BTW, I actually re-posted the first post because of some mistakes- I wish I could delete it. I was real tired when I posted it and somehow refered to RB Charles Scott as former Giant (I'm a Giant fan) Defensive lineman Cedric Scott in 2 of 3 places. Eric, your rankings are very similar to mine. Are there any other small school RBs you like like David McCarty, LeMarcus Cooker, LeRon Council or anyone else?
James - 15 years ago
"I would disagree with you that Mississippi's team is weak right now though. They were 8-4 last year and 5-3 in the SEC. Recently they were average, but have had a good offense since Jevan Snead has been the starting QB. Cordera Eason isn't used to his potential b/c he splits carries with Dexter McCluster who appears to be an even better back."
Good catch. I actually confused Eason's team. I was tired when I posted and for some reason was thinking Mississippi State- even though I know where he plays. I had meant to actually put the comment "has been hurt playing for a weak team in the SEC" with the Anthony Dixon analysis. It fits with Mississippi State, not Mississippi- I was tired when I posted.
Eric - 15 years ago
Nice list James. If 20 RBs were drafted last year my top 20 seniors would be:
1. C.J Spiller
2. LeGarrette Blount
3. Toby Gerhart
4. Chris Brown
5. Charles Scott
6. Stafon Johnson
7. James Starks
8. Keiland Williams
9. Jake Sharp
10. Lonyae Miller
11. Andre Anderson
12. Anthony Dixon
13. Ben Tate
14. Brandon Minor
15. Javarris James
16. MiQuale Lewis
17. Michael Smith
18. Keith Toston
19. Joique Bell
20. Kevin Harris (I agree with you, he's a sleeper if he gets more carries)
I would disagree with you that Mississippi's team is weak right now though. They were 8-4 last year and 5-3 in the SEC. Recently they were average, but have had a good offense since Jevan Snead has been the starting QB. Cordera Eason isn't used to his potential b/c he splits carries with Dexter McCluster who appears to be an even better back.
My top UFA candidates would be:
21. Andre Dixon
22. Eugene Jarvis
23. Matt Asiata
24. Montario Hardesty
25. Jared Hawkins
26. William Ford
27. Trevyn Smith
28. Daniel Dufrene
29. Justin Anderson
30. Brandon West
James - 15 years ago
I was initially shocked when I saw Sharp in 4th place in this poll, it seems high as of now. However, if you base this on what he might do this yr. w/ a full season as the starter, his improved running instincts- his speed & agility will take him far. 20 RBs were drafted last yr.- here would be my top 20: 1. C.J Spiller (should really break out with James Davis gone- he's a freak athlete) 2. Toby Gerhart (a faster version of Charles Scott who posted basically identical stats- with less passing threat to complement him. Toby carried the ball 70% of the time on 1st down- used uncreatively- a B. Wells/ B. Jacobs/ P. Hillis clone) 3. LeGarrette Blount (lacks elite 2nd gear, but has a burst, good vision, runs through arm tackles & posts elite YPC) 4. Chris Brown (productive splitting time with Murray- can be a workhorse) 5. Stafon Johnson (quick, agile, elite YPC) 6. Charles Scott (speed could hurt him- tough w/ good vision for the cutback lane & productive- has a solid burst) 7. Jake Sharp (loads of athleticism, I predict he'll break out big time this yr. if over matched o-line doesn't hurt him- similar to Spiller in many ways) 8. James Starks (only watched him once, but from what I've seen & read this guy is a great AP threat) 9. Keiland Williams (very good athlete w/ great speed & agility-plays behind Scott- may be the better NFL prospect) 10. Lonyae Miller (good rushing YPC, but hasn't been used as a receiver) 11. Brandon Minor (a slower version of Gerhart-might be more comparable to Charles Scott, but less productive than these 2- has to prove his fumbling is behind him) 12. Ben Tate (Auburn isn't all that good anymore- Tate has the the tools though) 13. Anthony Dixon (IMO this guy is overrated- he hasn't produced a good YPC & is probably slower than advertised, but he