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Lets Talk 2nd tier Rookie RB's (1 Viewer)

B

benson_will_lead_the_way

Footballguy
Everybody knows AD and Lynch are 1.1 and 1.3. But after those two, the running backs are almost a wash and come down to personal preference. I think we should discuss them and get to know more about them to break them apart from one another.

Here they are in no particular order:

Antonio Pittman 5-11 195 4.42

Michael Bush 6-2 248

Lorenzo Booker 5-10 188 4.45

Kenny Irons 5-10 198 4.47

Tony Hunt 6-1 239

Chris Henry 6-0 228 4.33

 
alright...i see this is going well :bag:

I just thought that member that were fans of Ohio State....could break down Pittman's game or someone that has really keyed in one this 2nd tier of RB's

 
I really like all these guys a little bit, so it will come down to the situation that they are drafted into before I can make a call.

 
I think everyone is interested, but just want more info to give a good opinion.

I really like Booker. I thought he'd run faster at the combine, but it's not a big deal. He didn't hurt himself by running what he did. People want to remark about how he is too thin, but that doesn't bother me. He's what 22? He can put on 15 lean pounds pretty easily. He weighed 175 coming out of high school, so getting up to 200 pounds doesn't see hard to me. He's got great moves, with the strength of a linebacker. I don't know exactly how strong his core is, and I know a shorter guy with shorter arms is more capable of doing more bench presses, but it was still impressive.

 
I agree that the fate of this group depends alot on where they'll be drafted. But Tony Hunt is a top that list for me right now.

 
Michael Bush and Irons will start at some point or at the very least be the larger half of a RBBC tandem

Edit: could probably add hunt to that too, I know less of him though. Everything I have seen is good though

 
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I can comment on Antonio Pittman as I watched him all season long and have been keeping an eye on him at the combine since I have the 1.4 pick this year. He ran the fastest 40 time (tied with Henry and Peterson). But he ran faster than Peterson in all the other drills (cones, etc). Peterson outperformed him in vertical and broad jump. Pittman added 10 lbs prior to the combine (just under 210# now) and it hasn't slowed him down one bit. He benched 225 lbs about 16 times (can't recall exact number off the top of my head), but he has strength. He is an explosive runner. He doesn't quit on runs. He is under the radar since OSU was known more for Troy Smith and Ginn/Gonzalez. Plus they were breaking in Chris Wells who was the #1 ranked RB coming out of highschool the year prior. I think if Pittman remained with OSU next season he would of been a Heisman candidate. I'm hoping he lands in a good situation in the draft; if given the opportunity his game should translate well to the NFL. I won't hesitate to take him at 1.4 if he is drafted to the right team.

 
My idea was just to break each guys down like

Michael Bush...6-1 248

He is coming off of a devastating broken leg in the first week of this past football season. He had much promise before that incident. He is a former high school QB and Mr. Kentucky for football. So he is just learning the position. He needs to use his mass and turn it into more power. His speed is still a questionmark because he hasn't run yet since the injury.

Then include stats etc.

 
I'm going to be doing some breakdown of the 8 second and third tier RBs for NFLDraftGuys over the next couple of weeks.

 
John Powderley (aka ConstruxBoy) is going to be breaking down tape on some of the 2nd tier RBs over at NFLDraftguys. Stay tuned!

 
Brandon Jackson should be in this group as well. He didn't run particularly well in Indy, but has routinely posted sub 4.5 times during conditioning drills.

Virtually no one gave him a chance to be a significant contributor last season, as he started the season coming back from a shoulder injury and #4 on the RB depth chart. He saw limited action in the first 5 games of the season but still finished the season with over 1,300 combined yards from scrimmage, averaging 136 per game in weeks 6-12.

He took over as the starter partially due to injury concerns with Marlon Lucky and Cody Glenn, but he kept the job because he proved to be a much tougher runner than Lucky and was the best pass blocker (by far) of all the backs.

Basically what you get with Jackson is a back with ideal size (5'11, 210-215), who has above-average to good speed, good balance, good change of direction, good power for his size, good hands, good vision and feel for cut-back lanes. He doesn't have any one skill that jumps out at you, but he also doesn't have any glaring weaknesses.

I think he'll be most effective in a zone blocking system that would compliment his cut-back style and vision.

