2007 NFL Draft: Runningback prospects

GakkofNorway

Cheesehead
Joined
Jan 31, 2005
Messages
2,249
Reaction score
0
Location
the Northpole
As usual there are a number of potential future NFL starters among the runningbacks in the draft. You might have thought the latest draft was deep at runningback, but this draft is in my opinion almost as deep at runningback as the 2006 draft.

Since the Packers have an aging Ahman Green at RB and no really good backup we're gonna need to get a RB in the upcoming offseason. Unless we get the Chargers' Turner, the draft is the way to go (I believe we should draft one regardless, even if we sign Michael Turner).

Subject A)

Michael Bush, 6'3" / 250 lbs
Louisville Cardinals

You must be logged in to see this image or video!


He started this season being the key element in what was called one of the most or probably the most potent offenses in college football together with QB Brian Brohm. Unfortunatly he broke his leg in the season opener that he finished with 17 carries for 128 yards (7.5 avg) and 3 TDs together with 1 reception for 3 yards. He was off to a great start really.

He might not come out for this draft because he might get a medical redshirt to return to Louisville for one more year to prove he's a worthy top 10 pick. I think he's a top 10 pick regardless of his injury. He didn't screw up his knee or anything that would suggest he would lose any of his RB skills. He broke an ankle and had a successful operation, he will still lose the season but he will be back for the combine. However, I wouldn't pick him with a top 10 pick, if we get one whe should trade down and pick him. Even though his injury isn't that disturbing and he hasn't got a history of serious injuries, there is a chance he might be more injury prone after this. He's more of a "gamble" now than he was, but still he has the abillities of a future star player. Before the combine I would view him as a "hit or miss" pick.

Last season was his so-called breakout-season, he rushed for 1 143 yards on 205 carries (5.2 avg) with 23 TDs and lead the NCAA division 1-A in scoring. You might think he hasn't proven anything by just one season, but when you look at his physical potential you gotta believe he's for real.

At 6'3" and 250 lbs he's a big runningback and has the abillity to carry the load. He has the size AND skills to dominate at the next level and is probably going to be a much better RB in the NFL than the other Bush (Reggie).

He can run over a defender, but he can also play as a much smaller back when he has too, displaying very good cut-back abillity when running at almost full speed. He also shows excellent burst, hits the holes with the authority a back of his size should and is able to put even the best defenders out of balance. When you look at his size you would believe he was a pure powerback, but the fact is he's much more than that.

He has been timed to 4.50 on the 40 yard dash. In comparison, Vince Young runs a 4.57 and Laurence Marooney a 4.47, for a 250 pound guy, 4.50 is very good.

About his receiving abillities he has good soft hands and is a reliable receiver out of the backfield. He has seen action at defensive back, defensive end, linebacker, runningback, safety, and wide receiver over the course of his career. He's simply just a great athlete, maybe the best athlete in the 2007 NFL draft. In highschool he mostly played QB, in fact he played QB for his Male High School Bulldogs in the State Championship (Kentucky highest level) against his QB at Louisville Brian Brohm. In that game he finished with 468 passing yards for 6 TDs and 116 rushingyards with 1 TD. His QB experience might turn into some amazing trickplays some day!

If he decides to come out, he might drop a little because of his injury, but I'm guessing he'll be a firstround-pick anyway. We could trade down to get more value out of the draft and still get a future franchise-back, but I know the Steelers are VERY high on him and considers him the perfect replacement for Jerome Bettis. We better get this guy, he's a monster.

I will post more about runningbacks in this post, but for now, discuss Mr. Bush!
 

