Fair enough …would love to see anywhere that had Dobbins run in the 4.5’s ? Link?
Sure np, let me find them. I just seen them again today/
Compared to Darren Sproles. He’s really quick.
me too. I might be inclined to draft LSU RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire in the 3rd or 4th round.
He ran a 4.6 which may drop him a bit but was a really productive RB in college. He’s very stout at 5’7" and 207 lbs. Edwards is one of the best route runners of the RB’s in this draft. He’s a great 2 way threat.
2019 Stats (15 games):** 215 carries, 1,414 rushing yards, 16 rushing touchdowns. 55 catches, 453 receiving yards, one receiving touchdown.
Zach Zenner is your measurement for successful RB’s?
ZZ had great measurables but the speed of the game was too fast for him, not his feet.
Michael Thomas almost ran a 4.6 forty and he’s one of the best WR’s in the NFL.
Comparing a RB in Helaire at 5’7" 207 lbs who ran a 4.6 forty , to one of the best WR in the NFL in Michael Thomas at 6’3" 215 lbs ?..
When has Michael Thomas ( WR ) needed to take a hand off from Shotgun 5 yards deep ,15 times a game , press the line of scrimmage , find the lane/hole and pound his way through DT’s and LB’s or stay in and block a 6’4" 285 lb DE’s or blitzing LB’s?
How is comparing a 6’3" WR who ran a 4.57 to a 5’7" RB who ran 4.61 remotely valid ?
Again there is a reason why LSU ran the inside zone 70% of the time …Helaire could not get the corner at the College level, he is not getting the corner in the NFL …
He is a good RB with nice vision and quick feet who catches the ball very well … He is not game changer or threat to go the distance …Would be a nice piece to the stable but he is limited in what he will be able to do . Him being ranked ahead of guys like Taylor and Dobbins is a joke.
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I agree that having a RB who can hit the edge and take it to the house is very much needed. Ty Johnson is super fast but lacks vision. If the lions get another first rounder I’d be happy to draft Dobbins in the 2nd round if he lasts. Taylor will be long gone. He’s a beast. I’ll be happy with Helaire with a 3rd or 4th round pick. He reminds me a bit of the Saints Pierre Thomas who ran a 4.65 but was taller.
Taylor, Swift, Dobbins, Helaire in that order.
Actually Pierre Thomas is a good comparison …Thomas was an undrafted FA they hit on , lacked real speed , had some pop … the game and defenders are faster now though …
Helaire has fast feet , his pop/burst …the get off is Elite …I watched quite a bit of him last night and came away feeling somewhat differently … Now that has not changed my take and he is being over hyped but that burst is silly . Its a shame the kid can’t hit the corner , had he shown he could or was a 4.4 guy he would be so much more complete .
Helaire is elite in the passing game. He’s been touted as the best route runner among RB’s in the draft. He’d be a handy 3rd down back similar to Riddick but a much better runner. The defenses would have to respect Helaire’s running ability unlike Riddick.
For me and for the Lions… it’s Dobbins ,Taylor , Swift , Akers …
Taylor, Dobbins, Swift for the early round guys. I haven’t taken a deep dive into the entire RB class yet. I don’t consider Helaire to be a lead dog like the first three.
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If I thought we would use Taylor correctly , feed him , run from I-Formation or with an even split of under center to shotgun runs …I would agree on the allure of Taylor . He is an elite talent… the fumbling needs to be cleaned up fast.
I see Dobbins and Swift being better fits here and how we use the RB’s .
Pure talent , best RB in the 2020 Draft it’s Taylor and Dobbins for me …
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CEH recorded a 39.5-inch vertical jump, which ranked top three among running backs. He also registered a 10-plus foot broad jump, which was the sixth-best jump among running backs.
I think AJ Dillon will be a good NFL RB and fits the Lions offense, the “Beast Mode” style RB.
Pretty sure AJ Dillon had the best vert and broad jump for the RBs and ran a 4.5 at 250#. I think he’ll be a good NFL RB and fits the Liins offense. Gives Bevell that “Beast Mode” style RB.
I really like Dillon. A comparison to Derrick Henry is not out of line here.
I’ve been all over the place with Clyde. But I could see some GM’s rating him as one of their top 2 RB’s. There’s a lot to like about the kid.
Here is how I see it right now.
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Swift - Fluid, Fast, Athletic and Elusive RB who can do it all. He’s smooth and tough in space. He’s had good production in an offense that had Jake from state Fromm as his QB. Teams didn’t worry too much about the passing game so he saw heavy fronts and still produced. Watching him in rotation with Chubb and Micheal and seeing how they translated to the NFL makes me think he will too. Definitely feature RB potential. Grade 1st round.
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J. Taylor - I really, really like Taylor for the Lions. Super productive RB. Teams stacked the box and just couldn’t stop this guy. The most dangerous RB in the draft. A real home run threat. I actually think he’s the hardest runner in the class but there are concerns. Mild ones if you ask me. Like … Fumbles but he’s improved. He has good hands but wasn’t used much in the passing game. I think his route running is an area to work on. I like him better in a RBBC approach but he could be a feature back. Personally I think he’s the perfect compliment to KJ. Grade late round 1 early round 2.
Here’s where it starts to get fuzzy for me. I keep wavering with these next 3 RB’s.
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Dobbins - Good production. Athletic RB. I like the kid but I’m not as big on him as others and let me explain why. Mike Webber looked good in the OSU offense and he didn’t translate to the NFL. I’m wondering if Dobbins is fools gold. He’s didn’t really face loaded fronts like Taylor and Swift did. He has struggles as a blocker but he’s willing. As a receiver he was mostly a safety valve. They didn’t ask him to run many routes. So he’s not very polished in this dept. He occasionally has an off game. Dobbins is more boom or bust than the above two RB’s. He’s a riskier pick if you ask me. 2nd round grade.
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CEH - Like Burrows he burst onto the scene this year. He’s a compact RB that can change direction in an instant. He hits the hole hard, shows good vision and patience… He’s a willing blocker and does an adequate job at it. As a receiver he is impressive too. LSU used him to run multiple routes. But … prior to this year no one had noticed him. He’s in an explosive offense where he didn’t see the heaviest fronts. Which are concerns. Is he a byproduct of the offense? Personally… I don’t think he is but I still think he’s the 4th RB in this group. 2nd round grade.
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Akers - I can admit I’m all over the place with this kid. When he came out as a freshman and broke Dalvin Cooks rookie record I thought he’d tear it up more than he did. He’s a former QB who switched to RB and he still runs like a QB. Too upright for my taste And he’s been a bit inconsistent but … he’s Running behind one of the worst OL in all of college football. The kid is a tough runner, good blocker and shows good hands. I think he needs some coaching but I do think he’s capable of being a quality RB. I think this kid could go late round 2 but I like him better as a mid 3rd round option.
I agree with a lot of this and disagree with some, but frankly, I think it’s moot. I’ll be very surprised if we’re shopping at the top of the RB class. I don’t think the staff is ready to give up on KOJ yet and I think they like Scarborough too. I’m sure we’ll add a body in the mid-late rounds or in FA, but I can’t see us bringing any of these guys, unless they fall quite a bit.