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Consensus hard to find in search for best RBs in draft
Posted 6h 44m ago | Comment | Recommend 2 E-mail | Save | Print |
IN 'THE HUDDLE' BLOG
Get the latest buzz from around the NFL in 'The Huddle,' USA TODAY's football blog
1. * Knowshon Moreno, Georgia, 5-11, 217: Many scouts think Moreno could be an instant difference-maker in the NFL because he parlays power and elusiveness to consistently move the ball, sometimes in large chunks. His quick jump-cut moves are sometimes reminiscent of Barry Sanders or LaDainian Tomlinson, but Moreno's lack of elite speed will probably keep him out of the draft's top 10 picks. His best 40-yard dash time at the scouting combine was 4.58 seconds, and during his pro day he ran even slower (4.60) because he was ill, thereby offsetting whatever improvement he had hoped to gain by working out at the Michael Johnson Performance Training Center in McKinney, Texas. On the plus side, he also weighed 210 pounds at his pro day, 7 pounds lighter than at the combine, and looked very good as a receiver in positional drills. Interest in Moreno remains high, as evidenced by the San Diego Chargers (who own the 16th overall pick and might be on the lookout for aging Tomlinson's heir apparent) making arrangements for a personal workout.
In 26 games at Georgia, Moreno started 19 times, rushing for 2,734 yards with 30 touchdowns on 498 carries (5.5-yard average). He caught 53 passes for 645 yards (12.2-yard average) and two scores. He finished his career with the Bulldogs by amassing 3,409 all-purpose yards, an average of 131.1 a game.
2. * Chris "Beanie" Wells, Ohio State, 6-1, 235: Wells is a consistently impressive, north-south runner who attacks the line and explodes through the hole. If he can't use speed to get past a defender, he has the strength to run through him and is known to use a devastating stiff-arm when necessary. Wells displays excellent vision and has the lateral agility to maximize that vision. His best 40-yard dash time at the combine was 4.53 seconds, but he was clocked between 4.39 and 4.42 seconds on a fast track at his pro day with the Buckeyes. He said he entered the draft as an underclassman because he needs the money for his family, which includes 10 siblings. Most scouts say Wells would have benefited from more college experience to improve his blocking and receiving skills. There are also concerns about a long list of injuries, including a concussion in his final game, the Fiesta Bowl.
In three injury-filled seasons, Wells carried 585 times for 3,496 yards (6.0-yard average) and 30 touchdowns.
3. * Donald Brown, Connecticut, 5-10, 210: He doesn't seem exceptionally fast or freakishly strong, but that might be deceptive because he is very efficient and always in control. Brown has a quick short-area burst and does a nice job of shifting his weight and staying low and is maneuverable. While it's difficult to find a really impressive strength in his makeup, it is also difficult to find a glaring weakness. Brown impressed at the combine with a best 40-yard time of 4.48 seconds and a vertical jump of 411/2 inches. He is a shifty runner who attacks a seam before it opens and seems deceptively fast in the second level. His early entry into the draft comes after leading the nation in 2008 with 2,083 rushing yards and scoring 18 touchdowns as a junior, including a 261-yard effort as the 2009 International Bowl MVP.
Brown started 23 of 37 games at UConn, carrying 698 times for 3,800 yards (5.4-yard average) and 33 touchdowns. He added 276 yards and two scores on 48 receptions, 210 yards on nine kickoff returns (23.3-yard average) and piled up 4,286 all-purpose yards.
4. * LeSean McCoy, Pittsburgh, 5-11, 204: McCoy is an elusive runner with lateral moves that are entertaining for fans and frustrating for defenders. As a receiver, he runs great routes and has sure hands. He will need to be strong enough to break tackles to be effective in the NFL. Scouts also are concerned that he lacked quickness, speed and explosion at his workouts. After failing to perform at the combine because of the flu, his pro day was a disaster that included a 40-yard time of 4.50 seconds and, worse, a vertical jump of 29 inches. On the field, he made the most of two seasons with Pitt. He rushed for 2,816 yards and 35 touchdowns and caught 65 passes for 549 yards.
