Houston Nutt on 103.3

[RainMan]

I've tried to play around in my head why we'd pass on a higher rated running back to take someone we had lower on the board.

The rationale I can muster up is that we truly viewed Mendenhall just as a guy that would take 8 carries a game here, where as we viewed Felix Jones as a guy that could reshape the offense with new packages and wrinkles that get him in space as a wide receiver. Granted, I fully expect him also to be able to get those necessary 8 or so carries a game, going up the middle when needed and also being able to break it outside.

But my expectation, given that we passed on a higher-rated guy, is that Felix does more than just carry the ball on offense.

We'll see how it turns out.

 

[Chuck 54]

To me, the only real difference between F.Jones and T.Dorsett is that one shared carries with a super-human RB.

Who would have looked at TD and thought he could handle 20 carries a game? He certainly wasn't a powerful runner, nor did he move the pile. He wasn't Earl Campbell, but Tony Dorsett was what he was, a huge threat everytime he touched the ball.

I think Felix has a chance to be that type of runner but as a much better receiver.

 

[Sarge]

Dang!!!!! I've had to agree w/you at least 3 times in the past 3 days.....Hell must be freezing over...

Yes, that is quite scary daddio.............god morning........

 

[Awakened]

What impressed you about Felix, and what do you think he struggles/needs to work on to become a successful RB in the NFL?

What impressed me?
Like others have said, Felix is a great team player. Fantastic attitude. Has great speed to the outside. Can get around the corner impressively. Excellent kick returner, which is a product of speed, instincts, vision, and knowing how to utilize blockers. Above all else, I would say that Felix has superior instincts as a running back.

Struggles?
I would say Felix does not have the burst that D-mac has. Some have compared him to Dorsett, but I don't see the burst, the pop of Dorsett. Don't get me wrong. I'm just talking about that first and second step. You've got to understand that I'm comparing him to D-mac, who has legendary burst through the line. Almost all of Felix's long runs (and there were a lot of them) came around the edge.

Didn't Emmitt line up deeper than most backs, in order to get that extra step? That might be a good idea for Felix, because after that first couple of steps, he is magic.

 

[Stash]

Oh and Felix is a dead ringer for Dave Chappelle as well... I don't know if that's a pro or con though.

I can hear it now when Felix signs his contract and gets that bonus money:


"I'm rich *****!"

 

[dre1614]

What impressed me?
Like others have said, Felix is a great team player. Fantastic attitude. Has great speed to the outside. Can get around the corner impressively. Excellent kick returner, which is a product of speed, instincts, vision, and knowing how to utilize blockers. Above all else, I would say that Felix has superior instincts as a running back.

Struggles?
I would say Felix does not have the burst that D-mac has. Some have compared him to Dorsett, but I don't see the burst, the pop of Dorsett. Don't get me wrong. I'm just talking about that first and second step. You've got to understand that I'm comparing him to D-mac, who has legendary burst through the line. Almost all of Felix's long runs (and there were a lot of them) came around the edge.

Didn't Emmitt line up deeper than most backs, in order to get that extra step? That might be a good idea for Felix, because after that first couple of steps, he is magic.

Thanks for the response. One thing I noticed after looking at highlight video on youtube, he has great change of direction skills while in top speed, and seems to have great wiggle. Would this be an accurate assessment?
Thanks for the time.

 

[Wrangler87]

That's the first thing I noticed when I started watching him a couple of years ago... he rarely takes a big hit...

Thanks for the Recap CL...

Dorsett was like that.

 

[Wrangler87]

After watching Youtube highlights, I am amazed at this guys burst. He hits the hole very fast and does not go down on first contact like someone else we know. I learned something about him today that I like.

He reminds me of Eric Metcalf. The way he does everything from the RB position as well as the slot receiver position. In the early to late 90's, Metcalf was the Cleveland Browns offense. He really reminds me of Metcalf when he was with the Browns. That being said, I hope we use him that way. If everyone is healthy, could you imagine TO, Glenn, Witten, Barber out of the backfield, and Jones in the slot. Complete mismatch for any defense in the league.

 

[dbair1967]

Any way you slice it - it's a huge upgrade over Julius...

Lets take a lookee at something here from 07-08

Julius Jones starting RB, average player at best, replaced by Felix Jones- improvement

Nate Jones nickel/dime back, smallish, lousy player, no cover skills...replaced by 1st rd pick Mike Jenkins...tremendous size/speed combination, regarded as very NFL ready

Jacque Reeves starter/3rd CB, lousy player, lousy cover skills, made no plays...replaced by Adam Jones, huge playmaker and a solid man cover guy

Akin Ayodele starting ILB, basically invisible, made no plays of note...replaced by Zach Thomas, perennial probowler with nack for making plays

these 4 positions were very arguably the 4 weakest on the team, especially among the key contributors

David

 

[Stash]

Lets take a lookee at something here from 07-08

Julius Jones starting RB, average player at best, replaced by Felix Jones- improvement

Nate Jones nickel/dime back, smallish, lousy player, no cover skills...replaced by 1st rd pick Mike Jenkins...tremendous size/speed combination, regarded as very NFL ready

Jacque Reeves starter/3rd CB, lousy player, lousy cover skills, made no plays...replaced by Adam Jones, huge playmaker and a solid man cover guy

Akin Ayodele starting ILB, basically invisible, made no plays of note...replaced by Zach Thomas, perennial probowler with nack for making plays

these 4 positions were very arguably the 4 weakest on the team, especially among the key contributors

I would certainly agree with your assessment of the top 4 'need' positions.

