Dave-Te's look at the Runningback and Fullback Crop
= Player on the rise
= Player on the slide
1... Deuce McAllister School: Mississippi
Plays with alot of heart. Has a solid size/speed ratio and can adjust speeds and hit top speed quickly. Explosive acceleration at the second level. Has great intangibles and works hard to be not only a great player, but also a great person. Scouts love his humble attitude. He can do it all; run, catch like a wide-receiver, and return kicks. He follows his blocks and keeps his legs churning while falling forward to pick up as much real estate as possible. Has very good change of direction ability. Definitely the most versatile back if not the best pure runner. Some people question his upright style, but a guy named Dickerson didn't have a problem with it. A willing blocker. He has had some problems with shoulder and ankle injuries though, and does not have that elite level make you miss gift.2... Michael Bennett School: Wisconsin
The ultimate long ball hitter. Looks like a rocket. World class speed and acceleration. Hits the hole very fast; maybe too fast. Can get the corner consistently. Averaged 5.4 yards per tote and 152.8yds per game, and did it verse quality competition. Has not proved he can catch the ball yet, and needs to prove he can block. Although very fast he needs to learn to see the field better in order to turn more 10 yd runs into 80 yd runs. Could use some moves and better balance after contact; can be brought down too easily at times. With only 2 years under his belt at the college level(one starting) he is a bit of a unknown quantity. His recent off the field behavior could also be a detriment to his draft stock.3... LaDainian Tomlinson School: TCU
Wrapped up his second NCAA rushing title this past season; which included a 406yd game. Has been a durable workhorse that is built compact with great lower-body power. He stays low and breaks tackles. Hits cutback lanes quickly and shows a burst in the hole. Uses his blocks well. Has good hands and works extremely hard. Showed some elusiveness at the Senior Bowl and had a fine game. He gives good effort when blocking. Still, scouts are more divided on him than just about any other player. He has been compared to Salaam by some-Ouch! He is considered unproven between the tackles because he spent most of his time at TCU taking pitchouts and didn't face very good talent in the WAC. Teams are also worried by his tendency to dance in the hole and some feel that his speed is only good on a straight-line. His personal workouts have been so impressive so he might be the first back taken. You cannot argue with his production.4... Lamont Jordan School: Maryland
Powerful runner who knows leverage. Stays low and can move the pile. Finishes runs with a strong shoulder thrust. Has good but not great speed and quick feet. Has good hands and usually breaks out of the first tackle when out in space. Had a great Senior Bowl, showcasing his knack for picking up yards after contact. Had an awesome Junior year but did not duplicate it this season. His work ethic is a question; he can get too heavy. He needs to improve his blocking and improve his takeoff; he seems slow when taking the handoff and that makes him late hitting the hole. His feet and speed are much better than Ron Dayne, so he probably won't struggle as much as the big badger did in his rookie year. Some scouts are very high on him, and some are worried about his hunger. Underrated.5... Travis Henry School: Tennessee
Powerful stumpy runner who can push piles forward. Fights for every inch. He has decent speed and vision and has subtle moves that can get tacklers off balance. He likes to lower the shoulder. Is Tennessee's all-time rushing leader. Some say that the team was more effective running the ball with him instead of Jamal Lewis, although he lacks the Ravens star's athletic ability. He plays hurt and is tough enough to handle the rock 20-25 times a game. Coaches were impressed by his tackle breaking in Senior Bowl practices. He is inspiring when you watch him bust his tail to get a first down. He has to answer questions about his blocking and hands. Travis also must cut down on the times he goes down via ankle tackles.6... Anthony Thomas School: Michigan
A very determined runner who usually picks the right hole and runs hard. He is strong between the tackles and is a load to bring down. He carries tacklers and often falls forward fighting for every inch. He has great hands and knows how to block. He is a natural catching the ball. He is durable and does not lose power in the 4th quarter. A smart runner who follows his blocks and stays balanced. Some think he can also play FB if called upon to do so. Will not get the corner very often and benefited from an awesome O-Line at Michigan. Sort of straight-line runner who can cut once but can't string moves together. He is a tackle to tackle workhorse who will give you an honest days work while bruising up the opposition.7... Kevan Barlow School: Pittsburgh
Very strong legs allow him to power through arm tackles and glancing blows to pick up the crucial yard. Has a solid combination of power and speed. Not a straight-liner. Can put moves together and get to the outside on occasion. A durable back who likes to pound all day long. Sometimes not decisive, but he can adjust in the hole and elude tacklers better than most his size. Has been compared to Eddie George because he has a rock physique and plays tough. Was a star at Senior Bowl practices and wowed the scouts with his pass catching ability. Will get impatient and run into his blocks at times and has a bad habit of fumbling that has to be corrected. He also needs work in blitz recognition and blocking. A powerful runner who could be the surprise of the draft.
