts it back into the line. At 1:21, the play is again designed to go right, there is no hole, and he stops in place and reverses field. At 1:46, the play is designed to go left and he cuts it right into the line. 5:00, he's going left, cuts back into the line, makes three defenders miss and is off to the races. 7:15 he's on a sweep right that's shut down and he reverses across the field.There are some cases where the line created good holes for him, but there are a lot of cases where he created the hole with his running. I just don't see plays like that from Spiller. Are there any examples of him reversing field?
 
ConstruxBoy said:
Regarding between the hash marks though, I have to laugh a bit. The reason Best has more yardage between the hash marks is because he has much bigger holes there. If you watch that video or his 2008 one you can see that. He has nice holes to get to the second level, makes a move on a LB or S and is off to the races.
I don't really agree. Look at Best's video. The first run, the play is designed to go right off-tackle, the defender gets contain, and Best cuts it back into the line. At 1:21, the play is again designed to go right, there is no hole, and he stops in place and reverses field. At 1:46, the play is designed to go left and he cuts it right into the line. 5:00, he's going left, cuts back into the line, makes three defenders miss and is off to the races. 7:15 he's on a sweep right that's shut down and he reverses across the field.There are some cases where the line created good holes for him, but there are a lot of cases where he created the hole with his running. I just don't see plays like that from Spiller. Are there any examples of him reversing field?
Jahvid Best is a better runner than Spiller. His lateral agility allows him to create plays where they don't exist. Spiller is great if he gets a gaping hole in the line, and just needs to beat a LB 1v1 open field - but he won't be getting those opportunities often at the pro level. If he is lucky his production will be at Reggie Bush levels, but I doubt he will walk into a situation which is as favorable to his skills so I have even lower expectations. I would draft Best over Spiller unless Best goes somewhere like the Raiders. Any half decent team and he will be hands down a better pick than Spiller.
 
ConstruxBoy said:
Regarding between the hash marks though, I have to laugh a bit. The reason Best has more yardage between the hash marks is because he has much bigger holes there. If you watch that video or his 2008 one you can see that. He has nice holes to get to the second level, makes a move on a LB or S and is off to the races.
I don't really agree. Look at Best's video. The first run, the play is designed to go right off-tackle, the defender gets contain, and Best cuts it back into the line. At 1:21, the play is again designed to go right, there is no hole, and he stops in place and reverses field. At 1:46, the play is designed to go left and he cuts it right into the line. 5:00, he's going left, cuts back into the line, makes three defenders miss and is off to the races. 7:15 he's on a sweep right that's shut down and he reverses across the field.There are some cases where the line created good holes for him, but there are a lot of cases where he created the hole with his running. I just don't see plays like that from Spiller. Are there any examples of him reversing field?
There are several in the videos that EBF linked on him but I can't give you the times because I can't see them at work. However, when you say reverse field, you don't mean go all the way from one sideline to another, right? Because I define reverse field as going to one location where the play is designed and then going in a different direction laterally to create space. If you agree with my definition, or if anyone does, then how can you say that Spiller doesn't do that? The whole knock on him is that he cuts everything outside. Isn't cutting things outside, moving laterally away from the designed hole to create more space, the definition of reversing field? They both do that quite a bit. It just seems to me that Best had a larger number of cases where he didn't need to do that because he could get to the second level without any making any lateral moves. Can you explain that to me a bit?
 
