Sell Me On Eddie Lacy

[bigbuc]

To me Lacy has that Fred Taylor look in him. And I wouldn't be shocked if he ran 4.45

[LonghornsLegend]

Originally Posted by burkorama

Peterson was mid to high 4.3's, I thought. Either way, there's a pretty big difference between 4.38 and 4.42. Bigger than the difference between 4.46 and 4.42, for instance, because the lower the time, the more advantage one gets from each hundredth, because it's so much harder to move up as the times get faster and faster.

No there isn't. That's minimal speed and at that point short area quickness and acceleration are far more important. That's the difference between a good start and a bad start, or a guy who trained with track coaches to run a 40 out of that position and guys who didn't. It's funny how we cling to those times but you only get 2 chances to run them at the combine. Everybody knows Kendall Wright is faster then the time he ran.


Then some guys just have game speed. I remember when Dez ran his pro day one time was a 4.52, another was a high 4.6. It happens sometimes and all it taes is a few plays of watching him to realize he's not anywhere near a 4.6 guy. I'm not even really clinging to the 40 time of Lacy(though he hasn't showed me he's anything near a low 4.4 guy) I'd be paying more attention to his 3 cone drill. He's not going to be a home run hitter anyway, if he can consistently move the chains I think teams will be happy with him.


I think I would have some concerns depending on where he goes, for instance if Arizona drafts him I'm not sure I see him being able to create a ton of running lanes for himself. I know all good backs need some sort of blocking, but I like for my RB's to be able to create plays on their own. If you watch Demarco Murray he has to make a ton of plays on his own because of the piss poor interior blocking we have, I'm not sure Lacy will be able to be that type of back. Once you get him going up field in some space he does have some nice moves.

[burkorama]

Originally Posted by LonghornsLegend

No there isn't. That's minimal speed and at that point short area quickness and acceleration are far more important. That's the difference between a good start and a bad start, or a guy who trained with track coaches to run a 40 out of that position and guys who didn't. It's funny how we cling to those times but you only get 2 chances to run them at the combine. Everybody knows Kendall Wright is faster then the time he ran.


Then some guys just have game speed. I remember when Dez ran his pro day one time was a 4.52, another was a high 4.6. It happens sometimes and all it taes is a few plays of watching him to realize he's not anywhere near a 4.6 guy. I'm not even really clinging to the 40 time of Lacy(though he hasn't showed me he's anything near a low 4.4 guy) I'd be paying more attention to his 3 cone drill. He's not going to be a home run hitter anyway, if he can consistently move the chains I think teams will be happy with him.


I think I would have some concerns depending on where he goes, for instance if Arizona drafts him I'm not sure I see him being able to create a ton of running lanes for himself. I know all good backs need some sort of blocking, but I like for my RB's to be able to create plays on their own. If you watch Demarco Murray he has to make a ton of plays on his own because of the piss poor interior blocking we have, I'm not sure Lacy will be able to be that type of back. Once you get him going up field in some space he does have some nice moves.

I really don't think that's "minimal speed". It certainly could be the difference between a good and bad start, or between start stances, but it could also be the difference top speeds, which can obviously translate onto the field. The difference between a home run and something much less can be minimal. And differences in start ability can translate onto the field anyway--sure they don't start from a 3 point on the field, but there's obviously something of a correlation between 40 start speed and speed through the hole. I agree that 40 times are probably over-hyped, but sub 4.4 isn't regarded as a milestone without good reason.

[Malaka]

Originally Posted by bigbuc

To me Lacy has that Fred Taylor look in him. And I wouldn't be shocked if he ran 4.45

Idk man T-Rich ran a 4.45 and I remember every announcer talking about supposed 4.4s and 4.3s he ran in HS.

I see Lacy with Ingram speed maybe a little slower. I'd guess 4.55.

[cajuncorey]

As with ingram. i am not concerned with his computer numbers. attempting to quantify a true runningback by statistical measure, the null hypothesis is always rejected. with these types of runners sucess comes with scheme and the 5 guys in front of him. perhaps not a 1st round pick but a viable 2rd rounder that has the violent running style and vision to find sucess.

[Malaka]

Originally Posted by cajuncorey

As with ingram. i am not concerned with his computer numbers. attempting to quantify a true runningback by statistical measure, the null hypothesis is always rejected. with these types of runners sucess comes with scheme and the 5 guys in front of him. perhaps not a 1st round pick but a viable 2rd rounder that has the violent running style and vision to find sucess.

He is undoubtedly a true prole.

[cajuncorey]

Originally Posted by Malaka

He is indubitably a true prole.

correct meaning beyond any reasonable doubt. Western society does not understand the prole. He is the foundation on of which society is built on. He is unselfish and meek, and works feverishly through pure altruism. Eddie Lacy is a true prole indeed.