Packnic

Cheesehead
Joined
Mar 29, 2006
Messages
2,454
Reaction score
6
Location
Salisbury, NC
i think its obviously adrian peterson first ... but unless we wanna stop winning games (might not be our choice) we aint gonna get him.

micheal bush is the next best thing. kid is big and fast and nows how to get in the endzone. id take him in a heart beat.

and im with you on the trick play element.... a Running back with an arm. so many options.
 

porky88

Cheesehead
Joined
Mar 11, 2006
Messages
3,991
Reaction score
0
Location
Title Town
Peterson will go top 5 if he comes out and I think GB will miss a shot at him. I think the Texans will take him. Bush will probably be on the board when we pick because of his injury.

I agree I want Bush. I think he's going to be everything LenDale White was made out to be. Bush has size and speed and I think he can work well in the one cut.

Marshawn Lynch of Cal and Kenny Irons of Auburn are 2 others that probably will go in the 1st round. Lynch is and explosive guy and might work nice as well. GB might be in the right spot to trade down and take a RB and gain an extra pick.
 

Yared-Yam

Cheesehead
Joined
Nov 30, 2005
Messages
1,120
Reaction score
0
Location
Fond du Lac, WI
porky88 said:
Peterson will go top 5 if he comes out and I think GB will miss a shot at him. I think the Texans will take him. Bush will probably be on the board when we pick because of his injury.

Pff. Texans have Gado; aka the greatest ever.
 

PackerLegend

Cheesehead
Joined
Mar 27, 2006
Messages
1,947
Reaction score
0
the texans have Domanick Davis who just turned 26, 7 days ago so why do they need a RB that bad?
 

porky88

Cheesehead
Joined
Mar 11, 2006
Messages
3,991
Reaction score
0
Location
Title Town
PackerLegend said:
the texans have Domanick Davis who just turned 26, 7 days ago so why do they need a RB that bad?

Davis was very close to be getting release. He's been a major dissapointment for them. He was put on IR just so they didn't have to cut him. He'll probably be released in the off-season.
 

Zombieslayer

Cheesehead
Joined
Aug 13, 2006
Messages
4,338
Reaction score
0
Location
CA
PackerChick said:
Lets think about drafting an offensive line first before anything else.

I think our OL will be fine. Give them time. They're very young.

I agree with the original poster that we need a RB first.
 

PackerLegend

Cheesehead
Joined
Mar 27, 2006
Messages
1,947
Reaction score
0
Well about the o-line on the site where they do mock drafts and stuff all i ever hear when someone gives Atlanta a o-lineman in the 1st round is we dont take o-line in the 1st and they run the same scheme as us so i dont think we will either you need the right people to fit. It is true though because Atlanta's o-line is made up of an undrafted free agent, 5th round pick, 2 7th round picks, and one 2nd round pick.
 
OP
OP
G

GakkofNorway

Cheesehead
Joined
Jan 31, 2005
Messages
2,249
Reaction score
0
Location
the Northpole
porky88 said:
Peterson will go top 5 if he comes out and I think GB will miss a shot at him. I think the Texans will take him. Bush will probably be on the board when we pick because of his injury.

I agree I want Bush. I think he's going to be everything LenDale White was made out to be. Bush has size and speed and I think he can work well in the one cut.

Marshawn Lynch of Cal and Kenny Irons of Auburn are 2 others that probably will go in the 1st round. Lynch is and explosive guy and might work nice as well. GB might be in the right spot to trade down and take a RB and gain an extra pick.

Please don't compare Bush to Lendale White, he's both bigger and faster than White. Also he's better than White in all areas of the game, they are in different leagues, talking about physical abillities :D
 

jdlax

Cheesehead
Joined
Dec 17, 2004
Messages
818
Reaction score
0
Location
Burnaby, B.C.
GakkofNorway said:
porky88 said:
Peterson will go top 5 if he comes out and I think GB will miss a shot at him. I think the Texans will take him. Bush will probably be on the board when we pick because of his injury.

I agree I want Bush. I think he's going to be everything LenDale White was made out to be. Bush has size and speed and I think he can work well in the one cut.

