Slimm's 2015 Runningbacks (Underclassmen)

[Pachyderm_Wave]

1. Todd Gurley / Georgia / 6'1", 232

2. Melvin Gordon / Wisconsin / 6'1", 207

3. Tevin Coleman / Indiana / 6'0", 210

4. Duke Johnson / Miami / 5'9", 196

5. Jay Ajayi / Boise St. / 6'0", 220

6. Javorius Allen / USC / 6'1", 215

7. T.J. Yeldon / Alabama / 6'2", 218

8. Kenneth Dixon / Louisiana Tech / 5'10", 220

9. D.J. Foster / Arizona St. / 5'11", 205

10t. Mike Davis / South Carolina / 5'9", 215

10t. Dwayne Washington / Washington / 6'1", 220

11. Devontae Booker / Utah / 5'11", 203

12t. Alex Ross / Oklahoma / 6'1" 221

12t. Kenyon Drake / Alabama / 6'1", 201

(Believe me, I'm not exaggerating when I say Drake might be the fastest player in all of college football. His explosion, acceleration, and speed is extremely rare.)


13. Jonathan Williams / Arkansas / 6'0", 222

14. Trey Williams / Texas A&M / 5'8", 195

15. Storm Woods / Oregon St. / 6'0", 205

16. Josh Robinson / Mississippi St. / 5'9", 225

17. Jamaal Williams / BYU / 6'0", 210

18. Matt Jones / Florida / 6'2", 235

19. Byron Marshall / Oregon / 5'10", 207

20. Barry Sanders Jr. / Stanford / 5'10", 192

21t. Charles Jones / Kansas St. / 5'10", 197

21t. Michael Gordon / Arkansas St. / 5'9", 187

22. B.J. Catalon / TCU / 5'9", 190

23. Braylon Heard / Kentucky / 5'11", 190
(Transfer from Nebraska. One of those talented and more highly recruited backs I spoke of that couldn't beat out Ameer Abdullah.)

24. Shock Linwood / Baylor / 5'8", 200

25. Tyreek Hill / Oklahoma St. / 5'10", 190

26. Dallas Crawford / Miami / 5'10", 196

(Probably making the switch to safety this year, but if that doesn't work out... I know what he can do at the RB position.)


27. Travis Greene / Bowling Green / 5'10", 185

28. DeVontae McNeal / UL-Monroe / 5'10", 209

29. Imani Cross / Nebraska / 6'1", 225

30. Brandon Williams / Texas A&M / 6'0", 200

31. Keith Marshall / Georgia / 5'11", 219

32. Jerron Seymour / Vanderbilt / 5'7", 200

33. Robert Lowe / Texas St. / 5'10", 195

34. I'Tavius Mathers / Ole Miss / 5'11", 189

35. DeAndre Washington / Texas Tech / 5'8", 190

36. Tra Carson / Texas A&M / 6'0", 230

37. Leon Allen / Western Kentucky / 6'0", 235

38. Brandon Wilds / South Carolina / 6'2", 222

39. Trey Edmunds / Virginia Tech / 6'1", 216

40. Shadrach Thornton / N.C. State / 6'1", 206

41. Roderick Williams / Minnesota / 5'11", 235

42. Jaylen Walton / Ole Miss / 5'8", 170

43. Andre Given / Bowling Green / 5'9", 200

44. Broderick Snoddy / Georgia Tech / 5'9", 190

45. Shaun Wick / Wyoming / 5'10", 210

46. Anthone Taylor / Buffalo / 5'10", 207

47. Paul Perkins / UCLA / 5'11", 200






Fullbacks:

1. Quayvon Hicks / Georgia / 6'2", 257
(You won't see me using the words "special talent" very often when discussing fullbacks. I'll use 'em here....
Hicks will also play some TE in 2014 because of injuries and lack of depth at the TE position for Georgia.)

2. Devon Johnson / Marshall / 6'1", 240

3. Glenn Gronkowski / Kansas St. / 6'2", 240

 

[finsfanjay13]

Slimm: Would you say this is one of the best RB classes in a long time (provided the top end up declaring)?