has good size and strength) 14. Michael Smith (very undersized, but that hasn't stopped MJD, Darren Sproles or Danny Woodhead- Smith must add a little weight, but he's a shifty productive speed demon) 15. Andre Anderson (underrated- enough said) 16. Andre Dixon (speed could hurt him, but this guy can be a bullish workhorse) 17. MiQuale Lewis (undersized, but this guy is a speed freak & is productive) 18. Keith Toston (underrated- he has produced a good YPC when he's gotten a chance and has the tools for much more) 19. Javarris James (overrated, he isn't a freak athlete & hasn't had a decent yr. since he was a freshman) 20. Joique Bell (he's the best small school back me thinks) Underrated UFAs who "should" find a career in the NFL if given the chance: 21. Kevin Harris (this guy continues to be Wake Forest's best back. He's had the best YPC on the team the 2 years he carried the most in his career & absolutely saved Wake in their last bowl game. Pendergrass & Adams have shown nothing. Harris was the best H.S back in central Florida. He posted the 25th best Nike SPARQ rating in the entire country) 22. Matt Asiata (he isn't fast, but ran for almost 5 YPC last year & is posed to break out) 23. Daniele Dufrene (athletic & posed to break out for Illinois) 24. Jared Hawkins (the raw athleticism is certainly there, but he plays for maybe the worst offense in the SEC- his production has been a bit pedestrian- he was a top H.S back in Texas) 25. William Ford (the 2nd best small school back) 26. Trevyn Smith (the 3rd best small school back) 27. Montario Hardesty (a top H.S back who has done little in the FBS, he's received few carries- the talent is there) 28. Cordera Eason (has some talent, but has been hurt playing for a weak team in the SEC like Hawkins) 29. Eugene Jarvis (only 5'5-he has raw speed & athleticism & production to go w/ it-an undrafted FA contract sounds low risk for this possible role player) 30. Roy Upchurch (top H.S back could break out.) 31. Reggie Arnold (top H.S back excels in the Sunbelt) 32. David McCarty (4th best small school back) Note: I see Brandon James as a return specialist and T. Holliday as a WR.
James - 15 years ago
I was initially shocked when I saw Sharp in 4th place in this poll, it seems high as of now. However, if you base this on what he might do this yr. w/ a full season as the starter & his improved running instincts his speed & agility will have him do great things. 20 RBs were drafted last yr.- here would be my top 20:
1. C.J Spiller (should really break out with James Davis gone- he's a freak athlete)
2. Toby Gerhart (a faster version of Charles Scott who posted nearly identical stats with little passing threat to complement him. He carried the ball 70% of the time on 1st down- used uncreatively)
3. LeGarrette Blount (speed isn't a great asset, but has a burst, good vision, runs through arm tackles & posts elite YPC)
4. Stafon Johnson (quick, agile, elite YPC)
5. Chris Brown (productive splitting time with Murray- can be a workhorse)
6. Cedric Scott (speed could hurt him, but tough with good vision & production- with a solid burst)
7. Jake Sharp (loads of athleticism, I predict he'll break out big time this yr. if very average o-line doesn't hurt him- similar to Spiller in many ways)
8. James Starks (only watched him once, but from what I've seen & read this guy is a great AP threat)
9. Keiland Williams (very good athlete w/ great speed & agility, but plays behind Scott- may be the better NFL prospect)
10. Lonyae Miller (good rushing YPC, but hasn't been used as a receiving back)
11. Brandon Minor (a slower version of Gerhart-might be more comparable to Cedric Scott, but less productive than these two- has to prove his fumbling is behind him- should have better yr. if offense clicks)
12. Anthony Dixon (IMO this guy is overrated- he hasn't produced a good YPC & is probably slower than advertised, but he has good size and strength- a good late round pick )
13. Ben Tate (Auburn isn't all that good anymore- Tate has the the tools though)