 
Arsenal of Doom said:
Brandon Jackson should be in this group as well. He didn't run particularly well in Indy, but has routinely posted sub 4.5 times during conditioning drills. Virtually no one gave him a chance to be a significant contributor last season, as he started the season coming back from a shoulder injury and #4 on the RB depth chart. He saw limited action in the first 5 games of the season but still finished the season with over 1,300 combined yards from scrimmage, averaging 136 per game in weeks 6-12. He took over as the starter partially due to injury concerns with Marlon Lucky and Cody Glenn, but he kept the job because he proved to be a much tougher runner than Lucky and was the best pass blocker (by far) of all the backs. Basically what you get with Jackson is a back with ideal size (5'11, 210-215), who has above-average to good speed, good balance, good change of direction, good power for his size, good hands, good vision and feel for cut-back lanes. He doesn't have any one skill that jumps out at you, but he also doesn't have any glaring weaknesses. I think he'll be most effective in a zone blocking system that would compliment his cut-back style and vision.
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What's your feeling on his history of shoulder issues? Im somewhat troubled by a torn labrum in BOTH shoulders before he was even a feature back. How long before those shoulders turn into spaghetti?I do still like Jackson's burst and toughness and think he will have at least modest success as long as he's healthy.
 
Sigmund Bloom said:
Arsenal of Doom said:
Brandon Jackson should be in this group as well. He didn't run particularly well in Indy, but has routinely posted sub 4.5 times during conditioning drills. Virtually no one gave him a chance to be a significant contributor last season, as he started the season coming back from a shoulder injury and #4 on the RB depth chart. He saw limited action in the first 5 games of the season but still finished the season with over 1,300 combined yards from scrimmage, averaging 136 per game in weeks 6-12. He took over as the starter partially due to injury concerns with Marlon Lucky and Cody Glenn, but he kept the job because he proved to be a much tougher runner than Lucky and was the best pass blocker (by far) of all the backs. Basically what you get with Jackson is a back with ideal size (5'11, 210-215), who has above-average to good speed, good balance, good change of direction, good power for his size, good hands, good vision and feel for cut-back lanes. He doesn't have any one skill that jumps out at you, but he also doesn't have any glaring weaknesses. I think he'll be most effective in a zone blocking system that would compliment his cut-back style and vision.
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What's your feeling on his history of shoulder issues? Im somewhat troubled by a torn labrum in BOTH shoulders before he was even a feature back. How long before those shoulders turn into spaghetti?I do still like Jackson's burst and toughness and think he will have at least modest success as long as he's healthy.
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I'd like to hear a qualified opinion on that. All I can speak to is the fact that he hasn't had any issues with them since the latest surgery. Some shoulder injuries actually lead to the shoulder being stronger and more stable after the operation than they were pre-injury. The other issue around the injuries is that we really just haven't seen very much of Jackson. Half a season as a starter doesn't give you a complete picture of his potential. That's why many of us were surprised that he would even consider leaving after last year. However, the young man's family has considerable financial need and he was advised that he was a potential 3rd round pick.
 
Shoulder injuries are rarely deal breakers for RBs...see Frank Gore.

I've been pimping Jackson, but was a little disappointed with his combine. I'd still take him over almost everyone on that list in terms of long term potential.

 
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LHUCKS said:
Shoulder injuries are rarely deal breakers for RBs...see Frank Gore.I've been pimping Jackson, but was a little disappointed with his combine. I'd still take him over almost everyone on that list in terms of long term potential.
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I was surprised he didn't run a little better. He's been electronically timed in the 4.4-4.45 range so I expected something closer to 4.45 or 4.5. We'll see what he does at his pro-day. His vertical and 3 cone were solid, if not spectacular.
 
Arsenal of Doom said:
LHUCKS said:
Shoulder injuries are rarely deal breakers for RBs...see Frank Gore.I've been pimping Jackson, but was a little disappointed with his combine. I'd still take him over almost everyone on that list in terms of long term potential.
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I was surprised he didn't run a little better. He's been electronically timed in the 4.4-4.45 range so I expected something closer to 4.45 or 4.5. We'll see what he does at his pro-day. His vertical and 3 cone were solid, if not spectacular.
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Good point, keep me updated on that please via PM. TIA.I think he reminds of Travis Henry.
 
nortobc said:
phthalatemagic said:
fruity pebbles said:
I like Kenny Irons. Just wish he were a little bulkier.
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That's one guy I don't trust. I think he runs soft and seemed to always be dealing with some sort of injury.
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:rolleyes: Kenny Irons runs very hard. The problem last season was that he played hurt most of the season.
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I don't know what to say. I only remember seeing him in 2006. He seemed to not run hard. Was it a by-product of him injuries? Am I just flat out wrong? I don't know. I'm wrong a lot though, so it's cool.
 
