Knile Davis RB - Arkansas (1 Viewer)

[jonboltz]

he was highly regarded, 2-3 years ago. what does that matter to us now? the davis backers keep pointing to 2010, to what his draft stock was after 2010. i didn't like him then, you expect me to like him now? i don't understand what is so hard to understand!! for me he needs to prove he can play the way he does and stay healthy, then i'll give him some credit. until then, i'm staying away from him. you can go off of what you saw in him in the past... but i'd suggest looking at him now and what he has done recently.

to me here's the present day knile davis:

a big, straight line speed guy who was beat out by a mediocre back that wasn't even invited to the combine. a walking injury waiting to happen who spent an awful lot of time on the sideline in his college career rather than playing the game.

It matters now because it shows what he's capable of. Is he still capable of it? I don't know. He didn't show it in 2012, that's for sure. But is that enough to completely write him off? For some yes, for me and others, no. If not for that 2010 season, I wouldn't care about him. A fast 40 time is nice, but if that's all he brought to the table, then who really cares (some would, but I'd argue most wouldn't). You didn't like him even before the injury so obviously you're not going to like him now. It's more helpful to discuss why you didn't like him back then. I've actually gone back to watch him looking for the things you and others have pointed out. That's the constructive part of the discussion. But above is one of the first times you and your compatriot have actually acknowledged that he was highly regarded as you both tried to argue that no "reputable sources" had him rated as a top-prospect. Again, that's why this has turned into what it is now.

Once again, this was not the original argument. The "reputable sources" comment was in regards to him not be ranked ahead of Lattimore. I personally do not believe this is *nearly* the slight that you seem to think it is.

 

[gianmarco]

he was highly regarded, 2-3 years ago. what does that matter to us now? the davis backers keep pointing to 2010, to what his draft stock was after 2010. i didn't like him then, you expect me to like him now? i don't understand what is so hard to understand!! for me he needs to prove he can play the way he does and stay healthy, then i'll give him some credit. until then, i'm staying away from him. you can go off of what you saw in him in the past... but i'd suggest looking at him now and what he has done recently.

to me here's the present day knile davis:

a big, straight line speed guy who was beat out by a mediocre back that wasn't even invited to the combine. a walking injury waiting to happen who spent an awful lot of time on the sideline in his college career rather than playing the game.

It matters now because it shows what he's capable of. Is he still capable of it? I don't know. He didn't show it in 2012, that's for sure. But is that enough to completely write him off? For some yes, for me and others, no. If not for that 2010 season, I wouldn't care about him. A fast 40 time is nice, but if that's all he brought to the table, then who really cares (some would, but I'd argue most wouldn't). You didn't like him even before the injury so obviously you're not going to like him now. It's more helpful to discuss why you didn't like him back then. I've actually gone back to watch him looking for the things you and others have pointed out. That's the constructive part of the discussion. But above is one of the first times you and your compatriot have actually acknowledged that he was highly regarded as you both tried to argue that no "reputable sources" had him rated as a top-prospect. Again, that's why this has turned into what it is now.

Once again, this was not the original argument. The "reputable sources" comment was in regards to him not be ranked ahead of Lattimore. I personally do not believe this is *nearly* the slight that you seem to think it is.

Way to miss the point.

 

[TheFanatic]

Let me sum up the debate here:

Just another guy jumping up the boards because he had a good 40 time. Winner of the underwear olympics

Uh, no, the guy tore up the SEC one year and was touted amoung the best in the country

But I didn't really care for him when he was racking up 1300 yards against the SEC, so he's just a guy with a good 40 time. Not a guy ever mentioned as being a first round RB

He was mentioned along with Lattimore as a 1st round pick in the 2011 NFL draft

Nobody mentioned him with Lattimore

Lots of links and evidence that he was mentioned with Lattimore and even Richardson and in the 1st round

Nobody reputable

Lots of reputable links were shown

Well, they weren't nearly as enthusiastic about Davis as they were Lattimore

First he wasn't mentioned. Then nobody reputable mentioned him. Oh, now the reputable guys aren't very enthusiastic?

Davis won't get drafted. He's got a bad injury history

So does Lattimore and nobody is doubting his draftability

I have on very good authority that Davis has a really bad injury history that every GM in the league is scared of (unreputable source not cited)

Broken bones aren't as bad as torn ligaments and where did you find that nugget about GM's being scared?

I can take shots at your sources, be proven wrong on them, but when you take shots at mine, I can get all pissy and act like it was sheer accident I fogot the source. Oh and disregard the part about the GM's being scared since that is obviously just speculation by some unreputable website and focus on the part about the injuries alone which is what I wanted you to focus on but included anyway. Oh, and I forgot the part where these guys I quoted said he would be a 1st rounder if not for the injuries

Please, for the love of God, can you discuss this in a logical manner and not argue the definitions of "reputable" and "enthusiastic" and get to the meat of the matter

Stop with all strawman arguments. It doesn't help the discussion at all.

I think that about covers it....

 

[TheFanatic]

he was highly regarded, 2-3 years ago. what does that matter to us now? the davis backers keep pointing to 2010, to what his draft stock was after 2010. i didn't like him then, you expect me to like him now? i don't understand what is so hard to understand!! for me he needs to prove he can play the way he does and stay healthy, then i'll give him some credit. until then, i'm staying away from him. you can go off of what you saw in him in the past... but i'd suggest looking at him now and what he has done recently.

to me here's the present day knile davis:

a big, straight line speed guy who was beat out by a mediocre back that wasn't even invited to the combine. a walking injury waiting to happen who spent an awful lot of time on the sideline in his college career rather than playing the game.

It matters now because it shows what he's capable of. Is he still capable of it? I don't know. He didn't show it in 2012, that's for sure. But is that enough to completely write him off? For some yes, for me and others, no. If not for that 2010 season, I wouldn't care about him. A fast 40 time is nice, but if that's all he brought to the table, then who really cares (some would, but I'd argue most wouldn't). You didn't like him even before the injury so obviously you're not going to like him now. It's more helpful to discuss why you didn't like him back then. I've actually gone back to watch him looking for the things you and others have pointed out. That's the constructive part of the discussion. But above is one of the first times you and your compatriot have actually acknowledged that he was highly regarded as you both tried to argue that no "reputable sources" had him rated as a top-prospect. Again, that's why this has turned into what it is now.

Once again, this was not the original argument. The "reputable sources" comment was in regards to him not be ranked ahead of Lattimore. I personally do not believe this is *nearly* the slight that you seem to think it is.

Where did anyone say he was ranked ahead of Lattimore? Nobody did. Straw man indeed....And I'm sure you want to downplay the reputable sources argument because you look quite foolish making that point and getting crushed since there are plenty out there...

 

[werdnoynek]

Where did anyone say he was ranked ahead of Lattimore? Nobody did. Straw man indeed....And I'm sure you want to downplay the reputable sources argument because you look quite foolish making that point and getting crushed since there are plenty out there...

dear TheFantatic,as fun as it is arguing about what people thought of davis back in 2011, can we come back to present day? thanks! werdnoynekETA: http://forums.footballguys.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=676402&view=findpost&p=15345009

 

[jonboltz]

Let me sum up the debate here:

Just another guy jumping up the boards because he had a good 40 time. Winner of the underwear olympics

Uh, no, the guy tore up the SEC one year and was touted amoung the best in the country

Wasn't my comment, will let others answers this one if they want.

But I didn't really care for him when he was racking up 1300 yards against the SEC, so he's just a guy with a good 40 time. Not a guy ever mentioned as being a first round RB

He was mentioned along with Lattimore as a 1st round pick in the 2011 NFL draft

Wasn't my comment, will let others answer this one if they want.