14. Michael Smith (very undersized, but that hasn't stopped MJD, Danny Woodhead or Darren Sproles- Smith must add a little weight, but he's a shifty speed demon with good production)
15. Andre Anderson (underrated- enough said)
16. Andre Dixon (speed could hurt him, but this guy can be a bullish workhorse)
17. MiQuale Lewis (undersized, but this guy is a speed freak & is productive)
18. Keith Toston (underrated- he has produced a good YPC when he's gotten a chance and has the tools for much more)
19. Jarvis James (overrated, he isn't a freak athlete & hasn't had a good yr. since he was a freshman)
20. Joique Bell (he's the best small school back me's thinks)
Underrated UFAs who "should" find a career in the NFL if given the chance:
21. Matt Asiata (he isn't fast, but ran for almost 5 YPC last year & is posed to break out)
22. Kevin Harris (this guy continues to be Wake Forest's best back. He's had the best YPC on the team the 2 years he carried the most in his career & absolutely saved Wake in their bowl game last season. Pendergrass & Adams haven't shown anything. The best H.S prep back in central Florida. He posted the 25th best Nike SPARQ rating in the entire country)
23. Daniele Dufrene (underrated, athletic & posed to break out for Illinois)
24. Jared Hawkins (the raw athleticism is certainly there, but he plays for maybe the worst offense in the SEC- so his production has been rather pedestrian- he was a top H.S back in Texas)
25. William Ford (the 2nd best small school back IMO)
26. Trevyn Smith (the 3rd best small school back IMO)
27. Montario Hardesty (a top H.S back who hasn't done much in the FBS, he's received little carries- the talent is there)
27. Cordera Eason (has the talent, but has been hurt playing for a weak team in the SEC like Hawkins)
28. Eugene Jarvis (only 5'5-he has raw speed & athleticism & production to go w/ it-an undrafted FA contract sounds low risk for this possible role player)
29. Roy Upchurch (top H.S back could break out.)
30. Reggie Arnold (top H.S back excels in the Sunbelt)
BTW, I actually re-posted the first post because of some mistakes- I wish I could delete it. I was real tired when I posted it and somehow refered to RB Charles Scott as former Giant (I'm a Giant fan) Defensive lineman Cedric Scott in 2 of 3 places. Eric, your rankings are very similar to mine. Are there any other small school RBs you like like David McCarty, LeMarcus Cooker, LeRon Council or anyone else?
"I would disagree with you that Mississippi's team is weak right now though. They were 8-4 last year and 5-3 in the SEC. Recently they were average, but have had a good offense since Jevan Snead has been the starting QB. Cordera Eason isn't used to his potential b/c he splits carries with Dexter McCluster who appears to be an even better back."
Good catch. I actually confused Eason's team. I was tired when I posted and for some reason was thinking Mississippi State- even though I know where he plays. I had meant to actually put the comment "has been hurt playing for a weak team in the SEC" with the Anthony Dixon analysis. It fits with Mississippi State, not Mississippi- I was tired when I posted.
Nice list James. If 20 RBs were drafted last year my top 20 seniors would be:
1. C.J Spiller
2. LeGarrette Blount
3. Toby Gerhart
4. Chris Brown
5. Charles Scott
6. Stafon Johnson
7. James Starks
8. Keiland Williams
9. Jake Sharp
10. Lonyae Miller
11. Andre Anderson
12. Anthony Dixon
13. Ben Tate
14. Brandon Minor
15. Javarris James
16. MiQuale Lewis
17. Michael Smith
18. Keith Toston
19. Joique Bell
20. Kevin Harris (I agree with you, he's a sleeper if he gets more carries)
I would disagree with you that Mississippi's team is weak right now though. They were 8-4 last year and 5-3 in the SEC. Recently they were average, but have had a good offense since Jevan Snead has been the starting QB. Cordera Eason isn't used to his potential b/c he splits carries with Dexter McCluster who appears to be an even better back.