For a dramatic comparison, note that former Heisman Trophy winner and Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Dorsett rushed for 2,690 yards in his first two years at Pitt. McCoy's combined touchdown total of 36 topped the previous NCAA record for freshman and sophomores (32) set by Pittsburgh's Larry Fitzgerald (2002-03). McCoy's 35 rushing touchdowns as a freshman/sophomore surpassed the school mark of 24 set by Dorsett (1973-74).
5. Andre Brown, North Carolina State, 6-0, 224: Here is a thick, powerful straight-line runner who can push a pile and break tackles and then run away from people with his speed. Brown is also an excellent receiver who causes mismatches against most safeties and linebackers, and he is strong, tenacious and reliable as a blocker. He was one of the most impressive runners in practice before the Senior Bowl. Then he put on a great show with his combine workouts as he blazed through 40 yards in 4.37 seconds, added a 37-inch vertical jump and bench-pressed 225 pounds 24 times. He would probably be rated higher if he was more durable, but two surgeries on his left foot to repair fractures are a major concern.
In 44 games, Brown carried 523 times for 2,539 yards (4.9-yard average) and 22 touchdowns, caught 70 passes for 631 yards and added 341 yards on 17 kickoff returns (20.1-yard average). He might be a steal in the second round if his foot holds up in the pros.
6. * Shonn Greene, Iowa, 5-11, 227: Greene is a strong runner who follows blockers well, but he has a series of issues to consider, including lack of great speed, poor pass-blocking ability and questionable hands as a receiver. He is a tough hombre to get your arms around as a defender and your head around as a scout. He was a backup in 2005 and 2006, totaling 388 yards rushing. He then spent 2007 at Kirkwood Community College to regain his academic eligibility. Back at Iowa last year, Greene shocked almost everybody when he finished second in the country with 1,850 yards rushing and collected 20 touchdowns. In light of Greene's circuitous college career, another statistic of interest is age; he will be 24 in August. Although he had a 37-inch vertical jump at the combine, his 40-yard time was 4.62 seconds. At his pro day, Greene improved his vertical jump to 39 inches and lowered his 40-yard clocking to 4.50 seconds.
In 33 games at Iowa, Greene started 13 contests and carried 376 times for 2,228 yards (5.9-yard average) and 22 touchdowns, adding 72 yards on 11 receptions.
7.Rashad Jennings, Liberty, 6-1, 231: At the Senior Bowl practices, Jennings commanded the attention of scouts with some stunning plays, showing startling bursts of speed on short catches. Based on his performance there against top talent from big schools, it seems apparent he might have starred anywhere. He did begin his career at Pittsburgh, but after the 2005 season he transferred to Liberty to be closer to his father, who battles diabetes. After Jennings' Senior Bowl show, teams played closer attention to his combine workouts, which included notable results, including big, strong hands that measured 103/8 inches and bench-pressing 225 pounds 29 times. He ran the 40 in 4.58 seconds and had a vertical jump of 34 inches.
Last year, Jennings ran 263 times for 1,526 yards (5.8-yard average) and 17 touchdowns.
8. Javon Ringer, Michigan State, 5-9, 205: Known by coaches and teammates as a rugged warrior, Ringer showed his toughness in 2008 by carrying Michigan State's offense with 390 rushes for 1,743 yards (4.5-yard average) and 22 touchdowns with 28 catches for 198 yards. But scouts are concerned about his durability because he tore his anterior cruciate ligament as a high school senior, missed four games in 2006 with a torn right medial collateral ligament and was not 100% for several games last season. In January, Ringer had surgery on his right knee and was unable to take part in the Senior Bowl. But he fulfilled his promise to work out at the scouting combine, where he had a 40-yard time of 4.58 seconds, decent under the circumstances. He improved that to 4.42 at his pro day.
In 45 college games, Ringer started 31 times, carrying the ball 843 times for 4,398 yards (5.2-yard average) and 34 touchdowns. He added 719 yards on 96 receptions. In summary, he generated 5,426 all-purpose yards, an average of 120.6 yards a game.
