Scouting the Future - Roy Helu Jr, RB Nebraska (1 Viewer)

[mcintyre1]

EDIT: Changing the thread subtitle somehow borked up my original post, and I'm too lazy to go through and reformat everything. Sorry about the ugliness.

<b><!--sizeo:6--><span style="font-size:24pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo-->Roy Helu Jr, RB Nebraska<!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec--></b>

<b>6' 225lbs, Junior (#10)

2008 Stats: 125 Carries 803 yards 7 TDs</b>

<!--sizeo:5--><span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo--><b>RUNNING THE FOOTBALL</b><!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec-->

<b>Game stats: 16 Carries, 155 yards, 3TDs</b>

<b>Carry 1: 3 yard gain</b>

Formation - Single back, 2 TE

Handoff up the middle...LB penetration...Helu met a yard past the line of scrimmage and gets 2 more on extra

effort.

<b>Carry 2: 4 yard gain</b>

Formation - Single back, 2 TE

Stretch Handoff towards the short side of the field...no room outside, cuts inside and finds a gap amid a pack of

players...LB gets a hand on him after 2 yards and Helu drags him for 3 more while taking a shot from a Safety

closing in.

<b>Carry 3: 8 yard gain</b>

Formation - Shotgun, 2RB, 3 Wide

Helu lined up on weak side...Zone-read...QB Lee handoff...LB on his heels as he takes the ball...heads down the

line and turns the corner...finds a small gap, breaks tackle from CB...dragged down by FS and persuing LB- First

down.

<b>Carry 4: 3 yard gain</b>

Shotgun, 1RB, 2Wide, 2TE

Zone-read...QB Handoff...met at LOS by filling LB...bounces off of the tackle and spins for a gain of 3.

<b>Carry 5: 4 yard gain</b>

Shotgun, 1RB, 2Wide, 2TE

Zone-read...QB Handoff...designed cut-back play, starts right bounces left...finds hole off LT that is quickly

filled by FS...Helu throws a stiff-arm and bounces outside, but is dragged down by his feet.

<b>Carry 6: 12 yard gain</b>

Singleback, 3TE bunch to the left

3rd and 1...Pitch to Helu going left...shows excellent vision cutting back inside...shows patience for his pulling

C to get out front and seal the LB...squirts through small hole between TE sealing outside and C sealing

inside...continues downfield before being dragged down by FS and CB.

<b>Carry 7: 11 yard gain</b>

Singleback, 2TE

2nd and 10...handoff to Helu going weakside off tackle...penetration from DL, Helu makes adjustment and heads

outside of TE...lowers shoulder and blasts through CB tackle and bursts downfield...met 9 yards downfield by LB and

FS, drags them for 2 more yards and a first down.

<b>Carry 8: 12 yard gain</b>

Shotgun, 1RB, 2Wide, 2TE

Handoff off-tackle weakside...finds hole between LT/TE and bursts through...Blasts through CB...dragged down by two

LBs and the FS after a 12 yard gain and a first down to the 3 yard line.

<b>Carry 9: 1 yard gain</b>

Goal-line set

2nd down Straight ahead handoff...pileup in the center too many bodies on the ground to go anywhere.

<b>Carry 10: 1 yard gain</b>

Goal-line set

3rd down Straight ahead handoff...met in the backfield and drives...6 inches short of the goal-line.

<b>Carry 11: 1 yard TD</b>

Goal-line set

4th down straight ahead handoff...follows his blockers and finds the gap to dive through...TD

<b>Carry 12: 14 yard gain</b>

Shotgun, 1RB, 2Wide, 2TE

Zone-read...heads right and finds a small gap inside (no gaping holes here)...heads through and cuts back left,

breaking a tackle from the LB...dragged down by the ankles by 2nd LB.

<b>Carry 13: 27 yard gain</b>

Shotgun, 1RB, 3Wide

Zone-read...heads left and through a gap in the middle...covers ground VERY quickly...small cutback right, jukes LB

out of his shoes continues downfield...another cutback right and leaves SS grasping for air...shows burst getting

away from pursuing LB...caught by CB with an angle and drags him for another couple yards.

<b>Carry 14: 8 yard TD</b>

Singleback, 2TE

Handoff off-tackle right...Helu cuts back inside and finds the gap...bounces off SS filling...loses balance at the

5, falls forward, sticks his hand to the ground and supermans the ball into the endzone.

<b>Carry 15: 2 yard gain</b>

Shotgun, 1RB, 2Wide, 2TE

Zone-read...heads left, no room, cuts back right...gets off-tackle but can't juke past LB and CB to the outside.

<b>Carry 16: 44 yard TD</b>

Shotgun, 1RB, 3Wide

Zone-read...heads left, met immediately by penetrating DL...stops, stiffarms DT to the ground and jumps back a

yard, cuts right and heads downfield...runs out of the grasp of LB...shrugs off FS tackle...turns on the jets and

runs between CB and LB...outruns LB,CB,SS to the endzone down the right side.