My top UFA candidates would be:
21. Andre Dixon
22. Eugene Jarvis
23. Matt Asiata
24. Montario Hardesty
25. Jared Hawkins
26. William Ford
27. Trevyn Smith
28. Daniel Dufrene
29. Justin Anderson
30. Brandon West
I was initially shocked when I saw Sharp in 4th place in this poll, it seems high as of now. However, if you base this on what he might do this yr. w/ a full season as the starter, his improved running instincts- his speed & agility will take him far. 20 RBs were drafted last yr.- here would be my top 20: 1. C.J Spiller (should really break out with James Davis gone- he's a freak athlete) 2. Toby Gerhart (a faster version of Charles Scott who posted basically identical stats- with less passing threat to complement him. Toby carried the ball 70% of the time on 1st down- used uncreatively- a B. Wells/ B. Jacobs/ P. Hillis clone) 3. LeGarrette Blount (lacks elite 2nd gear, but has a burst, good vision, runs through arm tackles & posts elite YPC) 4. Chris Brown (productive splitting time with Murray- can be a workhorse) 5. Stafon Johnson (quick, agile, elite YPC) 6. Charles Scott (speed could hurt him- tough w/ good vision for the cutback lane & productive- has a solid burst) 7. Jake Sharp (loads of athleticism, I predict he'll break out big time this yr. if over matched o-line doesn't hurt him- similar to Spiller in many ways) 8. James Starks (only watched him once, but from what I've seen & read this guy is a great AP threat) 9. Keiland Williams (very good athlete w/ great speed & agility-plays behind Scott- may be the better NFL prospect) 10. Lonyae Miller (good rushing YPC, but hasn't been used as a receiver) 11. Brandon Minor (a slower version of Gerhart-might be more comparable to Charles Scott, but less productive than these 2- has to prove his fumbling is behind him) 12. Ben Tate (Auburn isn't all that good anymore- Tate has the the tools though) 13. Anthony Dixon (IMO this guy is overrated- he hasn't produced a good YPC & is probably slower than advertised, but he has good size and strength) 14. Michael Smith (very undersized, but that hasn't stopped MJD, Darren Sproles or Danny Woodhead- Smith must add a little weight, but he's a shifty productive speed demon) 15. Andre Anderson (underrated- enough said) 16. Andre Dixon (speed could hurt him, but this guy can be a bullish workhorse) 17. MiQuale Lewis (undersized, but this guy is a speed freak & is productive) 18. Keith Toston (underrated- he has produced a good YPC when he's gotten a chance and has the tools for much more) 19. Javarris James (overrated, he isn't a freak athlete & hasn't had a decent yr. since he was a freshman) 20. Joique Bell (he's the best small school back me thinks) Underrated UFAs who "should" find a career in the NFL if given the chance: 21. Kevin Harris (this guy continues to be Wake Forest's best back. He's had the best YPC on the team the 2 years he carried the most in his career & absolutely saved Wake in their last bowl game. Pendergrass & Adams have shown nothing. Harris was the best H.S back in central Florida. He posted the 25th best Nike SPARQ rating in the entire country) 22. Matt Asiata (he isn't fast, but ran for almost 5 YPC last year & is posed to break out) 23. Daniele Dufrene (athletic & posed to break out for Illinois) 24. Jared Hawkins (the raw athleticism is certainly there, but he plays for maybe the worst offense in the SEC- his production has been a bit pedestrian- he was a top H.S back in Texas) 25. William Ford (the 2nd best small school back) 26. Trevyn Smith (the 3rd best small school back) 27. Montario Hardesty (a top H.S back who has done little in the FBS, he's received few carries- the talent is there) 28. Cordera Eason (has some talent, but has been hurt playing for a weak team in the SEC like Hawkins) 29. Eugene Jarvis (only 5'5-he has raw speed & athleticism & production to go w/ it-an undrafted FA contract sounds low risk for this possible role player) 30. Roy Upchurch (top H.S back could break out.) 31. Reggie Arnold (top H.S back excels in the Sunbelt) 32. David McCarty (4th best small school back) Note: I see Brandon James as a return specialist and T. Holliday as a WR.
