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Official Ameer Abdullah - The Bandwagon (1 Viewer)

Personally I would rather listen to a "homer" who has intimate knowledge of a player and their situation than someone who does not.

mcintyre` has provided some great context along with his opinion. He isn't the only person out there showing a lot of love for Ameer either.

 
Biabreakable said:
Personally I would rather listen to a "homer" who has intimate knowledge of a player and their situation than someone who does not.

mcintyre` has provided some great context along with his opinion. He isn't the only person out there showing a lot of love for Ameer either.
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Been very even-handed about Ameer.

 
Hmm what makes you think Ameer isn't fast enough workdog3?

Abdullah reportedly improved on his 40 time from the combine (4.60) by running in the 4.4 range and did a full battery of pass-catching and agility drills. There has been increasing buzz that the Doak Walker Award finalist is emerging as a likely second-round pick and he did nothing to slow down that momentum with his performance on Thursday. Link
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I agree the pass protection and fumbling issues will keep him from playing time if that continues to be problem. I don't really see why he cannot be a feature RB though. I am hearing he will be a second round pick. So presumably one of the top 5 RB drafted?

I like Ameer better than Yeldon at least. Still prefer Gurley, Gordon, Ayaji and Coleman to Ameer right now.

 
Thanks for the defense guys, but it is a fair criticism. Ameer is one of "my guys" and that certainly flavors my opinion. I've been following him since before he even stepped foot on Nebraska's campus. I keep that in mind when comparing him to other players, though, so while I am biased, I also do really believe that Ameer is a better runner than Gurley and Gordon (and because of their relative perceived FF value, Ameer is a huge steal).

RE: Ameer's pass protection abilities, I'm not surprised he struggles there. He was not asked to do it much at Nebraska, and his RB coach (Ron Brown) did not have extensive experience as a RB or coaching RBs (I believe he previously coached TEs and WRs). It has also become clear from players under the new coaching staff this spring that "teaching" is much more prevalent under Mike Riley and his experienced staff vs. Bo Pelini's cadre of GAs and yes men. Specifically, the previous coaches were usually short on specific techniques but full of "big picture" talk. Ultimately, I view it as a technique/learning issue rather than something he just won't be able to do.

As for fumbling, I'm not really concerned. As others have stated, he improved his numbers in his senior year and, frankly, its just something that is going to happen to a RB that makes his hay by extending plays and fighting through contact. He's got good fundamentals, he carries the ball close and tight to his body at nearly all times. Frankly, this is a concern I have with Ajayi, as he runs with the ball away from his body quite often from what I've seen (specifically when he's running in the open field). He gets away with it because he's got bigger hands (8 5/8" vs 10") and keeps a better grip on the ball, but it is also bad form and ripe for a LB punching it out of there.

Obviously we're all dealing heavily in opinions. Much as the rest of us here, I've been doing dynasty FF for a long time and I've evaluated a lot of players for my own teams. No one hits on everything, but I've been happy with my personal track record. The last guy I felt this sure and passionate about as a fantasy steal was Russell Wilson (I caught a lot of #### in the RW bandwagon thread for ranking him as an equal to Luck and RG3 before he even won the starting job in training camp). Take this guy at the end of the first/early second and laugh years from now about how absurd it was for him to fall so far.

 
workdog3 said:
Biabreakable said:
Personally I would rather listen to a "homer" who has intimate knowledge of a player and their situation than someone who does not.

mcintyre` has provided some great context along with his opinion. He isn't the only person out there showing a lot of love for Ameer either.
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I'm not making this personal against mcintyre. His analysis has been thought provoking. Nonetheless, I'm wiling to bet he's watched multiples of action more of Ameer than any other back in this class. Even if he does watch the same amount of tape for each player, he's always going to have some bias towards Ameer as a Cornhuskers fan.

Unless I'm missing something, Abdullah's not going to be a three down back in the NFL. He lacks top end speed for his size and has pass protection and fumbling issues. I see a COP guy that, if you're really lucky, turns into Gio Bernard.

I don't understand why anyone would make that bet when there are legitimate 3-down capable backs in Gurley, Gordon, and Yeldon sitting there.
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Ultimately it comes down to a difference of opinion on whether Abdullah can be a "3 down back". I think he's practically the definition of a 3 down back by skillset, personally. He great inside and outside of the tackles, rarely goes down on first contact (and if he does, he'll writhe for every bit of yardage he can get), runs routes well, and has excellent hands.

