Saturday, January 5, 2008

'08 NFL Draft Profile. . .Darren McFadden

by Jason Jones

Darren McFadden – RB – Univ. of Arkansas – 6’2, 205

One word comes to mind, COMPLETE. Let’s get this out of the way, last summer he got into a fist fight in a parking lot (DON’T MAKE ANYTHING OF IT) Most people from casual fans to elite analysts believe Darren McFadden is one of those revolutionary players. Barring injuring, is he a hall of fame quality player? No question, the real question is how good he can be. Potentially, all things considered there is some potential that the age old question 30 years would be, “Jim Brown, Walter Payton, Barry Sanders and Darren McFadden”. Now naturally that is extremely far fetched today. However, there is no denying the fact that he has the gradable skills as well as intangible abilities. After the season Adrian Peterson has had in Minnesota, remember I was the one who said, “Peterson is the best RB to enter the NFL Draft since Emmitt Smith or better. As far as the measurables, they are very similar, but McFadden is slightly better in all of them. Size, speed, strength, vision, agility, football IQ, catching the ball, running between the tackles, running outside the tackles, everything. Darren McFadden may be the best running back drafted since Walter Payton; that’s right I said what you are afraid to say. One NFL Draft analyst said, “Darren McFadden is CLEARLY the best SEC running back since Bo Jackson”, now he isn’t that strong but after looking at the SEC over history , that is not far fetched at all. McFadden is the most complete running back that I can comprehend (at least as we are preparing for the draft, things can always change). He runs in the 4.4 range and is extremely shifty. He is good enough to carry the load (25+ carries a game throughout the duration of an NFL season) easy, he is probably a 4.5 yards per carry or better and that’s without breaking big runs. If he goes to the right situation and stays healthy, there is no reason to think he couldn’t rush for 1500 yds or 2000 yds from scrimmage his rookie year. If you are looking forward to seeing him wow GM’s at the combine, make other plans. Darren McFadden will not participate (conventional wisdom, 90% sure), and to be honest he may be the first prospect since Peyton Manning who really doesn’t NEED to.

Darren McFadden is hard to compare to other players, but here we go: A thin Bo Jackson, young Eddie George, prime Marshall Faulk, with Earl Campbell tendencies.

2008 NFL DRAFT PROJECTIONS: High First Round (no worse than 3)

If it weren’t for need being outside the running back position he would be the no questioned #1. 80% of the NFL would take him #1 regardless of their RB situation. I personally believe that Miami and St. Louis reside in the 10%

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