Nobody mentioned him with Lattimore

Lots of links and evidence that he was mentioned with Lattimore and even Richardson and in the 1st round

Exact quotes are "I don't recall a single reputable source claiming that Davis was ahead of Lattimore in terms of projected NFL talent" and "He was not being discussed on the same level in terms of NFL potential". What then came were a lot of links post-season, after Lattimore had been injured and not even listed. The one link of Kiper's had Lattimore 1, Trent 2, Davis "would have been right up there" (whether he meant 3, or higher, can be parsed how you'd like it).

Nobody reputable

Lots of reputable links were shown

SI and CBS were, and I hadn't read the SI one. A lot of other stuff wasn't. What is more, I'm not sure any of them were really evidence of Davis >= Lattimore when they were all done after Lattimore's injury and he wasn't included...

Well, they weren't nearly as enthusiastic about Davis as they were Lattimore

First he wasn't mentioned. Then nobody reputable mentioned him. Oh, now the reputable guys aren't very enthusiastic?

Wasn't my comment, will let others answers this one if they want.

Davis won't get drafted. He's got a bad injury history

So does Lattimore and nobody is doubting his draftability.

I said he could be a 6-7/UDFA guy. I've also said that if I had to 'guess' a round for him, I'd peg him as a 5th. FWIW, CBS and NFLdraftscout (two I use, YMMV) both had him as 7/UDFA pre-combine. NFL.com had him 4-7th.

I have on very good authority that Davis has a really bad injury history that every GM in the league is scared of (unreputable source not cited)

Broken bones aren't as bad as torn ligaments and where did you find that nugget about GM's being scared?

I said his injury history was more significant than Lattimore's, and I still believe that is true based on the sheer number of injuries since his high school sophomore year, many of them repeated injuries to the same areas (ankles, collarbone). The quote I used was for the "broken his both his ankles a combined three times and his left collarbone twice in a span of three years" part, but I clearly should have just left if off entirely as to have you actually address those concerns instead of going off into tangents.

I can take shots at your sources, be proven wrong on them, but when you take shots at mine, I can get all pissy and act like it was sheer accident I fogot the source. Oh and disregard the part about the GM's being scared since that is obviously just speculation by some unreputable website and focus on the part about the injuries alone which is what I wanted you to focus on but included anyway. Oh, and I forgot the part where these guys I quoted said he would be a 1st rounder if not for the injuries

see above regarding you using some quote/source as a tangent.

Please, for the love of God, can you discuss this in a logical manner and not argue the definitions of "reputable" and "enthusiastic" and get to the meat of the matter

Stop with all strawman arguments. It doesn't help the discussion at all.

I think that about covers it....

Responses in red.

 

[jonboltz]

he was highly regarded, 2-3 years ago. what does that matter to us now? the davis backers keep pointing to 2010, to what his draft stock was after 2010. i didn't like him then, you expect me to like him now? i don't understand what is so hard to understand!! for me he needs to prove he can play the way he does and stay healthy, then i'll give him some credit. until then, i'm staying away from him. you can go off of what you saw in him in the past... but i'd suggest looking at him now and what he has done recently.

to me here's the present day knile davis:

a big, straight line speed guy who was beat out by a mediocre back that wasn't even invited to the combine. a walking injury waiting to happen who spent an awful lot of time on the sideline in his college career rather than playing the game.

It matters now because it shows what he's capable of. Is he still capable of it? I don't know. He didn't show it in 2012, that's for sure. But is that enough to completely write him off? For some yes, for me and others, no. If not for that 2010 season, I wouldn't care about him. A fast 40 time is nice, but if that's all he brought to the table, then who really cares (some would, but I'd argue most wouldn't). You didn't like him even before the injury so obviously you're not going to like him now. It's more helpful to discuss why you didn't like him back then. I've actually gone back to watch him looking for the things you and others have pointed out. That's the constructive part of the discussion. But above is one of the first times you and your compatriot have actually acknowledged that he was highly regarded as you both tried to argue that no "reputable sources" had him rated as a top-prospect. Again, that's why this has turned into what it is now.

Once again, this was not the original argument. The "reputable sources" comment was in regards to him not be ranked ahead of Lattimore. I personally do not believe this is *nearly* the slight that you seem to think it is.

Where did anyone say he was ranked ahead of Lattimore? Nobody did. Straw man indeed....

Seriously? How about where this all got started in the first place.

 

[TheFanatic]

Where did anyone say he was ranked ahead of Lattimore? Nobody did. Straw man indeed....And I'm sure you want to downplay the reputable sources argument because you look quite foolish making that point and getting crushed since there are plenty out there...

dear TheFantatic,as fun as it is arguing about what people thought of davis back in 2011, can we come back to present day? thanks! werdnoynekETA: http://forums.footballguys.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=676402&view=findpost&p=15345009

You started it

precisely. it's amazing what a fast 40 can do for a guy's reputation as a fragile, straightline guy. it's like he's born again... in 2010 form, which was rather unimpressive to begin with!

 

[TheFanatic]

he was highly regarded, 2-3 years ago. what does that matter to us now? the davis backers keep pointing to 2010, to what his draft stock was after 2010. i didn't like him then, you expect me to like him now? i don't understand what is so hard to understand!! for me he needs to prove he can play the way he does and stay healthy, then i'll give him some credit. until then, i'm staying away from him. you can go off of what you saw in him in the past... but i'd suggest looking at him now and what he has done recently.

to me here's the present day knile davis:

a big, straight line speed guy who was beat out by a mediocre back that wasn't even invited to the combine. a walking injury waiting to happen who spent an awful lot of time on the sideline in his college career rather than playing the game.

It matters now because it shows what he's capable of. Is he still capable of it? I don't know. He didn't show it in 2012, that's for sure. But is that enough to completely write him off? For some yes, for me and others, no. If not for that 2010 season, I wouldn't care about him. A fast 40 time is nice, but if that's all he brought to the table, then who really cares (some would, but I'd argue most wouldn't). You didn't like him even before the injury so obviously you're not going to like him now. It's more helpful to discuss why you didn't like him back then. I've actually gone back to watch him looking for the things you and others have pointed out. That's the constructive part of the discussion. But above is one of the first times you and your compatriot have actually acknowledged that he was highly regarded as you both tried to argue that no "reputable sources" had him rated as a top-prospect. Again, that's why this has turned into what it is now.

Once again, this was not the original argument. The "reputable sources" comment was in regards to him not be ranked ahead of Lattimore. I personally do not believe this is *nearly* the slight that you seem to think it is.

Where did anyone say he was ranked ahead of Lattimore? Nobody did. Straw man indeed....

Seriously? How about where this all got started in the first place.

You are correct. I meant that neither Gian nor I mentioned that. We both said that he was mentioned with Lattimore, not ahead of him. I apologize. I made a mistake.BTW, it's as easy as that to admit a mistake...

 

[gianmarco]

Good read on Davis (warning: NOT a reputable source)

Positives:

http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/25/files/2013/02/68135561-300x199.jpg' alt='a>'> +His burst is back…

+Not just since the combine, but since the last game in 2012

+Elite athlete

+Good size

+Good quickness

+Good strength

+Solid vision

+Decent hands

+High ceiling

Negatives:

-Injury issues

-Runs out of bounds to avoid hits way too often (even before injury)

-Mediocre patience

-Didn’t look like the same player for most of the season upon returning

-Fumbles more often than he scores

-Lots of strength in the upper body, but not much in terms of leg drive

Arkansas running back Knile Davis is one of the biggest high risk-high reward prospects of this draft. One thing I want to make clear immediately: he’s underrated by the media. The media’s perception of him is as a formerly good player that had a horrible ankle injury and wasn’t the same upon returning, but remains a fairly good workout warrior. But that’s not entirely true. Knile Davis wasn’t the same upon returning for most of the season. But, in the last game of his career (LSU), he looked like the Knile Davis of old in his 12 touches. He looked like he hadn’t lost a step since his sophomore year. He still is regaining his feel for the game, but, physically, he’s back. He’s 100% back. It’s not just for the combine. It’s for the long haul. NFL teams know that, and he’s going to find his way into the third round or so this year. But he still has his problems.