Marshawn Lynch of Cal and Kenny Irons of Auburn are 2 others that probably will go in the 1st round. Lynch is and explosive guy and might work nice as well. GB might be in the right spot to trade down and take a RB and gain an extra pick.

Please don't compare Bush to Lendale White, he's both bigger and faster than White. Also he's better than White in all areas of the game, they are in different leagues, talking about physical abillities :D

He's not comparing him to LenDale White. He's comparing him to everything LenDale White was made out to be. The media made anyone coming out of USC out to be the 2nd coming of Christ.
 

Favreforever721

Cheesehead
Joined
Apr 15, 2005
Messages
216
Reaction score
0
What about Kenny Irons from Auburn? He would be a steal in the 2nd round, if we could get him. And now with Auburn out of the BCS race, his stock may drop.
 

Drich318

Cheesehead
Joined
Jun 2, 2006
Messages
153
Reaction score
0
I only like Peterson. No one else with a top 5 pick or so. Bush is not fast enough. could be another Dayne. Also, who does he play against. The Big East is horrid now in football. Lynch from Cal is good, but not good enough. Has a trouble pass blocking. Kenny Iron would be great but not at #5 or so, he would be a great mid to late 1st rounder. If we don't get Peterson, we need to address other needs. How about Calvin Johnson (WR-Ga. Tech) team him and Jennings and Driver for the next 5 years. Or Joe Thomas (OT-Wis.) move Tuascher inside and have Thomas on the outside. PLus he is a Wisconsin boy. Moises (DE-Ga) He is a big, physical, and fast DE, who would be great teamed up with KBG, and Kampman. We appear to have some depth issues here
 

PackerLegend

Cheesehead
Joined
Mar 27, 2006
Messages
1,947
Reaction score
0
First i think Pack should take RB Adrian Peterson he is a great RB and would be awesome to have in GB if he is off the board i think we take WR Calvin Johnson he is 6' 4" and runs a 4.40 big WR who can really run him and Jennings would be Amazing and Driver before he retires after these 2 im not sure yet
 

porky88

Cheesehead
Joined
Mar 11, 2006
Messages
3,991
Reaction score
0
Location
Title Town
Drich318 said:
I only like Peterson. No one else with a top 5 pick or so. Bush is not fast enough. could be another Dayne. Also, who does he play against. The Big East is horrid now in football. Lynch from Cal is good, but not good enough. Has a trouble pass blocking. Kenny Iron would be great but not at #5 or so, he would be a great mid to late 1st rounder. If we don't get Peterson, we need to address other needs. How about Calvin Johnson (WR-Ga. Tech) team him and Jennings and Driver for the next 5 years. Or Joe Thomas (OT-Wis.) move Tuascher inside and have Thomas on the outside. PLus he is a Wisconsin boy. Moises (DE-Ga) He is a big, physical, and fast DE, who would be great teamed up with KBG, and Kampman. We appear to have some depth issues here

Bush is much faster than most give him credit for. He actually does have break away speed and is big and physical. I'm not sure GB picks top 5. Maybe #5 at the spot but no way Peterson drops to #5. I'll be shocked if he does. I think GB might try to trade down and get Bush or Lynch since RB is our biggest need. Lynch and Bush are probably top 20 picks pending their combine times and workouts. Bush definately would of went top 10 if it wasn't for his injury. Even with the broken leg I think he is capable of going top 10 yet. He should be healthy in time for workouts right before the Draft.

Charles Johnson the other DE from Georgia might actually be a better prospect than Moses. Gaines Adams from Clemson is the best pure pass rusher I think in this Draft but we have that in KGB and Kampman and both are playing well. DT is a need but there really isn't any elite prospects. LaRon Landry would be a good pick if Collins or Landry can play SS. SS and FS aren't very different in this system or so they say.

Calvin Johnson in my opinion is the best player in this Draft. He has great size at 6'4" and is 230. Runs a sub 4.4 40 according to his coaches and after his catch and run against VT, I think I believe them. Again though I think he'll go in the top 3 or at least he should.
 
