Mendenhall or F. Jones

[theogt]

Of the two, definitely Felix. Not even close.

 

[BlueStar II]

Chris Johnson-rb-East Carolina-if he runs a 4.29 forty like he thinks he can...he may be drafted before Dallas picks.
Johnson can return kickoffs and punts.
This guy would be the perfect compliment to Barber.
Once the combine and individual workouts are in, Johnson will sky-rocket up draft boards.

If he does that well at the combine, I agree, he will move up the boards very quickly.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Felix Jones.

If he had stayed in school another year he'd be a top-5 pick in the '09 draft.

I think he's the most complete back in this draft.

I have to disagree with this. He has heart there is no question but the 3 games I saw him in this past season he just wasnt very effective between the tackles. He would give it his all no question but if he couldnt make you miss he went down and didnt get much push.

Hes a good back and has vision, speed, moves and heart but if its 3rd and 2 Im subbing him out or calling a pass play.

 

[IndianaCowboyFan]

Just goes to show you how deep this RB class is that a player like Slaton could be forgotten or viewed as an after thought. If we go CB and Wr w/ our first 2 picks, I'd be very happy w/ Slaton in the second.

I have thought this all along. The best value for RB may just be in the second and third.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I believe that Slaton will be there later then even the 2nd round. Not that he doesn't have that kind of talent. Just that this is such a deep draft at the position that superior talent is going to fall. I am totally against taking a RB in the 1st unless it's McFadden or Stewart and then, not if we have to move to very far up to do it. Just don't believe in taking RBs in the first unless they have a very good chance of being special.

 

[Mansta54]

Give me Slaton

Slaton is SOFT. We don't want him..

 

[CrazyCowboy]

Felix is the cheapest option for sure

 

[Tyronosaurus77]

I wouldnt be upset if held off till the 2nd round to select our RB. Hopefully we can find the right guy and go after him at the picks that we have.

I say if Stewart or Mendenhall is there at 22 we should take one of them but if not we could wait until the second and possibly get Smith maybe Charles. Hart looked read nice today at the Allstar thing on espn and Im looking forward to seeing how all of them do at the combine later this month. Im also eager to see Ray Rice I like the size of these RB coming out this year, I hope we choose the right one.

 

[Bizwah]

Arkansas runs a strange system. It'll be difficult to gauge how he'll transfer to the NFL.

Same with Mendenhall....his team ran a lot of option plays. Nebraska backs were tough to evaluate.

I haven't seen much of Johnson at all. I'm usually very wary of guys like him. Guys that aren't particularly productive until their last year.....guys that shoot up the draft boards due to their forty time.

I remember reading that Johnson's coaches were considering moving him to WR. HUGE flag there. Will he be tough enough between the tackles?

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

James Mendenhall is the better of the two, he can run over, around and make folks miss! He's got nice hands as well, I'd be ecstatic if Dallas drafted him!

 

[batman36]

Felix Jones. He grew up in my uncles neighborhood in Tulsa, OK. Very humble and works hard. He doesn't appear to be concerned about the ancillary things many of the players of today covet. I was around him a lot as he grew up, and when he subsequently became a man. He's from a good family, too.

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

Slaton is SOFT. We don't want him..

I agree 100%....

 

[silverbear]

I was watching the All Star skills competion on ESPN and didn't relialize the guns on Mendenhall. I watched quite a few Illini games and he would make an excellent RB with Barber. Excellent hands and speed to comensate the power of MBIII. However, have not seen many Arkansas games, but I hear Felix Jones is an animal. Who would you prefer in the draft.

I think both are fine backs, and would rate their chances of being successful pros about equal...

But they are decidely different backs, and Jones fits what the Cowboys need better than Mendenhall does... Mendenhall is similar to Barber, and I think he could handle 300-350 carries a year... Jones is better suited to operating in a RB rotation, sharing the carries with a back like Barber...

