Chase Stuart
Footballguy
Marion Motley and Lenny Moore are two names worth mentioning. Talent is a very difficult thing to define, though.
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Which RB would you take? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter wiscstlatlmia
- Start date
I think you need both types of guys. There aren't many backs that can do everything, but you can combine a fast guy and a 'chains mover' to have a very effective running game. Bettis and Willie Parker, Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones, etc.Something that's really overlooked is pass protection. As great as Brian Westbrook was with the ball in his hands, he was so much more valuable than casual fans thought because he was great in pass protection. I believe Portis also had a reputation as a great pass protector, but I never watched a lot of Redskins games. PFF has Ahmad Bradshaw, MJD, Michael Turner and Marshawn Lynch as the best top end RBs in pass pro.
cstu
Footballguy
In terms of pure talent, I don't think Payton was even close to the best - he was 5-10, 200 and ran a 4.4. That's basically Ronnie Hillma today. Not trying to knock him but that was a different era.
Alex P Keaton
Footballguy
It's an embarrassment to compare Dickerson to E Smith. Dickerson was phenomenal, the best compare IMO to AP of the last 30 years. He was so fun to watch in the early days....if you haven't seen him, check out ESPN 30 for 30 "Pony Excess."'DoubleG said:
Alex P Keaton
Footballguy
Well, that must explain all of the other ultra-productive RBs who were 5-10, 200, and ran a 4.4 back in the day.
Bobby Guano
Footballguy
I dont know about measurables and he didn't realy fit the mold of a prototipical RB but Barry was the most exciting/elusive/incredible runner the league has ever seen in my 30 some years of watching the sport.
He could stop on a dime then acclerate to full speed faster than anyone. He ran so low to the ground that he was icredibly hard to bring down and his lateraly agility is still unmatched. EVERY time he touched the football you were on the edge of you seat. This was a guy that would break 3 tackles and fake four defenders out of their cleats in a 15 second run for -3 yards.
If you define talent by who was the best at runnung with the football and not getting tackled then it has to be Barry IMO.
He could stop on a dime then acclerate to full speed faster than anyone. He ran so low to the ground that he was icredibly hard to bring down and his lateraly agility is still unmatched. EVERY time he touched the football you were on the edge of you seat. This was a guy that would break 3 tackles and fake four defenders out of their cleats in a 15 second run for -3 yards.
If you define talent by who was the best at runnung with the football and not getting tackled then it has to be Barry IMO.
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Kai's Hero
Footballguy
In his prime nobody was better than OJ.
DoubleG
Footballguy
If this was simply a discussion of measurables, it wouldn't be a discussion or a poll. We'd just post the numbers and rank them based on who has the best. But there's more to be a great RB (and defining talent for RBs) than just looking at 40 times or height/weight. Jackson belongs in the conversation to be sure - but to dismiis Payton becuase of his size or 40 time is just silly.
DoubleG
Footballguy
While my Mercury Morris post was half tongue-in-cheek, the guy does still holds the best career YPC of any halfback (Bo Jackson was a FB as was Jim Brown).
otb_lifer
Footballguy
Gimme Emmitt gutting it out with a separated shoulder, and WILLING the 'boys to victory in a hostile/frigid Giants Stadium back in Jan. '04 over any of the "highlight reel" guys any day of the week, and a million times on playoff Sundays. Thanks. 
Out of those the OP listed, I would take Sweetness in a heartbeat; no hesitation.
Out of those the OP listed, I would take Sweetness in a heartbeat; no hesitation.
jurb26
Footballguy
OJ seems to get missed in a lot of these type threads and it's really a horrible oversight IMO. He will never win or even be one of the top guys in any of them due to his criminal past. He should be though. He's extremely underrated.My vote goes to Barry. He's the best I've ever seen.'wiscstlatlmia said:Marshall Faulk and O.J. Simpson added after 128 votes cast...Better late than never?
Gotta go with Walter here. He could do it all. Brought back the stiff-arm, would just jump over the pile. Catching, running, throwing, punting, whatever the team needed. As far as the talent required to do the most an NFL RB can be expected to do, walter had the most of it. Plus I'd put health as a talent as well and Payton didn't miss a single game in his career, other than one his rookie year as a coaches decision non-injury related. 170 straight starts.
bostonfred
Footballguy
I don't know how anyone watches this and says they think someone else is more talented and that it's "not close".
Probably goes down to how one defines talent. I really enjoy this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VGEdjR-Uq0
NatronIsMean
Footballguy
Gale Sayers owned the YPC record until blowing out his knee. It's too bad Sayers was playing at a time when they simply weren't able to repair torn knee ligaments well...#22 on the NFL top 100:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKn90bWQWawIf you needed a "complete player" that didn't get hurt and could punish and drive through piles, you'd take Jim Brown or Peyton or someone. However, if you needed a touchdown on THIS play. Or if you needed a guy that could give you a victory against the odds, I'd take Sayers. The vision and speed combination with enough power to still break tackles puts him at the top for me, although I'm biased as a Bears fan.
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