Slimm's 2015 Runningbacks (Underclassmen)

[SF Dolphin Fan]

Gurley will be the best running back in the NFL within 3 years

I could see that happening. I don't think it takes an "expert" scout to see he has unreal talent. I'd love for Miami to get him, but I think he will go earlier than where the Dolphins end up picking. We could end up with Gordon, a linebacker, corner or safety with the 1st pick.

 

[Pachyderm_Wave]

I don't think it takes an "expert" scout to see he has unreal talent.

Exactly. This is one of these players I'm talking about when I say anybody should be able to watch this kid play and see that he's an exceptional talent. There's no evaluation required.

I used to watch a back at Florida about 15 years ago by the name of Fred Taylor. That's what Todd Gurley is.

 

[Tannenbombs]

Exactly. This is one of these players I'm talking about when I say anybody should be able to watch this kid play and see that he's an exceptional talent. There's no evaluation required.

I used to watch a back at Florida about 15 years ago by the name of Fred Taylor. That's what Todd Gurley is.

What's funny is that while commentating during the Wisconsin/LSU game Chris Spielman noted Todd McShay had Melvin Gordon as his #1 RB this year.
I like Melvin Gordon. I think he's going to be a very good starting RB. And by no means am I claiming someone who had Blaine Gabbert rated higher than Cam Newton is an "expert" it's just funny that this guy GETS PAID to do this. Todd Gurley is a generational talent.

 

[Pachyderm_Wave]

Melvin Gordon is an outstanding talent. He should clearly be next in line behind Gurley in terms of underclassman running backs. But he's just not quite the specimen Gurley is.

That's not a knock on Gordon because nobody else is either. Whatever team picks Melvin Gordon is going to be happy with him. Gurley's just a different type of beast with all due respect to several talented backs that I'm fond of.

 

[Tannenbombs]

Melvin Gordon is an outstanding talent. He should clearly be next in line behind Gurley in terms of underclassman running backs. But he's just not quite the specimen Gurley is.

That's not a knock on Gordon because nobody else is either. Whatever team picks Melvin Gordon is going to be happy with him. Gurley's just a different type of beast with all due respect to several talented backs that I'm fond of.

Melvin Gordon is a top 10 running back in the National Football League. He's shown he has 3rd down abilities this year. RARE ACCELERATION.

 

[WVDolphan]

Watch out in the future(as far as NFL and draft goes) for the Perine kid from Oklahoma.

The true freshman can play. It wasnt the yardage totals and TDs so much that impressed me, after all, stats.... But, the way he runs is impressive. He has NFL written all over him with that power at that size. He really seems to understand how to use his blockers and is not afraid to take tacklers on when he has to. He often WINS vs. tacklers. Low center of gravity with tremendous power and good speed.

And he did break Peterson's freshman single game OU record yesterday with an impressive yardage total on 30+ carries.

 

[Pachyderm_Wave]

Watch out in the future(as far as NFL and draft goes) for the Perine kid from Oklahoma.

The true freshman can play. It wasnt the yardage totals and TDs so much that impressed me, after all, stats.... But, the way he runs is impressive. He has NFL written all over him with that power at that size. He really seems to understand how to use his blockers and is not afraid to take tacklers on when he has to. He often WINS vs. tacklers. Low center of gravity with tremendous power and good speed.

And he did break Peterson's freshman single game OU record yesterday with an impressive yardage total on 30+ carries.

Yeah we tried to recruit him here to Bama. He felt like Oklahoma was a better place for him to get playing time with Yeldon, Henry, Drake, Tyren Jones, and Altee Tenpenny already in the fold here...and we already had a commitment from Bo Scarborough.

5'11", 243 pounds with devastating power and breakaway speed. He looks just like Jamal Lewis did as a freshman for Tennessee.

 

[j-off-her-doll]

Didn't have a great game running the ball (speaking of his stats), but I can't see DJ Foster lasting beyond the 2nd. So many tools and such a natural athlete. Outstanding body control. What a group of RB's.