9. Cedric Peerman, Virginia, 5-10, 216: Peerman, a well-built athlete for his size, is a shifty runner with good hands as a receiver and speed that shows on the stopwatches. However, the package doesn't equal the sum of its parts and neither do the results. The most noticeable red flag is a hitch Peerman has coming out of his stance that prevents him from getting an explosive start into the hole. But when he does get rolling, Peerman shows excellent balance and decent lateral agility but no real burst or change of gears with his moves. At the combine he had a dazzling 40-yard time of 4.34 seconds, but that speed isn't apparent in game films, which show four runs of 20-plus yards last year.
He started 18 of his 41 games at Virginia, gaining 3,349 all-purpose yards. He totaled 1,749 yards rushing on 382 career carries (4.6-yard average), and that isn't enough production for a back who expects to start in the NFL. But some team will be enamored with his clocked speed and explosion that was evident in a 40-inch vertical jump, and he should get a chance to be more productive as a pro.
10. Kory Sheets, Purdue, 5-11, 208: Sheets is a lanky, slinky runner who is quick to the hole, patient and agile through traffic; he also has an extra gear to outrun a lot of defenders. He is not an effective blocker and lacks leg strength to pound into the line for tough yards. He didn't miss a game in four years and could be helpful immediately as a kick returner, where his vision and explosive speed were evident on his 61-yard return at the Senior Bowl. At the combine, his best 40-yard time was 4.39 seconds and he added a 37-inch vertical jump. NFL teams have noted that Sheets complained to the news media about the Purdue offense and the performance of some teammates.
Sheets started 36 of 50 games at Purdue, ranking second on the school's career list with 3,341 yards rushing, topped only by Mike Alstott (3,635, 1992-95).
11. * Glen Coffee, Alabama, 6-0, 209: Coffee might have benefited from another season in college. He is probably more aggressive than he will want to be at the next level, where the competition won't be intimidated by his penchant for taking on defenders rather than avoiding them. A weight-room warrior, Coffee is well-built in terms of upper-body muscularity but has thin hips and is not especially powerful at his core. He has good quickness but only average speed, as evidenced by a best 40-yard time of 4.52 seconds at the combine. Coffee had some personal and maturity issues and was suspended for four games in 2007 as part of a scandal involving the receipt of extra textbooks not authorized under terms of his scholarship. Since then, he has become a faith-driven, community leader.
Coffee started 17 of 35 games and gained 2,107 yards with 14 touchdowns on 410 carries (5.1-yard average). He caught 42 passes for 351 yards and two scores.
FULLBACKS
1. Tony Fiammetta, Syracuse, 6-0, 245: He is an excellent lead blocker and pass protector who has good quickness but plays too upright to be a reliable short-yardage runner. Fiammetta has enough burst to get into the hole as a runner, but he won't be selected by anybody looking for a ballcarrier. His best time in 40 yards at the combine was 4.58 seconds. His 34-inch vertical jump demonstrates his power and explosion, and his 30 repetitions with 225 pounds on the bench press shows his upper-body strength. He uses those abilities to take out linebackers and safeties with lead blocks, and he is willing and able to take on any size defender on a blitz.
Fiammetta started 18 of his 45 college games. He carried 16 times in his career for 89 yards, adding 28 catches for 202 yards. He is a high-effort player but has limited upside in the NFL.
2. Quinn Johnson, LSU, 6-1, 246: A former linebacker who likes to hit, Johnson was able to enjoy himself as a lead blocker when he was moved to fullback in 2006. Although he appears to play strong, that didn't translate to workout numbers at the combine when he totaled 16 reps with 225 pounds on the bench press, a number some cornerbacks surpassed. As a runner, he has a little burst but not enough to get him outside and certainly not enough to make him a threat on outlet passes. This liability was also evident at the combine where his best time in 40 yards was 4.82 seconds. He did have a decent vertical jump of 32 inches.
He started 14 of his 40 college games and carried 16 times for 34 yards and two touchdowns. As expected, his best statistics were as a blocker — where he hit like the former linebacker he is — and coaches credited him with 15 touchdown-resulting blocks.