And I hope the team is right about all of the improvements. It sure looks like they've upgraded.

The one spot I feel they haven't yet is at the receiver spot.

When Owens got hurt, this offense was sorely affected. I would like to see a veteran brought in so that if that happens again, we would have some type of inusrance.

 

[Stephen Colboar]

I watched almost every Hog game the last three years, and I don't see how anybody can say Felix is better running between the tackles than D-mac. Felix is great, and I'm happy the Cowboys got him. But Darren is considered by most to be the greatest SEC tailback since Bo Jackson. That is covering a lot of great tailbacks. I agree that Felix could be the next Emmitt - man I hope so. But D-mac had two things that were out of this world. First, he had a second gear that blew you away. When he got past the line of scrimmage, chances were pretty good that he was going to EXPLODE past everybody. In this sense, he reminds me of O.J. - freakin blazing football speed. Second, he could knock the crap out of defenders with his hand or his shoulders. He literally blasted guys out of the way. I was at the game in Alabama when D-mac as a freshman stiff-armed their All-SEC safety - slam dunked the guy like he was a junior high kid - and took it 80 yards to the house. Everybody in the building looked at each other like "what the crap just happened?" It was the beginning of one of the all-time great running back careers in SEC history. Felix is great. D-mac dwells among the football gods.

Well, I've watched every down of Razorback football for a long time.

McFadden never maneuvered through traffic like Felix did. That's what I mean by between the tackles. Mcfadden is an upright runner, BLAZING fast. SUPERB upper body strength. That moment where he took it up the middle and ran away from 4.3 Laron Landry in LR was something else. He often times takes too much of a hit though. He couldn't hit the small holes up the middle sometimes. Both are reasons why he may have injury issues in the league. Felix was NEVER hurt.

McFadden sometimes struggled to get to that second level, but when he did, he was gone. Felix constantly got to the second and third level and finished the run. Felix has burst. When compared to McFadden though, it looks like he has none.

I'm not saying Felix is better than McFadden. My posts in the past back that up. McFadden will be very succesful in the league. I'm saying Felix had his strengths and was better than McFadden in certain aspects.
Felix is more Barry Sanders than Tony Dorsett. More Emmitt Smith than OJ Simpson. No doubt about that.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Now if we can only do something with that SS position..........

 

[Stephen Colboar]

Now if we can only do something with that SS position..........

No kidding.

 

[Velvet Jones]

Wow... how many greats has Felix been compared to now and he hasn't even gone to his first rookie camp?

The only thing I would caution is Julius was compared to Emmitt when he first came in. His size and his legs. He was also praised for his work ethic because of him needing to get his grades up to play. He came in and had a solid season and we thought we were done... then he fizzled.

Both Barber and Felix seem at their best when sharing the load. No need for either of them to carry 25 times a game. Start Felix to tire defenses out making them chase him hard. End the games with the lead and Barber running the clock down their tired throats. Together, we have what could easily be a great tandem.

-t

 

[Awakened]

Thanks for the response. One thing I noticed after looking at highlight video on youtube, he has great change of direction skills while in top speed, and seems to have great wiggle. Would this be an accurate assessment?
Thanks for the time.

Yes. Great change of direction. Excellent wiggle. Like I said, Felix has excellent instincts as a running back. He is just not the specimen that D-mac is.

 

[Seven]

That's the first thing I noticed when I started watching him a couple of years ago... he rarely takes a big hit...

Thanks for the Recap CL...

Emmitt was great at that. Definitely prolongs one's career. I have only one concern with Felix("The Cat") is his tenacity at getting the extra yards. ...........I hope he hangs on to the ball.

 

[jobberone]

I've really warmed up to this pick. Very underrated guy, (if you can say that about a first round player). If he played at LSU or USC this past season and had those kind of numbers they would have been touting him as a Heisman candidate.

Gotta do this...who does he remind you of? I'm not talking about how good he is, but just running the ball does he look like anyone you've seen play?

Going way back he reminds me in body size and build of Clarence Davis, the old Raider. Great player, made the "Sea of Hands" catch in the playoffs and one of the heroes of SB XI.

Recent guy he reminds me of a little bit, (not exactly of course), but going way back to his college days, is Marshall Faulk.

Someone else, with Marshall at the table, said Jones reminded him of Faulk. We could only be so lucky.

The addition of Choice made me more comfortable with the pick. I guess we'll just have to see if Dallas made the right choice.