Great post, Thumper!
What I noticed in the JJ segment of Cowboys Year in Review (granted it is a highlight reel) was the overall efficiency of JJ's style. I think for a rook he demonstrated he is a pretty smart runner. He's got a low center of gravity to begin with, but on a few clips you can see when he is going to be tackled, he ties to lower his body even more so the defender can't get under his pads. He's a good 'ducker' for a rookie. His outside actual speed is deceptive, his short powerful legs have a wider stride than you'd expect, w/o losing balance.
I rewatched the tape just now to look just at his feet. They are pretty darn nimble feet, I noticed...it's not just good acceleration, but the length of steps that he's able to change very quickly. If he has to do a little mini hurdle to break loose, recover with a long stride or reverse to a stutter step, he can do so fluidly. If you have a foot fetish, don't watch JJ's feet - you'll reach obsession stage fast.
On your needed improvement points..as a young player his blocking technique will have to improve, and will. Tuna's a major stickler on that, as we know. But he has both the willingness to block (the highlight film showed the TD scored off his "giving up of his body" in the Bears game), and the lack of hesitancy that demonstrates an understanding of his assignment.
If he begins to get the ball stripped, I expect Bill to do with him something similar to what Tom Coughlin did with Tiki Barber last summer...which was carry the ball using both hands. What a diff that made in Tiki's game last year.
Thumper, I don't see JJ becoming noted for avoiding hits. Smith was extremely adept at it, but a similar back who is noted for his durability, Curtis Martin, is a runnerl who takes more hits than you'd think possible. Both Martin and Smith were more than once referred to, tho, as having 'masochistic' traits. Not in the psycho-mumbo-jumbo sense, but in the sense contact spurred them on, and pain was something they drew on for inspiration.
JJ lacks the true break away speed that could save his body, if his vision and cutting ability help to offset that, great. But I expect his type of back to take a considerable beating. How he holds up to it will make or break him.
My feeling right now and of course it's too early to be sure, is that JJ will be known as a smart and efficient runner who has the quick feet to make you pay, and pay dearly.