Cooney is publisher of NFLDraftScout.com, the scouting service of USA TODAY
Posted 6h 44m ago | Comment | Recommend 2 E-mail | Save | Print |
IN 'THE HUDDLE' BLOG
Get the latest buzz from around the NFL in 'The Huddle,' USA TODAY's football blog
1. * Knowshon Moreno, Georgia, 5-11, 217: Many scouts think Moreno could be an instant difference-maker in the NFL because he parlays power and elusiveness to consistently move the ball, sometimes in large chunks. His quick jump-cut moves are sometimes reminiscent of Barry Sanders or LaDainian Tomlinson, but Moreno's lack of elite speed will probably keep him out of the draft's top 10 picks. His best 40-yard dash time at the scouting combine was 4.58 seconds, and during his pro day he ran even slower (4.60) because he was ill, thereby offsetting whatever improvement he had hoped to gain by working out at the Michael Johnson Performance Training Center in McKinney, Texas. On the plus side, he also weighed 210 pounds at his pro day, 7 pounds lighter than at the combine, and looked very good as a receiver in positional drills. Interest in Moreno remains high, as evidenced by the San Diego Chargers (who own the 16th overall pick and might be on the lookout for aging Tomlinson's heir apparent) making arrangements for a personal workout.
In 26 games at Georgia, Moreno started 19 times, rushing for 2,734 yards with 30 touchdowns on 498 carries (5.5-yard average). He caught 53 passes for 645 yards (12.2-yard average) and two scores. He finished his career with the Bulldogs by amassing 3,409 all-purpose yards, an average of 131.1 a game.
2. * Chris "Beanie" Wells, Ohio State, 6-1, 235: Wells is a consistently impressive, north-south runner who attacks the line and explodes through the hole. If he can't use speed to get past a defender, he has the strength to run through him and is known to use a devastating stiff-arm when necessary. Wells displays excellent vision and has the lateral agility to maximize that vision. His best 40-yard dash time at the combine was 4.53 seconds, but he was clocked between 4.39 and 4.42 seconds on a fast track at his pro day with the Buckeyes. He said he entered the draft as an underclassman because he needs the money for his family, which includes 10 siblings. Most scouts say Wells would have benefited from more college experience to improve his blocking and receiving skills. There are also concerns about a long list of injuries, including a concussion in his final game, the Fiesta Bowl.
In three injury-filled seasons, Wells carried 585 times for 3,496 yards (6.0-yard average) and 30 touchdowns.
3. * Donald Brown, Connecticut, 5-10, 210: He doesn't seem exceptionally fast or freakishly strong, but that might be deceptive because he is very efficient and always in control. Brown has a quick short-area burst and does a nice job of shifting his weight and staying low and is maneuverable. While it's difficult to find a really impressive strength in his makeup, it is also difficult to find a glaring weakness. Brown impressed at the combine with a best 40-yard time of 4.48 seconds and a vertical jump of 411/2 inches. He is a shifty runner who attacks a seam before it opens and seems deceptively fast in the second level. His early entry into the draft comes after leading the nation in 2008 with 2,083 rushing yards and scoring 18 touchdowns as a junior, including a 261-yard effort as the 2009 International Bowl MVP.
Brown started 23 of 37 games at UConn, carrying 698 times for 3,800 yards (5.4-yard average) and 33 touchdowns. He added 276 yards and two scores on 48 receptions, 210 yards on nine kickoff returns (23.3-yard average) and piled up 4,286 all-purpose yards.
4. * LeSean McCoy, Pittsburgh, 5-11, 204: McCoy is an elusive runner with lateral moves that are entertaining for fans and frustrating for defenders. As a receiver, he runs great routes and has sure hands. He will need to be strong enough to break tackles to be effective in the NFL. Scouts also are concerned that he lacked quickness, speed and explosion at his workouts. After failing to perform at the combine because of the flu, his pro day was a disaster that included a 40-yard time of 4.50 seconds and, worse, a vertical jump of 29 inches. On the field, he made the most of two seasons with Pitt. He rushed for 2,816 yards and 35 touchdowns and caught 65 passes for 549 yards.