[LonghornsLegend]

Well I tried and tried to watch more of Lacy but I still don't see it with him. I did see a different back in the SEC champ game and Nat title game due to him being fully healthy, but I question his ability to create on his own still and I think he'll struggle when he doesn't have a lane or crease to run through.


I love his vision and he's graceful on his feet for a guy that size, but put him on a mid level D1 school and you won't have the same hype around him. I just think his situation is going to likely make him get over drafted.


Right now I have Gio and Christine Michael ahead of him in my RB rankings and he's probably a 3b with Jonathan Franklin at the moment so he could end up my 4th RB. It's really hard 2 grade a guy who ran behind that line(those weren't just great College lineman most will be great NFL lineman) and not performing at the combine with his peers.


I wouldn't be surprised if he carved out a Marion Barber type of role but he doesn't offer the big play or versatility that Gio does(especially with where offenses are trending why wouldn't you rather have a guy to gameplan for like him) or the upside or natural ability of Michael.

[JT Jag]

Originally Posted by jbooshey

I see Fred Taylor v2.0

Fred Taylor was way, way faster than Eddie Lacy ever will be. Also Lacy is much more decisive in the pocket than Taylor was (not always a good thing, this allowed Taylor to do all his amazing cutback stuff).

Eddie Lacy is a big, strong guy who doesn't take hits for the sake of hits. That doesn't necessarily make him soft, it just makes him a smart runner. He'll use evasiveness that you just usually don't see out of a guy his size to avoid big hits, and then when necessary he can lower his shoulders and get those last few yards when blasting into a pile.

He's also faster than a guy his size really should be.

The combination adds up to a guy who may be able to take the stresses of being a primary back in the NFL.

Addendum: Mark Ingram is totally going to bounce back, Trent Richardson will have a huge year.

[Iamcanadian]

I doubt Lacy gets drafted in round 1, just too many question marks after he ran the equivalent of approx. 4.65 40 and was nothing special in his other drills. However, none of us knows how healthy he was at his workout as he is recovering from an injury, it's just that he didn't answer any of the questions concerning his talent.
1) workout #'s weren't special
2) injury history is a worry
3) played behind one of the greatest OL's in college football history

However, he does have some really strong points in his favour.
1) his spin move is tremendous IMO.
2) he is probably the best blocking RB in the draft
3) his build suggests he can be a punishing #1 RB in the NFL

I think he goes early round 2, after that we'll just have to see how he does at the next level.

[LonghornsLegend]

Originally Posted by JT Jag

Fred Taylor was way, way faster than Eddie Lacy ever will be. Also Lacy is much more decisive in the pocket than Taylor was (not always a good thing, this allowed Taylor to do all his amazing cutback stuff).

Eddie Lacy is a big, strong guy who doesn't take hits for the sake of hits. That doesn't necessarily make him soft, it just makes him a smart runner. He'll use evasiveness that you just usually don't see out of a guy his size to avoid big hits, and then when necessary he can lower his shoulders and get those last few yards when blasting into a pile.

He's also faster than a guy his size really should be.

The combination adds up to a guy who may be able to take the stresses of being a primary back in the NFL.

Addendum: Mark Ingram is totally going to bounce back, Trent Richardson will have a huge year.

Everyone always says this, but for some reason his injury history/concerns just get overlooked because he is big. You know you can still be very injury prone and big also, same for smaller backs being durable. Look at Chris Johnson and Beanie Wells for instance.


Nothing about Lacy suggest he can take the stresses of being a primary NFL back because he hasn't been able to sustain any type of durability yet. He's been hurt off and on for a year or more now. He was hurt during spring of last year, for 90% of this season, then injured again while training/working out.


What about that tells you he can take the pounding of the NFL?

[batsandgats]

What is Mark Ingram bouncing back from? he finally looked average the last few games of last season. Pierre Thomas looks much better than him running the same plays, and before you say "well they didn't use him in the passing game that much" , Chris Ivory wasn't used much in the passing game either and looked way better, if he weren't so injury prone hed be one of the top runners in the NFL, he still looks good playing on nagging injuries

Richardson having a big year? well I sure hope he can average higher than 3.6 ypc and have more than a couple of runs over 20 yards. Maybe he might even get a 40 yarder, and hes the mos talented out of the 3 (Ingram, Lacy)

[J-Mike88]

It's hard to be durable at that position these days. It's brutal and guys are bigger and faster than ever before, and the tackling style is different, more injury-prone, reckless, less solid fundamentals.

I also question Lacy's durability. But I question every RB's chances of staying healthy.
Name an NFL RB who's not been injured.
Maybe Steven Jackson has been the most durable.
But so had Cedric Benson, before...... ah nevermind.