Prymtyme's Post Draft RB Rankings (1 Viewer)

[prymetyme25]

Now that all my rookie drafts are done I can now reveal my rankings. FBG has many spies here and you have to be careful.

1.) Darren McFadden - Skinny legs and all. Who cares? The guy is a football player and a gamer. Just do the Math…… Darren McFadden + ZBS= Big production. If he has the vision to see the cut back lanes he is gonna be untouchable. Pre draft ranking (1)

2.) Jonathan Stewart – Big, fast and compact build on a tough running hard nose team. He couldn’t have asked for a better place to be. And considering the division that he would be running in puts him in a really good position to put up huge numbers if he is healthy. Pre draft ranking (2)

3.) Rashard Mendenhall – I really didn’t like too much about Mendenhall his sophomore year. I will admit he did look like a totally different back last year particularly in the bowl game. IMO for his style he went to the perfectly place. Pittsburgh is really only concerned that you run hard there and not overly concerned about YPC which I don’t think his will be great. But he will provide a lot of tough running and tough yards. Pre draft ranking (4)

4.) Felix Jones – Sure he’s not a starter but you gotta believe that he will have a great opportunity to put up some very respectable numbers in Big D. Felix should be able to find his way early and really make a lot of big plays. Not sure what his role will be but should get about 10-12 carries a game which has proven in the past to be enough for play making rbs to make a really FF impact. Pre draft ranking (3)

5.) Kevin Smith – IMO Smith has the easiest chance to start. Bell know the ZBS but he’s has his chance and has been less than stellar with it. I liked him from the first time I saw him against Texas. I was really surprised at how tough he was even though he doesn’t look it. He also seems to be mentally tough as he made a few bonehead plays but was able to put them behind him and make big play after big play. The knock on him is that he played in C-USA but I think UCF played a pretty good non-conference schedule. I think he’s legitimate but then again he is in Detroit. Pre draft ranking (7)

6.) Matt Forte – He has a D-Will feel about him. Although I personally saw D-Will demolish Tulsa(I was visiting family there) and I came away very impressed, I thought that was Tulsa and then I notice he did that to a lot of the teams in that conference. I went from being impressed to more like he was overrated. Forte does have a better size: speed ratio but Chicago is a mess right now. And for all the knocks that Cedric Benson gets he’s only had one year to prove what he can do and honestly that line was horrible and qb play was shotty at best. Forte did however shine in the senior bowl so who knows. I have mixed feeling about Forte. Pre draft ranking (8)

7.) Chris Johnson – I can only go on hype alone here as I haven’t seen much on him and what available is hard to really make out. But what’s not mistakable is his speed. His speed absolutely jumps off the screen. Some scouts are saying that he will have a Reggie Bush type of role in TENN which would put him up there as far as stats for rookie back go. This guy is the Boom or Bust pick in the draft. If he doesn’t stand out immediately I don’t think you will get much return on your investment and could end up with a box of rocks. Or you could end up with the next Westbrook. (9)

8.) Ray Rice – Situation puts him here and I think he’ll contribute as a 3rd down back but I don’t think he’s talented enough to ever beat out McGahee. Now Musa Smith did get a lot of important carries last year but that was with a different coaching staff. Now if Rice can be a efficient goal line back he could take that role from McGahee as he has not been very good at that since his rookie year. Pre draft ranking (5)

9.) Jamaal Charles – Honestly this might discredit me but I thought Charles had the highest ceiling of any running back in this draft. He has good size but could get bigger with his frame, Outstanding speed no secret there, and above average vision. I felt Charles has the highest ceiling because he is the only rbs on the board that has parts of his game that could really be enhanced. IE: inside running, pad level and vision. Since his freshman year Charles has put on about 15-20 lbs with little to no effect on his speed and I think he can add about 10 more and really be a beast. Other than C. Johnson, Charles is the most untouchable player in space in this draft not because of his moves but he is impossible to get the angles on and even if you do get an angle he bust them all. Charles also runs the same 4.3 in the 4th when everyone else slows down which makes him a great finisher of games and also a guy that will go and win you a couple of game late. (just look at the OSU game) Pre draft ranking (6)

10.) Steve Slaton – Didn’t like Slaton coming out of college but he does get a slight bump now that he is in Houston. Will he be a high volume back? Unlikely, but he can be a big play guy and earn about 8-10 carries a game. I think the Texans settled for Slaton, but had backs like Smith and Charles on their draft list. Slaton may surprise in Houston as know one thought Dominic Davis would ever get a shot to carry the load either. Pre draft ranking (10)

Guys to keep and eye on:

Mike Hart, Tashard Choice, Tim Hightower, Jalen Parmele.

Ryan Torian – I guess but only because he is in Denver I guess.

