RB Devon Achane late in the 2nd Round?

[CowboyRoy]

Achane could be the guy that gets drafted out of the first and ends up being better than all these guys imo.

Not a chance. God you are bad at this RB thing.

 

[CowboyRoy]

I used to agree to this train of thought until I started noticing Zeke failing to convert 3rd or 4th & 1/2 yards many times the past 3 years. Why limit yourself with a slow RB with the hopes they will convert most short yardage tough attempts when today's faster RBs are capable of converting many short yardage attempts as well?

Why cant fast RB's make short yardage? Its nonsense.

 

[America's Cowboy]

Why cant fast RB's make short yardage? Its nonsense.

"You can explain most running back production by looking at the quality of blocking he gets, but according to just about any measurement of production that is actually within the back's control, Tony Pollard is a top-5 to top-10 player at the position. Yards per carry? Pollard's 6.03 rank second among the 50 backs with 50-plus carries this season. (The only one ahead of him is Rashaad Penny, who hasn't played since Week 5.) Success rate? His 42.7% mark ranks 10th, according to Tru Media. Avoiding negative runs? Pollard's been stopped at or behind the line of scrimmage just 12.6% of the time, 10th-best among that group. Explosive gains? His 12.6% explosive-carry rate ranks fifth. Yards after contact? His 4.49 per-carry average is best in the league by a long shot. (And nearly half a yard more per carry than Elliott averages overall. Sheesh.) Yards gained on first-down runs? He's at 5.4 per carry, ninth-best. Yards gained against stacked boxes? Also 5.4 per carry, which is fourth-best. Short-yardage conversion rate? The league average is 66.3%, but Pollard has converted 75% of the time. All this despite a yards before contact per carry average of just 1.53, which ranks 18th among the same group of players. Anybody who tells you that he can't run the ball up the middle or run with power or gain the tough yards is either lying to you, or lying to themselves."

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/...unning-back-and-heres-why-the-debate-is-over/

Looks like speedy RB Tony Pollard proved his naysayers wrong. Stats were provided in the quoted commentary above...^^^^

 

[America's Cowboy]

NO, dont like the weanie backs. 2nd round is too early for a back. Now if they were to take the UCLA kid Charbonnet I wouldnt mind that, but still too early in my opinion.

Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton and Barry Sanders were weenie backs. How did they fare?

 

[xwalker]

How would you platoon Pollard and Archane? Will it be RB by committee? If we want more playmakers on the field and Pollard is already one of our playmakers, how much more firepower will Archane provide if he is just cutting into Pollards reps? Would you resign Pollard next year? If not, is Archane someone you feel comfortable being your workhorse? If no, are you fine letting him split duties with someone off the street or will we need to draft another back? Does that back need to be a playmaker like Pollard who we let walk? Does that put us in the same boat with 2 playmakers but only 1 is on the field at a time? IMO, the goal should for our 1st & 2nd picks to be on the field as much as possible and I don’t see Archane ever carrying a full load. That is why Bijan is the only back I would consider in the 1st or 2nd. He can be the workhorse and we can let Pollard walk. Otherwise, I would use my 2nd elsewhere and get my RB in the 3rd or 4th. I like Archane the player and would love him on the Cowboys but not in the 2nd.

They had ~460 rushing attempts by RBs in 2022.

Pollard had 193. If if that bumped up to 260, there are still 200 more carries for somebody.

 

[DFWJC]

If RB Devon Achane is still available late in the 2nd round when the Cowboys pick at #58th overall pick, should the Cowboys pick up this little speedy Mighty Mouse?

Devon Achane: 5'8", 188 lbs, 4.32 40 tike.



What say you?

Would you rather have Achane in the 2nd or keep that 2nd (and grab a strong player at another position) and get Keaton Mitchell in the 3rd..or even 4th? They look awfully similar to me.

 

[eromeopolk]

Achane: 5'8 1/2", 188 lbs, 4.32 40 time.

Gibbs: 5'9", 199 lbs, 4.36 40 time.
Spears: 5'10", 201 lbs, 4.47 40 time.
Charbonnet: 6'0", 214 lbs, 4.53 40 time.

Achane and Gibbs ranked in the low 30s when it comes to pass protection. Charbonnet was in the low 40s in pass protection. Spears was the highest rated at 50% pass protection, but he was also the 2nd slowest of these 4 RBs. They all have their pros and cons. Bijan Robinson is the only complete RB of them all. It's a shame he will be long gone by the time the Cowboys pick at #26.

https://www.nfldraftbuzz.com/positions/RB/1/2023

No back in this draft is going to remind you of Elliott or Emmitt blocking. But, Thanks for the link. However, check the info. That site said Tyion Evans "has a slight build, especially for a running back, and he isn’t going to grind out yardage between the tackles, as he lacks power and runs with a fairly high pad level." Evans is 5-10-225 with 4.52 40yd speed. Even though I like to watch game video, here is his highlight video that is opposite of the NFLDraftBuzz.com report.