<b><!--sizeo:5--><span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo-->Catching the football<!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec--></b>

<b>Game stats: 1 rec, 3 yards</b>

<b>Catch 1: 3 yard gain</b>

Formation - Single back, 4 Wide

Quick slip-screen...DT has his hands on him while he makes the catch, falls forward for a few yards.

<b>Catch 2: Drop</b>

Shotgun, 2RB, 3Wide

Quick hook out of the backfield, 4 yards downfield...ball hits Helu in the hands, but a LB comes over and knocks

the ball out...Incomplete.

<!--sizeo:4--><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo--><b>Final Game Analysis:

Rushing ability</b><!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec-->

Helu showed excellent vision, strength, burst, and deep speed this game. He consistently gained extra yards after contact and found the gap in the defense to exploit. He was stopped short a few times at the goal-line, but this was more due to poor blocking than anything else. He did convert the goal-line TD on 4th down. Showed excellent ball security, gripping the ball tight and carrying in the proper hand. He powered through arm tackles and showed effective use of quick cutting ability. He excelled as a North/South runner with small cuts in direction, but looked average when he slowed down to perform more exaggerated moves. He showed very good deep speed on his long TD run against a defensive secondary that is very athletic. There is some concern in that most of his big plays came out of the zone-read shotgun play, but he performed well in single-back duties also.

<!--sizeo:4--><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo--><b>Receiving ability</b><!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec-->

Average at best. He was only targeted twice, catching 1 for short yardage. On the second target, an NFL caliber receiving RB would have held onto the ball. Judging by his running ability, he would have been excellent on screen passes where he had space to work.

<!--sizeo:4--><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo--><b>Blocking ability</b><!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec-->

Excellent on the plays that I saw. He was not kept in to block very often, usually being sent out as a safety valve or used in the play-action fake. However, on the one play that sticks out in my mind he made an excellent cut block on a blizting LB, allowing QB Zac Lee to get a long completion.

 

[mcintyre1]

Might as well bump this as the "Helu" thread, even though I don't remember writing it back in the day.

Helu is quietly putting together a very impressive combine, measuring in right near his reported size at 5'11.5" 219lbs.

He's posted a 4.42 in the 40, besting many of the "speedy" backs in this draft class, and a very impressive number for a 220lb RB. He posted a 36.5" vertical and a respectable 9'11" broad jump.

He posted the 2nd best 3 cone time with a 6.67 (only .02 seconds off of NFL.com's "Recent Best" for RBs of 6.65 by Ray Rice), bested only by a RB that is 15lbs lighter.

He posted the top times in the 20yd and 60yd shuttles with a 4.01 and a 11.07 respectively. Both are "Recent best" records for RBs according to NFL.com.

As a guy who has watched Helu's every carry over his college career, I will say that I believe this guy will be a starter at the next level. He plays tough and plays through injury, having played most of his college career with one ding or another (obviously that is also a knock against his durability). He came in as an unheralded 3* recruit and quietly worked his way to #5 on the all-time rushing list at Nebraska, a university known for exceptional RBs. Personality wise, he is similar to Troy Polamalu. Soft spoken, hard worker, team player.

Snatch this guy at the start of the 2nd round in your rookie drafts.

 

[Sweet Love]

I have to admit, I do not watch or follow much college ball, so I have to ask, why do we not hear more about this guy? Seems like he has all the tools and the right attitude. Which round (roughly) is he projected to go in?

 

[mcintyre1]

I have to admit, I do not watch or follow much college ball, so I have to ask, why do we not hear more about this guy? Seems like he has all the tools and the right attitude. Which round (roughly) is he projected to go in?

Pre-combine he was projected to go around the 5th round, as he was expected to put up pedestrian workout numbers. I'll admit, I really don't understand why he has so little hype at the moment. He's got a career 5.9 yards per carry on 578 touches, and has contributed since his freshman year as the lead back in a committee system. I imagine the reason he isn't highly regarded is that he has never been the "face of the team." He strikes me as a classic example of the overlooked NFL caliber back that earns his way into a starting gig somewhere.I routinely see guys like Shane Vereen listed as top sleeper backs that could make a name for themselves at the next level, and I keep thinking in my head "Why him and not Helu?" Helu has the better stats on the field against better competition, and now the far superior measurables.On top of that, I see this third string back from Auburn get loads of praise for posting a 4.38 40 yard dash at 237lbs, but I don't see him in the top 15 for any of the agility drills and he has no stats to back it up.

 

[mcintyre1]

Pulling this from the combine thread to make it easier to find should the need arise in the future.

So after performing very well at the combine, do people think that Roy Helu boosted his draft stock? I don't really see him slipping out of the 3rd round, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him go as high as the middle of the 2nd.

The problem with a bunch of these RBs is simply are they better than the backups teams have. Is a team improving by drafting them?IMO Backup RB is a very deep position in the NFL right now.

Sure these rooks will be cheaper than vets so they'll be picked.

Not an uber-college fan, I gotta say not many of these RBs looked the part. Some of these guys had impressive arms and their thighs were rather thin. Super elite RBs in the NFL don't seem to need thighs as big as normal chests, but most of the rest do. It's not that they aren't in terrific shape with impressive physiques, but so many didn't have NFL RB legs.