8... Heath Evans School: Auburn
Can do it all. Has a burst and power in the short yardage game and can catch pretty well in the flat and on curls. Runs like a bull in a china closet. Can be an intimidator. Excels at lead blocking and usually gets the LB out of the hole. Can run the ball more often than most FBs because he has pretty good speed and decent feet. Has clocked a 4.58 40. He is very confident in his abilities and gets angry at himself when he does not meet a goal. Was an inspirational leader for the Tigers. A throwback player with a mean streak who could have used another year to round off all his skills, but I guess he saw the competition and didn't see why he couldn't be the top FB drafted. Not as strong as Norris, but plenty strong (30 reps) and more of an offensive threat.9... Dan Alexander 10.. Correll Buckhalter Explosive size/speed guy who has good hands; rarely bobbles. He is not shy about blocking and has proven to be an excellent short area runner. If he can work on his change of direction ability he might be able to play full-time. 11.. Rudi Johnson Inside banger who should charge a fare to those he takes for a ride. Big legged bull who racked up many 100yd games. Has good vision but lacks speed to the outside. A Db's nightmare. Hands and blocking are in question. 12.. Reggie White Athletic runner who makes quick and decisive decisions. Makes nice cuts and runs with good body lean. Speed is just average but he usually makes the first man miss. Must get stronger in his lower body. 13.. James Jackson Nice combination back. Can run and catch fairly well. At times will look like a complete back. Will flash speed, elusiveness, and smarts. Knows how to follow his blocks. Plays hurt. Will go down alittle too easy at times. Knows how to keep his pads low. 14.. Travis Minor Quick change of pace type. Poor man's Warrick Dunn. Can cut and slide to pick up yards between the tackles. A natural receiver out of the backfield. Size probably prohibits him from being a workhorse. Not much strength. 15.. Ja'Mar Toombs Runaway train. Has been compared to Jerome Bettis. Can move the pile forward with guys draped all over him. Delivers a blow to tacklers. Can be intimidating. Blocks pretty well. Can get grossly over weight and needs to work on catching balls. Not a plodder; has some jukes in him. 16.. Derrick Blaylock Has been compared to Warrick Dunn, but he does not have the same elusiveness. He does, however, have more speed. In fact, he was the 40 king at the combine. Very good hands, but size will no doubt relegate him to third down duty. 17.. Moran Norris Mr. Black and Blue. Will get down and dirty. Has athletic ability that needs development. Seems alittle stiff when running. Has the toughness and elite level strength(37reps) that should allow him to be an effective lead blocker. Could surprise you with his hands. Reminds me of Jim Kleinsasser. 18.. David Allen Has great stop and start quickness. A very talented return man. Kinda reminds me of Ronney Jenkins, a rookie picked by the Chargers in last year's draft. Won't be an every down player. May be utilized in the passing game. 19.. Dominic Rhodes Very tough dude who dominated the Division II level. Runs tough. Has decent speed and can maneuver through traffic. His return skills will be a bonus. Needs to be more decisive upon taking the handoff. 20.. Derek Combs Knows how to follow his blocks. Usually picks the right hole and shows good vision in-line. Not very big and lacks speed to the corner. Does not pick up much after contact but did manage a 5+ yd average this past year. Quarterbacks| Runningbacks& Fullbacks| WideReceivers & TightEnds| Offensive Line
Defensive Line| Linebackers| Secondary