Nearly every rookie RB struggles with pass protection. Most college teams are bad at it and teach it poorly.

Heck, this took all of 5 minutes to compile based on searching for pre-draft prospect profiles:

Adrian Peterson: His skills as a receiver out of the backfield are a work-in-progress at best, and his blocking ability can be pretty laughable at times.

Jamaal Charles: Has struggled at times with fumbles, including a key lost fumble in a 28-21 loss to rival Oklahoma in 2007 ... Willing, but limited pass blocker.
Lesean McCoy: A liability in pass protection, throwing a shoulder instead of moving his feet to take on or even just get in the way of a rusher. Whiffs on his cut blocks against blitzing linebackers
Le'veon Bell: Pass protection form is inconsistent, has size to handle rushers or at least push them around the pocket, but often moves his feet too slowly or tries to cut instead of setting to anchor. Holds the ball away from his body at times, though he doesn’t fumble very often.
Eddie Lacy: Inconsistent as a blocker, doesn't attack his target.
Jeremy Hill: Will have to learn pass protection
Giovani Bernard: Always goes for cut block in pass protection instead of attacking face up.
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That's a lot of good names that were judged as poor in pass protection before they entered the league.

 
not saying he can't be a good NFL back, but i watched the film against OSU and he went down on first contact a ton.

the Big 10 is soft right now and he looked good against inferior competition for the most part.

i would be surprised if he looks this good against NFL competition.

 
MAC_32 said:
mcintyre1 said:
MAC_32 said:
EBF said:
Crushed it in the other drills:

42.5" vertical

10'10" broad jump

6.79s three cone

3.95 short shuttle

11.18 long shuttle

There's your silver lining to go along with the bad 40.
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Iw ant to like him more because this is evident on film, but against better competition he consistently struggled.
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That's because the team wasn't capable of carrying their share of the load when Abdullah was gameplanned against. Tommy Armstrong was far too inaccurate at QB to carry them when good teams could stuff the run.
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Coleman and Gordon didn't suffer in similar situations.
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I realize reading back that I never responded to this, which is a totally fair criticism.

Personally, I think that comes down to coaching, poor scheme, and almost complete lack of adjustment. Nebraska fired a guy that always won 9 games a season because he should have been doing a hell of a lot better than that. We've had some great talent come through campus and go to the NFL in Pelini's years (Suh, Lavonte David, Amukamara, Alfonzo Dennard, Niles Paul, Jared Crick, Rex Burkhead off the top of my head), and yet we've got very little to show for it in terms of success. Pelini believed completely in his scheme, but was regularly out game planned and when the walls began to crumble he panicked and yelled.

Take our last 4 games against Wisconsin as a perfect example.

In 2011, Wisky rolled over Nebraska behind Russell Wilson and Montee Ball while Pelini forced his 'Taylor Martinez is a Division I QB' delusion and all the zone read pray for a crease to the house non-sense that came with it. I'll note for the sake of the thread that true freshman Ameer Abdullah chipped in 187 return yards on 7 kicks and a couple of carries in the losing effort.

In 2012, Nebraska stuck to the same basic zone-read scheme, but managed to sneak out an ugly 30-27 win in no small part to Ameer's 242 all-purpose yard contribution (rushing, receiving, punt and kick returns). Martinez suffers an ugly day, but puts it together enough to seal the win.

However, the Huskers are to meet the Badgers again in the Big 10 Championship game and, boy, does it not go well. Wisconsin has figured out Pelini's match up zone defense to the tune of a 539 yard 8 touchdown beating through wide open rushing lanes. Pelini doubles down on the zone read Martinez game of 50% completion on 33 attempts, two INTs, and a lost fumble next to the two rushing TDs. Taylor Martinez and Rex Burkhead combine to touch the ball 70 times to Ameer Abdullah's 7. Badgers win 70-31.

Thankfully for Husker fans, 2013 passes without our annual beating to the chorus of Build Me Up Buttercup.

2014! It's a new year! Taylor Martinez is long removed from taking snaps at QB! Good news, right? Not so much. Pelini's defensive scheme is unparalleled and requires no adjustment (if only in his own mind). If only those darn players could execute, right Bo? Similarly, Pelini's offensive philosophy does not change to match his new toys. QB Tommy Armstrong goes 6/18 for 62 yards 1 TD 1 INT and 20 carries for 17 yds 1 TD. Abdullah manages 95 yards on 19 touches against a defense focused entirely on stopping Pelini's shotgun run game. True freshman return phenom De'Mornay Pierson-El has taken his duties in that area.