From what I saw of Gibbs vs. Texas, LSU, Tennessee, Utah and other games, he can block, not great, but looks waaaaaay better than Pollard out of college (Pollard did not block at all being a WR/KR/RB). However, Charbonnet. who played as a starter for Harbaugh. blocked his freshman butt off at Michigan and showed he can put the hands out and strike at UCLA. Spears is just like a poor man's Emmitt Smith only in regard to use in the offense for Tulane. He did everything for Tulane and I loved that he showed up and showed out in big games (i.e. USC).

No RB in this draft block like Elliott or Smith. But Gibbs, Charbonnet, and Spears have been taught and have shown willingness to block with proper technique. I have not watch Achane but he played in the SEC so I am sure he is willing but does not have the size and weight to be effective.

As far as blocking, that is why I am sure you will see Fullbacks on the Cowboys roster this year for the big Blue M&M.

 

[Spottswoode]

They had ~460 rushing attempts by RBs in 2022.

Pollard had 193. If if that bumped up to 260, there are still 200 more carries for somebody.

I agree…I just struggle using a 2nd on a guy who gets <50% of the carries and I’m not confident we have the creativity to use him elsewhere. Who knows how he will hold up in the pro’s, he only had ~350 carries in college and the year he took the lead role, he got hurt.

 

[America's Cowboy]

No back in this draft is going to remind you of Elliott or Emmitt blocking. But, Thanks for the link. However, check the info. That site said Tyion Evans "has a slight build, especially for a running back, and he isn’t going to grind out yardage between the tackles, as he lacks power and runs with a fairly high pad level." Evans is 5-10-225 with 4.52 40yd speed. Even though I like to watch game video, here is his highlight video that is opposite of the NFLDraftBuzz.com report.


From what I saw of Gibbs vs. Texas, LSU, Tennessee, Utah and other games, he can block, not great, but looks waaaaaay better than Pollard out of college (Pollard did not block at all being a WR/KR/RB). However, Charbonnet. who played as a starter for Harbaugh. blocked his freshman butt off at Michigan and showed he can put the hands out and strike at UCLA. Spears is just like a poor man's Emmitt Smith only in regard to use in the offense for Tulane. He did everything for Tulane and I loved that he showed up and showed out in big games (i.e. USC).

No RB in this draft block like Elliott or Smith. But Gibbs, Charbonnet, and Spears have been taught and have shown willingness to block with proper technique. I have not watch Achane but he played in the SEC so I am sure he is willing but does not have the size and weight to be effective.

As far as blocking, that is why I am sure you will see Fullbacks on the Cowboys roster this year for the big Blue M&M.

Good stuff. Thanks for the info.

 

[Mr_437]

I'm don't want a complimentary RB next to Pollard, I want a damn good RB...not this short yardage Banger crap. At the same time, I like Achane but I prefer a Spears or Abanikanda as a homerun RB. Also, I'm not a move away from TP in 2024 guy.

 

[CowboyRoy]

"You can explain most running back production by looking at the quality of blocking he gets, but according to just about any measurement of production that is actually within the back's control, Tony Pollard is a top-5 to top-10 player at the position. Yards per carry? Pollard's 6.03 rank second among the 50 backs with 50-plus carries this season. (The only one ahead of him is Rashaad Penny, who hasn't played since Week 5.) Success rate? His 42.7% mark ranks 10th, according to Tru Media. Avoiding negative runs? Pollard's been stopped at or behind the line of scrimmage just 12.6% of the time, 10th-best among that group. Explosive gains? His 12.6% explosive-carry rate ranks fifth. Yards after contact? His 4.49 per-carry average is best in the league by a long shot. (And nearly half a yard more per carry than Elliott averages overall. Sheesh.) Yards gained on first-down runs? He's at 5.4 per carry, ninth-best. Yards gained against stacked boxes? Also 5.4 per carry, which is fourth-best. Short-yardage conversion rate? The league average is 66.3%, but Pollard has converted 75% of the time. All this despite a yards before contact per carry average of just 1.53, which ranks 18th among the same group of players. Anybody who tells you that he can't run the ball up the middle or run with power or gain the tough yards is either lying to you, or lying to themselves."

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/...unning-back-and-heres-why-the-debate-is-over/

Looks like speedy RB Tony Pollard proved his naysayers wrong. Stats were provided in the quoted commentary above...^^^^

LOL.............or they are a Zeke apologist. Talk about knocking it out of the park? That was a beat down.

So where do you get access to stats like that? How can I look that stuff up?

 

[CowboyRoy]

Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton and Barry Sanders were weenie backs. How did they fare?

Emmitt was 205, Walter was 5-10 and 200 pounds, Barry was also 200 pounds. Gotta be at least 200 pounds. Always the rare exception. Achne is 5'8" 188 pounds. I have also seen him run and is an outside running guy. Dave Meggett type.

He may turn out to be good, but this is a GREAT year for backs. NO need to burn a 2nd rounder on a back and certainly not on a small guy like Achane. Charbonnet way before Achane.

 

[America's Cowboy]

LOL.............or they are a Zeke apologist. Talk about knocking it out of the park? That was a beat down.

So where do you get access to stats like that? How can I look that stuff up?

Google, brother. I just scanned Google and opened a link talking about Pollard's ypc average, including in short yard attempts, from last season.