USC L. White 1st pick

[ABQCOWBOY]

Ha... Bettis is a one of a kind player. You can't point to a single other RB in the last 20 years and tell me he is like Bettis. It's like saying you don't have to be taller than 6 foot to play QB... look at Flutie. Those guys are the exceptions, not the rule.

I'll stick to the averages.

The averages say NFL RBs last for 6 seasons. You draft with this in mind. I would also recommend that you take a closer look at the NFL. Lendale White is listed at 6-2 235. He also looks as if he could probably lose a few pounds. In the NFL, right now, these guys are all succesful.

Shaun Alexander 5-11 225
Larry Johnson 6-1 230
Edgerrin James 6-0 215
LaDainian Tomlinson 5-10 220
Rudi Johnson 5-10 225
Willis McGahee 6-0 228
Reuben Droughns 5-11 215
Cadillac Williams 5-11 217
Steven Jackson 6-2 231
Mike Anderson 6-0 230
Dominick Davis 5-9 220
Ronnie Brown 6-0 230

All of these guys were in the top 20 rushing in the NFL.
Doesn't include Jamal Lewis, Deshawn Foster, Chris Brown, Ricky Williams, Corey Dillon or Antwon Smith. All are starters for there teams and all have enjoyed success in the NFL.

The averages say that size is still in for RBs.

 

[playit12]

The averages say NFL RBs last for 6 seasons. You draft with this in mind. I would also recommend that you take a closer look at the NFL. Lendale White is listed at 6-2 235. He also looks as if he could probably lose a few pounds. In the NFL, right now, these guys are all succesful.

Shaun Alexander 5-11 225
Larry Johnson 6-1 230
Edgerrin James 6-0 215
LaDainian Tomlinson 5-10 220
Rudi Johnson 5-10 225
Willis McGahee 6-0 228
Reuben Droughns 5-11 215
Cadillac Williams 5-11 217
Steven Jackson 6-2 231
Mike Anderson 6-0 230
Dominick Davis 5-9 220
Ronnie Brown 6-0 230

All of these guys were in the top 20 rushing in the NFL.
Doesn't include Jamal Lewis, Deshawn Foster, Chris Brown, Ricky Williams, Corey Dillon or Antwon Smith. All are starters for there teams and all have enjoyed success in the NFL.

The averages say that size is still in for RBs.

It's not about size, just rushing style. The only guy from that list above that I would say takes a lot of hits is Steven Jackson, and I wouldn't be surprised if some of that isn't coached out of him soon. Emmitt Smith is a perfect example of a player that could run between the tackles but not take many dirrect hits. He kept his body square, head up, and center of gravity low. If you watch him run, he is usually shifting away from the hit. I'm not saying Emmitt couldn't or didn't occasionally bull rush a tackler, but he didn't make a carreer of it, and that allowed him to stay healthier than many other runners.

Problem with White right now is that he doesn't keep his body square and he stands too upright. Too often he spins out of tackles in traffic, leads away from tackles with his torso well ahead of his legs and extends himself when he is trying to break tackles. All of this can be successful, but leads to players taking too many hard hits and will end his NFL life short. I think you'd rather look for a player with a running style of JJ. (I know JJ may not be durable, but that is not a result of his running style). JJ keeps his legs under him at all times and stays compact as he moves in and out of his breaks. All the players in that list above do that for the most part.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

It's not about size, just rushing style. The only guy from that list above that I would say takes a lot of hits is Steven Jackson, and I wouldn't be surprised if some of that isn't coached out of him soon. Emmitt Smith is a perfect example of a player that could run between the tackles but not take many dirrect hits. He kept his body square, head up, and center of gravity low. If you watch him run, he is usually shifting away from the hit. I'm not saying Emmitt couldn't or didn't occasionally bull rush a tackler, but he didn't make a carreer of it, and that allowed him to stay healthier than many other runners.

Problem with White right now is that he doesn't keep his body square and he stands too upright. Too often he spins out of tackles in traffic, leads away from tackles with his torso well ahead of his legs and extends himself when he is trying to break tackles. All of this can be successful, but leads to players taking too many hard hits and will end his NFL life short. I think you'd rather look for a player with a running style of JJ. (I know JJ may not be durable, but that is not a result of his running style). JJ keeps his legs under him at all times and stays compact as he moves in and out of his breaks. All the players in that list above do that for the most part.

I just don't agree. Of the guys on that list, I'd say that Tomlinson, Rudi Johnson, Droughns, Jackson, Anderson, Davis, Brown, Williams, Lewis, Dillon and Smith all run with a physical running style. As I mentioned before, most backs don't last 15 years in the league. You don't draft them with the intent of them doing that. That's why I'm not a big fan of taking backs number 1. I think White will be a very good Pro. You don't normally find backs of that size with quick feet like White has. I think he's going to be a very good player for somebody in the NFL. Maybe Pittsburgh.

 

[Chuck 54]

If White falls to us at 18 should we take him?

He seems to fit the BP mold.

NO, and he will probably be selected in the 12-15 range, but if he was still there, he'd be the perfect pick for Pittsburgh...he's more the bus than Bettis was at ND....he just didn't get all the carries...the kid is big, strong, can move laterally, and he's very fast for his size...he's their type of back.