Thursday, April 8, 2010

The First Three Rounds at Running Back?

There's a lot to be interested in here. Someone of this group is going to be a gamechanger. And someone of this group is going to be the focus of all fantasy owners who want to start a white guy at running back. See if you can tell who's who.

1. C.J. Spiller Clemson (I like C.J. Spiller. His worst case scenario is as a Jamaal Charles. But he does have a real chance to be a Chris Johnsonesque game changer, especially when you consider the fact that he was at his best all the while suffering from turf toe.)
2. Ryan Matthews Fresno State (Hyperproductive. He has a nose for the goal line, and he wasn't completely an issue of level either. He had good games against two Big Ten and a Big East team as well as his legendary 19-234-3 line vs. Boise State. He's a slasher with the worst case scenario is Ryan Grant. Nothing wrong with growing up to be Ryan Grant.)
3. Jahvid Best Cal (Here's the thing. Chris Johnson needed the bowl game his senior year to have a year with 200 carries. Now? He's the greatest running back ever of the moment. Jahvid Best is similar, maybe with a little less patience inside, but someone's going to draft him in the first round, and they'll be thrilled. He runs like a Dragonforce guitar solo.)
4. Jonathan Dwyer Georgia Tech (I see him as a Shonn Greene with softer hands. He has great power and deceptive speed. He's kind of failed the draft interview process. But he's got the sort of skills where he can be more than just a short-yardage runner.)
5. Toby Gerhart Stanford (I'm going to blow the mind of the draftnik community. Here's my comparison for Gerhart. Shonn Greene. Great power. Okay speed. No hands. There you go.)
6. Ben Tate Auburn (I don't trust him. He's a stiff, upright runner, who plays below his timed speed. He was strong last season under the Malzahm system. But that's not the sort of offense he's going to see in the pros, is it? He does have value, but I'd wait until Round 4-Round 5.)
7. Montario Hardesty Tennessee (If he's healthy, he can be quite spectacular. The problem, of course is that he has never been truly healthy. He runs like an upright Clinton Portis. And while a new generation Kid Bro Sweets is worth your time, will he be another Chris Brown?)
8. Dexter McCluster Ole Miss (This is the sort of player that a smart team can make into a David Palmerish weapon. Wildcat QB, Sweeps, Screens, Returns. Give him 15 touches a game and he will make at least one game turning play. If you just have him returning kicks? You're wasting time.)
9. Joe McKnight USC (If I was a GM, I would draft him for the express purpose of making him a Wide Receiver, because he reminds me of an undersized Darren McFadden. The obvious comparison is Reggie Bush and I can see it. Make him a Percy Harvin and it's first round skill in terms of third round value.)

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