For a dramatic comparison, note that former Heisman Trophy winner and Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Dorsett rushed for 2,690 yards in his first two years at Pitt. McCoy's combined touchdown total of 36 topped the previous NCAA record for freshman and sophomores (32) set by Pittsburgh's Larry Fitzgerald (2002-03). McCoy's 35 rushing touchdowns as a freshman/sophomore surpassed the school mark of 24 set by Dorsett (1973-74).
5. Andre Brown, North Carolina State, 6-0, 224: Here is a thick, powerful straight-line runner who can push a pile and break tackles and then run away from people with his speed. Brown is also an excellent receiver who causes mismatches against most safeties and linebackers, and he is strong, tenacious and reliable as a blocker. He was one of the most impressive runners in practice before the Senior Bowl. Then he put on a great show with his combine workouts as he blazed through 40 yards in 4.37 seconds, added a 37-inch vertical jump and bench-pressed 225 pounds 24 times. He would probably be rated higher if he was more durable, but two surgeries on his left foot to repair fractures are a major concern.
In 44 games, Brown carried 523 times for 2,539 yards (4.9-yard average) and 22 touchdowns, caught 70 passes for 631 yards and added 341 yards on 17 kickoff returns (20.1-yard average). He might be a steal in the second round if his foot holds up in the pros.
6. * Shonn Greene, Iowa, 5-11, 227: Greene is a strong runner who follows blockers well, but he has a series of issues to consider, including lack of great speed, poor pass-blocking ability and questionable hands as a receiver. He is a tough hombre to get your arms around as a defender and your head around as a scout. He was a backup in 2005 and 2006, totaling 388 yards rushing. He then spent 2007 at Kirkwood Community College to regain his academic eligibility. Back at Iowa last year, Greene shocked almost everybody when he finished second in the country with 1,850 yards rushing and collected 20 touchdowns. In light of Greene's circuitous college career, another statistic of interest is age; he will be 24 in August. Although he had a 37-inch vertical jump at the combine, his 40-yard time was 4.62 seconds. At his pro day, Greene improved his vertical jump to 39 inches and lowered his 40-yard clocking to 4.50 seconds.
In 33 games at Iowa, Greene started 13 contests and carried 376 times for 2,228 yards (5.9-yard average) and 22 touchdowns, adding 72 yards on 11 receptions.
7.Rashad Jennings, Liberty, 6-1, 231: At the Senior Bowl practices, Jennings commanded the attention of scouts with some stunning plays, showing startling bursts of speed on short catches. Based on his performance there against top talent from big schools, it seems apparent he might have starred anywhere. He did begin his career at Pittsburgh, but after the 2005 season he transferred to Liberty to be closer to his father, who battles diabetes. After Jennings' Senior Bowl show, teams played closer attention to his combine workouts, which included notable results, including big, strong hands that measured 103/8 inches and bench-pressing 225 pounds 29 times. He ran the 40 in 4.58 seconds and had a vertical jump of 34 inches.
Last year, Jennings ran 263 times for 1,526 yards (5.8-yard average) and 17 touchdowns.
8. Javon Ringer, Michigan State, 5-9, 205: Known by coaches and teammates as a rugged warrior, Ringer showed his toughness in 2008 by carrying Michigan State's offense with 390 rushes for 1,743 yards (4.5-yard average) and 22 touchdowns with 28 catches for 198 yards. But scouts are concerned about his durability because he tore his anterior cruciate ligament as a high school senior, missed four games in 2006 with a torn right medial collateral ligament and was not 100% for several games last season. In January, Ringer had surgery on his right knee and was unable to take part in the Senior Bowl. But he fulfilled his promise to work out at the scouting combine, where he had a 40-yard time of 4.58 seconds, decent under the circumstances. He improved that to 4.42 at his pro day.
In 45 college games, Ringer started 31 times, carrying the ball 843 times for 4,398 yards (5.2-yard average) and 34 touchdowns. He added 719 yards on 96 receptions. In summary, he generated 5,426 all-purpose yards, an average of 120.6 yards a game.