Man, that got long and rant-y (and there's more coming). That's all to say, Abdullah is, in my opinion, one of the best players in Nebraska history. That's taking in to account guys like Ndamukong Suh and Ahman Green. He's dedicated to being the best RB he can be, has an amazing work ethic and attitude on life, and an enormous chip on his shoulder from Nebraska being the only school to offer him a scholarship at RB. Oh, and he's also one of the most natural, fluid RBs I've ever seen.

I watch guys like Gurley play and and I see a real bull of a human being. Big, strong, fast. Even pretty agile. But they've played their whole lives as the biggest, fastest, strongest and it shows in their play style. Gurley runs tall with big long strides because he's used to getting the edge outside or lowering his head and pushing through with his weight. That's not even a knock, really. That style works if you ARE the biggest, fastest, and strongest. Maybe Gurley will maintain that physical edge and be able to be really successful in the NFL.

A guy like Ameer Abdullah doesn't have Gurley's size, so he solved the problem the same way Barry Sanders did. Excellent balance, powerful legs, quickness. Size doesn't matter if they never get a clean shot, right? Unfortunately, he wasn't gifted with the kind of speed Barry had. It's a different method than Gurley's, not necessarily better or worse, but effective, clearly. Abdullah's got the same problem as Gurley in terms of translating his style to the NFL, but the combine helped seal my opinion that he'll be able to. From the numbers I've been able to find (1999-2014), Abdullah was 4th all-time in the vertical (just behind Christine Michael), 9th all-time in broad jump (and among the shorter in height at the top), 7th all-time in the shuttle (just edging out Darren Sproles), and 18th all-time in the 3 cone (notable names in that range: Ahmad Bradshaw, Le'Veon Bell, Doug Martin). Who knows, maybe I'll miss on this. Life goes on. But I know he'll be on all of my teams next season if I can manage it.

Very long story summarized, draft Ameer Abdullah, he's great.

 
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amnesiac said:
not saying he can't be a good NFL back, but i watched the film against OSU and he went down on first contact a ton.

the Big 10 is soft right now and he looked good against inferior competition for the most part.

i would be surprised if he looks this good against NFL competition.
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I'm curious what game you're talking about? Ameer hasn't played against Ohio State since 2012 when he was 19 years old and spelling Rex Burkhead in an OSU blowout.

I'd also point out that a Big 10 team did just win the national championship in convincing fashion.

Edit: are you talking about Melvin Gordon? He had 26 carries for 76 yards and no scores in the Big 10 Championship Game against OSU.

 
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mcintyre1 said:
amnesiac said:
not saying he can't be a good NFL back, but i watched the film against OSU and he went down on first contact a ton.

the Big 10 is soft right now and he looked good against inferior competition for the most part.

i would be surprised if he looks this good against NFL competition.
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I'm curious what game you're talking about? Ameer hasn't played against Ohio State since 2012 when he was 19 years old and spelling Rex Burkhead in an OSU blowout.

I'd also point out that a Big 10 team did just win the national championship in convincing fashion.

Edit: are you talking about Melvin Gordon? He had 26 carries for 76 yards and no scores in the Big 10 Championship Game against OSU.
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sorry, it may have been Gordon.i just started watching video this year and i haven't had as much time as last year.

the point is still somewhat valid, however. as much as i hate to admit it, the Big 10 is a soft confrence for the most part.

 
FunkyPlutos said:
If the Vikings get rid of Peterson, I hope they can get Abdullah...he is the real deal!!
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That would be interesting.

I think Jerick McKinnon is a lot like Ameer Abdullah in size and running style. After the numbers Ameer put up at the combine and pro day.. also similar. I think Ameer is more developed as a receiver and running back than McKinnon was as a rookie transitioning to the NFL but in a lot of ways I see them as similar players.

So although I would like to have Ameer in purple, I think the Vikings already have a player like him in McKinnon. So for that reason if the Vikings do draft a RB I would think they go for a different style of player to compete with Matt Asiata. A bigger RB to offer something different than what McKinnon already brings to the team.

 
Biabreakable said:
FunkyPlutos said:
If the Vikings get rid of Peterson, I hope they can get Abdullah...he is the real deal!!
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That would be interesting.