 

[j-off-her-doll]

Exactly. This is one of these players I'm talking about when I say anybody should be able to watch this kid play and see that he's an exceptional talent. There's no evaluation required.

I used to watch a back at Florida about 15 years ago by the name of Fred Taylor. That's what Todd Gurley is.

When healthy, I thought Fred Taylor was as good as any RB in the NFL. I was a kid back then, but I always felt his combination of burst, quickness, and power was the best in the NFL at the time.

With Gurley, at this point, I think it's fair to ask: Is he a better RB prospect than A. Peterson? When I watch Gurley, I see M. Lynch with AP's burst, but he's smoother than either.

M. Gordon, btw, stoned and pancaked another blitzing defender yesterday. Without adjusting value for position, I have Gurley as the best player in college football, and I have Gordon in the top 10. It's going to be interesting to see how much NFL GM's adjust on these two because of their position; it'll also be interesting to talk about how much they'll fall because of the strong RB class.

Long season, but the 2015 class looks every bit as strong as the 2014 class.

 

[Tannenbombs]

When healthy, I thought Fred Taylor was as good as any RB in the NFL. I was a kid back then, but I always felt his combination of burst, quickness, and power was the best in the NFL at the time.

With Gurley, at this point, I think it's fair to ask: Is he a better RB prospect than A. Peterson? When I watch Gurley, I see M. Lynch with AP's burst, but he's smoother than either.

M. Gordon, btw, stoned and pancaked another blitzing defender yesterday. Without adjusting value for position, I have Gurley as the best player in college football, and I have Gordon in the top 10. It's going to be interesting to see how much NFL GM's adjust on these two because of their position; it'll also be interesting to talk about how much they'll fall because of the strong RB class.

Long season, but the 2015 class looks every bit as strong as the 2014 class.

Gurley is a better prospect than AP IMO. I have Gurley #2 overall after Leonard and Gordon #7. That's with adjusted value. They are both that good.

I think this class lacks the depth of the 2014 but towards the top it is very strong

 

[MiamiDolphin618]

Gurley and Gordon are both NFL stars IMO. The type of backs that can carry a team. Easily top 10 talents…RB devalued or not if Gurley falls out of the top 5 its a mistake and same with Gordon if he's not in the top 10.

 

[Pachyderm_Wave]

Tevin Coleman reminds me a lot of Curtis Martin when he came out of Pitt two decades ago.

 

[tylerdolphin]

Looks like you dropped Duke quite a bit (I think you had him 3rd or 4th before and now hes 8th.)

Personally, I think fumbles have been his only issue so far. Why the drop?

 

[Mudder1310]

Tevin Coleman reminds me a lot of Curtis Martin when he came out of Pitt two decades ago.

I was trying to think of a comparison back for Coleman and couldn't, but Martin is real close. I'd really enjoy seeing him in Miami.

 

[ckparrothead]

The thing that floors me a little bit about Devon Johnson is that when I try and get a handle on the kid's speed, I'm shocked by the results.

D'Joun Smith is a genuinely good corner prospect I think. I haven't done a ton of work on him but I've seen him play twice. In campus testing he's run in the low 4.5's. But in one of the first plays from scrimmage against FAU last week, Devon Johnson breaks up the middle untouched for a long touchdown and the most notable thing about it is when you take the wide angle view of the field you see Johnson get up to top speed and you see D'Joun Smith get up to top speed in pursuit, and Smith didn't make up any ground on him. At all. They maintained their exact separation throughout.

That's either real bad for D'Joun Smith, or that's real good for Devon Johnson. Or maybe some combination. Johnson is 6'1" & 245 lbs. If he's running solidly into the mid or low 4.5's then that's remarkable.

I think he's the kind of guy that a team would love to have because they know they can use him in a lot of different ways. He can block for a back from upback, h-back or even on the line as a tight end. He can run the football very well and could have 100+ yard games at the NFL level that way. He catches the football very well. And he's not going to whine about whatever you ask him to do. Nor will he subtly resist it by just not doing it well. He gives whatever you're asking of him everything he's got.

The Mike Alstott comparison was very apropos.