What RB do you want?

[DaBoys4Life]

You're criticizing a guy for running through holes?

Just saying those holes aren't going to be there in the NFL and he doesn't have the speed to hit the hole fast and get through like ummm CJ.

How did you come up with that type of conclusion?

Rice just finds holes and gain yards. If Barber goes down, I want Rice running the back instead of a change of pace back. He has shown over two years that he can handle the load while being the focal point of the defense.

Draft the BEST back on the board. Don't be drafting a "complementary" back just because we "think" that's in vogue. Think if you have two Marion Barbers constantly pounding the D with that type of aggression..........holy cow.....8 in the box and TD to Owens or Witten over the top in no time.

Ray Rice its called watching his games for the best two season i think he has 600 carries in the past 2 years which means not splitting time and part of a One back system. Two MB3 is good but there not a second MB3 in this draft ray rice sure aint MB3 if thats what your getting having a RB with sub 4.3 speed means migraines for the defensive coordinator. Its like who do you put to stup him LB 2 slow Safety 2 slow CB we are in 3 WR set can't stack the box because of the 3 WR set man sounds like CJ will be great for us. Ray Rice isn't going to be anything in the league i think something like ron dayne is what ray rice reminds m of.

 

[TwoSteppinJJ]

Amir Pinnix and Anthony Aldridge are a couple of sleepers I like and could fill the backup role great in my opinion.

 

[Tex]

I'm thinking Ray Rice at #28.

We FINALLY agree on something. Rice will be the steal of this draft for the next 10 years.

Tex

 

[starfrombirth]

My choices in order:

Mendenhall - Not blazing speed but still break away. GREAT hands! and very good power.

Stewart - Same as above, maybe a little slower, and a little more power.

Felix Jones - Just flat out, blazing fast and from what I saw, a better inside runner than some people are giving him credit for.

Jamaal Charles - (I never saw Chris Johnson) another flat out burner. WOW! He also had really good hands at the skills competition.

Chris Johnson. - just from what i've heard of him.

Kevin Smith/Ray Rice - same player, different teams. Both can hit the hole when it's there but neither is especially fast. Their yards came against horrible defenses.

There's my 2 cents for what it's worth.

 

[CosmicCowboy]

I, just hope JJ, doesn't blow our two first round picks. Seams some very good running backs will be there for the second round. I'm of the opinion for a WR & DB in the first round....but thats me....:starspin

 

[cowboyjack]

While I think McFadden will be a good back in the NFL, I am not sold on the hype he is been getting. My preferences would be Mendenhall, Felix Jones, Stewart and Ray Rice. I think both Mendenhall and Stewart will be taken in the first round. I think Jones and Rice could be had in the second with Rice possibly lasting till the third round.

 

[tyke1doe]

Mendenhall then Felix "the Cat" Jones.

 

[TheCount]

My choices in order:

Mendenhall - Not blazing speed but still break away. GREAT hands! and very good power.

Stewart - Same as above, maybe a little slower, and a little more power.

Felix Jones - Just flat out, blazing fast and from what I saw, a better inside runner than some people are giving him credit for.

Jamaal Charles - (I never saw Chris Johnson) another flat out burner. WOW! He also had really good hands at the skills competition.

Chris Johnson. - just from what i've heard of him.

Kevin Smith/Ray Rice - same player, different teams. Both can hit the hole when it's there but neither is especially fast. Their yards came against horrible defenses.

There's my 2 cents for what it's worth.

I'm liking Charles more and more, especially since so many people are hating on the guy for absolutely no reason other than he's a Longhorn.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

You know, I don't get why no one talks about him.

It's probably Tulane's level of competition, which isn't good to say the least.

I'm no expert on the guy, but I was impressed with him at the Senior Bowl. Looked like he had good instincts and did everything well, including catching the ball. And he's pretty big. I could actually see Parcells and Belichick liking him.

 

[JaeYoung]

I like J. Charles like someone said in an earlier post he is the perfect compliment to Barber.. Charles is big and fast..

 

[03EBZ06]

I want Ray Rice.

 

[ilovejerry]

I'm not a big college football guy ( just don't have the time ) Its bad enough with the time I spend on the Cowboys.

But from what I have seen

I like Felix Jones
and Ray Rice. the few games I saw he ran his tail off. and looked really good
I have heard good things from Johnson that he has blinding speed..
We need a speedster to take over for JUJO

So either guys

This whole D-Mac thing, I wouldnt give away the house for him

 

[SacredStar]

Rashard Medenhall

 

[masomenos]

I'm liking Charles more and more, especially since so many people are hating on the guy for absolutely no reason other than he's a Longhorn.

As a UT fan, I guess I'll weigh in on this finally. I've been reading the back and forth between you and the guy who says Charles Reminds him of Benson, and you're right there's really not much of a comparison at all. They play totally different styles of football. That said, I don't think that Charles will be very effective in the NFL simply because he is just a burner. I've never really been impressed with his vision and he just seems to lack RB instincts.