I'm going to selfishly turn this point towards Helu because I'm bored at work and want to discuss one of my long term pet projects, but I think I can resoundingly say "Yes" to this question when discussing Helu.I think he is putting together a truly excellent performance while going almost completely ignored. Let's compare him to Ryan Mathews, the top RB pick in 2010.

Mathews 5'11 5/8" 218 Lbs

Helu 5'11 3/8" 216 Lbs

Drills (Getting Mathews' numbers from ESPN 2010 Draft tracker):

40 yard:

Mathews 4.45

Helu 4.42

3 Cone:

Mathews 7.00

Helu 6.67

20 Yard Shuttle:

Mathews 4.33

Helu 4.01

60 Yard Shuttle:

Mathews 11.13

Helu 11.07

Vertical:

Mathews 36

Helu 36.5

Broad Jump:

Mathews 10'1"

Helu 9'11"

Now, obviously Mathews himself is an unproven commodity at the NFL level, but in measurables, Helu wins in nearly every category.

If we go to the college stats, we see even more similarities. Mathews played only 3 years to Helu's 4, but was the feature back his Jr year and received far more carries that year than Helu has had in any single season. In total, they had very similar carry and yardage totals, with Mathews scoring about a dozen more touchdowns (a highly fluid stat). Mathews and Helu averaged the same YPC their final seasons, and scored TDs at nearly the same rate, despite Mathews being the clear featured point of the Fresno State Offense while Helu shared duties with a stellar running QB and an excellent #2 RB in a committee.

So why aren't they regarded on the same level?

I think a lot of it has to due with some myths regarding Helu:

Myth 1: Helu doesn't run with power.

Myth 2: Helu isn't very fast.

Myth 3: Helu has poor change of direction ability.

I'm not certain where these myths came from, but I've got some ideas.

Myth 3- Nebraska's offensive system is not predicated on lateral movement, watch some highlights and you'll see what I mean. Most plays they run are either right up the gut or require the runner to find the hole and get downfield immediately. I think Helu's agility drill numbers show that he has the ability, but was not asked to use it while at Nebraska. A good comparison would be Ndamukong Suh. Leading up to the draft, Suh detractors claimed that he would struggle as a pass rushing DT because he hadn't shown that technique in college. As we all know, that simply wasn't the case, he just wasn't asked to rush the passer like an NFL 3 technique tackle at Nebraska.

Myth 2- Helu's season long run in 2010 was 73 yards, and he ran past the Missouri defense for 307 yards and 3 TDs with his long speed. He ran a 4.42 at the combine. I don't think anyone doubts that he has good long speed now.

Myth 1- Little known fact: Roy Helu played almost all of 2008 and a good chunk of 2009 with a severe shoulder injury that prevented him from practicing for the first half of 2008, and was re-aggravated in 2009. Despite this, he missed only 1 game. Some may knock him for having an "injury history", and that is a fair point, as he has had somewhat chronic trouble with his shoulder. But let's chew on that for a minute. Despite being injured to the point of being unable to practice, he continued to play, and play well. Helu rushed for almost 2000 yards and averaged 5.6 YPC with a bum shoulder. When he was finally healthy in 2010, he put up 1245 yards at a 6.6 YPC clip with 11 TDs in a heavy time-share situation.

TL;DR Don't sleep on Roy Helu

 

[FavreCo]

I heard he goes down as easily as Nick Bell.

 

[matttyl]

Many, many thanks for the heads up here. I'm making moves to acquire every pick between 11-14 in my upcoming rookie only draft. Our league has the ability to put up to 3 rookies on a "practice squad" for their rookie years so they don't take up regular roster space, and this is exactly the kinda guy I'm looking for to grab there.

Just curious, do you have any insight on Virgil Green who also very much helped out his draft stock with his recent workout. Is getting him in that 11-14 range far too high?

 

[mcintyre1]

Many, many thanks for the heads up here. I'm making moves to acquire every pick between 11-14 in my upcoming rookie only draft. Our league has the ability to put up to 3 rookies on a "practice squad" for their rookie years so they don't take up regular roster space, and this is exactly the kinda guy I'm looking for to grab there.Just curious, do you have any insight on Virgil Green who also very much helped out his draft stock with his recent workout. Is getting him in that 11-14 range far too high?

I'm speaking out of my ### much more with Green compared to Helu, but from the little I know about him, I don't think he's moved up quite that high. He needs to learn to run better routes and is generally a raw prospect. That said, TE is a position where that may not necessarily mean they won't produce early in their careers. Just look at Antonio Gates to prove that point. I would say Green is more of a early-mid 3rd round rookie pick (12 team league).

 

[Choke]

Im guessing you have to go to the film and not just the paper-measurables.

 

[mcintyre1]

Im guessing you have to go to the film and not just the paper-measurables.

That's another issue with Helu. Last I checked there aren't any up to date, in depth highlight films of his non-injured games. A lot of the video floating around on youtube is from his injury plagued 2008 and 2009 seasons, where he displayed a lot of the knocks against him, ie. a lack of pile-pushing power and average agility. That has to be expected when a RB has a bad shoulder injury, though. I've got HD rips of several 2010 games that I've been toying with cutting together into a highlight reel, but I've got very little video editing experience. Having watched pretty much his entire 4 year career unfold on the field, I think he's a guy that has outstanding talent and character that was held back by injury and a system that required him to share carries.