Another think I would like to make clear: I’m not a doctor, now will a pretend to be one. I took a similar stance in my Michael Mauti scouting report. The only thing I’m willing to say is that the physical effects of his season ending ankle injury haven’t been apparent since before the LSU game. Still, this may be a recurring injury. I don’t know. I wouldn’t be the person to ask. Right now, he seems unaffected by it. NFL team doctors might tell teams to bump him down their draft boards because of the injury. Or maybe the X-rays look pretty good, and team doctors may tell teams to bump him up. I don’t know. I’m not going to try to speculate, because the last time I did, I called Rob Gronkowski overrated (he gave me literally every reason in the world he had a bad back, like, Dwight Howard bad, but boy was that a terrible call by me). I’m going to try to be as neutral as possible regarding his injury issues, because I know very little about his ankle, excluding the fact that it was broken.

Davis has rare measurables. His combine was amazing. 5’10, 227lbs, 4.37 40 yard dash, 31 bench reps at 225lbs (That’s Steven Jackson territory). He had the second fastest 40 at the combine among running backs (Onterio McCalebb was best), and he did the most bench reps, an enviable combination. He had small hands, and he didn’t do a good job with the vertical of the broad jump (needs more strength in the lower body), but still, his measurables are terrific.

Davis’s stats are mostly a mixed bag. His sophomore season was ridiculous. He had 202 carries for 1322 yards for a 6.5 yards per carry in the SEC (!), to go along with 13 touchdowns and 19 receptions for 136 yards. Honestly, had he not been injured in 2011, Arkansas could have won the national championship, and he was more productive in 2010 in the SEC than Trent Richardson ever was. Those numbers are incredible. But, in 2012, he wasn’t the same player for most of the season. He had 112 carries for 377 yards (an ugly 3.4 yards per carry), and an inexcusable 7 fumbles. 7 fumbles. On 112 carries. As bad a number I’ve ever seen. While I’m on the subject, I might as well put my two cents in on the subject of his fumbles. This will be a long term problem in the NFL. One, he has small hands. 8 5/8 in, 3rd smallest at the combine among running backs, which is pretty insane given how many short backs there were at the combine. That problem isn’t going to go away. In addition, his ball carriage is pretty loose. He usually has two hands on the ball, but his off hand isn’t really doing any more than simply laying on the ball. It’s not applying any sort of pressure. It’s like the off hand in a basketball shot. It’s not really applying much of a force. It’s basically there for balance. And when your hands are as tiny as those of Davis, you need to put as much effort into using both hands to secure the ball as possible unless one hand is briefly being used to do a stiff arm.

Davis is an elite athlete. I’ve always felt that, to be a superstar running back in this league, you need to be powerful enough to inspire fear in your opponents when you run inside as well as quick and fast to inspire fear in your opponents when you run outside and try to turn the corner. LaDainian Tomlinson and Adrian Peterson, two of the top backs of the last decade, fit this mold. So does Davis. In his case. his quickness is good but his long speed is just ridiculous. No guy should be as fast as he is at that size. It’s really special. He also reaches top speed quickly and has above average change of direction skills. Still, as an outside runner, he has problems, because he doesn’t have much patience and has an awful tendency to run out of bounds instead of taking a hit, quite reminiscent of (gulp) Beanie Wells. This is a terrible tendency. Because he is willing to run out of bounds instead of fighting for more yardage, a corner will gladly concede the edge to him (knowing they have no chance of actually tackling him) if the linebacker isn’t there to help inside knowing that he’ll simply run out of bounds when he sees the safety coming his way. The worst part is that this isn’t just a post ankle surgery tendency. He ran out of bounds all the time back when he was a sophomore, and now that he’s even more worried about his health, he may not stop. It’s a big problem, and it will hold him back in the NFL if it continues.

The other problem with running out of bounds is that it’s waste of his power. Which brings me to my next point: he has a lot of power. Although he lacks leg strength and can’t push the pile (he may have laid off the leg press machine post ankle surgery), upper body strength is absolutely ridiculous, and his core is nice too. It’s hard to knock him off balance and he’s got a nice stiff arm. He’s powerful. He’s really hard to bring down. He flashes toughness. That being said, his vision could be better. He’s impatient when he enters the second level, not giving his blocks time to develop, though he really does a good job of weaving through traffic and gets solid pad level.

Davis is a decent pass catcher. His hands are solid, although small, he’s a half decent route runner, and he’s explosive in the open field. He also is a capable pass blocker that plays with solid on field intensity, though his ability to read blitz schemes is pretty average at this point. In the long term, he should be pretty good on third downs, though he probably won’t ever be a third down only back.

Davis has a lot of potential, but he’s got a lot to work on. Even if he’s healed, he needs to stop fumbling (or at least fumble less, seriously), running out of bounds to avoid taking hit, and become a little bit more patient entering the second level. His ceiling is high, but his floor is low.

NFL Comparison: Rashard Mendanhall, but with Chris Well’s vision and also more injury issues. He needs to stop running out of bounds to avoid hits. Oh, and he fumbles more than Mendanhall (I didn’t know it was possible).

Grade: 71 (worthy of a late 3rd, maybe early 4th round pick)

Projection: 72 (will be a late 3rd, possibly early 4th round pick)

 

[gianmarco]

Atlanta could be a great landing spot for him

No running back did more to help his draft status at the 2013 Scouting Combine than Arkansas’ Knile Davis.

The buzz is that the Atlanta Falcons might be in the market for a running back in free agency or the NFL draft in April as the conversation about Michael Turner—who ESPN analyst Adam Schefter said the Falcons are likely to release as a cap casualty—heats up.

Head coach Mike Smith wasn’t exactly forthcoming in his comments about cutting Turner.

"Michael is under contract right now,” the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported from Smith’s press conference at the combine. “We’ll continue to go through that process in terms of how we are going to recalibrate it. Myself, Mr. Blank and Thomas have had numerous discussions. There is a cause-and-effect to every decision that you make at this time of the year. You’re dealing with the salary cap and those decisions will work themselves out over the next couple of weeks."

Prior to the combine, predicting where Davis would go in the draft was quite troublesome. Because his stellar 2010 season, where he gained 1,322 yards and scored 13 touchdowns, was counteracted by a less-than-enthusiastic 2012 season where he gained just 377 yards coming back from a broken ankle that forced the star to miss the 2011 season, projections had Davis landing on an NFL team somewhere on Saturday. No one was able to narrow down a target between Round 4 and 6.

After Davis ran a blistering 4.37 40-yard dash and pushed up 225 pounds 31 times, he became one of the most talked about running backs in the draft.

Why should Davis be attractive to the Falcons?

On top of his speed, Davis is a thick and powerful runner who’s best suited for the straight-ahead bruising impacts that Turner was so good at for the first four years of his stay in Atlanta. His speed helps get into the second level of a defense and beyond quickly, and his agility can make people miss.

Anyone who watched Turner run in 2012 knows making people miss is no longer in his repertoire.

Davis also has decent hands for a runner, and that’s necessary in this new-look Atlanta offense. Offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter makes great use of running backs as receivers and has revitalized the screen game for the Falcons.

