Running back value

[Feel Real Good]

Trent Richardson has been one of the hottest prospects on this board with some fans drooling over the chance of adding one of the most physically gifted players at his position in recent years and others saying he's a total waste of resources and that you can find running back value much later in the draft. It's no secret that some of the NFL's most productive rushers were rather unheralded college prospects, but finding them is easier said that done. So what are the things to look for? To these eyes there's at least one profile that has proven to be a worthwhile gamble, and that's the SEC running back with good size, average speed, good production, who got lost in the shuffle on a bad-to-mediocre team. Whether it's Arian Foster, BenJarvus Green-Ellis, or Earnest Graham, all of them fit the bill. So who are the players to watch out for this April?

Tauren Poole, Tennessee, 5'10", 215 lbs
2011: 187 att, 693 yards, 3.7 ypa, 5 TD, 21 rec, 164 yards, 0 TD
2010: 204 att, 1034 yards, 5.1 ypa, 11 TD, 22 rec, 171 yards, 1 TD

Vick Ballard, Mississippi State, 5'11", 220 lbs
2011: 193 att, 1189 yards, 6.2 ypa, 10 TD, 20 rec, 187 yards, 1 TD
2010: 186 att, 968 yards, 5.2 ypa, 19 TD, 10 rec, 106 yards, 1 TD

Brandon Bolden, Ole Miss, 5'11", 221 lbs
2011: 96 att, 462 yards, 4.8 ypa, 4 TD, 14 rec, 147 yards, 1 TD
2010: 163 att, 976 yards, 6.0 ypa, 14 TD, 32 rec, 344 yards, 3 TD
2009: 129 att, 614 yards, 4.8 ypa, 4 TD, 20 rec, 209 yards, 1 TD
2008: 98 att, 542 yards, 5.5 ypa, 5 TD, 10 rec, 107 yards, 1 TD

[bradentonian]

From National Football Post (Wes Bunting):

Poole:
A strong, well-put together back with a thicker lower half and good overall muscle tone through the thighs. Possesses a good first step when asked to press the line of scrimmage. Gets north/south quickly and deciphers info well inside. Displays an above-average feel between the tackles and does a nice job setting up blocks and accelerating toward daylight. At times makes some poor decisions as a runner, typically in space, but for the most part is pretty dependable.

Is a one-cut back who is a bit tight in the hips when he gets up to full speed, more of a weaver when asked to run in space. However, inside he keeps his feet under him, can stick his foot in the ground and explode quickly up field. Does a good job finishing runs and lowing his pad level in short yardage /goal line situations. But inside, he runs a bit upright. Doesn't run with great forward lean when pressing the hole and at times gets knocked off balance and goes down far too easy. Nevertheless, runs hard and has the type of straight-line speed at the second level to outpace angles and create yards by the chunk. Doesn't have a ton of wiggle to his game, is better off running toward space in the open field. But in tight area displays enough short area quickness and power to side step a defender and break a tackle.

I came away impressed with his ability on 3rd downs as well. Is an intelligent blocker, recognizes blitz pick-up quickly, is patient into blocks and displays natural anchor strength. Also, demonstrates a good feel in the pass game, has some savvy as a route runner, locates the ball quickly and will pluck/create in the short passing game when matched up on linebackers.

Impression: A thick, strong back who runs hard and displays natural one-cut ability. Runs a bit high and isn't overly fluid making defenders miss. But can break tackles, play on third down and looks like a solid contributing NFL back.



Ballard:
A tough, no-nonsense type runner who wants to get north/south quickly. Doesn't quite have the type of frame needed to hold up with his type of running style at the next level. Possesses good size, but isn't overly thick. Presses the hole well and loves to churn his legs through contact. Displays a good feel between the tackles, is patient when asked to read inside, sets up blocks well and hits the first hole he sees. Gets upright at times pressing space and/or when trying to make a man miss, but knows how to make himself small and does a better job lowering his pad level into contact, absorbing blows and maintaining his balance through contact. Runs hard and breaks a lot of tackles, consistently creating yards through contact inside. Looks a little tight in the hips, isn't a fluid change of direction guy who can routinely make a defender miss. However, he possesses the footwork/balance as a one-cut guy to feel his way on the zone plays toward the perimeter, stick his foot in the ground without wasting much motion and attacking up field. Doesn't have a great burst and is at best an average straight-line athlete who isn't going to outpace many angles in space.

Doesn't display the fluidity to make a man miss once he gets back up to full speed, displays some foot quickness in order to get a defender off balance, but does his damage breaking tackles inside and at the second level. Not real natural in the pass game at this stage, doesn't seem comfortable trying to separate vs. man, isn't sharp/sudden out of breaks and isn't going to be asked to do much more than work the screen/flair game. Isn't asked to help out in blitz pick-up much. He's a strong kid with natural coordination and has the skill set to hold up as a blocker; he just doesn't have much experience.

Impression: Possesses some natural running skills and is a strong kid who always falls forward. However, isn't going to break nearly as many tackles in NFL as he did in college and will struggle averaging over 4.0 yards per carry. A reserve only.