 

[j-off-her-doll]

I like where you have Yeldon, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Drake bypass him. I'm excited to watch the race between Gurley and Gordon.

 

[Pachyderm_Wave]

Slimm: Would you say this is one of the best RB classes in a long time (provided the top end up declaring)?

I think in terms of quality depth, it's shaping up to be in that category potentially. I believe you have some special talent at the top of the underclassman list, along with Senior Karlos Williams.

I'll always believe that the 1999 RB class of Edgerrin James, Ricky Williams, Kevin Faulk, Cecil Collins, and Olandis Gary was one of the best I ever saw. What's ironic about this class is that Cecil Collins belonged at the top with Ricky Williams and E. James in terms of talent. I'll never forget watching that 230+ yard performance he put up against Auburn as a true freshman in only his 2nd or 3rd game for LSU. The balance, power, speed, and vision he displayed for a kid just removed from high school was phenomenal.

I think the difference is that backs aren't used as much like workhorses in the NFL now like they were back then. However, Todd Gurley is as special as any RB that has come along in recent years. You can build an offense around this kid for 3-5 years if you choose to....he's that complete of a back already. Melvin Gordon is kinda like the Cordarrelle Patterson of runningbacks. Duke Johnson is truly a special back... he's not anoverhyped back coming out of the University of Miami like Lamar Miller because of the lineage of backs that the program has produced. No, Duke Johnson is at minimum twice the player that Lamar Miller was or will be.

 

[finsfanjay13]

I think in terms of quality depth, it's shaping up to be in that category potentially. I believe you have some special talent at the top of the underclassman list, along with Senior Karlos Williams.

I'll always believe that the 1999 RB class of Edgerrin James, Ricky Williams, Kevin Faulk, Cecil Collins, and Olandis Gary was one of the best I ever saw. What's ironic about this class is that Cecil Collins belonged at the top with Ricky Williams and E. James in terms of talent. I'll never forget watching that 230+ yard performance he put up against Auburn as a true freshman in only his 2nd or 3rd game for LSU. The balance, power, speed, and vision he displayed for a kid just removed from high school was phenomenal.

I think the difference is that backs aren't used as much like workhorses in the NFL now like they were back then. However, Todd Gurley is as special as any RB that has come along in recent years. You can build an offense around this kid for 3-5 years if you choose to....he's that complete of a back already. Melvin Gordon is kinda like the Cordarrelle Patterson of runningbacks. Duke Johnson is truly a special back... he's not anoverhyped back coming out of the University of Miami like Lamar Miller because of the lineage of backs that the program has produced. No, Duke Johnson is at minimum twice the player that Lamar Miller was or will be.

As usual, good stuff.

 

[Pachyderm_Wave]

I like where you have Yeldon, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Drake bypass him. I'm excited to watch the race between Gurley and Gordon.

Yeldon has already been passed on the depth chart by the Freak Show known as Derrick Henry. It's not a stretch to think that Drake could pass him for the backup job.

Yeldon's first problem is ball security. He's a fumble waiting to happen... and you can bet it's going to happen in a crucial moment.. inside the 10 yard line while the offense is going in to score and seize momentum of a big game. He's always had an upright running style, but Coach Burns usually remedies pad level very quickly with Bama's backs. The fact that he hasn't been able to yet with Yeldon causes concern for me. He's either uncoachable or incapable. Either way, it's not a good thing. His second problem is he runs hesitant now... doesn't explode through the hole like he did as a freshman. He's become awful in short yardage situations because he runs so upright.

I thought it was a bad idea not to play Drake more against Auburn and Oklahoma last year. Both losses. A star was born in the Sugar Bowl (Henry) but nothing good or positive came from Drake inexplicably standing on the sidelines against Auburn.

 

[fininpsl]

My big concern with Duke Johnson is durability. He's not a big back but he runs hard, and he's taken a fair amount of punishment in his first couple of years in school. He's was knocked out of several games before he went down for the season against FSU with the leg injury. When he's healthy he's elite. And a football player through and through.

 

[Pachyderm_Wave]

My big concern with Duke Johnson is durability. He's not a big back but he runs hard, and he's taken a fair amount of punishment in his first couple of years in school. He's was knocked out of several games before he went down for the season against FSU with the leg injury. When he's healthy he's elite. And a football player through and through.