I think he could succeed in a system that uses zone blocking and if he were drafted by a team like Denver then I think he'd at least match Tatum Bells 1000 yard season. However, if he were in a system like what we have in Dallas then I think we'd get another JJ. Someone who is impressive on screens and in the flats but who is consistently running into piles and going down on first contact.

 

[masomenos]

It's probably Tulane's level of competition, which isn't good to say the least.

I'm no expert on the guy, but I was impressed with him at the Senior Bowl. Looked like he had good instincts and did everything well, including catching the ball. And he's pretty big. I could actually see Parcells and Belichick liking him.

That was my first thought too, but ECUs Chris Johnson played at the same level and some people even want him in the first round. I just believe it's people getting too infatuated with speed. But you're right, other than an early fumble he did have a very impressive Senior Bowl.

 

[masomenos]

Just saying those holes aren't going to be there in the NFL and he doesn't have the speed to hit the hole fast and get through like ummm CJ.

Right because offensive lines at the NFL level never open big holes, but Tulanes players who were in their first year of a running heavy scheme are consistent dominant forces. But hey, you better go tell Emmitt Smith that only sub 4.4 guys can hit holes. I think he has some rushing record, like most yards in a career or something even though he ran a 4.71 at his combine and his fastest recorded time was a 4.56.

 

[Woods]

Right because offensive lines at the NFL level never open big holes, but Tulanes players who were in their first year of a running heavy scheme are consistent dominant forces. But hey, you better go tell Emmitt Smith that only sub 4.4 guys can hit holes. I think he has some rushing record, like most yards in a career or something even though he ran a 4.71 at his combine and his fastest recorded time was a 4.56.

Wow, Emmitt ran a 4.71 at his Combine? I didn't know that.

 

[wick]

I think almost every amateur scouting report on Charles has been off the mark. Here's the real scoop:

Positives:

1. He's obviously ridiculously fast, as his 10.1 100m time shows.

2. He has an instinctive ability to slip tackles with what I feel is a unique body lean that I can't recall ever seeing from another running back. He contorts his body in weird ways to cut or evade tackles.

3. He is a very capable receiver. His catches out of the backfield were a major reason why Texas went into Columbus and beat Ohio State in 2005.

4. He produced in spite of a Mickey Mouse offense that had him taking the hand off from a standstill in the shotgun formation on plays that were not blocked as designed draws.

5. He runs hard and knows how to finish a run.

Negatives:

1. Ball security. He fumbles too much to be trusted as an every-down back.

2. He may be 6-1, 205 or something, but he is a slender guy who probably can't add bulk without sacrificing the special abilities he does have.

3. He was never a kick or punt returner at Texas.

4. He is a thoroughbred who will opt out of games for what seem to be minor nicks.

5. He was a borderline student in high school who may score fairly low in raw intelligence.

There are a lot of things to like about Charles and an equal number of question marks or outright drawbacks. It's pretty rare to see a slender guy like him really excel in the NFL. There have been guys like Tony Dorsett, but that's more the exception than the rule. If you rule him out as an every-down back, then you need for him to be an exceptional third-down player, and I think Charles has enough skills to project fairly well there. If he has an untapped ability to return kicks, then you could be looking at quite a valuable player in the NFL. If you add it all up, though, I don't think he's a guy I'd consider in the first two rounds of the draft. By the third or fourth round, he'd be looking pretty good to me.

 

[TheCount]

I think almost every amateur scouting report on Charles has been off the mark. Here's the real scoop:

Positives:

1. He's obviously ridiculously fast, as his 10.1 100m time shows.

2. He has an instinctive ability to slip tackles with what I feel is a unique body lean that I can't recall ever seeing from another running back. He contorts his body in weird ways to cut or evade tackles.

3. He is a very capable receiver. His catches out of the backfield were a major reason why Texas went into Columbus and beat Ohio State in 2005.

4. He produced in spite of a Mickey Mouse offense that had him taking the hand off from a standstill in the shotgun formation on plays that were not blocked as designed draws.

5. He runs hard and knows how to finish a run.

Negatives:

1. Ball security. He fumbles too much to be trusted as an every-down back.

2. He may be 6-1, 205 or something, but he is a slender guy who probably can't add bulk without sacrificing the special abilities he does have.

3. He was never a kick or punt returner at Texas.

4. He is a thoroughbred who will opt out of games for what seem to be minor nicks.

5. He was a borderline student in high school who may score fairly low in raw intelligence.

There are a lot of things to like about Charles and an equal number of question marks or outright drawbacks. It's pretty rare to see a slender guy like him really excel in the NFL. There have been guys like Tony Dorsett, but that's more the exception than the rule. If you rule him out as an every-down back, then you need for him to be an exceptional third-down player, and I think Charles has enough skills to project fairly well there. If he has an untapped ability to return kicks, then you could be looking at quite a valuable player in the NFL. If you add it all up, though, I don't think he's a guy I'd consider in the first two rounds of the draft. By the third or fourth round, he'd be looking pretty good to me.

Not that I disagree on much here, but this is the "real" scoop from who exactly?

 

[SuspectCorner]

We wouldn't be drafting Charles to win a Nobel prize - just provide a "speed element" to the running game.

The guy fits the bill - good enough for me.