OP
OP
G

GakkofNorway

Cheesehead
Joined
Jan 31, 2005
Messages
2,249
Reaction score
0
Location
the Northpole
Drich318 said:
I only like Peterson. No one else with a top 5 pick or so. Bush is not fast enough. could be another Dayne. Also, who does he play against. The Big East is horrid now in football. Lynch from Cal is good, but not good enough. Has a trouble pass blocking. Kenny Iron would be great but not at #5 or so, he would be a great mid to late 1st rounder. If we don't get Peterson, we need to address other needs. How about Calvin Johnson (WR-Ga. Tech) team him and Jennings and Driver for the next 5 years. Or Joe Thomas (OT-Wis.) move Tuascher inside and have Thomas on the outside. PLus he is a Wisconsin boy. Moises (DE-Ga) He is a big, physical, and fast DE, who would be great teamed up with KBG, and Kampman. We appear to have some depth issues here

Do you even watch college football? The Big East isn't horrid at all.

BIG TIME! BIG EAST FOOTBALL LOOKING AS GOOD AS EVER

BIG EAST teams combine for 16-5 non-conference record through first three weeks


West Virginia and Steve Slaton (above) are among several teams in the BIG EAST that have had a strong start to the 2006 season




Sept. 18, 2006

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Louisville's 31-7 victory over Miami has helped solidify its program as one of the nation's elite.

A convincing 45-24 victory over Maryland showed everyone watching on ESPN that West Virginia passed its first true test of the season with flying colors.

Now, the Associated Press lists the Mountaineers at No. 4 and Louisville at No. 8 in its national poll. The BIG EAST is among four BCS conferences that have multiple teams ranked in the top 10 in this week's AP poll.

And, oh by the way, Rutgers is 3-0 and ranked third among teams receiving votes toward a national ranking; USF, coming off its first ever bowl appearance in 2005, is 3-0; and Pittsburgh (2-1) has shown tremendous improvement in its two victories.

It's no wonder that several national writers appeared on this week's media teleconference talking with the league's head coaches about the strength of the BIG EAST after its reconfiguration in 2005.

When asked about the initial skepticism regarding the strength of the conference, head coaches said the play on the field speaks for itself.

"One good thing about being a coach is that we don't think about that stuff," Louisville head coach Bobby Petrino said. "I'm just thinking about how to win our next game."

"The way we measure how good we are [as a conference] is by victories against other non-conference teams and in bowl games" WVU head coach Rich Rodriguez noted.

Rodriguez' Mountaineers showed how good they were in their upset victory over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl last year.

And so far this season, Petrino and Rodriguez have both led their teams to dominating victories over established, reputable non-conference programs. And in doing so, they helped to improve the BIG EAST's record against non-conference opponents to an impressive 16-5 mark in 2006.

The BIG EAST is 7-5 against teams from BCS conferences and has outscored opponents in those victories by a 258-109 margin. And that includes more than just wins from the league's two ranked teams. It includes Rutgers' victory at North Carolina and Pittsburgh's win at home against Virginia.




"The BIG EAST is better - top to bottom - than a lot of people think," Rodriguez said. "The coaches have said that entering the season, and now the country gets to see it."

Notes:
• The BIG EAST currently has two teams - No. 4/4 West Virginia and No. 8/No. 9 Louisville - ranked in the top 10 of the national polls. This is the first time since Nov. 2, 2003 (No. 5/5 Virginia Tech & No. 6/7 Miami) that the league has two top 10 teams.

• The BIG EAST has two running backs ranked in the top five nationally in rushing. West Virginia's Steve Slaton is currently ranked third at 167.7 yards per game. Rutgers' Ray Rice is fourth at 166.3 yards per contest.