When Davis carried the ball 204 times in 2010 he also caught 19 passes. He caught 11 passes last year for Arkansas, so while he may not be the receiving threat Jacquizz Rodgers is, the power aspect of Davis’ game complements Rodgers well.

That’s exactly what makes Davis intriguing as a mid-round Falcons pick. Atlanta doesn’t need a Rodgers clone, the Falcons could use a running back who can thrive between the tackles and in short-yardage situations. Davis seems like that kind of back, and one who can also add some of the speedy options Rodgers brings to the table.

What the Falcons must find out prior to the April draft is whether or not Davis’ injuries are in his past. If so, he makes a lot of sense to Atlanta in the third round or beyond if the team does indeed cut Turner.

If this guy gets draft by Atlanta in the 3rd round, he's going to skyrocket in rookie drafts. That would be a perfect fit (and would replace a very similar RB).

 

[tdmills]

he was highly regarded, 2-3 years ago. what does that matter to us now? the davis backers keep pointing to 2010, to what his draft stock was after 2010. i didn't like him then, you expect me to like him now? i don't understand what is so hard to understand!! for me he needs to prove he can play the way he does and stay healthy, then i'll give him some credit. until then, i'm staying away from him. you can go off of what you saw in him in the past... but i'd suggest looking at him now and what he has done recently.

to me here's the present day knile davis:

a big, straight line speed guy who was beat out by a mediocre back that wasn't even invited to the combine. a walking injury waiting to happen who spent an awful lot of time on the sideline in his college career rather than playing the game.

It matters now because it shows what he's capable of. Is he still capable of it? I don't know. He didn't show it in 2012, that's for sure. But is that enough to completely write him off? For some yes, for me and others, no. If not for that 2010 season, I wouldn't care about him. A fast 40 time is nice, but if that's all he brought to the table, then who really cares (some would, but I'd argue most wouldn't). You didn't like him even before the injury so obviously you're not going to like him now. It's more helpful to discuss why you didn't like him back then. I've actually gone back to watch him looking for the things you and others have pointed out. That's the constructive part of the discussion. But above is one of the first times you and your compatriot have actually acknowledged that he was highly regarded as you both tried to argue that no "reputable sources" had him rated as a top-prospect. Again, that's why this has turned into what it is now.

Look at a guy like Alshon Jeffery. The guy had a monster 2010 college season (88/1517/9), stayed one more year, and completely stunk up the joint with 49/762/8. People wondered which was the real Jeffery. But, you don't just ignore his 2010 season because it wasn't the most recent because he flashed some big potential. Similarly, Knile Davis had a big 2010 season. He didn't take over as the starter until week 6 that year and still amassed 1300 yds and 13 TDs in the SEC. That is impressive any way you slice it. You want to discount it because it was pre-injury and took place 3 years ago. Others choose not to because it's an indication of what he might be capable of. Again, this is why you're having such a difficult time with this discussion. It IS relevant to some.

I have no idea if that year was a fluke. I have no idea if he'll ever return to that form. But I do know that it warrants consideration and, combined with his recent combine (which demonstrates he may be healthy again), makes him a prospect to look at in my eyes. If you didn't like him before, you certainly won't now. But stop asking why 2010 is relevant. It is very relevant even if it took place 3 years ago. A bad few games in a dysfunctional Arkansas program isn't enough for me to just say "ahh, he's done, nothing else to see here". We'll see if any NFL teams think the same thing come draft day.

ETA--And the equivalent to what you're doing with Knile when compared to Jeffery would be like saying after his down 2011 season- "yeah, Jeffery was an intriguing prospect after his 2010 season, but he was only looked at as a mid-round draft pick. All he did was run fast but he won't make it at the next level and was never really highly rated" when in reality he was the considered an elite WR prospect.

Good posts Gianmarco.I came into the thread very down on Davis, we've discussed a lot and his game. I'm coming around on him. I liked Davis back in 2010 and he was in my top 5 RBs. He had potential, any way you want to slice it.

What makes things interesting is here: Davis ran a fast 40 time at the combine, but didn't display that speed in 2012. Davis did display that speed on the field in 2010. So it may be possible that he's now fully recovered and it will transition.

I still have concerns about his lateral agility, vision, stop start, making defenders miss, power, balance. However, most RB's have issues, even AP had concerns coming out.

 

[jonboltz]

Good read on Davis (warning: NOT a reputable source)

Positives:

http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/25/files/2013/02/68135561-300x199.jpg' alt='a>'> +His burst is back…

+Not just since the combine, but since the last game in 2012

+Elite athlete

+Good size

+Good quickness

+Good strength

+Solid vision

+Decent hands

+High ceiling

Negatives:

-Injury issues

-Runs out of bounds to avoid hits way too often (even before injury)

-Mediocre patience

-Didn’t look like the same player for most of the season upon returning

-Fumbles more often than he scores

-Lots of strength in the upper body, but not much in terms of leg drive

Arkansas running back Knile Davis is one of the biggest high risk-high reward prospects of this draft. One thing I want to make clear immediately: he’s underrated by the media. The media’s perception of him is as a formerly good player that had a horrible ankle injury and wasn’t the same upon returning, but remains a fairly good workout warrior. But that’s not entirely true. Knile Davis wasn’t the same upon returning for most of the season. But, in the last game of his career (LSU), he looked like the Knile Davis of old in his 12 touches. He looked like he hadn’t lost a step since his sophomore year. He still is regaining his feel for the game, but, physically, he’s back. He’s 100% back. It’s not just for the combine. It’s for the long haul. NFL teams know that, and he’s going to find his way into the third round or so this year. But he still has his problems.

Another think I would like to make clear: I’m not a doctor, now will a pretend to be one. I took a similar stance in my Michael Mauti scouting report. The only thing I’m willing to say is that the physical effects of his season ending ankle injury haven’t been apparent since before the LSU game. Still, this may be a recurring injury. I don’t know. I wouldn’t be the person to ask. Right now, he seems unaffected by it. NFL team doctors might tell teams to bump him down their draft boards because of the injury. Or maybe the X-rays look pretty good, and team doctors may tell teams to bump him up. I don’t know. I’m not going to try to speculate, because the last time I did, I called Rob Gronkowski overrated (he gave me literally every reason in the world he had a bad back, like, Dwight Howard bad, but boy was that a terrible call by me). I’m going to try to be as neutral as possible regarding his injury issues, because I know very little about his ankle, excluding the fact that it was broken.

Davis has rare measurables. His combine was amazing. 5’10, 227lbs, 4.37 40 yard dash, 31 bench reps at 225lbs (That’s Steven Jackson territory). He had the second fastest 40 at the combine among running backs (Onterio McCalebb was best), and he did the most bench reps, an enviable combination. He had small hands, and he didn’t do a good job with the vertical of the broad jump (needs more strength in the lower body), but still, his measurables are terrific.

Davis’s stats are mostly a mixed bag. His sophomore season was ridiculous. He had 202 carries for 1322 yards for a 6.5 yards per carry in the SEC (!), to go along with 13 touchdowns and 19 receptions for 136 yards. Honestly, had he not been injured in 2011, Arkansas could have won the national championship, and he was more productive in 2010 in the SEC than Trent Richardson ever was. Those numbers are incredible. But, in 2012, he wasn’t the same player for most of the season. He had 112 carries for 377 yards (an ugly 3.4 yards per carry), and an inexcusable 7 fumbles. 7 fumbles. On 112 carries. As bad a number I’ve ever seen. While I’m on the subject, I might as well put my two cents in on the subject of his fumbles. This will be a long term problem in the NFL. One, he has small hands. 8 5/8 in, 3rd smallest at the combine among running backs, which is pretty insane given how many short backs there were at the combine. That problem isn’t going to go away. In addition, his ball carriage is pretty loose. He usually has two hands on the ball, but his off hand isn’t really doing any more than simply laying on the ball. It’s not applying any sort of pressure. It’s like the off hand in a basketball shot. It’s not really applying much of a force. It’s basically there for balance. And when your hands are as tiny as those of Davis, you need to put as much effort into using both hands to secure the ball as possible unless one hand is briefly being used to do a stiff arm.

