C.J. Spiller

[bigbuc]

Did you guys see this guy tonight? He call take to the house on any given play. Love him, just don't know if I would draft him anywhere above 25th in the first round. Great player... He helps in the return game which is big, but he's never had over 200 rush apts in a season. Never broke 1000 yards rushing in a season. Don't get me wrong here he's one hell of a player! One I would take anywhere at 25th or later. But if I was a team that needed a running back in the mid first round no way I'm taking him. Looks a like Bush does in NO right now. Is he a kick return guy? A slot WR? A running back? All three? Again love the guy, game breaker all the way. Just saying if your looking for a 300 apt per season back he not going to be the one for you.

[Thumper]

I Freaking love Spiller. Best back in the draft, this guy is as explosive as they come.

Case in point:
ESPN Tracked his speed on his kick return for a TD (another one) and he got over 28 miles an hour, insanely quick.
AND even more impressive is the fact that Spiller has had a play of 55 or more yards in each game this year and has scored a TD in each game thus far. He has 9 touchdowns in 7 games so far. So far on the year Spiller has 1,455 all purpose yards.

And, he is a capable pass blocker unlike many other home run hitters. I can't wait to see him in the NFL, Spiller is the definition of an explosive weapon. He will go into a running back duo but he is going to be one of the most exciting players in the NFL like Chris Johnson, Felix Jones, Leon Washington or Darren Sproles if he isn't better than them.

Spiller is sick.

[wonderbredd24]

Tremendous talent.

My only concern and maybe you can address it is how Spiller does between the tackles? If he makes plays between the tackles, he's Chris Johnson. If not, he's much more like Reggie Bush.

[ElectricEye]

He is what he is, but I'm starting to be more sold on him than I was. In terms of impact plays, he's having his best year since his freshman year when it looked like he was going to be an all universe runningback. He's the type of guy that's never going to be a starter at the next level, but he'll be used as more of a weapon. Can give you big plays in the backfield, in the slot, or returning. I didn't buy him as a first round player earlier this year, but I've come around. He isn't the pure runner that Best is, but he's worth a first round pick.

[drowe]

I want him on the Packers and I don't care where they pick. The guy is electric.

[gpngc]

Tremendous talent.

My only concern and maybe you can address it is how Spiller does between the tackles? If he makes plays between the tackles, he's Chris Johnson. If not, he's much more like Reggie Bush.

Like most backs, if there's a crease, he can run between the tackles. There are some times where he tiptoes and dances at the line. He's stronger than Bush but isn't a workhorse (dying breed anyway). On the outside he's money though.

I'm not sure that being good at running between the tackles is as coveted as it once was. You can get a guy to pound it out in the 7th-UDFA. You can't get a guy to take it to the house from the outside, on a kickoff, or on a wheel route there. In today's 2-back league, Spiller is the ideal home-run-guy and would be a perfect compliment to whatever team's Pierre Thomas or Marion Barber.

Hopefully that guy will be Edge, Julius Jones, or Forsett.

Seriously though, I can't see Spiller falling to the 20's. He's just too valuable on special teams + the receiving factor. He's a perfect RB1B on so many teams....

Seattle
Green Bay
Pittsburgh
Atlanta (Norwood FA)
Washington
San Diego
Kansas City

[Brown Leader]

Spiller has always been the best back in this class. I think he's more natural between the tackles than Bush but not as wire strong as CJohnson.

[Cigaro]

He's won me back this season. I loved him his freshman year, but he really fell off his sophomore year, and wasn't that much better in his junior season IMO. But this year's he's finally playing to his potential.

However, he's not perfect. He can go through the tackles, but usually, he's not the guy who's going to put his head down and push for a few more yards, and he's also not the guy who's going to put his head down, run someone over, and keep going for a score.

Saying that, he's the ultimate threat. He can take every run to the house. He has great hands and can take every pass out of the backfield to the house. He actually can receiver and take all those catches to the house. And last but not least, he can take every return to the house.

In my midseason mock from a few weeks back, I had him being picked as the number one running back, above Dwyer, going to Seattle I think around the 13th pick, I can still see that situation unfolding in real life.

Felix Jones, I like that comparison, although Spiller doesn't seem as injury prone.

[ToldLikeItIs]

Cj Spiller is going to be a great NFL player. GREAT.

[BuddyCHRIST]

Yea he's sick, he's much more like Chris Johnson than Bush to me. His speed will still be special in the NFL and I think his cuts are more compact than Bush. He won't be a true workhorse back whose gonna carry it 20 every game, but theres not many of those guys in the NFL anymore.

[wordofi]

Did you guys see this guy tonight? He call take to the house on any given play. Love him, just don't know if I would draft him anywhere above 25th in the first round. Great player... He helps in the return game which is big, but he's never had over 200 rush apts in a season. Never broke 1000 yards rushing in a season. Don't get me wrong here he's one hell of a player! One I would take anywhere at 25th or later. But if I was a team that needed a running back in the mid first round no way I'm taking him. Looks a like Bush does in NO right now. Is he a kick return guy? A slot WR? A running back? All three? Again love the guy, game breaker all the way. Just saying if your looking for a 300 apt per season back he not going to be the one for you.