A few statistics here

Kenny Irons

05' 256 for 1293 13 TD's

06' 198 for 893 4 TD's

Antonio Pittman

05' 243 for 1331 7 TD's

06' 242 for 1233 14 TD's

Michael Bush

05 205 for 1134 23 TD's

06 17 for 128 3 TD's

Chris Henry

Virtually no positive stats other than one or two games last year.

 
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Arsenal of Doom said:
LHUCKS said:
Shoulder injuries are rarely deal breakers for RBs...see Frank Gore.I've been pimping Jackson, but was a little disappointed with his combine. I'd still take him over almost everyone on that list in terms of long term potential.
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I was surprised he didn't run a little better. He's been electronically timed in the 4.4-4.45 range so I expected something closer to 4.45 or 4.5. We'll see what he does at his pro-day. His vertical and 3 cone were solid, if not spectacular.
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Nebraska held their pro-day today. Jackson was reportedly timed at 4.38 and 4.41. Nebraska has a fast track, so these are a bit on the low side of what he shows on the field.
 
I'm a fairly big believer in using computer numbers to help separate players in my rankings. Here are some pertinent combine results for these guys:

Booker

VJ - 35.5"

BJ - 10'1"

40 - 4.50

3CN (three cone drill for agility/quickness) - N/A

Shuttle - N/A

Henry

VJ - 36"

BJ - 10'7"

40 - 4.41

3CN - 6.96

Shuttle - 4.14

Irons

VJ - 38"

BJ - 10'2"

40 - 4.54

3CN - 7.00

Shuttle - 4.17

Jackson

VJ - 37"

BJ - 10'2"

40 - 4.55

3CN - 7.00

Shuttle - 4.14

Leonard

VJ - 34.5"

BJ - 10'2"

40 - 4.56

3CN - 6.88

Shuttle - 4.25

Lynch

VJ - 35.5"

BJ - 10'5"

40 - 4.52

3CN - 7.05

Shuttle - 4.55

Peterson

VJ - 38.5"

BJ - 10'7"

40 - 4.41

3CN - 7.09

Shuttle - 4.40

Pittman

VJ - 35.5"

BJ - 10'3"

40 - 4.44

3CN - 6.84

Shuttle - 4.16

Walker

VJ - 40.5"

BJ - 10'3"

40 - 4.61

3CN - 7.18

Shuttle - 4.39

Thoughts:

- Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by the performance of this group. Pittman, Irons, Booker, Leonard, and Jackson performed well enough to cause optimism. None of them hit the combine out of the park, but they can be proud of their efforts.

- Lynch's numbers don't stand out from this group. Although he's a solid prospect, I think part of the reason he's ranked as the consensus #2 back is because none of the other first day candidates really have the ideal RB build. He doesn't seem any more athletic than the likes of Irons or Pittman. He's just a bit heavier. He could be a little bit overrated right now by the FF community. Pittman is closing in on him.

- Peterson's numbers are pretty good across the board, but the 7.09 three cone time is merely mediocre and the 4.40 shuttle time is disappointing. When combined, these numbers offer some support to my observation that he lacks ideal lateral quickness. He's still a great prospect, but he's not flawless.

- IMO, Pittman and Irons are the Julius Jones and Tatum Bell of this class. After solid combines, I look for both guys to move into the top 75 picks. Pittman should go off the board somewhere between 35-60. Irons could go from 35-75. Neither looks like a can't miss player, but they could both start if given an opportunity.

- Booker's workout was okay, but kind of disappointing given his less than ideal frame. I think his versatility will appeal to NFL teams, but he could easily slip into the 4th round ala Mewelde Moore.

- Brandon Jackson quietly had a pretty solid combine. I'm still not sure if he's NFL starter material, but I think he can have a career in the league. I think he compares somewhat to Michael Pittman.