Davis is an elite athlete. I’ve always felt that, to be a superstar running back in this league, you need to be powerful enough to inspire fear in your opponents when you run inside as well as quick and fast to inspire fear in your opponents when you run outside and try to turn the corner. LaDainian Tomlinson and Adrian Peterson, two of the top backs of the last decade, fit this mold. So does Davis. In his case. his quickness is good but his long speed is just ridiculous. No guy should be as fast as he is at that size. It’s really special. He also reaches top speed quickly and has above average change of direction skills. Still, as an outside runner, he has problems, because he doesn’t have much patience and has an awful tendency to run out of bounds instead of taking a hit, quite reminiscent of (gulp) Beanie Wells. This is a terrible tendency. Because he is willing to run out of bounds instead of fighting for more yardage, a corner will gladly concede the edge to him (knowing they have no chance of actually tackling him) if the linebacker isn’t there to help inside knowing that he’ll simply run out of bounds when he sees the safety coming his way. The worst part is that this isn’t just a post ankle surgery tendency. He ran out of bounds all the time back when he was a sophomore, and now that he’s even more worried about his health, he may not stop. It’s a big problem, and it will hold him back in the NFL if it continues.

The other problem with running out of bounds is that it’s waste of his power. Which brings me to my next point: he has a lot of power. Although he lacks leg strength and can’t push the pile (he may have laid off the leg press machine post ankle surgery), upper body strength is absolutely ridiculous, and his core is nice too. It’s hard to knock him off balance and he’s got a nice stiff arm. He’s powerful. He’s really hard to bring down. He flashes toughness. That being said, his vision could be better. He’s impatient when he enters the second level, not giving his blocks time to develop, though he really does a good job of weaving through traffic and gets solid pad level.

Davis is a decent pass catcher. His hands are solid, although small, he’s a half decent route runner, and he’s explosive in the open field. He also is a capable pass blocker that plays with solid on field intensity, though his ability to read blitz schemes is pretty average at this point. In the long term, he should be pretty good on third downs, though he probably won’t ever be a third down only back.

Davis has a lot of potential, but he’s got a lot to work on. Even if he’s healed, he needs to stop fumbling (or at least fumble less, seriously), running out of bounds to avoid taking hit, and become a little bit more patient entering the second level. His ceiling is high, but his floor is low.

NFL Comparison: Rashard Mendanhall, but with Chris Well’s vision and also more injury issues. He needs to stop running out of bounds to avoid hits. Oh, and he fumbles more than Mendanhall (I didn’t know it was possible).

Grade: 71 (worthy of a late 3rd, maybe early 4th round pick)

Projection: 72 (will be a late 3rd, possibly early 4th round pick)

Clear that he's watched a fair amount of him, probably more than myself (and certainly from this year, i.e. LSU game). Seems to have a pretty good sense of how to evaluate a player.I think he could have discussed more his ongoing injury history, as his writing might appear that this and other injuries haven't been a consistent issue. However, he might just not be aware of them, as I wouldn't be if I didn't play dynasty leagues.

I think the "a little hard to bring down" comment is quite generous, but he's entitled to his opinion and perhaps he looked better in 2012 with a little more physical maturation. It was specifically my only non-injury concern I had of his in 2010.

 

[jonboltz]

If this guy gets draft by Atlanta in the 3rd round, he's going to skyrocket in rookie drafts. That would be a perfect fit (and would replace a very similar RB).

This came up on a different message board, and my comment there was:"This is a moot point, as Atlanta is a serious contender for the Super Bowl --- there is zero chance that they go into next year with Knile Davis as their default starting RB. He could, however, be an option as a mid-to-late round pick if they bring in a FA like Jackson."Would still be a good landing spot, but I think they are unlikely to take that risk without an immediate, stable option in place as well.

 

[TheFanatic]

Atlanta could be a great landing spot for him

No running back did more to help his draft status at the 2013 Scouting Combine than Arkansas’ Knile Davis.

The buzz is that the Atlanta Falcons might be in the market for a running back in free agency or the NFL draft in April as the conversation about Michael Turner—who ESPN analyst Adam Schefter said the Falcons are likely to release as a cap casualty—heats up.

Head coach Mike Smith wasn’t exactly forthcoming in his comments about cutting Turner.

"Michael is under contract right now,” the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported from Smith’s press conference at the combine. “We’ll continue to go through that process in terms of how we are going to recalibrate it. Myself, Mr. Blank and Thomas have had numerous discussions. There is a cause-and-effect to every decision that you make at this time of the year. You’re dealing with the salary cap and those decisions will work themselves out over the next couple of weeks."

Prior to the combine, predicting where Davis would go in the draft was quite troublesome. Because his stellar 2010 season, where he gained 1,322 yards and scored 13 touchdowns, was counteracted by a less-than-enthusiastic 2012 season where he gained just 377 yards coming back from a broken ankle that forced the star to miss the 2011 season, projections had Davis landing on an NFL team somewhere on Saturday. No one was able to narrow down a target between Round 4 and 6.

After Davis ran a blistering 4.37 40-yard dash and pushed up 225 pounds 31 times, he became one of the most talked about running backs in the draft.

Why should Davis be attractive to the Falcons?

On top of his speed, Davis is a thick and powerful runner who’s best suited for the straight-ahead bruising impacts that Turner was so good at for the first four years of his stay in Atlanta. His speed helps get into the second level of a defense and beyond quickly, and his agility can make people miss.

Anyone who watched Turner run in 2012 knows making people miss is no longer in his repertoire.

Davis also has decent hands for a runner, and that’s necessary in this new-look Atlanta offense. Offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter makes great use of running backs as receivers and has revitalized the screen game for the Falcons.

When Davis carried the ball 204 times in 2010 he also caught 19 passes. He caught 11 passes last year for Arkansas, so while he may not be the receiving threat Jacquizz Rodgers is, the power aspect of Davis’ game complements Rodgers well.

That’s exactly what makes Davis intriguing as a mid-round Falcons pick. Atlanta doesn’t need a Rodgers clone, the Falcons could use a running back who can thrive between the tackles and in short-yardage situations. Davis seems like that kind of back, and one who can also add some of the speedy options Rodgers brings to the table.

What the Falcons must find out prior to the April draft is whether or not Davis’ injuries are in his past. If so, he makes a lot of sense to Atlanta in the third round or beyond if the team does indeed cut Turner.

If this guy gets draft by Atlanta in the 3rd round, he's going to skyrocket in rookie drafts. That would be a perfect fit (and would replace a very similar RB).

Two things. One, that's from the Bleacher Report so it's all crap.Two, I think they want a more versatile back as their RB1 and involve him more in the passing game.

 

[TheFanatic]

If this guy gets draft by Atlanta in the 3rd round, he's going to skyrocket in rookie drafts. That would be a perfect fit (and would replace a very similar RB).

This came up on a different message board, and my comment there was:"This is a moot point, as Atlanta is a serious contender for the Super Bowl --- there is zero chance that they go into next year with Knile Davis as their default starting RB. He could, however, be an option as a mid-to-late round pick if they bring in a FA like Jackson."Would still be a good landing spot, but I think they are unlikely to take that risk without an immediate, stable option in place as well.

