Film Room: Rashard Mendenhall
Over the course of the next few months, we are going to try and run highlights most every day of college players that you might or might not be familiar with, but could be names you will be hearing more as the Draft approaches. Today’s installment: Illinois RB Rashard Mendenhall.
Can this guy potentially be a better pro than Darren McFadden? NFLN’s Mike Mayock seems to think so.
“Mendenhall translates better to the NFL game. He’s 225 pounds and has great feet and tremendous burst and acceleration for a player of his size. My biggest concern with McFadden is that although he also has great burst and acceleration, I don’t think he has the lower body strength that you’re looking for in a first-round NFL back.”
Time will tell if that’s an accurate statement from Mayock, but for teams in the market for a top-flight runner, it’s good to know that there’s potentally two backs in the running for top billing.
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Big and strong, fast and quick, and he runs like he likes it. I think he’ll be a great pro.
Carl Nicks at 6′5″ and 340 supposedly put up 31 reps in the bench today and Oniel Cousins a G put up 23. Nicks is looking better and better but most likely will not get out of the second round.
I really like Mendenhall – and for that matter, Jonathan Stewart and Felix Jones too. In fact, the more I think about the RB’s in this class, the more I’m wondering if McFadden really stands out above the next three RB’s in terms of NFL potential. Here were their stats this year:
McFadden: 5.6 ypc, 16 TD
Stewart: 6.2 ypc, 11 TD
Mendenhall: 6.4 ypc, 17 TD
Jones: 8.7 ypc, 11 TD
Mendenhall is the best pass-catcher of the four, and he and Stewart are the most powerful runners. Jones is probably the fastest of the four. DMc is great in the open field, but how often is he going to get to the open field against NFL defenders? He has the leanest lower body of the four, and he might have trouble pushing for first downs. And now questions about DMc’s character are popping up as well.
I think whoever takes Darren might be in for a rude awakening. And if we’re able to fill our need for a pass rusher in round 1, I think we might want to take a look if any of the other top RB’s are still available in round 2. TJ is good but he’s 30, and being able to get a future platoon partner for Leon might not be a bad idea. Any of these three would be great value after the top 20.
For anyone who thinks run DMC is not the real deal hasn’t watched any SEC football.
He ran over everybody. Period
If the Jets pick up McFadden with the number 6 pick, we’ll be alright as long as we get the O-line worked out.
McFadden is a beast…No doubt about it.
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Butch is correct! DMC played against the toughest of teams in the toughest conference and ran wild. If he falls to #6 he has to be the pick, unless Dallas wants to trade up and give away the house to get him.
Butch, I watched a ton of SEC football, and you’re right, DMC ran over everyone. So did Reggie Bush at USC – and now he’s looking like an average pro RB because he can’t use his open-field ability nearly as often. Now, DMC’s bigger than Bush, but I think he might also have that problem of trying too hard for the home run on every play instead of attacking the hole and getting positive yards.
I’m not saying DMC is going to be a bust, but I would say there’s a great chance that at least one and maybe two of the next three RB’s on the board are going to be better, for longer, than DMC.
pound4pound, your argument makes no sense. Reggie Bush ran-wild against PAC-10 competition and! he was splitting carries with LenDale White. Actually Felix Jones is the one that resembles Reggie Bush, he has a high ypc average and is the more open field runner. Run DMC completely ran over the SEC which is the best division in college football, he made the formidable LSU defense seem like a joke. Behind a good O-line he can do some serious damage, but lets not confuse ourselves with the Vikings now!
Running behind the same line against the same opponents, DMC had a greater % of his carries go for negative or zero yardage than Felix Jones did. Jones isn’t going to be a boom-or-bust runner in the NFL, like Bush is. DMC might be.
Again, my comment is a lot more about how great value the next three RB’s could offer than anything against DMC. One last comment from the combine today:
Colts president Bill Polian said he sees as many as four running backs being worthy of spots among the top 10 overall picks, based on “great measurables and terrific production, which is all your are looking for.”