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Senior Bowl: Day Two Skill Player Notables
Day Two of the Senior Bowl was packed with observations from both practices. This morning’s report covers wide receivers, quarterbacks, running backs, and tight ends. There are also some thoughts about drills and the Senior Bowl selection process. Plenty of highlights today, most notably a football roundtable with Rotoworld’s Josh Norris, CBS’s Rob Rang, Football…
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The Boiler Room: RB Stepfan Taylor, Stanford
One of the challenges involved with player analysis is to be succinct with delivering the goods. As the author of an annual tome, I’m often a spectacular failure in this respect. I will often study a prospect and see a play unfold that does a great job of encapsulating that player’s skills. When I witness…
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Chicken or Egg: RB Stefphon Jefferson or Nevada Scheme?
Nevada running back Stefphon Jefferson declared for the NFL Draft this week. Looking at the numbers, it’s hard to blame him. Although he only had 73 carries as a freshman and sophomore, his junior year blew away all expectations: 375 carries and 397 total touches 5.0 yards-per-carry average 1883 yards rushing 2053 yards from scrimmage…
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Under the Radar: ECU RB Reggie Bullock
Las Vegas native Reggie Bullock was good enough as a high school running back for Alabama, LSU, Florida, Florida State, and Oregon to court him. Academics forced Bullock to opt for Arizona Western, where he earned consecutive 1000-yard seasons, earning the 2010 National JUCO Player of The Year Award. Why is Bullock not on most…
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Flashes: RB Benny Cunningham, MTSU
This installment of Flashes profiles the play of Middle Tennessee State University runner Benny Cunningham. The senior, who was on the Doak Walker Award Watch List this summer, had a 217-yard, 5-touchdown afternoon against Georgia Tech in September. By November, he was out for the season with a torn patella tendon. what quality did he…
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Flashes: Oregon RB Kenjon Barner
Study football players long enough and it becomes clear that we all make assumptions about what they can and cannot do. We base these conclusions on what we think we know about a player’s size, speed, and strength. The truth is that we often underestimate the importance of technique, awareness, and fit with a specific…
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The Progression of Doug Martin
By Nick Whalen Editor’s Note: Whalen submitted this piece Sunday morning prior to Martin’s 251-yard, 4-touchdown rout of the Raiders defense. Martin did not leave big-play opportunities on the field. Due to the injury concerns, most high profile RB’s come into the NFL as underclassmen. So despite being a senior, Doug Martin was a running…
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Mike Gillislee and the Currency of Respect
Hitting and guts are the currency of respect in the game of football. A football player that can deliver a hit, take a hit, and play with abandon earns respect from teammates, opponents, and fans. When I watch a prospect, these three aspects of football stand out immediately when I see them. Said player may…
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Zone Blocking: The Anti-McFadden
By Nathan Miller Another season, another less than electric year for Darren McFadden. But this time it isn’t due to a lingering injury suffered on the field, in practice, or doing it Gangnam style across his imported mahogany floors. The culprit this time is a change in the Raiders offense to a zone blocking scheme…