Feedback and Opinions are greatly appreciated

And thank for reading.

 

[Dirty Weasel]

Very nice write-ups. I also like Jamaal Charles. A nice guy to stash on the bench in hopes that the KC OL improves in the next few seasons.

 

[Blackjacks]

Nice write up. I think I like K. Smith alittle more than you. I think he will be the starter day one and for the next three years I think he will be the 1 or 2 rb out of this class.

 

[prymetyme25]

Nice write up. I think I like K. Smith alittle more than you. I think he will be the starter day one and for the next three years I think he will be the 1 or 2 rb out of this class.

I like Smith alot but I am concerned about his tread. He's carried the ball alot in college.

 

[Michael Fox Fan]

Nice write up. I think I like K. Smith alittle more than you. I think he will be the starter day one and for the next three years I think he will be the 1 or 2 rb out of this class.

I like Smith alot but I am concerned about his tread. He's carried the ball alot in college.

Do you have any evidence that a high college workload is a negative?

 

[gianmarco]

Nice write up. I think I like K. Smith alittle more than you. I think he will be the starter day one and for the next three years I think he will be the 1 or 2 rb out of this class.

I like Smith alot but I am concerned about his tread. He's carried the ball alot in college.

Do you have any evidence that a high college workload is a negative?

Exactly. If a RB doesn't carry enough, "he's never carried the full load and don't know if he can do it in the NFL". If he's carried too much, "he already has had a heavy workload and is going to break down". These are 2 myths that just need to be debunked if they haven't been already.

 

[One]

Nice write up. I think I like K. Smith alittle more than you. I think he will be the starter day one and for the next three years I think he will be the 1 or 2 rb out of this class.

I like Smith alot but I am concerned about his tread. He's carried the ball alot in college.

Do you have any evidence that a high college workload is a negative?

Exactly. If a RB doesn't carry enough, "he's never carried the full load and don't know if he can do it in the NFL". If he's carried too much, "he already has had a heavy workload and is going to break down". These are 2 myths that just need to be debunked if they haven't been already.

True.You can spin negatives out of any runners in the draft. This season McFadden's taken the brunt of it.Nice rankings Pryme.

 

[prymetyme25]

Nice write up. I think I like K. Smith alittle more than you. I think he will be the starter day one and for the next three years I think he will be the 1 or 2 rb out of this class.

I like Smith alot but I am concerned about his tread. He's carried the ball alot in college.

Do you have any evidence that a high college workload is a negative?

Exactly. If a RB doesn't carry enough, "he's never carried the full load and don't know if he can do it in the NFL". If he's carried too much, "he already has had a heavy workload and is going to break down". These are 2 myths that just need to be debunked if they haven't been already.

True.You can spin negatives out of any runners in the draft. This season McFadden's taken the brunt of it.Nice rankings Pryme.

Thanks One and to the comment about Smith and his workload. I wasn't trying to knock him but if i'm not mistaken he's been the bell cow there since he got there and lets face it, Its UCF not the U so he doesn't have the bigtime horses in front of him and basically gets no easy carries. That's my concern he's really had to work hard to put up the type of numbers that he did. Really my biggest concern is him being in Detriot at a time where they are clearly in the mist of tearing down what they have. Honestly I dont believe in the number of carries but the type of carries a runner get. But hey that just a small concern on my part and it had nothing to do with his ranking.

 

[Bri]

7.) Chris Johnson – I can only go on hype alone here as I haven’t seen much on him and what available is hard to really make out. But what’s not mistakable is his speed. His speed absolutely jumps off the screen. Some scouts are saying that he will have a Reggie Bush type of role in TENN which would put him up there as far as stats for rookie back go. This guy is the Boom or Bust pick in the draft. If he doesn’t stand out immediately I don’t think you will get much return on your investment and could end up with a box of rocks. Or you could end up with the next Westbrook. (9)

In spring activites(grain of salt) he has stood out. Now what?he's got me thinking more than any RB drafted I guess

 

[IndyHavoc]

If you can sit and expect to get very little for 2 seasons, I've got Jamaal Charles rated at #4. So, imo, you're not crazy at all. Honestly, I think he looks the part of RB better than any player in this class: including the top 3. His measurables are outstanding, and really my only reservation of all-out man-crushdom is his BMI. He's done great developing his body to handle poundings, but is still a bit away from where he needs to be.

His ability to move in space, "get small", and always manage to wiggle a bit so that contact is always glancing instead of head-on is unmachted in this class. He does a good (not great) job of recognizing where hits are coming from and protecting the ball. He gets better pad level than anyone in this class, save for Mike Hart, imo. Anyway, we'll see what comes of him, but watching him play against tier1 competition for the last 2-3 seasons, I've been nothing short of impressed every time.

