Rashard Mendenhall

[Displaced Cowboy]

He is quickly rising up my draft board.

If we presumably lose out on the McFadden sweepstakes I think Mendenhall would be my #2 choice.

Hopefully he comes out.

[Biggems]

never heard of him before yesterday

[Displaced Cowboy]

He had to share the backfield last year but was still ripping off a ton of long runs.

He torched my Nittany Lions last year for over 150 and kept the illini in the game and had another good game against them this year.

He's been an absolute monster all year.

[Biggems]

i see he is their second leading receiver.....that is good to see. by looking at his bio, he seems to be a power back. he is a junior, but if he continues to put up these kind of stats, i bet he declares for the draft.

it will be interesting to see how he is ranked at the end of the year with the other backs that should be in the draft.

[JerryFan]

Alright I can help here with some info on Mendenhall. He is a complete STUD!!!! I'm an Illinois fan and am telling you right now this kid is the real deal. I'm not the type of person to talk my teams players up. I'm a realist and there probably isn't a better back in college football. McFadden is a stud no doubt, but I don't know if he is really that much better then Mendenhall.

He is big (6'0 225), fast (4.4 forty), catches the ball as well as any back I've watched (including Reggie Bush, Edge, etc...), has great vision, and will run people over. He catches everything thrown his way and he does so with his hands not his body. Throw in the fact that Illinois really doesn't have a passing game (in our win over Penn St we didn't complete a pass in 2nd half of the game) and you can see why people are drooling over this kid. He was a highly rated kid (5 star recruit) out of Skokie, IL and is finally getting his chance. I have no idea how he pass blocks though, because we don't do it much with our backs. Usually 'Shard is running a pass route and I think Illinois relies on Juice Williams to elude the pass rush if it does come.
I would LOVE to have him in the backfield with Barber. Wow would that be a TON!!!! There has been zero talk of him coming out, but who knows with the year he is having. I'll keep everyone updates on 'Shard and how he is doing.

[JerryFan]

Here is a highlight video of our W over Indiana when Mendenhall went for over 200 yards on the ground. There are a couple other video's on You Tube of Illinois and Mendenhall. Also, keep your eye on #9 (Rejus Benn) and #1 on D Vontae Davis. Both are big time studs and will make a big impact in the NFL. Vontae Davis is the little brother of 49ers TE Vernon Davis and is a big time CB. We also have an OLB who is Lavarr Arrington reincarnated , but with a brain. Seriously the kid is an OLB, but against #5 Wisconsin he lined up at DE, OLB, and SS and will also play WR starting next year. The Zooker can recruit there is no doubting that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2gIsDTL-AU

[Biggems]

So if you had to choose between McFadden and Mendenhall, who would you pick.....and why?

[LatinMind]

Originally Posted by Biggems

So if you had to choose between McFadden and Mendenhall, who would you pick.....and why?

neither dallas has barber

[JerryFan]

Originally Posted by Biggems

So if you had to choose between McFadden and Mendenhall, who would you pick.....and why?

I'd take McFadden, but it's not going to be an option for Dallas IMO. The main reason is because McFadden has done it for 2 years in the SEC really with no passing game to speak of. It's really hard for me to pick, but like I said if both were on the board with our pick I'd take McFadden. I'm not sure about how well McFadden holds onto the ball, but early in Mendenhalls career he had some fumble problems. It seems to be corrected now, but I think McFadden has proved he can carry the load moreso then Mendenhall in his career so far.

Like I said earlier though I don't think the talent gap between them is as big as what some might think.

[JerryFan]

Here is a highlight video of Illinois win vs. #5 Wisconsin last week. A lot of nice Mendenhall highlights. Watch this kid run and you can't help but love him.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=FktlfypwRic

[D-TownRadio]

Barber is not an every down back. He is not going to last sharing the ball the way he runs and I am sick of hearing about how he is built. His body size does not mean anything. He is still able to get injured. JJ has to go the kid is a bust. I would take Mcfadden because he can line up as a wide out halfback or quarterback and with JG as the OC I think that would make for some pretty amazing plays. When tony has the thret to run or pass and a running back with the thret to run catch or pass it would spread the D's so much that we could do what we want at will against teams.