 

[Dexter Manley]

Im guessing you have to go to the film and not just the paper-measurables.

I would start with his long td run vs. OU at in the 1st half of last season's big 12CG. That was one of the most impressive runs I saw by any rb in college last year.The problem with the tape is Nebraska's train wreck offense the last couple of years. It makes it hard to evaluate him. Yes, he set the all time single game rushing record against Mizzou last year, but he he had HUGE holes and lanes to run through that game. It was basically 1 cut up field and then a race to the end zone.

 

[loose circuits]

From Nebraska myself, so I see more of Helu Jr this year than any other college RB (which honestly isn't a whole lot)

I was amazed that he put up the numbers at the combine. After watching him in a few games this year, I thought he would possibly be a power/plodder back. Now the combine results say otherwise. The kid definitely has some sleeper potential. However, we need to see where he ends up to ultimately decide if he's worth a early 2nd or late 2nd. If he can mix that power with the speed/agility, I think he could turn into something.

he's a much better prospect than Brandon Jackson was a few years ago. Funny thing is that Jackson went in the 1st round for a lot of rookie drafts...just shows how different this year is compared to 2006 or whenever that was...

 

[Dexter Manley]

So why aren't they regarded on the same level?I think a lot of it has to due with some myths regarding Helu:Myth 1: Helu doesn't run with power.Myth 2: Helu isn't very fast.Myth 3: Helu has poor change of direction ability.

Like you, I've watched every game of Helu's the last 4 years at Nebraska (including all of the home games live from the south end zone which gives a different perspective than what we see on tv).Here's my take:Myth 1 - I think this is arguably the biggest reason he's currently not being mentioned with the other top backs. Like I said earlier, Nebraska's trainwreck offense the last couple of years makes him hard to evaluate. The west coast/smash mouth/spread mishmash really makes it hard to evaluate any offensive players on Nebraska the last 2 years. Then factor in injuries that decimated the oline in 2009 and the oline's huge inconsistency last year, and it makes things even foggier for evaluating the rb's.Helu is a very tough player. He willingly runs between the tackles. But the guy isn't a "pile mover." I never recall him being the short yardage guy. It was always Burkhead who's not significantly bigger than Helu, but runs tougher.Helu can break arm tackles, but he's not running through and over guys, like Ingram, for example. Myth 2 - Going into this season, this was the biggest reason he wasn't regarded as one of the top rb's, imo. I think most people, myself included, thought he was a 4.6 guy. Anyone who watched him play this year (especially the Mizzou and OU games), learned this was a myth. Helu has LONG speed. There are 4.4 guys whose speed doesn't translate to the football field. Helu's does.Myth 3 - I always thought this was one of his strengths, even during his freshman year. He has great agility and very good vision. There's minimal wasted movement on his cuts. I've never heard anyone question his COD ability.In addition to serious questions about his power, I think durability is the other big issue. In 2009 Helu WAS the workhorse and getting 20+ touches every game. He ended up breaking down with the shoulder injury about halfway through the season. It appears he's completely recovered from that though.IMO, however, there's no way he can hold up an entire NFL season getting as many touches as guys like Foster, ADP, etc. I do think he can have a very productive career if he's part of a time share.

 

[mcintyre1]

Myth 3 - I always thought this was one of his strengths, even during his freshman year. He has great agility and very good vision. There's minimal wasted movement on his cuts. I've never heard anyone question his COD ability.

Great writeup, and I pretty much agree across the board. Just commenting on that last bit, though- from NFL.com draft writeup: "can get to the perimeter and get headed vertically but doesn't have home-run speed or great elusiveness" So there are some who questioned it. Post combine, I think that's a harder position to defend.

 

[Kimbo Slice]

 

[rabidfireweasel]

I routinely see guys like Shane Vereen listed as top sleeper backs that could make a name for themselves at the next level, and I keep thinking in my head "Why him and not Helu?" Helu has the better stats on the field against better competition, and now the far superior measurables.

I am unsure why exactly the big twelve is better competition than the Pac 10. The sometimes have more depth, and sometimes they don't. This was an up year for the big ten.Nebraska Schedule

Western Kentucky W49-10

Idaho W38-17

Washington W56-21

South Dakota State W17-3

Kansas State W48-13

Texas L20-13

#14 Oklahoma State W51-41

#6 Missouri W31-17

Iowa State W31-30 OT

Kansas W20-3

#19 Texas A&M L9-6

Colorado W45-17

10-2 (6-2)

#9 Oklahoma* L23-20

10-3 (6-2)

Washington* L19-7

10-4 (6-2)

Cal

UC Davis W52-3

Colorado W52-7

Nevada L52-31

#14 Arizona L10-9

UCLA W35-7

USC L48-14

Arizona State W50-17

Oregon State L35-7

Washington State W20-13

#1 Oregon L15-13

Stanford L48-14

Washington -13

IMO, Shane Vereen breaks far more tackles, operates out of a more pro style offense and runs far different routes and has better hands. Helu has catch numbers, but they are not the same kind of catches.

