The NFL Draft is around the corner, and the Miami Dolphins are on the clock. One of the decisions they will have to make is whether or not to draft Arkansas RB Darren McFadden with the top pick. Such a move, drafting a RB in the top 10, is a mistake in my opinion.
Running Backs in the NFL take more abuse than probably any other position. Every back in the league is one knee twist away from a career-ending injury. The injury factor alone makes drafting one high a risky proposition.
But is it even necessary to have an All-Star RB to win the Super Bowl? Sure enough, Walter Peyton and Emmitt Smith were key to the success of their Super Bowl championship teams. But Barry Sanders never won one, and Ladainian Tomlinson has yet to even play in one.
A strong run game is important to being a championship team. But you don't need a Peyton or Smith to have a strong run game. Many teams this year, including the Super Bowl champs, made do with lesser known backs, or RB by committee.
A perfect example of that was Green Bay's Ryan Grant. Grant came out of nowhere and was a key piece to the Packers' playoff push. Grant was not drafted out of college, and was acquired by the Pack from the Giants for peanuts. Other RBs that made an impact this season, like Brandon Jacobs, Brian Westbrook, Willie Parker, and Justin Fargas, weren't drafted in the first round. Parker wasn't even drafted.
This past season, of the 22 RBs to average at least 62.5 yards per game with at least 100 attempts, 13 of them where either drafted outside of the first round and/or acquired via free agency or trade. Of the nine RBs drafted in the first round by their current team, only Tomlinson, Adrian Peterson, and Ronnie Brown of Miami were top ten picks.
Due to the availability of quality runners outside of the first round, and the lingering injury concerns that hover over the careers of all RBs, it doesn't make since to spend a top pick on a back.
The abundance of RB talent in the 2008 Draft lends further credence to this idea. While McFadden is widely believed to be the best RB in the draft, this year's class is extremely deep and loaded with quality. Illinois' Rashard Mendenhall, Oregon's Jonathan Stewart, and Arkansas' Felix Jones could all be first rounders. Central Florida's Kevin Smith, East Carolina's Chris Johnson, Texas' Jamaal Charles, Rutgers' Ray Rice, West Virginia's Steve Slaton, and Michigan's Mike Hart could all be drafted on the first day.
Drafting a RB early not a good idea
Sunday, February 24, 2008 at 5:00 PM Posted by Mike Register
Labels: 2008 NFL Draft, Darren McFadden, Miami Dolphins
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2 comments:
February 25, 2008 5:02 AM
I have to agree and disagree with this assessment. I agree that drafting a running back is a waste in this round when you can earn a decent one in the later rounds. But I also think that there are some running backs that are coming out of college who will absolutely dominate on the next level. Barry Sanders was a phenom from the get go and Thompson was also. You have to ask yourself if that back will carry you to the next level of play or just produce. Granted many believe every back will do that, i.e. Bush, but those guys are not guarantees.
Basically there are some backs that transcend the norm and are worthy of higher draft picks, Adrian Peterson was like this and I believe Darion M. will be also
February 25, 2008 9:29 PM
I'm not that high on McFadden. I think he is a great physical talent, but I don't think he is in the same mold as LT or Barry Sanders. I like Adrien Peterson, but I am not yet convinced he can stay healthy.
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