That's true, although durability is always a question mark with RB's due to the nature of the position... and size isn't really a factor at all. Todd Gurley is knicked up more than Duke Johnson is.

I think you have to look at what all a back is asked to do. Duke Johnson is asked to do a lot....returning kicks, contributing to the passing game out of the backfield, and obviously running between the tackles. He's a tough kid that runs hard.

Bottom line is that he hasn't missed any games until leg injury, which would've ended any back's season. In my opinion he's proven durable. Injuries however, are going to happen.

 

[fininpsl]

That's true, although durability is always a question mark with RB's due to the nature of the position... and size isn't really a factor at all. Todd Gurley is knicked up more than Duke Johnson is.

I think you have to look at what all a back is asked to do. Duke Johnson is asked to do a lot....returning kicks, contributing to the passing game out of the backfield, and obviously running between the tackles. He's a tough kid that runs hard.

Bottom line is that he hasn't missed any games until leg injury, which would've ended any back's season. In my opinion he's proven durable. Injuries however, are going to happen.

He's definitely a tough running kid. I have zero reservations about his talent (most talented offensive player UM has had since Andre Johnson), and I know you are as spot on as anybody with your evaluations. And Duke WILL play hurt. With everything else I've heard through practice reports, and at game time though, I would knock him down a round or two because of the potential injury issues. Nothing I would discuss on an open public forum, but what I've seen in person on more than one occasion would give me pause on him in the NFL partly because I know he's willing to play when perhaps he shouldn't. I also could be dead wrong with what I think. It's just a personal opinion. Frankly, I hope I am wrong of course. I'm curious as to who you think he compares to in the NFL Slimm? Chris Johnson?

 

[MiamiDolphin618]

Love me some Gurley but I think I would Gordon is equally as talented. Id have them 1a 1b interchangeably. As you mentioned with Gurley, Neither of these guys fit the "RBs are a dime a dozen" cliche. I think both have the potential to be consistent 1200 yd backs in the NFL.

 

[Pachyderm_Wave]

I'm curious as to who you think he compares to in the NFL Slimm? Chris Johnson?

Probably not as fast as Chris Johnson, but runs tougher. I like retro comparisons as I'm a little longer in the tooth... he reminds me of Napoleon Kaufman. Tiki Barber type back if you prefer a little more recent. He's a big play waiting to happen, especially in the passing game on screens, etc.

 

[fininpsl]

Probably not as fast as Chris Johnson, but runs tougher. I like retro comparisons as I'm a little longer in the tooth... he reminds me of Napoleon Kaufman. Tiki Barber type back if you prefer a little more recent. He's a big play waiting to happen, especially in the passing game on screens, etc.

Barber is a pretty interesting comparison. Duke definitely runs tough. Like a 205 lb FB at times. As for the his work in the passing game that was missing from the UM offense this past year. He only had 4 receptions. IMHO our offensive coordinator (James Coley) underutilized Duke in that manner. Jedd Fisch did a much better job getting Duke the ball in 2012. Hopefully UM does a better job of that in 2014. Always appreciate your insight. It's as good as it gets.

 

[j-off-her-doll]

Probably not as fast as Chris Johnson, but runs tougher. I like retro comparisons as I'm a little longer in the tooth... he reminds me of Napoleon Kaufman. Tiki Barber type back if you prefer a little more recent. He's a big play waiting to happen, especially in the passing game on screens, etc.

I was a kid when Kaufman was playing, but he was one of my favorite players in the NFL. I'd always get mad watching the Raiders, because Kaufman rarely got the touches I felt he deserved.

 

[nick1]

I love me some duke johnson

 

[ckparrothead]

Blows my mind that RB James Conner and WR Tyler Boyd aren't even eligible for these underclassmen lists yet. I'm going to have some fun watching Pitt games for the next few years. Hopefully Chad Voytik ends up a decent QB so those other two can live up to their potential. He did look decent when he came in for Savage in the bowl game. I thought he looked even better than Savage in that game, actually. Savage hadn't been having a great game.