Owners who rode the Chris Johnson Wagon (1 Viewer)

[GManiac]

Just wondering. I didn't see Chris Johnson being as good as he did turn out to be. Those who were on the bandwagon before he showed anything in the PRO's I am interested in your perspective as far as the current crop of Runningbacks. If you saw something in Chris Johnson, and were able to look past his height/weight issues and concerns about being a featured back, you might have good insight in to other players. So just wondering, how do players like Best, Spiller, Mathews, Moreno etc.... compare to CJ and do you see similar, or at least for their particular styles of running, positive traits in any other young backs around the league who havn't proven themselves?

I think Best personally comes the closest to having that type of upside. I don't see the same in Spiller even though his measurables are equivelent. AP was obvious to most everyone. As was McFadden, to a lesser degree. I always liked McCoy, and he's turning out to be a top quality RB. I never got the Green, Beanie Wells and Moreno hype, and yet I loved Marshawn Lynch. So, it's hard to be sure about a player, but I'm not sure of what exactly to look for. Does anyone?

 

[VaTerp]

Disclaimer that I would not profess to be anything close to an expert talent evaluator by any means. I don't devote the necessary time to breaking down game tape or do the other things that would require. Like many people here, I do consider myself someone who has above abverage observation skills when it comes to sports and making educated guesses about future performance and believe that to be the key reason I've been very successful at FF over the years.

I didnt post here at the time but on another site I'll stake claim to starting the official Chris Johnson bandwagon in the spring/summer of 2008. What I saw in Johnson were almost all of the attributes I think are important for a RB AND a guy with world class speed who often played as fast as he timed. The main attributes I think a RB needs to be successful at the NFL level are:

Vision-

Patience- Being slow to the hole, knowing how to set up blocks

Balance- In terms of breaking tackles and getting yards after contact, balance is much more important IMO than what people usually think of when they say power. Lower body stregnth and leg drive are important as well.

Explosiveness- Can you put your foot in the ground and get to top speed in relatively few steps

Durability- Often times this is hit or miss IMO. Some guys get over durability issues they had early in their careers while others suddenly become a lot less durable once playing at a higher level.

Those are the basic things I look for when evalutating RBs. As for the young RBs you referenced, without going into detail, I like Spiller and Best in that order. McCoy has realy impressed me with his improvement from last year as well. Have not seen enough of Mathews but think he will wind up being very good. Beanie looks the part but something about him concerns me. I have never been a fan of Moreno as everything about him looks avg to me. And IMO none of these guys, including Best and Spiller, just jump out to me like Johnson did when I saw his cut-ups. Style wise the closest comparison to Johnson is Jamaal Charles IMO.

I'll add that I am a big fan of Matt Waldman and his Rookie Scouting Portfolio. He does a great job of not only evaluating players but also breaking down his process to help others make their own evaluations.