ConstruxBoy said:
Regarding between the hash marks though, I have to laugh a bit. The reason Best has more yardage between the hash marks is because he has much bigger holes there. If you watch that video or his 2008 one you can see that. He has nice holes to get to the second level, makes a move on a LB or S and is off to the races.
I don't really agree. Look at Best's video. The first run, the play is designed to go right off-tackle, the defender gets contain, and Best cuts it back into the line. At 1:21, the play is again designed to go right, there is no hole, and he stops in place and reverses field. At 1:46, the play is designed to go left and he cuts it right into the line. 5:00, he's going left, cuts back into the line, makes three defenders miss and is off to the races. 7:15 he's on a sweep right that's shut down and he reverses across the field.There are some cases where the line created good holes for him, but there are a lot of cases where he created the hole with his running. I just don't see plays like that from Spiller. Are there any examples of him reversing field?
There are several in the videos that EBF linked on him but I can't give you the times because I can't see them at work. However, when you say reverse field, you don't mean go all the way from one sideline to another, right? Because I define reverse field as going to one location where the play is designed and then going in a different direction laterally to create space. If you agree with my definition, or if anyone does, then how can you say that Spiller doesn't do that? The whole knock on him is that he cuts everything outside. Isn't cutting things outside, moving laterally away from the designed hole to create more space, the definition of reversing field? They both do that quite a bit. It just seems to me that Best had a larger number of cases where he didn't need to do that because he could get to the second level without any making any lateral moves. Can you explain that to me a bit?
Cutting outside is looking at the hole in front of you and saying "I can get more bouncing around the edge of the line", and then taking your run around the end of the line towards the sidelines. This works in college MUCH better than it does in the NFL.Reversing field is looking at the direction the play is designed to go in, and then cutting back away from the motion of the play and reversing the entire direction you are running. Depending on the speed and vision of the RB this can still be a very effective maneuver at the NFL level.

Two different things.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
1. Jahvid Best is a better runner than Spiller. 2. I would draft Best over Spiller unless Best goes somewhere like the Raiders. Any half decent team and he will be hands down a better pick than Spiller.
1. Glad to know you are smarter than every draft scout and every draft expert. Bold statement by you.2. Cool. Fill me in on your credentials and if they're impressive enough I'll go ahead and ignore the rest of the universe. Seriously though, no offense but hearing you quote the common quote that Javid Best has great lateral agility doesn't make you the know it all you come off as.
 
1. Jahvid Best is a better runner than Spiller. 2. I would draft Best over Spiller unless Best goes somewhere like the Raiders. Any half decent team and he will be hands down a better pick than Spiller.
1. Glad to know you are smarter than every draft scout and every draft expert. Bold statement by you.2. Cool. Fill me in on your credentials and if they're impressive enough I'll go ahead and ignore the rest of the universe. Seriously though, no offense but hearing you quote the common quote that Javid Best has great lateral agility doesn't make you the know it all you come off as.
We get that your in Spiller's bandwagon Multiple Scores. But using sarcasm to attempt to prove a point isn't valid either.Not EVERY DRAFT EXPERT has Spiller ahead of Best. Even if they did, how credible is that? Didn't they all have McFadden #1?
 
1. Jahvid Best is a better runner than Spiller. 2. I would draft Best over Spiller unless Best goes somewhere like the Raiders. Any half decent team and he will be hands down a better pick than Spiller.
1. Glad to know you are smarter than every draft scout and every draft expert. Bold statement by you.2. Cool. Fill me in on your credentials and if they're impressive enough I'll go ahead and ignore the rest of the universe. Seriously though, no offense but hearing you quote the common quote that Javid Best has great lateral agility doesn't make you the know it all you come off as.
We get that your in Spiller's bandwagon Multiple Scores. But using sarcasm to attempt to prove a point isn't valid either.Not EVERY DRAFT EXPERT has Spiller ahead of Best. Even if they did, how credible is that? Didn't they all have McFadden #1?
agreed, opinion is opinion. truth is no one knows how people are going to do when they get into the NFL. fwiw, i think mathews is the #1 RB in this class... (probably one of the few things that benson and i see eye to eye on :thumbup: ) the reason being, he seems to be the safest bet to succeed. :kicksrock: at this point its very subjective, hard to make an arguement one way or another.
 