At the 2:57 mark, he is out in the slot.

At the 3:20 mark, he is split out wide.

I think that Helu definitely has better deep speed. However, Vereen just looks like an NFL back to me. When I see him, I think he will start with lesser carries, get most of the no huddle stuff (2 minute drills, and when the team is trailing) and then get a bigger piece in of the pie in year three. I think Vereen can be similar to Domanick Davis in his prim, an above average do it all back whose versatility keeps him on the field.

 

[rabidfireweasel]

To me, Helu is a nice prospect, but he runs mothing like Ryan Mathews. Helu plays like a small back in a big backs body. HE plays with a running QB, which will open up lanes. He rarely breaks tackles. If there is not a big hole, he usually tries to bounce it to the outside. In his 300 yard game against Missouri, he only breaks a handful of tackles. He has never shown that he can carry the load. In this, his most successful year, he has played in an offense that resembles nothing in the pros. He has a great rb oline.

Ryan Matthews was a consensus first round pick for a reason. He had good measurables, awesome production, and showed that he could flourish as a feature back in a pro style offense. If you look at any highlight clip of Ryan Mathews and Roy Helu you will see that they do not look similar at the line of scrimmage at all. Bothcan take it to the house if they get to the second level, but Mathews breaks far more tackles and is a stronger inside runner.

I think he is a nice part of a two back backfield, but his running style is closer to Danny Woodhead than Ryan Mathews.

 

[eaglesfan7]

Helu was also in a very predictable offense. Opposing defenses knew what was coming but Helu still had a yards-per-carry of 5.89 in his college career. Plus, he ran a 40 time of 4.42 at the combine which will most likely boost his draft stock. I look more at the yards per carry than I do the 40 yard dash.

 

[mcintyre1]

To me, Helu is a nice prospect, but he runs mothing like Ryan Mathews. Helu plays like a small back in a big backs body. HE plays with a running QB, which will open up lanes. He rarely breaks tackles. If there is not a big hole, he usually tries to bounce it to the outside. In his 300 yard game against Missouri, he only breaks a handful of tackles. He has never shown that he can carry the load. In this, his most successful year, he has played in an offense that resembles nothing in the pros. He has a great rb oline.Ryan Matthews was a consensus first round pick for a reason. He had good measurables, awesome production, and showed that he could flourish as a feature back in a pro style offense. If you look at any highlight clip of Ryan Mathews and Roy Helu you will see that they do not look similar at the line of scrimmage at all. Bothcan take it to the house if they get to the second level, but Mathews breaks far more tackles and is a stronger inside runner.I think he is a nice part of a two back backfield, but his running style is closer to Danny Woodhead than Ryan Mathews.

I always appreciate discussion, so I thank you for your post, but a lot of what you stated makes me wonder if you saw any of his non-injured games in a pro-style offense during 2008 or 2009, because I don't think I agree with much of what you said. I'm not faulting you for that, as you'd have to be a Husker fan to have seen them, seeing as Helu lacks quality internet film from that time. But I strongly disagree with the claim that he "rarely breaks tackles." That may have been true in games where he could barely lift his arm because his shoulder was busted, but Helu is a fighter when it comes to earning yards. He doesn't go down easy when healthy. Any Nebraska fan can explain how your claim that he ran behind a good running O-line is laughable. O-line is one of the weaker units on the offense, due to either scheme or coaching. He also only played with a running QB in 2010. In 2007-2009, Nebraska ran a West Coast mishmash that borrowed some spread techniques but did not feature a running QB.

 

[mcintyre1]

Helu was also in a very predictable offense. Opposing defenses knew what was coming but Helu still had a yards-per-carry of 5.89 in his college career. Plus, he ran a 40 time of 4.42 at the combine which will most likely boost his draft stock. I look more at the yards per carry than I do the 40 yard dash.

Another very good point. The Nebraska offense has been staggeringly bad at times in the last 4 years.

 

[rabidfireweasel]

To me, Helu is a nice prospect, but he runs mothing like Ryan Mathews. Helu plays like a small back in a big backs body. HE plays with a running QB, which will open up lanes. He rarely breaks tackles. If there is not a big hole, he usually tries to bounce it to the outside. In his 300 yard game against Missouri, he only breaks a handful of tackles. He has never shown that he can carry the load. In this, his most successful year, he has played in an offense that resembles nothing in the pros. He has a great rb oline.Ryan Matthews was a consensus first round pick for a reason. He had good measurables, awesome production, and showed that he could flourish as a feature back in a pro style offense. If you look at any highlight clip of Ryan Mathews and Roy Helu you will see that they do not look similar at the line of scrimmage at all. Bothcan take it to the house if they get to the second level, but Mathews breaks far more tackles and is a stronger inside runner.I think he is a nice part of a two back backfield, but his running style is closer to Danny Woodhead than Ryan Mathews.