The guy is a beast. I think he'll be gone before pick #25.

[SuperKevin]

He's running much more powerful this year than in recent years although I think that was more scheme related with James Davis taking the physical runs.

[JeffSamardzijaIRISH]

Yea he's sick, he's much more like Chris Johnson than Bush to me. His speed will still be special in the NFL and I think his cuts are more compact than Bush. He won't be a true workhorse back whose gonna carry it 20 every game, but theres not many of those guys in the NFL anymore.

+1, he's Chris Johnson 2.0. His cuts are ridiculously compact like Johnson's. Best is Bush 2.0.

[gator3guy]

Leon Washington???

[Thumper]

Spiller leads the NCAA in all purpose yards a game this season with 207.86 yards a game.

[murdamal86]

I use to think more Clinton Portis when i thought of him but i'm unsure

[Malaka]

I use to think more Clinton Portis when i thought of him but i'm unsure

Not the current Clinton Portis but the Portis coming out of UM most definitely, they both are built, had excellent speed, very good hands, and both weren't afraid of contact even though they had great moves.

[A Perfect Score]

When I see him play, I see what Felix Jones could of been without McFadden ahead of him at Arkansas. They are extremely similar and I expect him to be similar in the pros. I dont know if I see him as a feature back, but hes going to be a nice luxury pick for someone in the 20's looking for a new toy. Ive been on his jock since the beginning of this season, and nothing has changed as of yet.

[Rosebud]

Just wanted to put up some stats for Reggie Bush and Chris Johnson
CJ 21 games 405 touches 2210 yards
19 t/g 105 y/g 5.45 y/t
RB 43 games 688 touches 3442 yards
16 t/g 80 y/g 5 y/t

Is reggie bush really that much worse of a weapon than CJ that one is a bust and the other a great steal? Keep in mind I do prefer CJ and think he's the better player. But when the biggest difference is the 3 touches more a game CJ gets I don't think the gap is as massive as some would lead you to believe, now Reggie clearly has the better QB and passing game but CJ just as clearly has the better run blocking OL and OL in general.

[raiderz4life]

I think Spiller is better than Best

[ElectricEye]

I use to think more Clinton Portis when i thought of him but i'm unsure

Don't think he's that tough of a runner, even if we're talking UM Portis. Jahvid Best is more Portis IMO.

[stlouisfan37]

I've been following Spiller all season, along with several other players who are compiling big all-purpose numbers. He is one of those players that makes you scratch your head a little bit; not because you wonder if he can play, but how do you play him?

1) He isn't very big, which brings durability into question, even though he has not been injury prone thus far in his career.

2) He is quick as lightning and has great vision and moves, but open space is harder to find in the pro game than in college. He hasn't shown a great ability to get the tough yards by pounding inside, which makes you wonder if it will be easier for defenses at the next level to prepare for him.

3) If he does show that he can be an every down back, then the likelihood of him being used in the return game would be low. Few NFL teams use a starter as their key return man.

While I agree that he is a rare talent, I think he would be best suited for a very innovative offensive mind. He could be devastating as half of a 1-2 punch with Beanie Wells in Arizona, or opposite Brandon Jacobs in New York.

Another kid that has put up huge numbers is Brandon West from Western Michigan. I have not seen him play but he has compiled over 1600 all purpose yards. Has anyone watched him this year?

[Hines]

He can be Mendenhall's lightning. :D

[stlouisfan37]

I agree...he would be a good fit with Pittsburgh. I hadn't thought of them.

[Cigaro]

+1, he's Chris Johnson 2.0. His cuts are ridiculously compact like Johnson's. Best is Bush 2.0.

Let's not get carried away. They're similar, but Johnson is easily a more powerful runner than Spiller. Spiller is a mix between the two.

[P-L]

Spiller is on pace for about 230 offensive touches, 1400-1500 yards, and 10 TD. Not to mention he's going to rack up close to 900 kick return yards.

[CC.SD]

Spiller is the only non S, non DT/OT I'd be okay with in the first round for the Bolts.

[AgentM]

He can be Mendenhall's lightning. :D

I really hadn't thought of RB as an option for a first round pick but I think you're spot on here. And I guess a few other guys around here agree with you as I've seen some Mock Drafts with the Steelers taking Spiller or Best in either the first or second round.

I'd expect us to look towards one of the lines again in the first round but if Spiller is available then the Steelers have to think about taking him, right? I mean look at the impact that other gamebreakers like Harvin, Chris Johnson, and DeSean Jackson have had early in their careers.

Man this is the kind of player that gets me all excited on draft day and then I get so depressed when they get drafted before we get on the clock haha.

[eagles6606]

Spiller is a very good back. He has good bulk and does run tough between the tackles. Don't mistake him for Brandon Jacobs, but he's not Reggie bush. He's very explosive and has great hands. He's a mid first round pick and will help a NFL team