NFL Network's Mike Mayock On D-Mac...

[WoodysGirl]

I didn't have time to read this whole thread, so someone else may have touched on this.

I've never seen a great NFL running back with the body that McFadden has. He's 6-2, 205, with narrow hips and thin legs.

O.J. Simpson was somewhat similar, but that was 40 years ago, and I think O.J. was heavier.

I'm not convinced this guy can carry a full-time load as an NFL RB.

Just my opinion.

What I find interesting about it is that there are reports coming out that he's not the sure thing that most figured he would be. It's almost Brady Quinn-like.

I haven't seen enough of him to know one way or the other.

 

[TheSkaven]

I agree 100%. I used to be a huge fan of his until I started looking at him closer. He doesn't break tackles and we don't need another speed back who goes down on the first hit every time. I also don't see much cutting ability with D-Mac... in college he's essentially just been running away from everyone. That ain't gonna happen in the NFL where everyone is fast. Mayock is dead on correct in his assessment.

And you nailed it. The holes aren't quite as big in the professional game, and the one big flaw I see in D-Mac's game is that he just doesn't seem to break tackles. His height also means he could take a lot of punishment.

 

[Chief]

Chief, my comparison is Marcus Allen. He was tallish and slender, too.

Only McFadden is much faster.

Good point. Allen does have a similar body.

 

[BigDave95]

He wouldnt touch him in the top 20? Wow that be pretty cool if he fell to #22 ray:

There is a ZERO chance he'd make it to #22 because Jerry would go up to get him if he started to slide at all. I'd say the lowest he'd possibly go is #7 because the Pats would deal down for our two #1's.

That being said, there's no chance he slides to 7.

Mayock is basing this off three games of film?!? That's shoddy, irresponsible "journalism". OK I only say him play two games. They were his 330 yarder against South Carolina and his 200+ yard game against LSU. Based off that extensive film study, he's the greatest player in the history of sports!!!!

 

[BigDave95]

09-05-2007



http://cowboyszone.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1622545&highlight=williamson+mcfadden#post1622545

Hunter (Dallas, Tx): Do you think Darren Mcfadden will ever be an "every down back" in the NFL? At 6'2" 205lbs he's pretty skinny. Obviously he's going to be a weapon, but will he be a weapon akin to Reggie Bush or to Adrian Peterson. Will he ever average close to 20 carries a game?

If McFadden weighs in as low as 205, I'll buy every member of this board a beer. He's MUCH bigger than that. Where in the world did that number even come from?

 

[tyke1doe]

There is a ZERO chance he'd make it to #22 because Jerry would go up to get him if he started to slide at all. I'd say the lowest he'd possibly go is #7 because the Pats would deal down for our two #1's.

That being said, there's no chance he slides to 7.

Mayock is basing this off three games of film?!? That's shoddy, irresponsible "journalism". OK I only say him play two games. They were his 330 yarder against South Carolina and his 200+ yard game against LSU. Based off that extensive film study, he's the greatest player in the history of sports!!!!

Of course, we're assuming that ...

a.) only three games were on the three tapes he saw. I could put up to 2 games on one VCR tape when I used to record with VHS tapes and
b.) that those three games couldn't reveal a lot about McFadden.
You can tell a lot about a player from just three games, especially if those games are against top competition.

 

[burmafrd]

Marcus Allan played in a different time. I really think that you must have a strong lower body and legs to survive in the game today.

 

[BigDave95]

And you nailed it. The holes aren't quite as big in the professional game, and the one big flaw I see in D-Mac's game is that he just doesn't seem to break tackles. His height also means he could take a lot of punishment.

And teams can't put 9 or 10 men in the box and focus the entire gameplan on stopping him like they did in college. Watch some of the defenses he faced. These were top SEC defenses with NFL players all over the place. They had ZERO regards for the pass and would pull both safeties up close to the line of scrimmage and then shade their CB's to watch for the run first.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Hunter (Dallas, Tx): Do you think Darren Mcfadden will ever be an "every down back" in the NFL? At 6'2" 205lbs he's pretty skinny. Obviously he's going to be a weapon, but will he be a weapon akin to Reggie Bush or to Adrian Peterson. Will he ever average close to 20 carries a game?

If McFadden weighs in as low as 205, I'll buy every member of this board a beer. He's MUCH bigger than that. Where in the world did that number even come from?

That's another point. You see weights on him from 205 to 215 depending where you look. I wonder if that 205 was from his junior year.

Even if it wasn't, he's young enough that he should get bigger. (Though of course his ankles won't.)

 

[Chief]

Mayock is basing this off three games of film?!? That's shoddy, irresponsible "journalism".

He's not a journalist.

He's a former player who is now a player analyst/evaluator.

 

[InmanRoshi]

RB's almost always fall. Last year people were saying Peterson couldn't catch out of the backfield, couldn't turn the corner in the NFL, runs too upright, didn't have any wiggle ..... blah, blah, blah. For whatever reason, people seem to suffer from paralysis by analysis on RB's and seem to overlook "special" when it's slapping them right in the face.