I can agree with that...

 

[mental]

Davis to me is a very similar guy on paper (come draft day) to Bryce Brown -- better athlete, more injury prone, but both have mixed playing histories spotted with occasional dominance and irrelevance. LeGarrete Blount is another guy I keep thinking of -- different skill set, but similarly spotty-with-upside background; Chris Henry and Justin Fargas also come to mind.Both Brown and Blount cracked through in the NFL, but it took a lot (of injuries, mostly) for them to get their chances; same with Fargas, though he was a 3rd-rounder. Henry's different -- he had very similar combine numbers to Davis, had almost NO production (or injury history), was way overdrafted, and didn't work out at all. Unless Davis jumps into Rd. 3 or 4, I see him in the same ballpark as these guys -- worth holding for the chance to sell if/when they get their chance, but no real expectation of holding down a lead back job for a long time. I'm not much of a film guy, though. What am I missing?

 

[tdmills]

Only one way to solve this LSU thing: Watch

 

[jonboltz]

Only one way to solve this LSU thing: Watch

Dear god, the entire game. I actually did a quick search after this, and
showed a handful of that LSU game at the very end. He managed to break a tackle or two off in there, so that is positive.

 

[tdmills]

Only one way to solve this LSU thing: Watch

Dear god, the entire game. I actually did a quick search after this, and

Are you sure it's in 2012 though?I was being halfway facetious, but it can help to reveal if he's back or not.

 

[jonboltz]

Only one way to solve this LSU thing: Watch

Dear god, the entire game. I actually did a quick search after this, and

Yah, its the right game. I compared the score board to their meeting in 2010 and 2012.

 

[gianmarco]

Here are the plays involved:

27:42

1:00:45

1:23:30 (2 in a row)

1:26:20

1:39:25 (3 plays in a row)

1:44:00

1:57:05 (two plays in a row)

2:05:40

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

I wonder if Jerry Jones likes him? Seems like a move he would make to take Felix Jones spot

 

[gianmarco]

Added links to the times in the game above.

 

[werdnoynek]

it's one game but gives a decent look at davis' game as of late. he did make one person miss in the open field showing a bit of agility and lateral quickness, rare for him. otherwise par for his course... overall unimpressive. if i'm an NFL team looking for a quick back in the middle/later rounds, i'm looking at jonathan franklin. he may have had a slower 40 but he's shown more agility/quickness on the field and a better all around game imo. he's also shown improvement throughout his college career and doesn't have an injury bug that has permanently attached itself to his rear end.

 

[mental]

it's one game but gives a decent look at davis' game as of late. he did make one person miss in the open field showing a bit of agility and lateral quickness, rare for him. otherwise par for his course... overall unimpressive. if i'm an NFL team looking for a quick back in the middle/later rounds, i'm looking at jonathan franklin. he may have had a slower 40 but he's shown more agility/quickness on the field and a better all around game imo. he's also shown improvement throughout his college career and doesn't have an injury bug that has permanently attached itself to his rear end.

Agree -- for a guy with a questionable handle on the ball, it wasn't encouraging to see him bounce backwards off a safety and immediately get stripped at 1:39:30...

 

[tdmills]

Evan Silva on Twitter:1: Knile Davis #Arkansas = toughest RB watch I've done. Stiff, clumsy plodder, even before injury. Below-avg burst. Left so many yds on field.2: More Knile Davis: Poor man's Shonn Greene. Did not overpower defenders, rarely made ppl miss. Grinding lunger. Lacks quick twitch.3: Watched 2 high-volume 2010 Knile Davis games, 2 from '12. Very disappointing both yrs. Combine a lie. Fascinating how overdrafted he'll be.

 

[jonboltz]

Sigmund Bloom @SigmundBloom@evansilva runs like little back. doesnt wield power/size as weapon. speed not coming into play because he's not elusive.@evansilva its funny evan because i wrote this about Davis before the season and some of Hogs faithful practically sent me death threatsHere's my piece on combine stud Knile Davis from before the season: http://goo.gl/d9k0U - read the comments from Hog faithful for fun.

 

[menobrown]

I wonder if Jerry Jones likes him? Seems like a move he would make to take Felix Jones spot

Why because they both went to Arkansas? Last year the Vikings drafted two Razorbacks. I think that's one more than Jerry has drafted the entire time he's owned the team. I think Felix is it, he's the only Razorback he's ever drafted.

 

[TheFanatic]

I wonder if Jerry Jones likes him? Seems like a move he would make to take Felix Jones spot

Why because they both went to Arkansas? Last year the Vikings drafted two Razorbacks. I think that's one more than Jerry has drafted the entire time he's owned the team. I think Felix is it, he's the only Razorback he's ever drafted.

So you're saying he likes Razorback RB's?

 

[TheFanatic]

Sigmund Bloom @SigmundBloom@evansilva runs like little back. doesnt wield power/size as weapon. speed not coming into play because he's not elusive.@evansilva its funny evan because i wrote this about Davis before the season and some of Hogs faithful practically sent me death threatsHere's my piece on combine stud Knile Davis from before the season: http://goo.gl/d9k0U - read the comments from Hog faithful for fun.

BTW, that link in that post goes to the BleacherReport. So when BleacherReport says something you don't like, it's not reputable and should not be included as evidence, but when it backs your stance, then by all means it should be posted.

 

[ConnSKINS26]

Sigmund Bloom @SigmundBloom@evansilva runs like little back. doesnt wield power/size as weapon. speed not coming into play because he's not elusive.@evansilva its funny evan because i wrote this about Davis before the season and some of Hogs faithful practically sent me death threatsHere's my piece on combine stud Knile Davis from before the season: http://goo.gl/d9k0U - read the comments from Hog faithful for fun.

BTW, that link in that post goes to the BleacherReport. So when BleacherReport says something you don't like, it's not reputable and should not be included as evidence, but when it backs your stance, then by all means it should be posted.

In this case, the author is a known quantity, so it doesn't really matter that it's BR, does it?

 

[TheFanatic]

Sigmund Bloom @SigmundBloom@evansilva runs like little back. doesnt wield power/size as weapon. speed not coming into play because he's not elusive.@evansilva its funny evan because i wrote this about Davis before the season and some of Hogs faithful practically sent me death threatsHere's my piece on combine stud Knile Davis from before the season: http://goo.gl/d9k0U - read the comments from Hog faithful for fun.

BTW, that link in that post goes to the BleacherReport. So when BleacherReport says something you don't like, it's not reputable and should not be included as evidence, but when it backs your stance, then by all means it should be posted.

In this case, the author is a known quantity, so it doesn't really matter that it's BR, does it?

Can't have it both ways. Oh, and ask the Arkansas fans who commented in the article about his quantity! That was hilarious. I noticed those guys had no comments after the 2012 campaign.

 

[ConnSKINS26]

Sigmund Bloom @SigmundBloom@evansilva runs like little back. doesnt wield power/size as weapon. speed not coming into play because he's not elusive.@evansilva its funny evan because i wrote this about Davis before the season and some of Hogs faithful practically sent me death threatsHere's my piece on combine stud Knile Davis from before the season: http://goo.gl/d9k0U - read the comments from Hog faithful for fun.

BTW, that link in that post goes to the BleacherReport. So when BleacherReport says something you don't like, it's not reputable and should not be included as evidence, but when it backs your stance, then by all means it should be posted.

In this case, the author is a known quantity, so it doesn't really matter that it's BR, does it?

Can't have it both ways. Oh, and ask the Arkansas fans who commented in the article about his quantity! That was hilarious. I noticed those guys had no comments after the 2012 campaign.