Bolden:
An overall muscular back, but isn't real girthy through his legs or base. Runs hard inside, is a one cut back who makes decisions quickly, presses the hole with an average burst and likes to get north to south in a hurry. Doesn't run with a great pad level inside, lowers his pads into contact, but when trying to make his way through traffic he can be brought down rather easily at times by defenders because he exposes a lot of his frame, struggling to run low center of gravity and maintain balance. Displays some shiftiness with his footwork in tight areas. Can side step defenders at times in a phone booth and demonstrates the power to run through a tackle and accelerate into the open field. Isn't a burner and doesn't have a great initial burst, but displays adequate play speed for the position. Not real fluid/shifty in space. Struggles to make defenders miss once they square up on him, has a tendency to put his head down and simply try to outrun the angle, but doesn't have the explosion/speed to do so. Possesses an average feel inside picking his way through traffic, but doesn't necessary read his blocks well between the tackles. Looks for a lane initially, if it's not there has a tendency to look to bounce the ball outside too quickly as he isn't overly patient.

Possesses the frame to hold up in pass protection and shows the willingness/toughness to help chip on the outside. Feels the screen game well, adjusts to the football and can pluck off his frame. Is above-average catching the football in the pass game, but isn't a real nifty route runner.

Impression: A tough, productive SEC back who runs hard and can be effective when there are lanes to run through. Isn't going to create on his own in the NFL and isn't dynamic in any area of the game. Looks like a number three back at the next level.

[JDouble]

1. Powerful lower body
2. Great balance
3. Runs hard with no fear or hesitation
4. Ability to stop, juke, and accelerate

(1)Top end speed, (2)pass protection, (3)ball security, and (4)catching ability are important too, but I see them as secondary needs and other than speed they are things that can be coached up. Imo you need those first 4 things or the other 4 things don't really matter.

[Cerious]

1. Powerful lower body
2. Great balance
3. Runs hard with no fear or hesitation
4. Ability to stop, juke, and accelerate

(1)Top end speed, (2)pass protection, (3)ball security, and (4)catching ability are important too, but I see them as secondary needs and other than speed they are things that can be coached up. Imo you need those first 4 things or the other 4 things don't really matter.

Makes you wonder how Foster goes undrafted; not only does he fit the bill on your primary needs, but he aces every secondary need outside of ball security, and even then he rarely fumbles the ball.

[champkind]

Kenneth Darby!

[Feel Real Good]

1. Powerful lower body
2. Great balance
3. Runs hard with no fear or hesitation
4. Ability to stop, juke, and accelerate

(1)Top end speed, (2)pass protection, (3)ball security, and (4)catching ability are important too, but I see them as secondary needs and other than speed they are things that can be coached up. Imo you need those first 4 things or the other 4 things don't really matter.

Makes you wonder how Foster goes undrafted; not only does he fit the bill on your primary needs, but he aces every secondary need outside of ball security, and even then he rarely fumbles the ball.

A couple reasons. He had a monster junior season with 1193 yards rushing and 12 TD's. He elects to return to UT but offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe leaves to take the Duke job and he's replaced by the incompetent Dave Clawson and the whole team implodes, resulting in the end of Philip Fulmer's career. Foster would only rush for 570 yards and struggled with injuries and fumbles. He then had an awful postseason running a 4.69 40 at UT's pro day and his coaches supposedly trashed him to scouts.

[3rd String Kicker]

Jerry Ellison!

[Cerious]

1. Powerful lower body
2. Great balance
3. Runs hard with no fear or hesitation
4. Ability to stop, juke, and accelerate

(1)Top end speed, (2)pass protection, (3)ball security, and (4)catching ability are important too, but I see them as secondary needs and other than speed they are things that can be coached up. Imo you need those first 4 things or the other 4 things don't really matter.

Makes you wonder how Foster goes undrafted; not only does he fit the bill on your primary needs, but he aces every secondary need outside of ball security, and even then he rarely fumbles the ball.

A couple reasons. He had a monster junior season with 1193 yards rushing and 12 TD's. He elects to return to UT but offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe leaves to take the Duke job and he's replaced by the incompetent Dave Clawson and the whole team implodes, resulting in the end of Philip Fulmer's career. Foster would only rush for 570 yards and struggled with injuries and fumbles. He then had an awful postseason running a 4.69 40 at UT's pro day and his coaches supposedly trashed him to scouts.

Wow. Really? What a way to crash and burn at the end of your college career. And the 40 times just shows you cannot measure who fast a player is on the field, just another example. Oh well, he's gonna get paid this offseason anyway. Hopefully we can begin hitting on some RB prospects for ourselves.

[caradoc]

Build a dominating line and even Steven Hawkings can rush for a thousand behind it.  Lasts longer too.

[Skull and Bones]

Foster also got into the coaching staff's doghouse.  He was either vocal about his lesser role or was accused of faking injuries...there's rumors of either.  anyways they supposedly bad mouth him to scouts as well.  had he come out as a junior he probably would have been a 3rd rounder at worse.

[JDouble]

Build a dominating line and even Steven Hawkings can rush for a thousand behind it.  Lasts longer too.

Truth.

[Cerious]

Of those three above, Poole sounds like the guy best suited to be more than just a backup. Thick lower body, runs hard, get's north-south quickly, has good hands and can pick  up the blitz. The hitch in his game is that he runs too upright.

[Feel Real Good]

Brandon Bolden, week 4 at Buffalo: 16 carries, 137 yards, 1 TD

[Benchwarmer#1]

Build a dominating line and even Steven Hawkings can rush for a thousand behind it.  Lasts longer too.

+1

[tripblood]

We have 2 good runningbacks despite what the haters are saying. How about some lineman next season???