Day three of our NFL Draft coverage sees Steven O’Rourke assess the top running backs and linebackers of the 2012 class.
Running backs
The move towards a passing league has been a recurring theme of this series and yet further proof is found in the fact that only one running back is likely to go in the first round this year.
This is in direct contrast to fantasy football drafting come August when the first round is almost exclusively running backs.
Top three
1. Trent Richardson – Alabama
24 touchdowns, 2,017 total yards and a BCS National Title; it would be an understatement to say Trent Richardson had a good final season with the Crimson Tide. Richardson should adapt quickly to the NFL and his potential to have a 1,300 yard season and take the workload off Colt McCoy should be enough to see him picked up by the Browns as the fourth overall pick. His one downfall could be the Browns’ offensive line which is not nearly as strong as Alabama’s.
2. Doug Martin – Boise State
Martin had nearly 1,300 rushing yards during the regular season but it was his MVP performance in the MACCO Bowl, followed up by eye-catching appearances at the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine that really made NFL scouts pay serious attention. The former Boise State back will be either go to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 36 or Detroit Lions at 57.
3. David Wilson – Virginia Tech
Wilson is a quick twitch running back who makes the most of explosive acceleration to cut through gaps some of his bulkier counterparts would struggle to see. While fans love the fact he never seems satisfied with a five yard gain, his constant attempts to gain that extra yard will make him a target for NFL defences. Wilson will be the future feature back for the Atlanta Falcons when they select him as the number 55 pick overall.
Sleeper pick
Cyrus Gray – Texas A & M
When the NFL is moving away from power backs, why not select a back that can block, catch and, when required, hit the hole hard to gain those difficult yards around the endzone. He can be a little flat-footed but has the potential to make a very good career in the NFL.
Biggest risk
LaMichael James – Oregon
It pains me to write this paragraph. James has been one of my favourite players at the college level and his mixture of quickness and agility should make him a sure bet in the NFL. However, he’s just not built to survive at this level and injuries to his slight frame will be a feature of his professional career. James is a big risk for the Philadelphia Eagles, his likely landing spot as the 51st overall pick.
[caption id="attachment_428767" align="alignnone" width="630" caption="Boise State's Shea McClellin (92) has seen his draft value rise of late. Credit: Julie Jacobson/AP/Press Association Images"]
Linebackers
As the run game continues to play second fiddle to passing, linebackers have evolved into some of the most elite pass rushers in the game.
Find the right Mike (middle) linebacker in the draft and you can completely change opposing team’s attitude to your defence.
Top three
1. Shea McClellin – Boise State
Considered by many to be a second or third round pick, I absolutely love McClellin’s combination of speed and power and there are three or four teams between the Chargers at 18 and the Patriots at 31 who could take him in the first round. He had 16.5 sacks in the last two seasons which is all the more impressive when you consider he spent most second halves on the sidelines as Boise State built huge leads.
2. Luke Kuechly – Boston College
With 192 tackles in 2011 – 102 of them solo – it is little wonder Kuechly is expected to be the first linebacker drafted in 2012. With a sound technique and great instincts, the 6’3” inside linebacker will be picked up by the Kansas City Chiefs at number 11 as Romeo Crennel attempts to build a team around a foundation of stout defence.
3. Dont’a Hightower – Alabama
Versatile. That’s the word that best surmises Dont’a Hightower. Able to play inside and outside linebacker, as well as defensive end, Hightower provides defensive coaches with multiple options. While he can labour in the open field, his ability to make tackles in the box could see him sit nicely with the Baltimore Ravens at 29 overall.
Sleeper pick
Kyle Wilber – Wake Forest
Not an immediate starter, Wilber is a strong an athletic linebacker who will settle into any 3-4 NFL system. While he’s not the best on the board when dropping back to protect the pass, he offers real value as a sixth/seventh round pick for any franchise looking to fill their special teams roster now and who have time to develop a future starting linebacker.
Biggest risk
Courtney Upshaw – Alabama
Upshaw could go as high as the New York Jets as the number 16 overall pick, though needs on the defensive line may supersede that. Upshaw is undoubtedly a powerful player but has the kind of speed that would make an offensive lineman blush. For me, he’s too easily exposed to sweeps and reverses to make a career in the NFL and there is better value out there.
Check out the final installation of The Redzone’s NFL Draft preview tomorrow when this year’s quarterbacks come in for scrutiny.
Crazy decision. Completely accidental clash of heads.
A five game ban for this is outrageous. How is a decision like that arrived at. It was clearly accidental.