I think Jerick McKinnon is a lot like Ameer Abdullah in size and running style. After the numbers Ameer put up at the combine and pro day.. also similar. I think Ameer is more developed as a receiver and running back than McKinnon was as a rookie transitioning to the NFL but in a lot of ways I see them as similar players.

So although I would like to have Ameer in purple, I think the Vikings already have a player like him in McKinnon. So for that reason if the Vikings do draft a RB I would think they go for a different style of player to compete with Matt Asiata. A bigger RB to offer something different than what McKinnon already brings to the team.
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I understand that thought process but at the same time, I don't think it is a bad thing to have two backs that are similar...when one needs a break, you bring in the other without changing offensive philosophy, or if one gets hurt, you don't miss a beat with the other.

 
He's a thrasher. I like that he breaks tackles and makes people miss. He's got Sproles like quickness.

Eyeballing him dearly, he reminds me of Jahvid Best. Not quite as quick but much more physical.

 
For those saying Abdullah only beat up on weak defenses, Hyde and he were only guys to go over 100 yards vs. Michigan State in 2013, who had the #1 rush defense in the nation that year. And Abdullah looked better doing it (according to this Spartan fan, anyway).

 
workdog3 said:
My original post wasn't intended to exclaim, "mcintyre is wrong!" I think we can all agree that if we were part of a draft where each of the other drafters felt the rookie from their respective alma mater was the best pro prospect, we'd like our situation.

BB, I hadn't seen the results from his pro day. I wonder if he didn't bulk up for the combine which led to the slower time.

As for the 3-down back debate, I can only point to examples in the NFL. 3-down backs are either bigger/stronger than Abdullah (Murray, Lacy, AP, Bell, Lynch), or have elite top end speed (Charles). Perhaps Abdullah is the next Ray Rice or Lesean McCoy, but I just don't see that as a safe bet to make.
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Coming back to this, I'll give you that Abdullah is smaller than the guys you listed, but I'd challenge you on stronger. Ameer's frame is basically maxed right now (google Ameer Abdullah pro day images), and his workout numbers are as good or better than every guy you listed in almost every category outside of his 40.

Only Bell matched him in bench press reps, he put up 8 more than AP, 7 more than Lacy, 4 more than Lynch, 3 more than Murray and one more than Rice (Charles and McCoy never did it that I can find).

I believe the vertical and broad jump numbers are the best approximation of explosive strength (namely, leg strength) that the standard NFL workouts provide, and Abdullah was excellent there as well. Peterson was closest at 4 inches behind Abdullah in the vertical and Murray matched Abdullah in the broad jump (though enjoys a 5" height advantage over Abdullah), but he basically lapped the presented field by an average of over 9.5" in both the vertical and broad jump.

So, while in size he compares to Rice and McCoy (199 and 204 lbs at workouts, respectively), he dwarfs their overall strength numbers by a wide margin and belongs as at least an equal to the "stronger" set you first listed.

Furthermore, this isn't some workout warrior we're talking about. Of those listed, only Rice has more career rushing yards (4926 to 4588, though Rice did it on 100 more carries and in a worse conference) and he beat the field in number of carries by an average of 184 while maintaining a better YPC avg than AP, Murray, Bell, Rice, and McCoy (Ameer's avg actually increased to above 6.0 YPC in his final two years as his usage rose).

Really, the only thing that prevents Ameer from being held in the same pre-draft esteem as some of the best RBs in recent memory is that you'd love for him to run better than the mid 4.5's/combine 4.6 he put up at his pro day.

 
workdog3 said:
I'm sorry. I just don't see it. Dude is straight up tiny. It's quite evident on tape. No NFL team is going to use him between the tackles on a regular basis; especially when he lacks the 6th gear of a Charles or Chris Johnson. Maybe you get a Sproles type role out of him, but that's it.
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That's all that needs to be said -- you don't see it while many of us do.

 
Dude is amazing to watch and if I had a later pick I would snatch him up in a heart beat. But ... Yeah, I don't see him as back I want to take a chance on early, Maybe 5 or 6 backs would have to go first for me to take him and yet I love what he brings, just worried is all.

 
workdog3 said:
I'm sorry. I just don't see it. Dude is straight up tiny. It's quite evident on tape. No NFL team is going to use him between the tackles on a regular basis; especially when he lacks the 6th gear of a Charles or Chris Johnson. Maybe you get a Sproles type role out of him, but that's it.
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I don't get the Sproles comparison at all. Ameer's 3 inches taller and 18 lbs heavier than Sproles was when he entered the league, and Abdullah bested Sproles in every measurement except the 40 (Sproles 4.47, Abdullah 4.6) despite Sproles being known as having elite agility.

