My 2 Cents on which running back is best!

[Todd347347]

I listened to what Saban has said and I have listened to alot of fans on this board. Basically, Saban has clearly said he has changed the way Miami rates players. He looks for certain things by position <-- very important. So I say to myself what would I want in a running back? Personally without a doubt the single most important thing in a running back is who is the toughest to tackle. In other words, who gets the most yards after contact?... its that simple.

Which running back is that?

 

[DoLpHiNz34]

I think it would have to be Benson but I'm not sure that's the only thing that's important. Lateral quickness, vision, cutback ability, balance, breakaway speed, etc. There is a lot more to it than just yards after contact, although I do agree that is very important, IMO.

 

[tay0365]

I listened to what Saban has said and I have listened to alot of fans on this board. Basically, Saban has clearly said he has changed the way Miami rates players. He looks for certain things by position <-- very important. So I say to myself what would I want in a running back? Personally without a doubt the single most important thing in a running back is who is the toughest to tackle. In other words, who gets the most yards after contact?... its that simple.

Which running back is that?

That would be Benson, he tends to get 2-3 more yards average after contact, but I still like Brown. Brown is faster, with good size, is a better pass receiver, and is a better blocker. Our offense will consist of just one back, so having one that can do all this, is a plus.

 

[burger13]

I agree that Benson fits that description the best......however, a lot of the great backs of the last 20 yards haven't fit that description.....by this I mean, going back if you look at the players like Emmitt Smith, Barry Sanders, Thurman Thomas, Curtis Martin, Jerome Bettis, Terrell Davis, Clinton Portis, LT, Shaun Alexander, Edge, Ricky, etc.........only a few of them actually fit that description. I think that the main quality that I would attribute to the really great ones on that list is VISION.

So, if you wanted to pick the ONE attribute that will most likely give you success at that postition, I say go with vision.....and then Cadillac Williams would be your pick. I'd prefer to go with the player who has the most complete set of attributes, including vision, and to me that's Ronnie Brown.

 

[NJFINSFAN1]

Yes that would be Benson, will we draft Benson? no! If we ran Wannys Wad offense yes. Running Linehan's offense, Brown or C. williams is a better fit!

 

[Agent51]

That would be Benson, he tends to get 2-3 more yards average after contact, but I still like Brown. Brown is faster, with good size, is a better pass receiver, and is a better blocker. Our offense will consist of just one back, so having one that can do all this, is a plus.

I beg to differ:

Brown:
40 times: 4.48 and 4.51 on ASTROTURF at his "excellent" Combine workout

Benson:
40 times: 4.51 and 4.54 on GRASS at his "bad performance" Pro Day

So Benson was almost even with Brown and Brown had the better surface to run on AND he had a great workout while Benson had a bad workout. Put Benso on Astroturf on a good day and I bet he matches or beats Brown's 40

AND.........

Brown:
Career Receiving: 58 catches, 668yds, 2 TDs

Benson:
Career Receiving: 69 catches, 621yds, 3 TDs

Pretty even there too, so now you take it to rushing and Benson TOALLY edges out Brown, in yds, TDs, Yds after contact, power............

 

[Gen3D]

I'd be happy with any of the 3 backs, since they'd all be better then what we have currently on the team.

 

[ItalianDolFan]

For runningbacks, we released James Lynch and got rid of Leonard Henry. So right now its like this:

HB: Gordon, Morris, Minor
FB: Evans, Martin, Morris, Moa

We should keep Morris because hes a fullback AND halfback. But we should cut Moa. What ever happened to JJ Johnson, Autry Denson, Abdul-Jabbar, Lamar Smith? They were pretty decent.

This draft is tough. There is a franchise QB (Alex Smith), Franchise RB (Brown-Benson), and a Franchise WR (Edwards) to choose from. I am still stuck on which one is best to take. Personally, as long as our offensive line can learn to run block, our RB (whoever it is) should be able to gain good yardage. So if we dont take a runningback, thats fine. As for Receivers, their job is to catch the ball...most of our receivers do that pretty decently. As for QB, they are supposed to throw and all that...our QBs throw more completions to the other team...so i think a QB might be best. But IMO, our biggest need is offensive line. If i was coach, id pick Alex Barron with our Number 2 pick, then get a 2nd rounder and draft David Baas, get Elton Brown with our 3rd rounder...and in teh 4th round pickup Charlie Frye or Adrian McPherson, or Ryan Fitzpatrick (He's from Harvard, so he HAS TO be smart).