Cant watch the clips because I’m in Australia ffs. But the fans I’ve spoke to say it’s a yellow a most and even that’s harsh. Any truth to this??
@Dara: no
@Dara: Do they not have YouTube in Australia ?
Shameful decision. Warranted a yellow card at best. He’ll be badly missed for the ECC games where his brawn and explosive speed would have levelled things up for Connacht.
Whatever about whether it was right or wrong, how can they suspend 1 week off the 6 week ban for ‘remorse’ when the red card was challenged? Surely that is a prime indication that not alone was there no remorse but the feeling was that it wasn’t even a red card. This incident aside, I would be concerned that the judicial process is flawed on that basis.
His biggest mistake was not being Owen Farrell.
I think he’s a lucky lad to only get 5 weeks, accidental or not he clearly didn’t learn his lesson from the last high shot.
@Jim Demps: I don’t think people here understand. The tackler has an obligation to tackle safely. Accidental or not he has made head to head contact which could have been avoided. The player doesn’t dip in fact he may even come up a little at impact. It’s a clear red and when it’s your second of the season 5 weeks seems lenient.
@Jim Demps: It was an accidental clash of heads after the attacking player changed his running line. I think 5 weeks is harsh, I’d love to see how they arrived at this decision. He does need to lower his tackle height though. Owen Farrell only got 5 weeks for tackle on Charlie Atkinson and in terms of intent those tackles are like chalk and cheese. With Farrells tackling track record it should have been far longer.
@Jayme Mc Goldrick: yeah that’s it. Accidental or not the outcome is still a dangerous tackle. I get why people are annoyed, I’d probably be the same if it was a munster player but it’s not like it’s a new rule, a head shot has never been legal.
@MacEoin.T: I think the decision is pretty clear, he got 6 weeks the first time and it was reduced to 3 for having a clear record. He then got 6 weeks this time and didn’t get the reduction for having a clear record. If anything I’d be saying he didn’t deserve the one week reduction given he clearly hasn’t learnt his lesson.
@Jim Demps: Out of interest, does a player get a clear record at the beginning of each season or is it a pro career duration timeframe?
@MacEoin.T: I know in the amateur game in Ireland they look at your records for 5 years so I assume it’s probably something similar. They definitely don’t get a clean slate at the start of the season anyway. Punishing repeat offenders more harshly I think is a good way to go. Like if Papalli gets sent off again for another high shot I’d say he could be looking at 10+ weeks.
@Jim Demps: he’ll be back in time for the game against Munster on the 9th of January Jim. We’ll get a proper look at him in action then.
@Jim Demps: Would you stop Jim, Farrell got the same ban for trying to take Atkinson’s head off and you’re arguing the Papali’i deserves the same? You’re dreaming lad.
@Paddy Kennedy: I’m not arguing anything, I’m saying that’s how it works. Farrell actually got a 10 week ban reduced by half for a first offence. Farrells was worse and he got a bigger ban, papalli is in the dock for the second time in four games and gets less of a reduction. It’s fairly straightforward
@David Finn: great stuff, hopefully he takes the time between now and then to learn how to tackle in Union. He’ll be a serious player once he irons out those mistakes.
@Paddy Kennedy: It was Farrell’s first red so he got more lenient treatment. The fact that Farrell should have had plenty of reds in recent seasons can’t be taken into account.
Players & coaches have to understand how seriously World Rugby is taking head injuries and act accordingly. That means a lower body position in any potential tackle situation.
Clearly difficult to get it right all the time so some players will get unlucky from time to time. Lack of intent doesn’t seem to be a mitigating factor.
Crazy biased decision.
That makes no sense. How the ref made out he led with his head is beyond me. The attacking player steps and papali has to change direction to make the tackle, their heads collide. 5 games is ridiculous.
Outrageous decision! Ref & TMO bottled it!!
I really don’t understand all the comments arguing that this is somehow disproportionate. It was a clear red card, it was clear he was going to get a significant ban and if he doesn’t learn how to tackle lower he’s going to miss more games than he plays. Crazy decision by Connacht to contest this and I’d argue you shouldn’t get a reduction if you contest the decision, as you’re clearly not remorseful if you think you didn’t commit an offence.
The hypocrisy on this forum , when it was Peter O Mahony deliberately targeting someone’s head in the ruck with his shoulder a few weeks ago (imo, is much worse than an accidental clash of heads) people here were saying ‘he was frustrated’ and ‘playing on the edge’!