- Chris Henry's workout was really a shocker given his quiet college career. I don't quite know what to make of it, because he probably has the best numbers across the board. I guess numbers aren't everything. Maybe he's the anti-Frank Gore (who bombed in workouts).

- By and large, the obscure and unheralded prospects had poor combines. Only Thomas Clayton and Chris Henry really put themselves in the FF picture.

I suspect the draft will go something like this:

1st - Peterson

1st - Lynch

2nd - Pittman

2nd - Irons

2nd - Leonard

3rd- Jackson

3rd - Bush

3rd - Booker

4th - Hunt

4th - Henry

5th - Walker

5th - Clayton

6th - R. Taylor

6th+ - Who really cares?

Hunt or Bush could rise or fall based on workouts. Hunt doesn't strike me as a great athlete and appears to project more as a backup, making him a pretty good candidate to slip into the 4th round. Leonard could go as high as round two, but could also slip because he doesn't project as a pure RB. The team that drafts him will likely devise a unique role for him.

Thomas Clayton deserves mention for posting a 36.5" VJ and 10'1" BJ at 5'10" and 218 pounds. Those are pretty solid numbers across the board. Look for him to go somewhere in rounds 4-6. He's a sleeper worth tracking.

 
Thats some great work.

What is the latest on Bush's leg and when is Louisville's Pro Day?

Does this RB draft class drop now b/c not many teams have a hole at RB.....only GB, NYG, Bills. But that is with Droughns, Chris Brown, and Dominac Rhodes still out there.

 
benson_will_lead_the_way said:
Thats some great work.

What is the latest on Bush's leg and when is Louisville's Pro Day?

Does this RB draft class drop now b/c not many teams have a hole at RB.....only GB, NYG, Bills. But that is with Droughns, Chris Brown, and Dominac Rhodes still out there.
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Read where Bush just had surgery and Rhodes signed with OAK, right?As to teams that don't have holes: take a look at Marion Barber IIIand his draft status @ DAL. When MBII's drafted, he's an after thought to JJ. In other words, DAL has "no holes" and Barber is relagated to throw away status untill that all goes out the door and changes in coaches and changes in evalauations open up the door for MBIII to be at least equal, if not exceeding JJ in value for us FFB'ers.

No such thing as "no holes' with change and injury and new staffs coming and going and with FA acquisitions rolling every year. Just ask Reuben Droughns about "no holes" and he'll tell you there's only opportunity out there.

 
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From Rotoworld today:

(Rotoworld) Penn State RB Tony Hunt ran 4.68 and 4.71 forties at his Pro Day.Impact: Hunt's short shuttle time (4.72) was also poor and he displayed weak athleticism with a 31.5-inch vertical. He hurt himself on his home turf.

 
roarlions said:
From Rotoworld today:(Rotoworld) Penn State RB Tony Hunt ran 4.68 and 4.71 forties at his Pro Day.Impact: Hunt's short shuttle time (4.72) was also poor and he displayed weak athleticism with a 31.5-inch vertical. He hurt himself on his home turf.
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Sorry to see this posted here. Part of drafting is knowing who not to draft. Hunt has always been on the list for me. Now more people will know not to draft him. Dang.
 
dapace2 said:
roarlions said:
From Rotoworld today:(Rotoworld) Penn State RB Tony Hunt ran 4.68 and 4.71 forties at his Pro Day.Impact: Hunt's short shuttle time (4.72) was also poor and he displayed weak athleticism with a 31.5-inch vertical. He hurt himself on his home turf.
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Sorry to see this posted here. Part of drafting is knowing who not to draft. Hunt has always been on the list for me. Now more people will know not to draft him. Dang.
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Yeah. I think he has bust written all over him. He is too much of a straight-line runner. I don't think he can catch well.I would add Irons to the bust list as well. I watched him in his bowl game and was thoroughly surprised how poorly he did. Little burst and little cutback. He couldn't move the pile at all. I agree with what was said about Lynch earlier. He's in the #2 spot more out of a lack of other studs than his own laurels. I think he's solid, but not spectacular. The draft will definitely determine who has the best value for guys drafting in the 1.4-1.7 area. Someone will draft these guys into some nice situations and we'll all start giving them more value.
 
roarlions said:
From Rotoworld today:(Rotoworld) Penn State RB Tony Hunt ran 4.68 and 4.71 forties at his Pro Day.Impact: Hunt's short shuttle time (4.72) was also poor and he displayed weak athleticism with a 31.5-inch vertical. He hurt himself on his home turf.
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Brutal. :hot:
 
I agree.

