Wow!! All that for a 6-0 200lbs. running back? He won't last a season, it's already kinda dangerous for USC to have him returning punts, I doubt a NFL team would put that much pressure on one player.
So he would be part of a RB platoon? Teams run the ball about 30 times a game. So would we be paying #1 pick money for a player who's not even the full time starting tailback? We would also need to pay another guy who gets 1/3rd of the carries? I don't think anyone's arguing that RB is not better than DD. The main argument is that the differential between RB and DD is less than that of our OLine compared to the OLine picks we could get. So the net improvement of the team would be higher by drafting OLine pieces than a new running back.
we're already paying him; his name is domanick davis, the guy they originally drafted to return kicks and be a third down back. but let's not get ahead of ourselves - bush has not, to my knowledge, been injured since coming to 'sc and he's always handled the punt and kick return duties, in addition to running the football, averaging about 20 touches a game. remember, like williams/brown at auburn last year, he splits carries with white, not because he can't handle the load, but because usc is loaded with talent they're trying to get on the field. but he's on pace to have more carries this year than brown did last year, in addition to his other touches. there's no reason to assume a 6', 200-lb tailback can't tote it 25-30 times a game in the NFL, and bush has done nothing to make you think otherwise, either. the OL, in theory, could be fixed without adding a single piece. it, more than any other unit, can succeed in spite of itself. scheme, chemistry and coaching play a bigger role in molding an OL than overall talent does. as someone on this thread pointed out, of all the LTs in last year's playoffs, only 1 was a first rounder. i think you're overrating DD. he's not that good. he's average, at best. as i've said repeatedly, teams do not fear him and he will never break a game open. ever. he has no breakaway speed. i've seen LBs run him down. again, i like DD; i do. he runs hard and always moves forward. but he's not good enough to make me consider passing on the definitive best player in the draft, if that is, indeed reggie bush. if he's that good, it's a better team with reggie bush. find ways to get him in the open field, and we'll see the difference.
Ric, I'm not going to try and convince you to change your mind, because you wouldn't. This team needs new coaches and new peices to the line. Getting D'Brick would go a long way. I honestly think RB's are over rated players and that the OL in the NFL and NCAA don't get enough credit. When your weakest part of your offense is your LT and one comes up in the draft in possibly a top 3 spot, I say you have to jump all over it. Of course you'll continue to praise Bush. If the Texans were to draft Bush and his numbers looked nothing of that at USC, what would you do? I don't see D'Brick being a let down. I believe that this draft will get us at least one star offensive lineman, another decent lineman, and a few defensive prospects.
it needs new everything; don't stop with coaches and the line - that's the kind of short-sighted thinking that worries me. actually, pitts is probably the team's best lineman and has proven to be a pretty decent LT. why the team moved him last year for a one-year experiment with seth wand, who they no longer even activate, no one will ever know. but pitts will be an integral part of this line no, i really don't. i don't know if bush is the best player in this draft. i've argued only that if he is, you can't afford to pass him up to reach for an OL who isn't as good. all things being equal, yes, you take the OL. let me ask you a questin: would you go back to the '03 draft and trade out of the 3-spot (and away from AJ) to trade down and get jordan gross? cause that's essentially what you're advocating the texans do if bush is the best non-QB in this draft. all draft picks come with inherent risk of busting. that's why you try to minimize your chance for failure by selecting the best players. sure, that's reasonable, considering the first four drafts have yielded such high returns...
The Texans are a long, long way from being a playoff team. Drafting a LT in the top 5 isn't going to all of a sudden make us a contender. I think the Texans need to approach this like they did their first 2-3 years -- take the best player available.
It won't make us a contendor right away, but it gives us a solid piece to build our OL around. Ferguson might just be the best player available however, it's just that lineman never get the glory skill players do. Ferguson is a top 5 pick for sure, some mock drafts have us taking him with the #1 overall and saying that it is justified. Look at what Orlando Pace has done for the Rams and Walter Jones for the Seahawks, this kid has this kind of potential.
Yeah, I know that small running backs can't carry the entire work load for teams not matter how special they are. Barry Sanders 5-8 200 lbs Thurman Thomas 5-10 206 lbs Emmitt Smith 5-1- 216 lbs
Two of those three ran behind the best offensive lines in the leauge... and those same two went to the Super Bowl. The other one was a one-of-a-kind back that the NFL had never seen before, and hasn't seen since. He also had the worst offensive line in the league, and his team never won squat.
Not sure if you're being sarcastic or not, but if you are...maybe you can tell me how many times Sanders, Smith, and Thomas lined up at flanker for passes and returned punts on top of their 20 carries? My guess would be none. Bush can do this because he is a superior athlete playing against inferior players, that won't be the case in the NFL. No player in the NFL does the 20+ carries, 6 receptions, and 4 punt returns game after game like you're suggesting.
After their 5th loss I was actually rooting for them to have a 0-16 season. Alas, a 1-15 season will suffice
Bush will turn into a Brian Westbrook type Running back. He'll carry a chunk of the responsibilities at running back (although domanick davis would certainly take the majority in my opinion) and he'd line up as a wide reciever occasionally. The Eagles have been able to do a lot of creative things with Westbrook but you'll need a more liberal coach than Capers to actually use Bush's strengths. Otherwise he'll amount to a nobody.
Doing the research you are right. No player could do that. But I would take the type of production those guys had in their NFL careers if we could get them. Barry Sanders career averages 20.01 carries per game 2.3 receptions per game 22.31 total touches per game Thurman Thomas Years 89' - 96' (His prime years) 19.18 carries per 3.08 receptions per 22.26 touches per Emmitt Smith 91' - 00' (prime years) 21.26 carries per 2.77 recepts per 24.03 touches per I think Bush most resembles Marshall Faulk 98' - 01' 18.16 carries per 5.62 receptions per 23.78 touches per
Ya, I would take that type of production too, I think anyone would. As talented as Bush is, I just don't see him being a major upgrade over DD with THIS OL. As long as our OL fails to pass protect and run protect, our offense will be abysmal. I just think that since there is a tackle out there that is worth a top 3 pick in this year's draft, we should take him. This kid is suppose to be one of the best offensive linemen to come out in a while. He could have been a top 10 pick last season if he came out early.
As much as I hate OU (UT fan here), AP is a pretty damn good back. But it just shows how much a RB is a product of a OL and offensive scheme. Here you have a guy who was a heisman candidate as a freshman because of the veteran line and QB he was playing with, now he is almost nothing.
We have to start somewhere. I don't have a problem with Pitts, but I think that he is a better guard than tackle. To say that he is our best LT is not saying much IMO. To draft an elite tackle would lock up the left side. I think Hodgedon did a better job at center than McKinney. I thought we had plenty of chances to draft an OL or find onein free agency and not have to lose AJ. no comment