I was initially shocked when I saw Sharp in 4th place in this poll, it seems high as of now. However, if you base this on what he might do this yr. w/ a full season as the starter & his improved running instincts his speed & agility will have him do great things. 20 RBs were drafted last yr.- here would be my top 20:
1. C.J Spiller (should really break out with James Davis gone- he's a freak athlete)
2. Toby Gerhart (a faster version of Charles Scott who posted nearly identical stats with little passing threat to complement him. He carried the ball 70% of the time on 1st down- used uncreatively)
3. LeGarrette Blount (speed isn't a great asset, but has a burst, good vision, runs through arm tackles & posts elite YPC)
4. Stafon Johnson (quick, agile, elite YPC)
5. Chris Brown (productive splitting time with Murray- can be a workhorse)
6. Cedric Scott (speed could hurt him, but tough with good vision & production- with a solid burst)
7. Jake Sharp (loads of athleticism, I predict he'll break out big time this yr. if very average o-line doesn't hurt him- similar to Spiller in many ways)
8. James Starks (only watched him once, but from what I've seen & read this guy is a great AP threat)
9. Keiland Williams (very good athlete w/ great speed & agility, but plays behind Scott- may be the better NFL prospect)
10. Lonyae Miller (good rushing YPC, but hasn't been used as a receiving back)
11. Brandon Minor (a slower version of Gerhart-might be more comparable to Cedric Scott, but less productive than these two- has to prove his fumbling is behind him- should have better yr. if offense clicks)
12. Anthony Dixon (IMO this guy is overrated- he hasn't produced a good YPC & is probably slower than advertised, but he has good size and strength- a good late round pick )
13. Ben Tate (Auburn isn't all that good anymore- Tate has the the tools though)
14. Michael Smith (very undersized, but that hasn't stopped MJD, Danny Woodhead or Darren Sproles- Smith must add a little weight, but he's a shifty speed demon with good production)
15. Andre Anderson (underrated- enough said)
16. Andre Dixon (speed could hurt him, but this guy can be a bullish workhorse)
17. MiQuale Lewis (undersized, but this guy is a speed freak & is productive)
18. Keith Toston (underrated- he has produced a good YPC when he's gotten a chance and has the tools for much more)
19. Jarvis James (overrated, he isn't a freak athlete & hasn't had a good yr. since he was a freshman)
20. Joique Bell (he's the best small school back me's thinks)
Underrated UFAs who "should" find a career in the NFL if given the chance:
21. Matt Asiata (he isn't fast, but ran for almost 5 YPC last year & is posed to break out)
22. Kevin Harris (this guy continues to be Wake Forest's best back. He's had the best YPC on the team the 2 years he carried the most in his career & absolutely saved Wake in their bowl game last season. Pendergrass & Adams haven't shown anything. The best H.S prep back in central Florida. He posted the 25th best Nike SPARQ rating in the entire country)
23. Daniele Dufrene (underrated, athletic & posed to break out for Illinois)
24. Jared Hawkins (the raw athleticism is certainly there, but he plays for maybe the worst offense in the SEC- so his production has been rather pedestrian- he was a top H.S back in Texas)
25. William Ford (the 2nd best small school back IMO)
26. Trevyn Smith (the 3rd best small school back IMO)
27. Montario Hardesty (a top H.S back who hasn't done much in the FBS, he's received little carries- the talent is there)
27. Cordera Eason (has the talent, but has been hurt playing for a weak team in the SEC like Hawkins)
28. Eugene Jarvis (only 5'5-he has raw speed & athleticism & production to go w/ it-an undrafted FA contract sounds low risk for this possible role player)
29. Roy Upchurch (top H.S back could break out.)
30. Reggie Arnold (top H.S back excels in the Sunbelt)
Note: I see Brandon James as a return specia