This may be the year where we start with two RBs in top three and then see 2 QBs and 4 WRs drafted before RB#3.

 
dapace2 said:
roarlions said:
From Rotoworld today:(Rotoworld) Penn State RB Tony Hunt ran 4.68 and 4.71 forties at his Pro Day.Impact: Hunt's short shuttle time (4.72) was also poor and he displayed weak athleticism with a 31.5-inch vertical. He hurt himself on his home turf.
Click to expand...
Sorry to see this posted here. Part of drafting is knowing who not to draft. Hunt has always been on the list for me. Now more people will know not to draft him. Dang.
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By the way, Ginn is my WR not to draft. Did I say WR? I meant kick returner.
 
I was a big Tony Hunt fan, but his display of athleticism, or lack thereof, was brutal. You can't let test numbers take away from what a guy has shown on the field, but the range he is in makes it questionable how he can even keep up at the next level.

After his leg wasn't healing right with the original rod, Mike Bush had a second rod put in this week and can't run for at least two months. His stock joins Hunt in a free fall. A real shame, b/c a break is normally a pretty straightforward injury you can be comfortable will heal well, but now it's become a big concern.

In no particular order, I see Irons, Pittman, Leonard, and Booker locked in the second tier, with Brandon Jackson probablyh right there too and DeShawn Wynn knocking on the door.

For rookie drafts, I can see a WR run b/c of all those expected to go in the first, but I don't think either QB is enough of lock for there not to be a RB in that second tier who ends up in a good enough situation (a la Tatum Bell or Joe Addai) that two QBs go before RB3.

 
I'm sitting on 1.4 and as of right now will take Meachem. I can't get excited about any of the 2nd tier RBs at this point.

 
im curioius why kenneth darby is not on the list of 2nd tier rb . i dont watch college ball, just pro . i picked up the sporting news rookie draft mag the other day and they have darby at #6 . i also noticed darby is the "ideal size and weight" ( 5.10-5.11 and 210-220 ) . any opinions and info on darby appreciated .

 
Well....Tony Hunt will fall with his Combine and Pro Day workouts

Michael Bush needs more surgery on his broken leg.

So how is this 2nd tier class shaping up now?

Is it headed by Booker and Irons?

 
benson_will_lead_the_way said:
Well....Tony Hunt will fall with his Combine and Pro Day workoutsMichael Bush needs more surgery on his broken leg.So how is this 2nd tier class shaping up now?Is it headed by Booker and Irons?
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I have Irons ranked as the solid RB3, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Pittman drafted higher. Leonard and Booker should be first day picks. Chris Henry is the wild card. I suspect he'll go in rounds 2-4. I've heard he's contending for the RB3 spot, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him drop a bit below that when all is said and done. Brandon Jackson will likely go in rounds 3-4.
 
zanti8 said:
im curioius why kenneth darby is not on the list of 2nd tier rb . i dont watch college ball, just pro . i picked up the sporting news rookie draft mag the other day and they have darby at #6 . i also noticed darby is the "ideal size and weight" ( 5.10-5.11 and 210-220 ) . any opinions and info on darby appreciated .
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Bad senior year. Bombed at the Senior Bowl. Bombed at the combine. Nothing to see here.
 
So is this the year to take the 5 and 14 picks and package whatever you can with them to move into the top 3?? Or are you better off with those picks because everything after the top 3 is a crap shoot anyway, and 2 or 3 are bound to hit, and just hope you get one of those 2 or 3?? :confused:

 
FunkyPlutos said:
So is this the year to take the 5 and 14 picks and package whatever you can with them to move into the top 3?? Or are you better off with those picks because everything after the top 3 is a crap shoot anyway, and 2 or 3 are bound to hit, and just hope you get one of those 2 or 3?? ;)
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If you need a RB, this is a bad crop, but QB looks pretty stocked and this is the best WR group since the Fitzgerald/Williams/Williams/Evans/Clayton class.
 
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