You're acting like his size is an absolute deal breaker, but I actually argue the reverse. I think his shorter stature mixed with his exceptional strength give him a huge advantage as a runner, think MJD (5'7"), but taller, stronger, and a touch slower at full run. Remember, while Ameer's top end speed leaves things to be desired, his quickness and agility are truly exceptional, even by NFL standards. I've long believed through anecdotal observance that the NFL, while moving toward a style of play more focused on the passing game (largely an attempt to reduce the pounding and resultant medical issues that happen to guys running inside the line, IMO) is moving toward a focus on compact, quick running backs that can excel in space.

Spurred on by this thread, I sought to find something to back up that inkling and I was able to find a couple of articles that appear well researched (though I only first read them today): Here's one showing that, over the last decade, the average height and weight for a RB has trended downward; and here's another showing that, among running backs who have been successful in the NFL, the ideal height is 5'9" (Ameer's height). In that last article, the dominance of successful RBs 5'9" or under was so complete that they still lead most categories even if you removed Emmitt Smith (5'9") from the dataset entirely.

That second article got me to look up some more anecdotes about Emmitt Smith because I had honestly forgotten he was physically similar to Smith (5'9" reported playing weight between 205 and 210 before ballooning to 215 lbs with the Cards). Sound like similar arguments?:

One of the most famous scouting reports in the history of the Dallas Cowboys' organization went missing several years ago, but there are witnesses who remember the final line. It was written by former Cowboys Southeast area scout Walt Yaworsky, a man who played center for Bear Bryant at Kentucky before a career in the pros.

"Emmitt Smith will someday make Cowboys fans forget about Tony Dorsett," read the final line of Yaworsky's report, according to a couple scouts who asked not to be identified in this story.

The statement sounds plausible in the aftermath of Smith's illustrious career, but it raised eyebrows at Valley Ranch in 1990. Yaworsky, not a man to mince words, was prepared to stake his reputation on the 5-9, 210-pound running back out of Florida.

"He was unique because he wasn't real tall," Yaworsky finally said after some coaxing. "I thought he was in Jimmy Brown's class from the start. He just had this peripheral vision and he seemed to know exactly where his linemen were going to be without ever having to take a peek."

Described by those who knew him best as an "Archie Bunker-type personality," Yaworsky said to hell with 40-yard dash times and informed Johnson and Jerry Jones that Smith had the best vision of any running back he'd ever scouted.

Yaworsky thought Smith was the perfect type of back because most of his weight was in the lower body and he did a superb job of keeping his pad level low. Smith had an uncanny knack for making his body go limp at the moment of impact so that he never took a lot of clean shots. Old-school scouts such as Yaworsky knew that 40-yard dash times, while instructive, shouldn't define players.

Smith never ran better than a 4.5 40-yard dash, but it was his ability to change direction on a dime without losing speed that made him so special. Football isn't played on a straight line and that's why it's not a given that a 4.3 40-yard dash will translate to great rushing numbers.
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workdog3 said:
Honestly, I don't really care to argue about Abdullah any longer. I made one comment in response to you calling him your "#1 RB target" and all of a sudden I'm wrapped up in this anti-Abdullah/pro-Abdullah conversation. He's not the # 1 RB in the draft. NFL analysts don't think so, and in about a month you'll see that NFL coaches and GMs don't think so. If anyone thinks they see something that these other guys don't, then hats off to you. I'll play the percentages and be on the other side of the trade.

Nothing personal. I really just don't have a dog in this fight other than to say Abdullah is not, and should not be considered the #1 RB target in this year's draft.
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Fair enough, but don't expect to be able to make those statements by drawing comparisons to players that he isn't similar to without getting challenged on it. You came in to the thread of your own accord, you're welcome to not return to continue the debate.

 
workdog3 said:
Nothing personal. I really just don't have a dog in this fight other than to say Abdullah is not, and should not be considered the #1 RB target in this year's draft.
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For me, saying he's the #1 RB target would not be the same as saying he's the #1 RB. Gurley and Gordon seem likely to go higher in the NFL draft. However, those players are also likely to carry much higher expectations and a higher price tag. In terms of value per cost, you might get more bang for your buck spending a mid-late 1st round rookie pick on Ameer as opposed to spending a top 3-4 pick on one of those other two backs.