I always appreciate discussion, so I thank you for your post, but a lot of what you stated makes me wonder if you saw any of his non-injured games in a pro-style offense during 2008 or 2009, because I don't think I agree with much of what you said. I'm not faulting you for that, as you'd have to be a Husker fan to have seen them, seeing as Helu lacks quality internet film from that time. But I strongly disagree with the claim that he "rarely breaks tackles." That may have been true in games where he could barely lift his arm because his shoulder was busted, but Helu is a fighter when it comes to earning yards. He doesn't go down easy when healthy. Any Nebraska fan can explain how your claim that he ran behind a good running O-line is laughable. O-line is one of the weaker units on the offense, due to either scheme or coaching. He also only played with a running QB in 2010. In 2007-2009, Nebraska ran a West Coast mishmash that borrowed some spread techniques but did not feature a running QB.

First, let me say that I appreciate the thoroughness of your posts and all you are bringing to the table, I can tell you that I didn't track his injured vs his non injured games.I watch a fair amount of Big 12 games, because I lived in Texas from 1997-2005, and became familar/interested in many teams.As for the fact that the Oline was terrible, it was only terrible by Nebraska fans standards. You had three guys with 150 or more carries and every one of them averaged 5.5 yards per carry (and that with Martinez's sacks counting negative rushing yards). I also understand that this was his only year with a running QB- I just don't think it is a coincidence that this was his most successful year.

 

[mcintyre1]

I also think I should clarify my overall opinion as well... I'm not in any way saying you should spend a 1st round rookie pick on this guy. There are far too many question marks left unanswered for such a lofty ranking. I do feel, however, that he is a guy you should target as high as the start of the 2nd round as a sleeper with very high upside.

 

[mcintyre1]

To me, Helu is a nice prospect, but he runs mothing like Ryan Mathews. Helu plays like a small back in a big backs body. HE plays with a running QB, which will open up lanes. He rarely breaks tackles. If there is not a big hole, he usually tries to bounce it to the outside. In his 300 yard game against Missouri, he only breaks a handful of tackles. He has never shown that he can carry the load. In this, his most successful year, he has played in an offense that resembles nothing in the pros. He has a great rb oline.

Ryan Matthews was a consensus first round pick for a reason. He had good measurables, awesome production, and showed that he could flourish as a feature back in a pro style offense. If you look at any highlight clip of Ryan Mathews and Roy Helu you will see that they do not look similar at the line of scrimmage at all. Bothcan take it to the house if they get to the second level, but Mathews breaks far more tackles and is a stronger inside runner.

I think he is a nice part of a two back backfield, but his running style is closer to Danny Woodhead than Ryan Mathews.

I always appreciate discussion, so I thank you for your post, but a lot of what you stated makes me wonder if you saw any of his non-injured games in a pro-style offense during 2008 or 2009, because I don't think I agree with much of what you said. I'm not faulting you for that, as you'd have to be a Husker fan to have seen them, seeing as Helu lacks quality internet film from that time. But I strongly disagree with the claim that he "rarely breaks tackles." That may have been true in games where he could barely lift his arm because his shoulder was busted, but Helu is a fighter when it comes to earning yards. He doesn't go down easy when healthy. Any Nebraska fan can explain how your claim that he ran behind a good running O-line is laughable. O-line is one of the weaker units on the offense, due to either scheme or coaching. He also only played with a running QB in 2010. In 2007-2009, Nebraska ran a West Coast mishmash that borrowed some spread techniques but did not feature a running QB.

First, let me say that I appreciate the thoroughness of your posts and all you are bringing to the table, I can tell you that I didn't track his injured vs his non injured games.I watch a fair amount of Big 12 games, because I lived in Texas from 1997-2005, and became familar/interested in many teams.

As for the fact that the Oline was terrible, it was only terrible by Nebraska fans standards. You had three guys with 150 or more carries and every one of them averaged 5.5 yards per carry (and that with Martinez's sacks counting negative rushing yards). I also understand that this was his only year with a running QB- I just don't think it is a coincidence that this was his most successful year.

That's an excellent and true point that is hard to notice without being able to view Nebraska football from an "outside" perspective.In the next few days I plan to try to go back and figure out exactly which games Helu had healthy throughout '08 and '09, and see if I can find some film on them to use. I've got most of the '10 season from tenyardtorrents.com, so I might try to grab my buddy's Macbook and throw something together on iMovie. I'll certainly post it here if I get the time.

 

[rabidfireweasel]

I also think I should clarify my overall opinion as well... I'm not in any way saying you should spend a 1st round rookie pick on this guy. There are far too many question marks left unanswered for such a lofty ranking. I do feel, however, that he is a guy you should target as high as the start of the 2nd round as a sleeper with very high upside.

We are pretty close in agreement here. I think he could be very good, especially in the right system. I think it is very reasonable to like his as much as any second tier back in the draft. I can see why many would prefer him to Vereen, especially after his impressive combine matched with his long runs on film. I actually think people hold the lack of tackle breaking against him excessively because of his bigger size (I think there might less debate over it if Helu was 205). I just like Vereen a bit more for his versatility (see highlight thread) his 40 carry game against Stanford in 2009 and I think that he has a higher floor.