 

[KB21]

I listened to what Saban has said and I have listened to alot of fans on this board. Basically, Saban has clearly said he has changed the way Miami rates players. He looks for certain things by position <-- very important. So I say to myself what would I want in a running back? Personally without a doubt the single most important thing in a running back is who is the toughest to tackle. In other words, who gets the most yards after contact?... its that simple.

Which running back is that?

I disagree. Much like Bill Belichick, I believe Saban will put an emphasis on players who bring versatility to the table.

 

[Agent51]

"Ryan Fitzpatrick (He's from Harvard, so he HAS TO be smart)."

Well, FEIDLER went to Dartmouth, which is an Ivy league school, thus implying he is smart, but look where that got us.........And I honestly don't think McPherson or Frye will be around in the 4th, so we should either take one of them in the 3rd (if they even drop that far) or hold out for Kyle Orton or Stefen LeFors in the 4th. Also, I think Williams should be added to your franchise WR considerations. And given the current stat of our O-Line, Benson would be a better fit, because he makes his own holes, 56% of his career yards at Texas came AFTER the first hit, and he has the power to bowl people over and drive through a closing (or non-existant) hole. *IF* we were going to take an O-Linemen it DAMN well better not be at #2 overall, and PREFERABLY not in round 1 at all. ASSUMING we don't get one of the big three positions (QB, RB, WR) at #2, or in the 1st round at all, we should prolly take Rolle, but not at #2, we should trade down. If you think about it, Madison is getting old, Surtain is pretty much gone, we are gonna need a shut down corner. I still say BEST scenerio would be trade downto no less than 8, take Benson, take a WR in the 2nd (with the surtain trade, assuming it happens), maybe Clayton if he drops or Roscoe Parrish, if we can score a SECOND 2nd round pick with the trade down take O-Line (although a second 2nd rounder is highly unlikely) then go QB in the third, McPherson, Walters, LeFors, Orton SHOULD all be there at 6th pick in the 3rd, and again, if we get a second 3rd rounder out of the trade down deal use it for an O-Line, as there should still be quality tackles and guards here.

 

[Gitrdone]

I could have sworn I seen an article on NFL.com stating that Brandt's 40's times for Benson were off. Maybe it wasn't there, but it was stating that he ran 4.61 to 4.67. Going to keep looking for it though. I have heard so many different times for him it's not funny.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=cr-mailbag032505&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

 

[tay0365]

I beg to differ:

Brown:
40 times: 4.48 and 4.51 on ASTROTURF at his "excellent" Combine workout

Benson:
40 times: 4.51 and 4.54 on GRASS at his "bad performance" Pro Day

So Benson was almost even with Brown and Brown had the better surface to run on AND he had a great workout while Benson had a bad workout. Put Benso on Astroturf on a good day and I bet he matches or beats Brown's 40

AND.........

Brown:
Career Receiving: 58 catches, 668yds, 2 TDs

Benson:
Career Receiving: 69 catches, 621yds, 3 TDs

Pretty even there too, so now you take it to rushing and Benson TOALLY edges out Brown, in yds, TDs, Yds after contact, power............

No, some have said Brown might have the best hands of anyone in the draft (Including WR, TE, DB), and let us not forget, that Browns got those receiving numbers at a part time position. Also, even though Benson is a more powerful runner, he is not close to as fast as Brown can be, and finally he is nowhere in the same league, when it comes to blocking (Something we will need from our RB).

 

[tay0365]

I'd be happy with any of the 3 backs, since they'd all be better then what we have currently on the team.

Amen to that.....I still would cross to fingers for Brown though.:D

 

[tay0365]

I disagree. Much like Bill Belichick, I believe Saban will put an emphasis on players who bring versatility to the table.

Exactly, and for that reason we need to take Brown if we take a RB with the overall 2 pick.

 

[finsnchips]

I listened to what Saban has said and I have listened to alot of fans on this board. Basically, Saban has clearly said he has changed the way Miami rates players. He looks for certain things by position <-- very important. So I say to myself what would I want in a running back? Personally without a doubt the single most important thing in a running back is who is the toughest to tackle. In other words, who gets the most yards after contact?... its that simple.

Which running back is that?

Ronnie Brown will get the most yards after contact.

Cadillac is the hardest to tackle.

So, do you want Benson who IMO is a poor mans version of both rolled together. Im not cussing Benson but if he was both Ronnie and Cadillac rolled into one he'd be better than L.T.