A lot will depend on what happens in the draft, but it's likely that I'll end up with Ameer on more of my teams than Gurley/Gordon. That's not because I rate him higher, but rather because when you factor in the projected price tag, I think he's going to represent better value. Expectations are so high for Gurley/Gordon that you'd have to pay a big price to roster them, which results in a much slimmer profit margin.

 
workdog3 said:
mcintyre1 said:
Fair enough, but don't expect to be able to make those statements by drawing comparisons to players that he isn't similar to without getting challenged on it. You came in to the thread of your own accord, you're welcome to not return to continue the debate.
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mcintyre1 said:
Watch the film.
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I watched the film and the first person that comes to mind is Darren Sproles. Keep in mind I said Sproles type role. Not, "he's the same physical specimen as Darren Sproles".
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He does have some similarities in running style to college Darren Sproles, but Sproles' role in the NFL has largely been determined by his significant lack of size. No team has or seems willing to let Sproles try to be a workhorse back because he's 5'6" and 190lbs soaking wet. My counter to your comparison is that Abdullah has a better shot at getting that chance to be a workhorse back because, while small, he isn't Darren Sproles small. That's why i brought up the physical comparison.

 
workdog3 said:
Geddy Lee said:
workdog3 said:
I'm sorry. I just don't see it. Dude is straight up tiny. It's quite evident on tape. No NFL team is going to use him between the tackles on a regular basis; especially when he lacks the 6th gear of a Charles or Chris Johnson. Maybe you get a Sproles type role out of him, but that's it.
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That's all that needs to be said -- you don't see it while many of us do.
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Wonderful. Sounds like a great little club. Can you define "many of us"?
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http://journalstar.com/sports/huskers/life-in-the-red/kiper-part-of-the-abdullah-fan-club/article_c8fd22cc-f245-11e3-b124-0019bb2963f4.html

 
workdog3 said:
mcintyre1 said:
workdog3 said:
mcintyre1 said:
Fair enough, but don't expect to be able to make those statements by drawing comparisons to players that he isn't similar to without getting challenged on it. You came in to the thread of your own accord, you're welcome to not return to continue the debate.
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mcintyre1 said:
Watch the film.
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I watched the film and the first person that comes to mind is Darren Sproles. Keep in mind I said Sproles type role. Not, "he's the same physical specimen as Darren Sproles".
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He does have some similarities in running style to college Darren Sproles, but Sproles' role in the NFL has largely been determined by his significant lack of size. No team has or seems willing to let Sproles try to be a workhorse back because he's 5'6" and 190lbs soaking wet. My counter to your comparison is that Abdullah has a better shot at getting that chance to be a workhorse back because, while small, he isn't Darren Sproles small. That's why i brought up the physical comparison.
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So, with one or two names, whose NFL career do you see Abdullah's most resembling?
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Best case is a LeSean McCoy type career, although Abdullah bested or matched McCoy in every workout at their pro days (only place McCoy worked out), and Abdullah is shorter and weighs a bit more. fun fact: both guys said they are the best RB in the draft prior to the draft, despite knowing other guys will go earlier.

 
He doesn't have the long speed of Gurley or Coleman or the power of Gordon and Ajayi but I think he very favorably translates to the NFL. His athleticism is well documented and it should be enough to get him into the 2nd while his lack of long speed will keep him out of the 1st.

 
Since he dominated every other physical measurement, I'm very glad he at least ran a slow 40 time. His price should at least remain reasonable.

 
Abdullah's arguably the most underrated guy in this draft class from a dynasty perspective IMO. If people are drafting now and Abdullah's dropping all the way to the 2nd round (as I'm seeing in a lot of mock drafts), jump all over him.

He's likely going to end up being a high 2nd round pick in the NFL (3rd RB off the board?) and has a pretty good shot at being drafted into a situation where he will be asked to be the lead back (or the larger half of a RBBC). With his pass catching ability, he could be a big time player in PPR leagues. The Ray Rice comparison gets thrown around too much, but it might actually be warranted in this case.

I also really like Abdullah in redraft leagues. His ADP in MFL10s right now is 11th round (11.05 last I checked) and I've been able to grab him comfortably in round 9 or 10 of just about every one I've participated in. Love his odds of out-producing his ADP in that format as well.