 

[Dexter Manley]

As for the fact that the Oline was terrible, it was only terrible by Nebraska fans standards. You had three guys with 150 or more carries and every one of them averaged 5.5 yards per carry (and that with Martinez's sacks counting negative rushing yards). I also understand that this was his only year with a running QB- I just don't think it is a coincidence that this was his most successful year.

Nebraska's oline severely regressed during the season. The line played great at the beginning of the year. Then they were up and down during middle of the season. By the end of the year, the oline was terrible. In their last 2 games they allowed 20+ tfl combined against OU and UW. And that was the same UW team they manhandled early in the year. Look at the disparity in rushing stats in the 2 UW games:

9/13 vs. UW: 54-383, Helu 10-110

12/30 vs. UW: 41-91, Helu 11-34

Now, the oline was significantly improved in 2010 from 2009 for most of the season. But imo, it was Helu being 100% healthy that was by far the biggest reason he had his best season this past year.

For example, he had his best run of the year against OU, the 66 yard td run, in a game against a very good defense when the Nebraska oline was playing very badly.

Go back to 2009 when Nebraska's oline was horrible for the entire season before Helu got hurt (it was in the mizzou game IIRC). Against a stout VaTech defense, a healthy Helu went for 28-169.

 

[rabidfireweasel]

As for the fact that the Oline was terrible, it was only terrible by Nebraska fans standards. You had three guys with 150 or more carries and every one of them averaged 5.5 yards per carry (and that with Martinez's sacks counting negative rushing yards). I also understand that this was his only year with a running QB- I just don't think it is a coincidence that this was his most successful year.

Now, the oline was significantly improved in 2010 from 2009 for most of the season. But imo, it was Helu being 100% healthy that was by far the biggest reason he had his best season this past year.

I am not trying to be difficult here- just furthering conversation: 2009 2010Helu 5.2 ypc 6.6 ypcBurkhead 4.3 ypc 5.5 ypcBoth backs increase their ypc by very similar amounts. So, it is hard for me to simply buy into that Helu was healthier. I think the O Line improvement (which you noted) and Martinez has a lot to do with this. Athletic, running QB's alter the D responsibilities against the run.

 

[mcintyre1]

As for the fact that the Oline was terrible, it was only terrible by Nebraska fans standards. You had three guys with 150 or more carries and every one of them averaged 5.5 yards per carry (and that with Martinez's sacks counting negative rushing yards). I also understand that this was his only year with a running QB- I just don't think it is a coincidence that this was his most successful year.

Now, the oline was significantly improved in 2010 from 2009 for most of the season. But imo, it was Helu being 100% healthy that was by far the biggest reason he had his best season this past year.

I am not trying to be difficult here- just furthering conversation: 2009 2010Helu 5.2 ypc 6.6 ypcBurkhead 4.3 ypc 5.5 ypcBoth backs increase their ypc by very similar amounts. So, it is hard for me to simply buy into that Helu was healthier. I think the O Line improvement (which you noted) and Martinez has a lot to do with this. Athletic, running QB's alter the D responsibilities against the run.

That's true, but 2009 was a dip for Helu in YPC. He average 6.4 in 2008.

 

[mcintyre1]

Finished up a quick 2010 video of Helu. Not necessarily "highlights" only, as there are some negative plays in there as well. Basically, I took any play of note that I had on my computer and cut them together. Enjoy!

 

[cobalt_27]

Finished up a quick 2010 video of Helu. Not necessarily "highlights" only, as there are some negative plays in there as well. Basically, I took any play of note that I had on my computer and cut them together. Enjoy!

He's sure no Mikel Leshoure. The Nebraska kid doesn't wilt on immediate contact.

 

[ditka85]

Finished up a quick 2010 video of Helu. Not necessarily "highlights" only, as there are some negative plays in there as well. Basically, I took any play of note that I had on my computer and cut them together. Enjoy!

 

[N Zone]

Nice! Helu was actually hurt on the last run in that video, a 67 yard touchdown run against Oklahoma.

 

[rabidfireweasel]

Finished up a quick 2010 video of Helu. Not necessarily "highlights" only, as there are some negative plays in there as well. Basically, I took any play of note that I had on my computer and cut them together. Enjoy!

Great work. He ran with more power than I gave him credit for. Granted, he has some big holes to run through (at times), but he does a great job running through those holes and picking the correct angle to pick up huge gains. The combine as well as the video attest to the fact that he can make some very big plays. My biggest concern is simply that it is harder for me (this is all on me) to predict a player's success if he runs out of something much different than a pro set. Plenty of guys do it (LT, Jamaal Charles, Mendenhall). For me though, it is hard to know how they project when the D knows that if a run comes, it is coming from them as opposed to a QB.

 

[Kimbo Slice]

Finished up a quick 2010 video of Helu. Not necessarily "highlights" only, as there are some negative plays in there as well. Basically, I took any play of note that I had on my computer and cut them together. Enjoy!

 

[mcintyre1]

Finished up a quick 2010 video of Helu. Not necessarily "highlights" only, as there are some negative plays in there as well. Basically, I took any play of note that I had on my computer and cut them together. Enjoy!