It kills me watching the top 3 on tape and seeing them just break through huge holes (the designed hole/gap I might add) or break an inside run to the outside time after time. Charles, above all others, seems to always had to improvise or make the first guy miss on the majority of his carries. But what impresses me most is waching him - at his size - constantly shed arms and legs as he goes trough traffic. And then FINISH runs. He's no Marion the Barbarian (punisher), but he always seems to be falling forward. Even when he's getting tackled by guys now performing in the NFL.

OK, yep, I'm officially in mancrush mode

 

[prymetyme25]

If you can sit and expect to get very little for 2 seasons, I've got Jamaal Charles rated at #4. So, imo, you're not crazy at all. Honestly, I think he looks the part of RB better than any player in this class: including the top 3. His measurables are outstanding, and really my only reservation of all-out man-crushdom is his BMI. He's done great developing his body to handle poundings, but is still a bit away from where he needs to be.His ability to move in space, "get small", and always manage to wiggle a bit so that contact is always glancing instead of head-on is unmachted in this class. He does a good (not great) job of recognizing where hits are coming from and protecting the ball. He gets better pad level than anyone in this class, save for Mike Hart, imo. Anyway, we'll see what comes of him, but watching him play against tier1 competition for the last 2-3 seasons, I've been nothing short of impressed every time.It kills me watching the top 3 on tape and seeing them just break through huge holes (the designed hole/gap I might add) or break an inside run to the outside time after time. Charles, above all others, seems to always had to improvise or make the first guy miss on the majority of his carries. But what impresses me most is waching him - at his size - constantly shed arms and legs as he goes trough traffic. And then FINISH runs. He's no Marion the Barbarian (punisher), but he always seems to be falling forward. Even when he's getting tackled by guys now performing in the NFL.OK, yep, I'm officially in mancrush mode

I totally agree with you. I just didn't wanna go there as to not sound like a homer.Interesting note on Charles. A few years ago my daughter made it to the AAU Junior Olympics and he was there, I believe he was a freshman then. He was warming up and he ran the 40 for some people out there. He was clocked at a 4.13 (HT) even with human error thats flying. Then he proceeded to run the 100m and nailed a 10.2 (official time). He was also about 15-25 pounds lighter then though and had a really thin frame. To say thats he puts on so much more weight and still runs a 4.3 in amazing.

 

[IndyHavoc]

Yep, and I'm anything but a homer. Only times I got to really sit and watch his games were the big nationally televised games. Maybe I'm missing something and he just really stepped up on that level...but the guy passes the "eyeball" test in everything you could ask except for lower body mass. I'm kind of a hypocrite, in that I really criticize DMac for those same reasons. The big reason is what I posted above. Charles just runs like a RB should; getting small through holes, planting HARD and going upfield, dragging defenders (again, the wiggle to take a glancing blow and still carry momentum forward). These things I just don't know if you teach at the NFL level. Either you get it, or you don't, imo.

 

[Ned]

so by having the guy with the highest ceiling at #9 he must have a pretty low floor also, no?

 

[IndyHavoc]

/shrug. I've got Charles in the 4-6 range (depending on how pressing the need is to see some amount of production). His floor is that of any of the rookie RB's. Complete zero. If he blows out a knee horrendously. If KC rides Larry Johnson into the ground in the next 2 years then drafts RB1 in 2010. You can't predict the future with any certainty, you don't need me to tell you that .

I can't imagine him not working at building his lower body bulk. I can imagine that just not taking and him never being able to be a "truckload" running back that some teams are geared around. What I can't imagine is him not getting a shot at 10 carries a game and taking advantage of the opportunity. When will it come? Who knows.

 

[ILoveMyLions]

Nice write up. I think I like K. Smith alittle more than you. I think he will be the starter day one and for the next three years I think he will be the 1 or 2 rb out of this class.

I like Smith alot but I am concerned about his tread. He's carried the ball alot in college.

Really? I understand last year he had 450 carries but never had over 250 his freshman or sophmore year. 450 is a huge number, but it was just one year that he did that. I think had he gone back for his Senior year and had another 400 carry year, I would agree. He was wise to come out a year early.

 

[prymetyme25]

Nice write up. I think I like K. Smith alittle more than you. I think he will be the starter day one and for the next three years I think he will be the 1 or 2 rb out of this class.

I like Smith alot but I am concerned about his tread. He's carried the ball alot in college.

Really? I understand last year he had 450 carries but never had over 250 his freshman or sophmore year. 450 is a huge number, but it was just one year that he did that. I think had he gone back for his Senior year and had another 400 carry year, I would agree. He was wise to come out a year early.

this is true.