9. Cedric Peerman, Virginia, 5-10, 216: Peerman, a well-built athlete for his size, is a shifty runner with good hands as a receiver and speed that shows on the stopwatches. However, the package doesn't equal the sum of its parts and neither do the results. The most noticeable red flag is a hitch Peerman has coming out of his stance that prevents him from getting an explosive start into the hole. But when he does get rolling, Peerman shows excellent balance and decent lateral agility but no real burst or change of gears with his moves. At the combine he had a dazzling 40-yard time of 4.34 seconds, but that speed isn't apparent in game films, which show four runs of 20-plus yards last year.
He started 18 of his 41 games at Virginia, gaining 3,349 all-purpose yards. He totaled 1,749 yards rushing on 382 career carries (4.6-yard average), and that isn't enough production for a back who expects to start in the NFL. But some team will be enamored with his clocked speed and explosion that was evident in a 40-inch vertical jump, and he should get a chance to be more productive as a pro.
10. Kory Sheets, Purdue, 5-11, 208: Sheets is a lanky, slinky runner who is quick to the hole, patient and agile through traffic; he also has an extra gear to outrun a lot of defenders. He is not an effective blocker and lacks leg strength to pound into the line for tough yards. He didn't miss a game in four years and could be helpful immediately as a kick returner, where his vision and explosive speed were evident on his 61-yard return at the Senior Bowl. At the combine, his best 40-yard time was 4.39 seconds and he added a 37-inch vertical jump. NFL teams have noted that Sheets complained to the news media about the Purdue offense and the performance of some teammates.
Sheets started 36 of 50 games at Purdue, ranking second on the school's career list with 3,341 yards rushing, topped only by Mike Alstott (3,635, 1992-95).
11. * Glen Coffee, Alabama, 6-0, 209: Coffee might have benefited from another season in college. He is probably more aggressive than he will want to be at the next level, where the competition won't be intimidated by his penchant for taking on defenders rather than avoiding them. A weight-room warrior, Coffee is well-built in terms of upper-body muscularity but has thin hips and is not especially powerful at his core. He has good quickness but only average speed, as evidenced by a best 40-yard time of 4.52 seconds at the combine. Coffee had some personal and maturity issues and was suspended for four games in 2007 as part of a scandal involving the receipt of extra textbooks not authorized under terms of his scholarship. Since then, he has become a faith-driven, community leader.
Coffee started 17 of 35 games and gained 2,107 yards with 14 touchdowns on 410 carries (5.1-yard average). He caught 42 passes for 351 yards and two scores.
FULLBACKS
1. Tony Fiammetta, Syracuse, 6-0, 245: He is an excellent lead blocker and pass protector who has good quickness but plays too upright to be a reliable short-yardage runner. Fiammetta has enough burst to get into the hole as a runner, but he won't be selected by anybody looking for a ballcarrier. His best time in 40 yards at the combine was 4.58 seconds. His 34-inch vertical jump demonstrates his power and explosion, and his 30 repetitions with 225 pounds on the bench press shows his upper-body strength. He uses those abilities to take out linebackers and safeties with lead blocks, and he is willing and able to take on any size defender on a blitz.
Fiammetta started 18 of his 45 college games. He carried 16 times in his career for 89 yards, adding 28 catches for 202 yards. He is a high-effort player but has limited upside in the NFL.
2. Quinn Johnson, LSU, 6-1, 246: A former linebacker who likes to hit, Johnson was able to enjoy himself as a lead blocker when he was moved to fullback in 2006. Although he appears to play strong, that didn't translate to workout numbers at the combine when he totaled 16 reps with 225 pounds on the bench press, a number some cornerbacks surpassed. As a runner, he has a little burst but not enough to get him outside and certainly not enough to make him a threat on outlet passes. This liability was also evident at the combine where his best time in 40 yards was 4.82 seconds. He did have a decent vertical jump of 32 inches.
He started 14 of his 40 college games and carried 16 times for 34 yards and two touchdowns. As expected, his best statistics were as a blocker — where he hit like the former linebacker he is — and coaches credited him with 15 touchdown-resulting blocks.
Cooney is publisher of NFLDraftScout.com, the scouting service of USA TODAY