I'm not sure who you're talking about when you say "you can't have it both ways", I'm just saying that if the author is known it doesn't matter where the article is posted. If Greg Cosell started posting on Bleacher Report tomorrow, it wouldn't matter, because he would still be Greg Cosell. Its the fact that you or I can post an article on Bleacher Report that generally makes it an untrustworthy source. Unless you have a reference point for the author. Like many here do with Sigmund Bloom.So yeah, you can have it both ways.

 

[TheFanatic]

Sigmund Bloom @SigmundBloom@evansilva runs like little back. doesnt wield power/size as weapon. speed not coming into play because he's not elusive.@evansilva its funny evan because i wrote this about Davis before the season and some of Hogs faithful practically sent me death threatsHere's my piece on combine stud Knile Davis from before the season: http://goo.gl/d9k0U - read the comments from Hog faithful for fun.

BTW, that link in that post goes to the BleacherReport. So when BleacherReport says something you don't like, it's not reputable and should not be included as evidence, but when it backs your stance, then by all means it should be posted.

In this case, the author is a known quantity, so it doesn't really matter that it's BR, does it?

Can't have it both ways. Oh, and ask the Arkansas fans who commented in the article about his quantity! That was hilarious. I noticed those guys had no comments after the 2012 campaign.

I'm not sure who you're talking about when you say "you can't have it both ways", I'm just saying that if the author is known it doesn't matter where the article is posted. If Greg Cosell started posting on Bleacher Report tomorrow, it wouldn't matter, because he would still be Greg Cosell. Its the fact that you or I can post an article on Bleacher Report that generally makes it an untrustworthy source. Unless you have a reference point for the author. Like many here do with Sigmund Bloom.So yeah, you can have it both ways.

It screams double standard to me. And goes with the history of the poster...

 

[Dr. Octopus]

The comments following the article do not speakly kindly as to an Arkansas education.

 

[jonboltz]

Sigmund Bloom @SigmundBloom@evansilva runs like little back. doesnt wield power/size as weapon. speed not coming into play because he's not elusive.@evansilva its funny evan because i wrote this about Davis before the season and some of Hogs faithful practically sent me death threatsHere's my piece on combine stud Knile Davis from before the season: http://goo.gl/d9k0U - read the comments from Hog faithful for fun.

BTW, that link in that post goes to the BleacherReport. So when BleacherReport says something you don't like, it's not reputable and should not be included as evidence, but when it backs your stance, then by all means it should be posted.

I merely posted the follow-up to Silva's tweets, and copied/pasted Bloom's tweets from another site. I didn't, and still haven't, read whatever Bloom linked and if you have a problem with it you should probably take it up with him, not me.

 

[jonboltz]

Sigmund Bloom @SigmundBloom@evansilva runs like little back. doesnt wield power/size as weapon. speed not coming into play because he's not elusive.@evansilva its funny evan because i wrote this about Davis before the season and some of Hogs faithful practically sent me death threatsHere's my piece on combine stud Knile Davis from before the season: http://goo.gl/d9k0U - read the comments from Hog faithful for fun.

BTW, that link in that post goes to the BleacherReport. So when BleacherReport says something you don't like, it's not reputable and should not be included as evidence, but when it backs your stance, then by all means it should be posted.

In this case, the author is a known quantity, so it doesn't really matter that it's BR, does it?

Can't have it both ways. Oh, and ask the Arkansas fans who commented in the article about his quantity! That was hilarious. I noticed those guys had no comments after the 2012 campaign.

I'm not sure who you're talking about when you say "you can't have it both ways", I'm just saying that if the author is known it doesn't matter where the article is posted. If Greg Cosell started posting on Bleacher Report tomorrow, it wouldn't matter, because he would still be Greg Cosell. Its the fact that you or I can post an article on Bleacher Report that generally makes it an untrustworthy source. Unless you have a reference point for the author. Like many here do with Sigmund Bloom.So yeah, you can have it both ways.

It screams double standard to me. And goes with the history of the poster...

Whatever, guy. I reposted the follow-up to a tweet exchange in the appropriate thread. Get over it.

 

[jonboltz]

And I had to just go back and make sure Bleacher Report was what I thought it was -- from their wiki, it doesn't appear I'm alone in this regard:

Criticism

Early criticism of Bleacher Report stemmed from the network's initial commitment to an open-source publishing model. Such critiques cited the fact that all registered B/R users were permitted to publish articles on the site, arguing that so lax a policy…

Resulted in a glut of low-quality content, which made it difficult for the network's readers to find credible coverage of their favorite teams and sports[25]

Tarnished the reputation of every writer associated with the B/R brand, which made it difficult for the network's more talented contributors to build loyal audiences[26]

Empowered unqualified writers without editorial oversight, which compromised the prestige and credibility of the sportswriting profession[27]

Since abandoning the open-source model in 2010, B/R has been the subject of continued criticism for its exploitation of unpaid contributors, its blanket policy prohibiting writers from breaking their own news, and its high-volume production of low-quality, search-optimized slideshow content.[28][29] These critiques found their strongest voice to date in an October 2012 SF Weekly article, in which quotations from Washington Post and Bloomberg BuisnessWeek columnist Vikvek Wadhwa accused B/R of "dumbing down of the web" with "custom-manufactured garbage."[29] In December 2012, a lampoon article in The Onion played on the same themes.[30]

Response

Bleacher Report attempted to address the concerns of its early critics by making substantive reforms to its editorial and personnel policies in 2010 and 2011. These reforms were aimed chiefly at the mechanics of B/R's Writer Program, with an emphasis on enhancing quality and credibility by…

Initiating a formal application process for all prospective writers, wherein only the top 20 percent of candidates earn the right to publish on the site[31][32]

Introducing educational resources for new and veteran writers, including the "B/R U" new-media training program[33]

Establishing a paid team of Lead Writers to headline the network's sport-specific writer communities[34]

Although some detractors likened such changes to "to spritzing a little room deodorizer after leaving a steaming deposit in the toilet and failing to flush,"[29] Forbes.com cited B/R's internal restructuring when praising the company in August 2011.[22] Apart from a published rebuttal disputing the objectivity and accuracy of the October 2012 SF Weekly article,[35] B/R has not mounted a substantive response to ongoing criticism of its contributor compensation structure, news-breaking policy, or search-optimization strategies.

The SF Weekly article was certainly fun to read, and had such gems as:

Launched in 2008, Bleacher Report meteorically rose to become one of the nation's most popular websites, and one of the three most-visited sports sites. Its dramatic success came via valuing site growth and pageviews over any semblance of journalistic "quality" or even readability. Operating a sports website on a supply-and-demand model turns out just as one would expect: High-trafficking Bleacher Report articles include "25 Wardrobe Malfunctions in Sports," "The 20 Biggest Criers in Sports," and "10 Possible Tiger Woods Porn Spin-offs: Mistress Edition."

"A lot of what Bleacher Report has done has been lowest-common-denominator crap, and horrible," Kaufman admitted to the audience. His task was to alter this perception of the company.

(Posters note -- Kaufman is the guy they hired to improve the quality of bleacher reportMore from Kaufman:

"This was not a decision made by the CEO, who got tired of his friends saying at parties, 'Boy, Bleacher Report is terrible,'" Kaufman continued. "Bleacher Report reached a point where it couldn't make the next level of deal, where whatever company says 'We're not putting our logo next to yours because you're publishing crap.' Okay, that's the market speaking."

Not surprisingly, critics from traditional journalistic outlets continue to knock Bleacher Report as a dystopian wasteland where increasingly attention-challenged readers slog through troughs of half-cooked word-gruel, inexpertly mixed by novice chefs.