• Pitt wideout Derek Kinder leads the nation in receiving yards (370) and ranks second in yards per game (123.3). Teammate H.B. Blades is second nationally in tackles (13.7).

• UConn linebacker Donta Moore posted 6.5 tackles for loss on Sept. 16 against Wake Forest. That mark ranks second in BIG EAST history to Elvis Dumervil's 7.0 tackles for loss which he posted last season versus Kentucky. Moore's performance also tied him for fifth in the NCAA record books in tackles for loss in a game.

• The BIG EAST has several of the nation's most potent offenses. Louisville leads the nation in both scoring offense (50.7) and total offense (563.7) and is sixth in rushing (256.7) and seventh in passing (307.0). West Virginia is tops nationally in rushing offense (348.7), ranks second in scoring offense (46.3) and fourth in total offense (486.3). Connecticut is fourth nationally in rushing (272.5).

• The BIG EAST is also one of the nation's top defensive leagues. Rutgers is tied for second nationally in turnovers gained (10), and ranks fifth in scoring defense (7.7) and 10th in total defense. Louisville is third in the nation against the run (34.0).

The "look at who they play" argument is dead,

examples: Greg Jennings, Ben Roethlisberger

Would Matt Leinharts talent be lesser if he played on a MAC team, how about Reggie Bush?
 
OP
OP
G

GakkofNorway

Cheesehead
Joined
Jan 31, 2005
Messages
2,249
Reaction score
0
Location
the Northpole
and if you're argument is, Michael Bush isn't fast enough, I don't think you've seen him play.

His combination of speed and size is unique.
 

porky88

Cheesehead
Joined
Mar 11, 2006
Messages
3,991
Reaction score
0
Location
Title Town
GakkofNorway said:
and if you're argument is, Michael Bush isn't fast enough, I don't think you've seen him play.

His combination of speed and size is unique.

It def is. I believe he can run a 4.4 - 4.5 40 which is very good for his size. He's everything LenDale White was made out to be. I would love for GB to draft him. It's just getting him to work in the scheme that worries me. I think he could be a nice fit though if the coaches and fans are patient.
 

YERCELL

Cheesehead
Joined
Aug 21, 2006
Messages
266
Reaction score
0
Just for the record, Michael Bush broke his leg and is going to stay in school next year. He's already on record as saying he's in no hurry to go to the NFL. Obviously that could change, but that's already out there.
 

porky88

Cheesehead
Joined
Mar 11, 2006
Messages
3,991
Reaction score
0
Location
Title Town
YERCELL said:
Just for the record, Michael Bush broke his leg and is going to stay in school next year. He's already on record as saying he's in no hurry to go to the NFL. Obviously that could change, but that's already out there.

Did he confirm it?

I haven't heard anything on him staying in school. Do you have an article?

Not that I don't believe you but just that people said the same about Vince Young and said Matt Leinart was going to come out early.
 

C-Mize

Cheesehead
Joined
Apr 27, 2006
Messages
138
Reaction score
0
Location
Texas
PackerChick said:
Lets think about drafting an offensive line first before anything else.

I have two words for you.......Tony Mandarich. And we passed up on one of the best running back ever...Barry Sanders.





How about this time we take the running back !?!?!
 
OP
OP
G

GakkofNorway

Cheesehead
Joined
Jan 31, 2005
Messages
2,249
Reaction score
0
Location
the Northpole
YERCELL said:
Just for the record, Michael Bush broke his leg and is going to stay in school next year. He's already on record as saying he's in no hurry to go to the NFL. Obviously that could change, but that's already out there.

If you read my initial post I already discussed that aspect. Michael Bush hasn't said he's staying in school getting a medical redshirt. He has untill january to decide, and I think he'll probably declare, because he will most likely be a top 10 - top 15 pick anyway. He's going to be healthy long before the combine, and he might just light up the stats there.

Why do you make arguments you can't back up?
 

Members online

No members online now.

Latest posts

Top