If we lose Murray, draft Melvin Gordon?

[YosemiteSam]

The Wisconsin running back is a beast. I've seen him play. Should we draft him if Murray gets away? It probably would not take a first rounder.

http://www.uwbadgers.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/melvin_gordon_764894.html

Name means everything. I can't see anyone ever saying, "Melvin Gordon, Pro Bowler"

I pass.

 

[Doomsdayblitz]

Gordon would cost a first, & this team has much bigger needs on defense. They can still get a quality RB in the 3rd-5th rds. Jay Ajayi, David Cobb, Javorius Allen, & Cameron Artis-Payne come to mind.

 

[Derinyar]

You get into trouble drafting for need. You fix needs in FA so you can draft for talent regardless of position. If Melvin Gordon is the best talent on your board at 27 and no one's willing to pay you enough to move down then you take him. If someone else is higher you should take them. Don't window dress your board and stick to it. That's how you get the drafts like we've had the last couple of years. Saying you have to have X position is how you wind up over drafting someone.

 

[btcutter]

We drafted Murray in the 3rd. No way I spend a 1st round pick on a RB. You can find good RB's after the 1st round.

We need difference makers on defense.

I will never say never. There're no hard rule about at what round can you draft what player. We would have never picked Emmitt or Dorsett by this type of flawed reasoning. Would you pass up Sanders at 27th? Just because people say you shouldn't use a first rounder on a RB? Remember Shady McCoy?

If the player is special then you pick him in the 1st round. Forget the public. If this player (whatever position) can contribute greatly to your team for next 5-7 yrs and play at a special level YOU TURN IN YOUR CARD.

Just look at the Travis Frederick pick. So called experts says 2nd round grade at best and maybe 3rd round grade. SO WHAT. Does this man make your team better and take a weakness and make it a strength? Yes, then you are fine.

Now...if there are other players in other position that would better your team more then story changes.

 

[dallasdave]

The Wisconsin running back is a beast. I've seen him play. Should we draft him if Murray gets away? It probably would not take a first rounder.

http://www.uwbadgers.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/melvin_gordon_764894.html

Take him, he is a beast, even if it's a late 1st

 

[DBOY3141]

I will never say never. There're no hard rule about at what round can you draft what player. We would have never picked Emmitt or Dorsett by this type of flawed reasoning. Would you pass up Sanders at 27th? Just because people say you shouldn't use a first rounder on a RB? Remember Shady McCoy?

If the player is special then you pick him in the 1st round. Forget the public. If this player (whatever position) can contribute greatly to your team for next 5-7 yrs and play at a special level YOU TURN IN YOUR CARD.

Just look at the Travis Frederick pick. So called experts says 2nd round grade at best and maybe 3rd round grade. SO WHAT. Does this man make your team better and take a weakness and make it a strength? Yes, then you are fine.

Now...if there are other players in other position that would better your team more then story changes.

I agree with your point. I don't know that any of the RB's have a 1st round grade. We had a 2nd on McCoy. We had a 2nd of Travis also. I think the value of RB is dimished and the quality is somewhat equal, that you can wait until the 2nd or 3rd and still find a very good RB.

 

[TheEnigma]

Yep.

And to back up your point, here are the leading rushers in the NFL as of today:

1) L Murray--3rd rd
2) L Bell--2nd rd
3) A Foster--undrafted
4) M Lynch--1st rd
5) J Charles--3rd rd
6) M Forte--2nd Rd
7) L McCoy--2nd Rd
8) J Forsett--7th Rd
9) A Morris--6th Rd


anyway, you get the picture.

Almost none of the top rushers in the league were taken in he 1st round

I would pull the trigger if I loved the player in Rd 2 though.
For example, I for sure would have taken LeVeon Bell or Eddie Lacy in Rd2 of 2013 ahead of Gavin Escobar.

To expand on this, at the end of the year, 13 running back ran for more than 1,000 yards. The following is how many of those running backs were taken in each round.

1st Rd - 1
2nd Rd - 5
3rd Rd - 3
4th Rd - 1
6th Rd - 1
7th Rd - 1
UDFA - 1

Looks like the value for taking a running back is going to be in the second and third rounds. If we sign a legitimate pass rusher and either Carr or a free agent corner I would not be opposed to using our first on a running back. However, it looks like the sweet spot may be our second round pick.

 

[btcutter]

I agree with your point. I don't know that any of the RB's have a 1st round grade. We had a 2nd on McCoy. We had a 2nd of Travis also. I think the value of RB is dimished and the quality is somewhat equal, that you can wait until the 2nd or 3rd and still find a very good RB.

I believe we had a 1st round grade on McCoy but didn't pick him because we had Barber and Jones already. We are learning from mistakes made.

I am in the minority that if a true 1st round talent RB falls to us then we take him. Don't think a 3rd or 4th rounder can always do the jobs of the 1st round talent (risks of failure increases). Sure there are finds in later rounds but same can be said about every position. You can make arguments about not drafting a late 1st QB because of Romo and Brady.

Talent is talent. If you believe you found talent you take him. The other added benefit of taking a little contrarian view of the current state of views on RB is that you will get the pick of the litter. You also lock up this talent fairly cheaply for 5 years! Fans and media may boo and complain but that will die down when he proves them wrong.....(see Frederick and Hitchens).