 
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Gio Bernard clone. Could be a stub but just as easily could end up in the same situation as Bernard is.

 
lod01 said:
Gio Bernard clone. Could be a stub but just as easily could end up in the same situation as Bernard is.
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I don't know if they're clones but you hope Abdullah is as good as Gio is. Pretty big assumption. I probably wouldn't draft him in the first round. That could change depending on where he is drafted but he's just not big enough to be a featured back so his ceiling is low end RB2.

 
SI 64: Nos. 44–40: Jaelen Strong, Jalen Collins, Ameer Abdullah, more

Excerpt:

42. Ameer Abdullah, RB, NebraskaBio: In 2014, Abdullah led the Big Ten in rushing with 1,611 yards and 19 touchdowns on 264 carries, and he was highly productive throughout his career with the Cornhuskers. Possibly the best senior back in this class leaves the NCAA with 4,588 yards and 73 touchdowns on 813 carries, with 690 receiving yards, 1,592 kick return yards and 316 punt return yards mixed in. Size and power issues will probably prevent Abdullah from becoming a three-down back in the NFL, but that doesn't diminish his true value. His pro team will just have to know what he does best, and adapt accordingly. There's a lot to like.

Strengths: Outstanding speed, acceleration and body lean—transitions smoothly to the second and third levels. Runs low and forward to pick up extra yards between the tackles. Patient when waiting for blocks to open gaps, and moves to the edge quickly and efficiently. Team leader who works very hard and has an obvious desire to improve. Runs very decisively to and through the gap, and has the vision to take advantage of quick-opening opportunities. Not blessed with great escapability, but has good lateral agility and fights to create openings as he runs downfield.

Weaknesses: As expected from a player his size (5'9", 205 pounds), Abdullah struggles in power situations. Not a sustaining back when dealing with bigger defenders, and has issues keeping his body straight when blocking. Won't be able to put on much more weight. Needs to develop a wider array of routes, and more accuracy when running them. Fumbled 13 times at Nebraska. Best suited to a zone scheme at the next level—could struggle with power/counter/trap schemes that require more power and patience.

Conclusion: Abdullah doesn't project as an every-down back in the NFL because of his size and attendant power issues, but he could be a very valuable cog in a multi-faceted running game. In a system that defines rushing openings to the edge and relies on big plays in space, he'd be a real asset. Add in his value as a returner, and second-round consideration isn't out of the question.

Pro Comparison: Andre Ellington, Cardinals (Round 6, 2013)
Click to expand...
 
Very excited for Abdullah. As someone who owns picks 11, 12, and 15, I will be very disappointed if I leave my draft without him

 
amicsta said:
Very excited for Abdullah. As someone who owns picks 11, 12, and 15, I will be very disappointed if I leave my draft without him
Click to expand...
I don't know ... I think he may be be more of a 8-9 guy instead of a 11-12 guy. We'll see after the draft.

 
I predict a rookie draft ADP around 6-10, but of course a lot will depend on the NFL draft. I'm crossing my fingers and hoping that some scrubs like Duke Johnson and Tevin Coleman get picked ahead of Ameer by the NFL to push his rookie draft ADP down.

 
Rotoworld:

Ameer Abdullah - RB - Cornhuskers

The Falcons put Nebraska RB Ameer Abdullah through a private workout, according to Ross Jones.

These is the first visit/workout buzz we have read regarding Ameer Abdullah. As Jones points out. Abdullah would be an outstanding fit in Kyle Shanahan's zone focused running scheme thanks to his explosive cuts and ability to make people miss at the second level. Expect the Falcons to look at running backs in the first three rounds.

Source: Ross Jones on Twitter

Apr 16 - 9:21 AM
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I don't know how much Matt Waldman allows people to mention regarding his excellent Rookie Scouting Portfolio, but the short version would be that he's pretty in line with what I've said in this thread. Definitely buy the RSP, Matt does amazing work and is providing an almost unique service that we should support if we want to see more of.