Since the Boys are apparently set on keeping Barber around, what we should be looking for is a RB that offers a different dimension... Barber is a pounder, a slasher, the "thunder"... so what the Boys need to pair with him is a guy with the outside speed, a guy who can be dangerous as a receiver, the "lightning"...

Mendenhall is thunder, Jones is lightning...

However, if you want lightning, you have Chris Johnson and Jamaal Charles, one of whom will still likely be on the board when the Boys draft in the second round, while Jones would almost certainly cost the Boys one of their first round picks... I think that Johnson and Charles have the potential to be very good pros, too...

 

[silverbear]

I wouldn't mind either of those. I think Felix is one of the fastest backs in the country tho. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. I'd do the research but I don't know of any reliable sources. You can't trust the colleges' websites.

The two fastest in this draft will likely be Chris Johnson and Jamaal Charles, but D-Mac and Felix won't be far off their times... I think you're being pretty accurate when you say that Jones will be one of the fastest backs in this draft...

 

[silverbear]

I don't think we have a shot at Mendenhal, but I am certain we take the best back available at our pick, and I hope we get the Aldridge kid from Houston later on in the draft.

Aldridge will have to move to WR in the NFL, just wait and see...

 

[silverbear]

I have to disagree with this. He has heart there is no question but the 3 games I saw him in this past season he just wasnt very effective between the tackles. He would give it his all no question but if he couldnt make you miss he went down and didnt get much push.

Hes a good back and has vision, speed, moves and heart but if its 3rd and 2 Im subbing him out or calling a pass play.

I don't think that Felix will ever be effective running between the tackles... in that regard, he's kind of a more talented Tyson Thompson...

OK, a much more talented Tyson Thompson... LOL...

 

[Big Dakota]

The thing about Felix that I've seen in the dozen or so games I've seen him in is he bounces it outside way too much. He tries to run between the TKLS, but his first instinct is to bounce it outside. You can't make a living in the NFL when your first move is to bounce outside. He does try and run inside, but as SB said, he's not great at it like DMac is. DMac is a brute, despite is "skinny calves" his strength is undeniable. Where as Jones just doesn't have the pure power of DMac. I like Felix A LOT as a change of pace back and I'm all for taking him, but he has definite limitations, just like Julius Jones.

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

If Mendenhall is there you take him!

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I think both are fine backs, and would rate their chances of being successful pros about equal...

But they are decidely different backs, and Jones fits what the Cowboys need better than Mendenhall does... Mendenhall is similar to Barber, and I think he could handle 300-350 carries a year... Jones is better suited to operating in a RB rotation, sharing the carries with a back like Barber...

Since the Boys are apparently set on keeping Barber around, what we should be looking for is a RB that offers a different dimension... Barber is a pounder, a slasher, the "thunder"... so what the Boys need to pair with him is a guy with the outside speed, a guy who can be dangerous as a receiver, the "lightning"...

Mendenhall is thunder, Jones is lightning...

However, if you want lightning, you have Chris Johnson and Jamaal Charles, one of whom will still likely be on the board when the Boys draft in the second round, while Jones would almost certainly cost the Boys one of their first round picks... I think that Johnson and Charles have the potential to be very good pros, too...

i agree with this. i think that with RBs you have to wait and see what drops to you and only take them if one drops to you. RBs are just such a risky venture.

If jones falls to 28 sure and if Stewart drops to 22 sure but otherwise go for a CB or a WR which are less risky positions to draft and there are backs to be had in the second.

i used to be for trading up a bit to get Stewart but after seeing the RB bust rate and the high attrition rate no thanks.

 

[starfrombirth]

Chris Johnson-rb-East Carolina-if he runs a 4.29 forty like he thinks he can...he may be drafted before Dallas picks.
Johnson can return kickoffs and punts.
This guy would be the perfect compliment to Barber.
Once the combine and individual workouts are in, Johnson will sky-rocket up draft boards.

I've read that he doesn't like to do the little things tho like block, play hurt, hold on to the football.