Bill Barnwell's offseason report cards: NFC East

Genghis Khan · May 17, 2016

Iamtdg said:
You actually read all of that?

Actually, no. :unsure

Cotton · May 17, 2016

Genghis Khan said:
Actually, no.

Simpleton · May 17, 2016

Cowboysrock55 said:
Maybe, but Ohio State is twice the team that LSU is. Ohio State the last two years was one of the best and most talented teams in the country. LSU was basically Fournette and a bunch of nothing.

Ohio St. is definitely the more talented team but LSU has alot of OL talent, arguably even more than Ohio St. has had the last 2 years. Collins was a lock top 15 pick until all the BS, Vadal Alexander got drafted and Ethan Pocic is in line to be a high pick next year. Of course Ohio St. has a much more dynamic offense but it's not like Fournette is running behind the Sisters of the Poor over here.

Jiggyfly · May 17, 2016

Simpleton said:
This is true, he runs very upright and with poor pad level.

Fournette is an amazing prospect, he's definitely more of a "freak" than Elliott but Elliott has attributes that aren't as easily quantifiable as the size/weight/speed/power ratio that immediately jumps out when you see a guy like Fournette run, attributes such as balance, vision and agility. Attributes that don't necessarily pop to the naked eye when watching them play but they are attributes that lead to sustained longevity for RB's.

I honestly feel bad making the Emmitt comparison since it's low hanging fruit but I do think there is alot of Emmitt in Elliott's game. He's not the long, lean, gliding "freak" of a RB that people salivate over, guys like Peterson, Gurley, Fournette and then Dickerson before them, but he is built like a fire hydrant and has attributes that can lead to a sustainable, consistent career. A guy who is always somewhat underrated because his running style isn't as eye-popping but when you can consistently turn 3 yards into 6 due to elite balance and vision while also having the ability to pop 30-40 yarders you have a RB who is consistently giving you 100+ yards a game while also keeping the offense on course.

I was not a big Elliott fan at 1st because I just remembered him running through gaping holes in a straight line.

But after watching some video you can see the subtle movements he does before he explodes, His vision is great I don't know if emmitt level but great.

He kind of reminds me of Faulk in the open field.

Angrymesscan · May 17, 2016

People are to focused on the "Freak" factor, Emmitt was no freak. Zeke is much more of a freak than Emmitt and seems to have a similar push and knack for running.
If I were a betting man I'd bet Zeke will have the most memorable career of this draft class barring injury.

Cowboysrock55 · May 17, 2016

Angrymesscan said:
People are to focused on the "Freak" factor, Emmitt was no freak. Zeke is much more of a freak than Emmitt and seems to have a similar push and knack for running.
If I were a betting man I'd bet Zeke will have the most memorable career of this draft class barring injury.

Yeah I was joking around draft time that if Emmitt was in this draft I'm not sure he would go on the first 2 days. Emmitt was not particularly fast or big. I think ultimately he ran in the 4.5s somewhere but has never been a sub 4.5 guy. He was only 5-9 210 pounds coming out of Florida. In today's NFL of metrics Emmitt would not have shown very well.

ravidubey · May 17, 2016

Cowboysrock55 said:
Maybe, but Ohio State is twice the team that LSU is. Ohio State the last two years was one of the best and most talented teams in the country. LSU was basically Fournette and a bunch of nothing.

OSU had a more dominant OL and stronger defense, though the Buckeye passing game sucked and they relied heavily on Zeke to make up the difference.

Neither back should be used so heavily in the NFL, though it never seems to fail that great RB prospects always seem to end up on shit teams that have no QBs and even worse team management and thus get run into the ground.

One recent exception would be the Chargers of the 2000's, but they always seemed to get defeated by idiotic coaching in the 11th hour. No way they should have lost to the Patriots in 2006, but unimaginably they found a way.

Back to Fournette, he's a more physical and faster back and is probably better than Zeke.

That doesn't matter. Zeke is still an elite back and exactly the kind of prospect Dallas needs.

If you're saying Zeke isn't an elite back, then I'll respectfully have to disagree.

boozeman · May 17, 2016

ravidubey said:
Back to Fournette, he's a more physical and faster back and is probably better than Zeke.

Fournette gets way more credit than he deserves.

In terms of being dynamic and playmaking, he is not nearly as impressive in those categories as he is hailed to be IMO.

He's big and strong, he can truck a safety etc. But does he do the little things?

I think a healthy Chubb is a better prospect next year.

Elliott can do it all, run, block and catch. That is why he is considered an "elite" prospect. It is not just about size, speed and physicality.

NoDak · May 17, 2016

heh heh. You said healthy chubb.

boozeman · May 17, 2016

NoDak said:
heh heh. You said healthy chubb.

I knew as soon as I typed that...

NoDak · May 17, 2016

boozeman said:
I knew as soon as I typed that...

If we had drafted Chubb next year, that alone would have been enough to ensure Bobert's triumphant return.

Cowboysrock55 · May 17, 2016

Simpleton said:
Ohio St. is definitely the more talented team but LSU has alot of OL talent, arguably even more than Ohio St. has had the last 2 years. Collins was a lock top 15 pick until all the BS, Vadal Alexander got drafted and Ethan Pocic is in line to be a high pick next year. Of course Ohio St. has a much more dynamic offense but it's not like Fournette is running behind the Sisters of the Poor over here.

Carlos Hyde averaged 7.3 ypc in that Ohio State offense his final year. Ohio State creates pretty big creases with blocking and misdirection.

Rev · May 17, 2016

NoDak said:
If we had drafted Chubb next year, that alone would have been enough to ensure Bobert's triumphant return.

And possibly Thorn as well.

ravidubey · May 18, 2016

boozeman said:
Elliott can do it all, run, block and catch. That is why he is considered an "elite" prospect. It is not just about size, speed and physicality.

You are so preaching to the choir you have no idea.

Elliott is the total package. Chubb is also a very good back.

I don't care about Fournette and Chubb. We have Elliott, and even if he's a notch less as a pure runner, he's still a difference-maker.

L.T. Fan · May 18, 2016

ravidubey said:
You are so preaching to the choir you have no idea.

Elliott is the total package. Chubb is also a very good back.

I don't care about Fournette and Chubb. We have Elliott, and even if he's a notch less as a pure runner, he's still a difference-maker.

Elliot will be the first RB I have had any confidence since Murray left. McFadden had a good year but I kept waiting for the other shoe to fall.

ravidubey · May 18, 2016

Cowboysrock55 said:
Carlos Hyde averaged 7.3 ypc in that Ohio State offense his final year. Ohio State creates pretty big creases with blocking and misdirection.

They do zone blocking very well.

But they sucked as a pass offense during Zeke's prime, so Zeke did what he did with everyone knowing he was getting the football. That 2014 finish demonstrated all the character I need to see.

Cotton · May 18, 2016

Rev said:
And possibly Thorn as well.

Bill Barnwell's offseason report cards: NFC East

Genghis Khan

The worst version of myself

Cotton

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Simpleton

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Jiggyfly

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Angrymesscan

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Cowboysrock55

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ravidubey

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boozeman

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NoDak

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boozeman

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NoDak

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Cowboysrock55

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Rev

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ravidubey

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L.T. Fan

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ravidubey

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Cotton

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