1. Jahvid Best is a better runner than Spiller. 2. I would draft Best over Spiller unless Best goes somewhere like the Raiders. Any half decent team and he will be hands down a better pick than Spiller.
1. Glad to know you are smarter than every draft scout and every draft expert. Bold statement by you.2. Cool. Fill me in on your credentials and if they're impressive enough I'll go ahead and ignore the rest of the universe. Seriously though, no offense but hearing you quote the common quote that Javid Best has great lateral agility doesn't make you the know it all you come off as.
We get that your in Spiller's bandwagon Multiple Scores. But using sarcasm to attempt to prove a point isn't valid either.Not EVERY DRAFT EXPERT has Spiller ahead of Best. Even if they did, how credible is that? Didn't they all have McFadden #1?
agreed, opinion is opinion. truth is no one knows how people are going to do when they get into the NFL. fwiw, i think mathews is the #1 RB in this class... (probably one of the few things that benson and i see eye to eye on :wub: ) the reason being, he seems to be the safest bet to succeed. :wall: at this point its very subjective, hard to make an arguement one way or another.
First off, its argument....haha...just messing with you.But I agree it is all relative to this point.But trying to invalidate someone's opinion b/c it doesn't agree with your own....with no facts adds nothing to the board.
 
ConstruxBoy said:
Regarding between the hash marks though, I have to laugh a bit. The reason Best has more yardage between the hash marks is because he has much bigger holes there. If you watch that video or his 2008 one you can see that. He has nice holes to get to the second level, makes a move on a LB or S and is off to the races.
I don't really agree. Look at Best's video. The first run, the play is designed to go right off-tackle, the defender gets contain, and Best cuts it back into the line. At 1:21, the play is again designed to go right, there is no hole, and he stops in place and reverses field. At 1:46, the play is designed to go left and he cuts it right into the line. 5:00, he's going left, cuts back into the line, makes three defenders miss and is off to the races. 7:15 he's on a sweep right that's shut down and he reverses across the field.There are some cases where the line created good holes for him, but there are a lot of cases where he created the hole with his running. I just don't see plays like that from Spiller. Are there any examples of him reversing field?
There are several in the videos that EBF linked on him but I can't give you the times because I can't see them at work. However, when you say reverse field, you don't mean go all the way from one sideline to another, right? Because I define reverse field as going to one location where the play is designed and then going in a different direction laterally to create space. If you agree with my definition, or if anyone does, then how can you say that Spiller doesn't do that? The whole knock on him is that he cuts everything outside. Isn't cutting things outside, moving laterally away from the designed hole to create more space, the definition of reversing field? They both do that quite a bit. It just seems to me that Best had a larger number of cases where he didn't need to do that because he could get to the second level without any making any lateral moves. Can you explain that to me a bit?
Cutting outside is looking at the hole in front of you and saying "I can get more bouncing around the edge of the line", and then taking your run around the end of the line towards the sidelines. This works in college MUCH better than it does in the NFL.Reversing field is looking at the direction the play is designed to go in, and then cutting back away from the motion of the play and reversing the entire direction you are running. Depending on the speed and vision of the RB this can still be a very effective maneuver at the NFL level.

Two different things.
Ehhh...I see the difference you are making, but I don't know that it's really that great in reality. Speed and vision are needed for both moves. And there are several highlights of Spiller "reversing field" per your definition, although not as many as I see of Best. I just don't think that downgrades Spiller like you and CalBear seem to think. Different strokes for different folks though. And to touch on the bold, of course it does. Anyone who spends any time scouting RBs knows that. But as I've said many times here, I think it's wrong to assume that Spiller does it because he can't break any tackles and that he cannot adjust what he is doing at the NFL level. That may be true and makes him more risky than a guy like Dwyer or Mathews that goes up the middle a lot. But he may be doing that because he knows that 98% of the time he can beat the LB or S to the corner and gain more yardage than if he just put his head down and went up the middle. The question is whether he can change that style when he gets to the NFL and can only beat the LB or S to the corner 45% of the time? It will be interesting to see.

 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top