Just as a note about the video, after midway through the Missouri game (his 307 yard game), the running QB (Martinez) was knocked out of the game. From that point on, Nebraska "shut it down" and just pounded the ball until the clock ran out. So its a small sample size, but that's a time when the defense knew it was Helu and only Helu that was going to be carrying the ball.

 

[N Zone]

Sources: Nebraska's Roy Helu on the rise link

Cornhuskers running back had strong combine, senior year Aaron Wilson

March 16, 2011

Nebraska running back Roy Helu Jr. is beginning to move up draft boards following a strong NFL scouting combine and senior season, and is drawing consideration from running back needy teams as early as the second to third round, according to league sources with knowledge of the situation.

Many draft analysts have Helu ranked as a middle-round selection.

Helu ran the second-fastest 40-yard dash with a 4.40 clocking behind Maryland running Da'Rel Scot.

Hellu had the fastest 10-yard split (1.50), fastest 20-yard split (2.52), short shuttle (4.01) L-drill (6.67) and long shuttle (11.07).

"Helu had the best workout by a runner at the combine," said an NFL general manager. "More importantly, he caught the ball well and was really smooth in position drills."

In particular, the GM was impressed by how Helu performed against Missouri as he rushed for a school-record 307 yards and three touchdowns.

"This kid can fly," the GM said.

Nebraska used a committee approach at running back, so Helu had to share the football.

He finished fourth on the Cornhuskers all-time career rushing list.

As a senior, he gained a career-high 1,245 rushing yards and scored 11 touchdowns.

He was named second-team All-Big 12.

As a junior, he rushed for 1,147 yards and nine touchdowns and caught 19 passes for 149 yards.

He was named Offensive Most Valuable Player by his teammates.

 

[B Maverick]

Any news on pre-draft visits or team interest??

 

[B Maverick]

from a @draftsharks tweet:

Question by a follower: Taking a poll on the 2nd best tailback in the 2011 draft. Leshore, Hunter, Williams, Thomas

Answer by DraftSharks: None of the above... ROY HELU

 

[Kimbo Slice]

from a @draftsharks tweet:Question by a follower: Taking a poll on the 2nd best tailback in the 2011 draft. Leshore, Hunter, Williams, ThomasAnswer by DraftSharks: None of the above... ROY HELU

Waldman in the RSP is down on Helu Jr...I mean really down. #31 in the RB class and cites pad level at contact as a major weakness.

 

[loose circuits]

Rotoworld has him at #4. Guess he is all over the board. 31 is pretty low

 

[madd futher]

Helu is indeed an enigma because of

A. His significant shoulder injury that he played through. I understand that it bothered him for most of two seasons.

B. His propensity to raise up and avoid shoulder pad contact.

C. He has tremendous measurables as exhibited at the Combine.

The real questions about Helu are: Has he developed bad habits by trying to protect his shoulder from contact? If so, will a completely healthy Helu be able to re-learn to run behind and lower with his pads into contact in the NFL?

Regardless, I think Silva (who I respect) is smoking something by ranking him #4. And Waldman, while ranking him very low, does concede that part of Helu's problem could be the result of the shoulder problem.

I've got him ranked at RB #11, after 10 other more talented or equally talented but safer prospects. I'm guessing that will put him in the mid round 3 area for me in the dynasty rookie draft, and I fully expect that someone will take him somewhere in round two.

 

[Nero]

Finished up a quick 2010 video of Helu. Not necessarily "highlights" only, as there are some negative plays in there as well. Basically, I took any play of note that I had on my computer and cut them together. Enjoy!

Thank You! Hadn't seen much of him, but having watched this video, I don't know how someone could have thought he was a 4.6 guy. Play at 3:38 is impressive. He is a dream for a one cut system. I can see why he takes a knock for tackle breaking. He kind of plods when there is trash, but when there is a crease, he explodes. If he has a strong O-line, he is going to put up big numbers. Jamal Lewis 2011 version.

 

[mcintyre1]

Minor mention, really, since there are no stats provided, but Harbuagh had some nice words for both Vareen and Helu at the 49'ers Pro Day:

"I absolutely loved it," Harbaugh said. "Both Shane and Roy, those guys are highly-thought-of running backs, and they're going to go high in the draft. For them to come out here and compete, and you could see the joy they had in competing in the one-on-ones and 7-on-7, that got me fired up."They're not the prima-donna kind of guys that pass on those things. I was really impressed with that. And both of those guys were very even in the drills they were doing. I think we'll have to go to the tape to see who won. That impressed me."

Read more: Vereen, Helu highlight 49ers' local pro day

Tune to SportsNet Central at 6, 10:30 and midnight on Comcast SportsNet Bay Area for more on this story

 

[B Maverick]

I own the rights to Helu in one league and would love to see him go 3rd or 4th to a team like Stl behind Alexander or even to Miami if they dont take a guy early. Heck in Miami behind Deangelo Williams would be a nice spot too!

 

[mcintyre1]

I've been trying to confirm this, but haven't had much luck; however I've been reading on my Husker sites that Helu has been worked out by the Dolphins "3 or 4 times" and they seem to be very interested in him. That would be an intriguing landing spot for him. I could see him fitting into their system pretty well.