Goose said we could see 8 runningbacks this year carry 1st round grades. A lot of teams drafting at top are going to wait and see what's still left by the 2nd round. I could see McFadden falling out of the Top 10, and then it could get interesting for the Cowboys. Would you trade #22 and #61 (Dallas 2nd rounder) and maybe swap around some mid round picks to move into the Top 15 to nab McFadden. You could trade down from #28 and re-acquire the 2nd rounder you lost.

 

[odog422]

Good point. Allen does have a similar body.

Yeah, but Allen had a uniqueness about his running style that made it almost impossible to get a good shot on him. Really I think that's most attributed to something he possessed on an extrememly high scale that McFadden doesn't and that's instincts.

And though Allen was kind of tall for a RB, I think his weight was distributed better.

Color me another not surprised by Mayock's commentary because in what I've seen I haven't been particularly impressed. Just by way of comparison, I've been far more impressed in what I've seen of Ray Rice, for example.

McFadden in my eyes is definitely not an every down back and as such, I would have no interest unless he were to drop right around to where Mayock has him.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Chief, my comparison is Marcus Allen. He was tallish and slender, too.

Only McFadden is much faster.

I don't know about this. Allen was pretty fast when he came out of USC. I'll tell you one thing about Allen that you can't say about McFadden, IMO. Allen had the ability to change direction. He had flow to his game which allowed him to create. McFadden is not that kind of running back. Honestly, everbody compared AD to Dickerson when he came out but I didn't see it. To me, McFadden his much more like Dickerson in that he is a one cut, quick on you and by you kind of back. That's more of the running style, IMO, McFadden has. JMO

 

[BigDave95]

Of course, we're assuming that ...

a.) only three games were on the three tapes he saw. I could put up to 2 games on one VCR tape when I used to record with VHS tapes and
b.) that those three games couldn't reveal a lot about McFadden.
You can tell a lot about a player from just three games, especially if those games are against top competition.

McFadden has three years of work to draw from. Mayock is attention grabbing with this premature assessment. I typically like his work, but this is just ridiculous.

And I saw a couple posts in this thread predicting a slow 40 time for McFadden. No chance. Just look at the people he's been burning the last few seasons. Here's the track god Captain Munnerlyn and his 4.35 40 time looking like me out there trying to run him down:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E614oMO0tp8

 

[BigDave95]

He's not a journalist.

He's a former player who is now a player analyst/evaluator.

By definition, he is a journalist. He's a writer for a newspaper, magazine, web site or other general source for public information.

I'd agree, the term is thrown around too loosely now though.

 

[BigDave95]

That's another point. You see weights on him from 205 to 215 depending where you look. I wonder if that 205 was from his junior year.

Even if it wasn't, he's young enough that he should get bigger. (Though of course his ankles won't.)

He's bigger than 215. 222 is the last number I heard but I'm not sure if he had a big breakfast this morning.

He does have some skinny legs though, no denying that. But those legs held up against 30 carries a game in the SEC.

He's prepping for the draft in McKinney if any other stalkers want to check him out.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

I'll tell you one thing about Allen that you can't say about McFadden, IMO. Allen had the ability to change direction. He had flow to his game which allowed him to create. McFadden is not that kind of running back. Honestly, everbody compared AD to Dickerson when he came out but I didn't see it. To me, McFadden his much more like Dickerson in that he is a one cut, quick on you and by you kind of back. That's more of the running style, IMO, McFadden has. JMO

I'll disagree a little in that IMO, Allen never looked like much. He didn't have the spectaular suddenness to his game, he just somehow got yards. I think that's how McFadden is. Other than when he's running away from everyone, he doesn't look like that much... But then you look up and he has a ton of yards.

Even in the Cotton Bowl when he was in a national game and lots of people finally got to see him, I kept reading things like, "That was it? He didn't look good at all and didn't do anything." But the box shows he got 105 yards and 5.0 yards a carry.

I do agree on Dickerson, though. McFadden is the most similar I've seen to ED, though Dickerson was quite a bit heavier *and* probably faster. But then, Dickerson is one of the very, very best who ever lived.

Like IR said, this guy just jumps out at you as an amazing talent. But in the predraft overanalysis you see every year, people start thinking guys like Mendenhall (just as an example) are better because they are heavier or thicker or catch better or whatever.

And to answer IR's question, if DM drops to around 10 I say you absolutely do it.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

if DMac drops to around 15, and it wouldn't cost us that much to trade up to get him, I would be all over that

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I have never really been in love with McFadden as a top 5 pick, or even a top 10 pick. However, I do believe he has 1st round talent. He has what is needed in our offense, IMO. I don't know that I like McFadden more then I do Stewart to be honest. As an every down back, I probably like Stewart. For what we need, I think McFadden would work in our offense.

I do think he's a good player but honestly, I think there are 4 or 5 backs in this draft that would probably work just as well in our offense. JMO

 

[InmanRoshi]

He reminds me of Ricky Watters with maybe an extra step, and there ain't no shame in that. Watters went to 5 Pro Bowls and was named All Pro three times.