That's a good point too.  Really depends how they grade these guys compared to the rest of the field.  If Fournette is head and shoulders above Thomas in their grades, then even with the relative value at the RB position, I think you can argue that taking Fournette there would work out pretty well.  If Thomas or Allen have the same grade, and you can just take Mixon in the 2nd, then that may be the better play.

Thats where the value part comes to in. We could have Fournette above lets say Thomas in terms of grades. But we could also see that there is going to be several running back prospects we really like hanging around the 3rd or 4th where as very few dline men around at that spot who are as good as Thomas. 

 

Though as I said I can totally see the appeal of Fournette, its pretty hard to skip a guy that talented, it just so happens the value for running backs isn't there anymore.

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You also have to consider that out of those 20 "draft-able" running backs  -- how many will make an impact for their new team in year one or two? 

 

Four?  Five?   Seven of them, maybe?  

 

With that in mind and your team's running game in the gutter, you want to get one of those top guys.  However - history shows that those 4-7 guys are NOT always the ones that go in the first or second round. 

I meant ~20 guys who could make an impact as rookies. It's a ridiculous class. 

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Cook.Cook.Cook.

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Fournette is stronger and slightly faster but thats pretty much where it ends. Gurley is better than him at pretty much everything else and hes not far off in speed, hes fast as hell.


Cook is more versatile but doesnt run better than Gurley did. And Gurley showed this season he can be a receiver too, not that hes on cooks level but he doesnt have to be with how good his running is.

Faster, stronger, quicker, more athletic.  I'd take Fournette above him, although I agree that Gurley isn't that far behind him.

 

I'll give you that with Cook.  I agree that from being a pure polished runner, Gurley has the advantage.  Neither one of these guys are really extremely polished.  But Cook is extremely agile and has a little bit of LeSean McCoy in him.

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Use the 4th pick for Thomas or Adams... use the 2nd round pick for Joe Mixon

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Thats where the value part comes to in. We could have Fournette above lets say Thomas in terms of grades. But we could also see that there is going to be several running back prospects we really like hanging around the 3rd or 4th where as very few dline men around at that spot who are as good as Thomas. 

 

Though as I said I can totally see the appeal of Fournette, its pretty hard to skip a guy that talented, it just so happens the value for running backs isn't there anymore.

True, I can see the argument that way.

 

Needs are also a pretty big factor though.  I'd argue that RB and SS (Adams of course) are bigger needs than an edge rusher since we have Yannick, Malik, and Fowler and we're hoping the latter takes it up a notch this year.  That's not to say that we don't need another edge rusher, just that those other two positions are bigger needs IMO.

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Use the 4th pick for Thomas or Adams... use the 2nd round pick for Joe Mixon

Perine. Not Mixon.

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Use the 4th pick for Thomas or Adams... use the 2nd round pick for Joe Mixon

 

I don't hate this scenario.  Especially if they sign a free agent to play CB#2.  

If they don't sign one, I think there will be a really good one left on the board in the second round for them and they'll have to take him and wait on RB in that scenario. 

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Yeah, that would be a nice scenario:  Sign Gilmore or Bouye, draft Adams, then take Mixon.

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Perine. Not Mixon.

 

to each their own, but I think Mixon is by far the more talented of the two.

 

I would only put Cook and Fournette over Mixon in this year's deep RB draft class.  

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Clearly there are varying philosophies on selecting RBs in the draft and which are worthy of being selected in various rounds.


I've long maintained waiting until round 3 or later for a running back, unless convinced a one of a kind prospect is there early and your team is largely "built" elsewhere.


Fournette and Cook will make these decisions interesting in the 2017 draft as both are viewed as rare talents by many and deemed worthy of top ten selection by most.

Where do you land on the value of the RB in the draft? Do you want to gamble with an early first round pick, or try to mine value in a later round?



For example:

I remember in 2015 liking the idea of prospects such as Langford and Ajayi in the third round or later (and we of course used a second rounder on Yeldon.)


This year I lean toward guys like Perrine, Foreman or McGuire later in the draft -- though I'd still be pretty excited about Fournette or Cook in the first round if the FO makes that call.

I agree with you. Good post.

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Fred Taylor turned out OK

Hey if you're for sure Cook or LF is Fred Taylor... take em...

 

 

I'm just not so sure these guys are that...

 

Also.. if our Oline is still crap.... not sure a first round RB is the way to go...

 

just my 2.5 cents

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Hey if you're for sure Cook or LF is Fred Taylor... take em...

 

 

I'm just not so sure these guys are that...

 

Also.. if our Oline is still crap.... not sure a first round RB is the way to go...

 

just my 2.5 cents

 

well it doesn't have to be one or the other.

 

you're supposed to fix the offensive line.  there is no lineman worth taking in the top 5 so why not get a RB?  We will spend in free agency to get a guard (or two) and can use our 2nd round pick on a lineman if he's worth it.  Same thing next year, maybe someone is "worth" taking in the first round.

 

it doesn't have to be a perfect offensive line before you get a RB.

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well it doesn't have to be one or the other.

 

you're supposed to fix the offensive line.  there is no lineman worth taking in the top 5 so why not get a RB?  We will spend in free agency to get a guard (or two) and can use our 2nd round pick on a lineman if he's worth it.  Same thing next year, maybe someone is "worth" taking in the first round.

 

it doesn't have to be a perfect offensive line before you get a RB.

Fournette is overweight right now and people are destroying him on Twitter for posting a 28 inch vert. Combine that with Cooks shoulder issues and you're seeing Thomas, Adams, Garrett or Allen to the Jags.

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Fournette is overweight right now and people are destroying him on Twitter for posting a 28 inch vert. Combine that with Cooks shoulder issues and you're seeing Thomas, Adams, Garrett or Allen to the Jags.

Trade back hopefully. A lot of good players in this draft. More picks would be great.

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You are some kind of stupid if you think any GM is seriously going to change his mind on a running back based on the most irrelevant skill for the position.

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After watching the 40's, no homerun hitting RB's worth drafting in the 1st 7 rounds. Jags can now focus on pass rush, o-line, and QB.

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After watching the 40's, no homerun hitting RB's worth drafting in the 1st 7 rounds. Jags can now focus on pass rush, o-line, and QB.

:teehee: Yep, every single RB in this class isn't even worth a 7th round grade.  Fournette or Cook sitting there in the 7th, no way.  Maybe if I was drunk and they were UDFAs

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:teehee: Yep, every single RB in this class isn't even worth a 7th round grade.  Fournette or Cook sitting there in the 7th, no way.  Maybe if I was drunk and they were UDFAs

what do Ivory and Yeldon have in common with these top running backs, SLOW. Keep Ivory and Yeldon and improve the both lines and a qb.

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what do Ivory and Yeldon have in common with these top running backs, SLOW. Keep Ivory and Yeldon and improve the both lines and a qb.

Oh for sure.  Back when my friends and I were in 4th grade we'd go down to the tracks, have a few beers, and run 4.5 40s for the heck of it, but now days they consider that fast?  Pfffff

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