 
Against ranked teams last year:

Michigan State - 12/45/2 (1.9 YPC), 2/22

Wisconsin - 18/69/0 (3.8 YPC), 1/26

USC- 27/88/1 (3.3 YPC), 6/61

Total in those games: 57/202/3 (3.54 YPC), 9/109/1

 
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cstu said:
Against ranked teams last year:

Michigan State - 12/45/2 (1.9 YPC), 2/22

Wisconsin - 18/69/0 (3.8 YPC), 1/26

USC- 27/88/1 (3.3 YPC), 6/61

Total in those games: 57/202/3 (3.54 YPC), 9/109/1
Click to expand...
Conveniently ignoring his two games against Michigan State in 2012 and 2013 when he was one of the only backs to go over 100 yards against them. Heck, I'm surprised you didn't pull out McNeese State to knock him.

If you'd bother reading the whole thread, we've already discussed those games and their context. Short version of the defense: no back can escape a terrible game plan and play calling. If you watched game film, you'd know that your issue is with Nebraska, not with Abdullah. You understand that they fired a coach who hadn't won less than 9 games over the last 7 years right? There was a reason for that, and it wasn't hubris. Guy couldn't adapt his scheme once teams figured it out and blamed the players for lack of execution rather than adjusting anything.

Besides, I can pull out some not so great (for college, at least) rushing box scores for other top backs as well (and sometimes not even against ranked competition):

Gurley:

2012:

South Carolina - 13/39/0 (3.0 YPC)

Kentucky - 12/47/0 (3.9 YPC)

2013:

North Texas - 21/91/1 (4.3 YPC)

Nebraska - 21/86/0 (4.1 YPC)

(You also have to knock him for missing 3 games in 2013 and most of 2014)

Gordon:

2013:

Iowa - 17/62/0 (3.6 YPC)

2014:

Western Illinois - 17/38/0 (2.2 YPC)

Ohio State - 26/76/0 (2.9 YPC)

Jay Ajayi

2014:

Connecticut - 18/39/0 (2.2 YPC)

Air Force - 17/63/0 (3.7 YPC)

Fresno State - 22/70/1 (3.2 YPC)

 
Ameer "Agility" Abdullah has a nice ring to it, and I love a good alliteration. Seriously, I love him, will be targeting everywhere. For me with running backs I'll favor the measurables and the film over everything else. Both plusses for him

 
cstu said:
mcintyre1 said:
workdog3 said:
First rule of the Ameer Abdullah Bandwagon Thread. Don't talk <s--t> about Ameer Abdullah.
Click to expand...
More like: "Don't come in with half-assed criticisms". I'd say that's true of any bandwagon thread.
Click to expand...
Did he or did he not average 3.54 YPC against ranked teams last year?
Click to expand...
I never said he didn't, just implied that such a statistic has very little meaning when compared to an entire season, much less a career. But go ahead and use that as a draft guide if you want. Your loss.

 
cstu said:
Against ranked teams last year:

Michigan State - 12/45/2 (1.9 YPC), 2/22

Wisconsin - 18/69/0 (3.8 YPC), 1/26

USC- 27/88/1 (3.3 YPC), 6/61

Total in those games: 57/202/3 (3.54 YPC), 9/109/1
Click to expand...
Here's links to those three games:

Michigan State

Wisconsin

USC

You can watch for yourself if you care to, but I'll also tell you what I see.

Against Michigan State I see a defense stacking the box and selling out to stop a Nebraska team that, due to limitations at QB, can really only operate as an option run team, be it zone read or the more traditional variety. Nebraska had rushed Abdullah for over 200 yards the previous two games and ran the ball 3-5x more than they passed, much as they had all season. With Sparty selling out to stop Ameer, QB Tommy Armstrong had to step up and make the defense go back on their heels a bit. Armstrong finished 20/43 passing with 2 INTs, no TDs and a QBR of 11.6 to go along with his 11 carries for 7 yards. Simply put, Nebraska couldn't make Michigan State pay for focusing on Ameer.

Against Wisconsin, Ameer was only a week removed from an MCL sprain that knocked him out of the game (the only injury I can remember him ever suffering) and required him to wear a brace up until the USC game. He didn't look like himself, unsure when planting his foot. Armstrong again had a very poor game.

As for USC, it admittedly wasn't one of his best games. However, USC has a lot of top end talent, it was his first game without the knee brace since the injury, and the guy that recruited him and coached him the last four years had been recently fired. It wasn't even that bad of a game as a whole, though. He had 149 yards rushing/receiving with a TD and 3 kick returns for 120 yards.

 
- Ball security issues

- Poor pass protection

- Slow for his size

- Limited to running outside

Upside is a 3rd back in the NFL, if he can learn to block better.

 
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