But while critics' lamentations may be increasingly irrelevant, they're hardly unfounded. Perhaps uniquely among journalistic entities, Bleacher Report has a "blanket policy" forbidding its writers from seeking out and breaking news. A dictum on the site states: "While we don't doubt that some B/R writers have contacts they know and trust, a problem arises when we're asked to take a leap of faith that those sources are both legitimate and accurate."

And I got tired of quoting from there...but regardless, I have no issue in standing by my statement that Bleacher Report is crap. If someone worth listening to writes something there, it will be because they are known and respected outside of that website.

 

[menobrown]

I wonder if Jerry Jones likes him? Seems like a move he would make to take Felix Jones spot

Why because they both went to Arkansas? Last year the Vikings drafted two Razorbacks. I think that's one more than Jerry has drafted the entire time he's owned the team. I think Felix is it, he's the only Razorback he's ever drafted.

So you're saying he likes Razorback RB's?

No I'm saying it's a myth that Jerry picks a lot of Razorbacks. Every year during this time you will see multiple writers try and connect the dots and assume Jerry is interested in a Razorback due to the Arkansas connection. It's a huge myth.

 

[TheFanatic]

I wonder if Jerry Jones likes him? Seems like a move he would make to take Felix Jones spot

Why because they both went to Arkansas? Last year the Vikings drafted two Razorbacks. I think that's one more than Jerry has drafted the entire time he's owned the team. I think Felix is it, he's the only Razorback he's ever drafted.

So you're saying he likes Razorback RB's?

No I'm saying it's a myth that Jerry picks a lot of Razorbacks. Every year during this time you will see multiple writers try and connect the dots and assume Jerry is interested in a Razorback due to the Arkansas connection. It's a huge myth.

It was a joke....

 

[TheFanatic]

And I got tired of quoting from there...but regardless, I have no issue in standing by my statement that Bleacher Report is crap. If someone worth listening to writes something there, it will be because they are known and respected outside of that website.

I don't care either way. You cited earlier that no reputable sources talked up Davis as 1st round material and chided the BR. We found sources that were credible according to your criteria and you changed your argument. Then you sited arguments backing up your point, conveniently forgetting to use the actual link because it had even less journalistic integrity than BR. You got called on it and chalked it up to a simple mistake. Whatever. Then you find another piece that backs up your viewpoint that happens to be in BR and post it and then say you never checked the link. Another simple mistake it seems.And moments after posting this:

Get over it.

You go out and scour the internet for things bashing the BR. Maybe you need to go ahead and take your own advice there.

 

[jonboltz]

And I got tired of quoting from there...but regardless, I have no issue in standing by my statement that Bleacher Report is crap. If someone worth listening to writes something there, it will be because they are known and respected outside of that website.

I don't care either way. You cited earlier that no reputable sources talked up Davis as 1st round material

No I didn't.

and chided the BR.

Deservedly so.

We found sources that were credible according to your criteria and you changed your argument.

You changed my argument.

Then you sited arguments backing up your point, conveniently forgetting to use the actual link because it had even less journalistic integrity than BR.

Because nobody knows how to look something up on Google? Rather than saying "he's had 5 surgeries in 3 years" I posted someone else saying it. It was one of countless places you can look at his injury history, but rather that discuss the obvious concerns you mis-direct to a different argument.

You got called on it and chalked it up to a simple mistake.

I never claimed it was a 'simple mistake' that I didn't quote the website. If you'll notice from my posts a few above, I also didn't quote Wikipedia, or the SF Weekly article. Anyone that wants them can find it easily.

Whatever. Then you find another piece that backs up your viewpoint that happens to be in BR and post it and then say you never checked the link. Another simple mistake it seems.

Someone else posted the twitter comments from Silva. Sigmund tweeted his responses to him, and all I did was copy/paste his tweets in the very next response. I didn't make any argument whatsoever.

 

[DansRams]

Mayock just said he thinks NFL teams now have K Davis in the 2nd or 3rd (with the injury risks, so they must think he is a major talent). Thats Mayock and NFL scouts opinions...reputable enough for some of you???

 

[cstu]

Mayock just said he thinks NFL teams now have K Davis in the 2nd or 3rd (with the injury risks, so they must think he is a major talent). Thats Mayock and NFL scouts opinions...reputable enough for some of you???

Mayock also had Polk at #93 last year. There's a lot of smoke being blown this time of year.

 

[Skeletore Eh]

My lord this thread is unreadable

 

[menobrown]

I wonder if Jerry Jones likes him? Seems like a move he would make to take Felix Jones spot

Why because they both went to Arkansas? Last year the Vikings drafted two Razorbacks. I think that's one more than Jerry has drafted the entire time he's owned the team. I think Felix is it, he's the only Razorback he's ever drafted.

So you're saying he likes Razorback RB's?

No I'm saying it's a myth that Jerry picks a lot of Razorbacks. Every year during this time you will see multiple writers try and connect the dots and assume Jerry is interested in a Razorback due to the Arkansas connection. It's a huge myth.

It was a joke....

I was afraid of that but around here you just never know.

 

[mental]

This is going to be fun to spectate. Seemingly every film watcher who I trust hates Knile Davis, but his combine numbers are off the charts, and he did this in 2010:

4	2010-09-25	Arkansas		Alabama	L	6	42	0	2	14	05	2010-10-09	Arkansas	@	Texas A&M	10	82	0	1	-4	06	2010-10-16	Arkansas	@	Auburn	L	14	91	0	3	22	07	2010-10-23	Arkansas		Mississippi	22	176	3	2	19	08	2010-10-30	Arkansas		Vanderbilt	19	82	2	3	42	09	2010-11-06	Arkansas	@	South Carolina	22	110	3	1	5	010	2010-11-13	Arkansas		Texas-El Paso	11	182	1	1	3	011	2010-11-20	Arkansas	@	Miss State	30	187	2	2	12	112	2010-11-27	Arkansas		Louisiana State	30	152	1	0	0	013	2011-01-04	Arkansas	N	Ohio State	26	139	0	3	8	0

IMO, this is a guy with significantly more upside than Brandon Jacobs or Ron Dayne, but with way more uncertainty. It's not impossible to make Terrell Davis comparisons out of college, except Knile's peak in college was a lot higher. Of course, Eric Shelton, Mario Fannin and many other scrap-heapers are also good comps.Obviously his situation will be a huge factor, but I can't see how he's any worse a risk than Bryce Brown or Alfred Morris were last year. Hopefully someone will make an effort to explain how he could have so little talent and put up the numbers he did; for now there's a lot I don't understand.

 

[Eminence]

Is it possible Davis is drafted high and begins to take the sport as a professional? If I were making $500,000 a year and knew if I played hard could acquire a multimillion dollar contract I'd jump on it.He's got a lot to work with. With proper coaching, could be an impact player. I'd like to see Shanahan (Redskins) get their hands on him. Alfred who?

 

[ConnSKINS26]

Is it possible Davis is drafted high and begins to take the sport as a professional? If I were making $500,000 a year and knew if I played hard could acquire a multimillion dollar contract I'd jump on it.He's got a lot to work with. With proper coaching, could be an impact player. I'd like to see Shanahan (Redskins) get their hands on him. Alfred who?

Everything Davis completely lacks as a player, Morris does very well. His vision, his wiggle, the way he finishes runs, his ability to absorb contact and avoid the big hit (and usually the fumble). Comparing them isn't really fair, if you actually care about the little things that make good RB's in the NFL what they are. Unless all you care about are size/straight-line speed combo. Because that's the only comparison that Knile Davis wins. And I was someone who really liked him as a sleeper pre-combine to the right team. That team just wouldn't be the Redskins.