[JerryFan]

Originally Posted by D-TownRadio

Barber is not an every down back. He is not going to last sharing the ball the way he runs and I am sick of hearing about how he is built. His body size does not mean anything. He is still able to get injured. JJ has to go the kid is a bust. I would take Mcfadden because he can line up as a wide out halfback or quarterback and with JG as the OC I think that would make for some pretty amazing plays. When tony has the thret to run or pass and a running back with the thret to run catch or pass it would spread the D's so much that we could do what we want at will against teams.

Who wouldn't take McFadden? It's not about whether or not we want McFadden it's the fact that we aren't going to have the chance to pick him.

[JerryFan]

Gotta give a shout out to my boy 'Shard for his game last night and his season so far. If we could pick him up in the 2nd round I'd be one happy Illini/Cowboy fan.

'Shard went off yesterday. 17 carries 201 yards 2 TD's (64, 35). That puts Rashard Medenhall at 1314 yards for the year and 16 TD's on the year so far. Not only does he put up huge numbers take a look at this quote from him about yesterday: By the way Walter is his older brother.

But the junior from Niles West sat down early in the fourth quarter, to let Walter play. Walter responded with 57 yards on four carries. ''The coaches wanted me to go back in and get the season rushing record,'' Rashard said. ''I told them I'd rather have Walter go in there. That was great to see him break some runs. I'm so happy for him.''

[Displaced Cowboy]

sounding like he will be coming out and he would immediately jump to the top of my RB list.

Illini's Mendenhall unsure whether or not to turn pro
By Mark Tupper
mark.tupper@lee.net
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LOS ANGELES -- Some college juniors with pro potential might be lured back to campus by the chance to play on a national championship-contending team. Others might be tempted by the opportunity to win the Heisman Trophy. | Illini page

But Illini running back Rashard Mendenhall, the Big Ten Player of the Year who is rumored to be considering an early jump to the NFL, said such factors will not be considerations when he makes his decision.

So what would be left for Mendenhall to accomplish by returning to Illinois for his senior year?

''In my mind, not too much,'' Mendenhall said Friday as Illinois prepares for Tuesday's Rose Bowl showdown with Southern California. ''I'm not really big on accolades or awards.''

[View Full Quote]In that case, individual honors might not tempt Mendenhall, who after a breakthrough season in which he rushed for 1,526 yards and 16 touchdowns, would be on the Heisman Trophy short list next season.

''That's not really something I'd come back for,'' Mendenhall said.

Finally, Mendenhall was asked, ''What would make you come back?''

''I'm not so sure,'' he said.

Mendenhall, who has said he does not like talking about his NFL plans, knows it's part of the landscape, especially when a large media throng stands in front of him as it did on Friday.

''There are a lot of things you have to weigh,'' he said. ''It's a big decision.''

Mendenhall did say he has completed the paperwork that requests an assessment of his pro draft status by an NFL evaluation board.

''That's something you want to keep up with to make sure you make all their deadlines,'' said Mendenhall, who indicated that his mother, coach Ron Zook and a former high school coach are helping him sort through his options.

Mendenhall just finished his junior year and said he is enrolled in classes next semester that would kick off his senior season.

''It's just like going through the recruiting process because everyone wants to know what you're going to do,'' he said. ''Teammates want to see you stay and play another year, but they haven't been bothering me about it.''

Offensive coordinator Mike Locksley said Mendenhall is predictably uncomfortable talking about his future.

''That's Rashard for you,'' Locksley said. ''He's always been a quiet kid, very humble. He will never be the guy who stands out in the front and says, 'It's all about me.' He always gives credit to (fullback) Russ Weil and his offensive line.

''He understands that for him to have the kind of year he's had, a lot of different parts have come together.

''But he is as versatile a back as I've been able to coach, and I've coached some guys who are playing on Sundays. Rashard is a tremendous receiver out of the backfield. He can be a good power back. And his best trait is his tremendous feet and vision.

''He has the ability to run through people, the ability to run by people and the ability to make people miss. He's very versatile.''

[IlliniNation]

The more I hear here in Illinois Rashard is gone. His brother is a backup RB with the Illini and I was hoping he would keep Rashard at Illinois. They are very close. However now I hear his brother will just forgo his senior year if Rashard declares for the NFL. The only reason I will be happy for him leaving is if he is drafted by the Cowboys. Im telling ya, if you havent seen Rashard play, he is as good as any RB in the nation.