Flip Johnson Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 Most people knew in the moment and everyone can see in hindsight that CJ Spiller was a luxury pick at #9 in 2010. The way the RB position has been re-valued in today's NFL, where would a Spiller-type player get picked now, ten years later? Third round? And speaking specifically of the Bills I would love to see them draft a guy like Spiller - just not at #9. If the Bills could find an explosive RB to play behind Singletary that could also give you something out of the backfield and in the return game, that would be a huge addition. The 2010-12 Bills had a thousand issues, but the Jackson/Spiller backfield was fantastic - it was Spiller's draft position (esp. compared to Fred as a UDFA) and relatively low usage that caused so much discontent among fans. The complement was excellent and I'd like to see a similar thing again. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H2o Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GunnerBill Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 He shouldn't have gone at #9 when he did. I think he'd be in the conversation anywhere from late round 1 to mid round 3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigK14094 Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 Spiller was a journeyman pro.....some skills and some shortcomings. Not a first rnd talent in today's NFL. Still he was a likeable person and never complained like a later #1 the Bills trade up for. I wish him well in retirement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whatdrought Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 Without hindsight, as a prospect alone? Probably still top 15. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Jokeman Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 34 minutes ago, Flip Johnson said: Most people knew in the moment and everyone can see in hindsight that CJ Spiller was a luxury pick at #9 in 2010. The way the RB position has been re-valued in today's NFL, where would a Spiller-type player get picked now, ten years later? Third round? And speaking specifically of the Bills I would love to see them draft a guy like Spiller - just not at #9. If the Bills could find an explosive RB to play behind Singletary that could also give you something out of the backfield and in the return game, that would be a huge addition. The 2010-12 Bills had a thousand issues, but the Jackson/Spiller backfield was fantastic - it was Spiller's draft position (esp. compared to Fred as a UDFA) and relatively low usage that caused so much discontent among fans. The complement was excellent and I'd like to see a similar thing again. My biggest issue with the Spiller pick was we had a solid 2 RBs in Lynch and Jackson, I wanted us to take Dez Bryant leading up to the draft and stand by it today. I don't think Lynch wanted out of Buffalo, he just got upset that Fred got more playing time than him. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWATeam Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 Space 1 3 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD in CA Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 Hopefully not to the Bills. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirby Jackson Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 (edited) 39 minutes ago, whatdrought said: Without hindsight, as a prospect alone? Probably still top 15. This is correct. The Bills had good RBs. Spiller was considered the top skill player in that draft class at the time. He was maybe a luxury for the Bills but he definitely wasn’t over drafted as a prospect. That’s about where experts thought he’d go. In fact, MANY had him off the board before the Bills picked. I have a WAY bigger issue reaching on Torell Troup than taking the luxury pick in Spiller. Edited February 19, 2020 by Kirby Jackson 7 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CLTbills Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 28 minutes ago, The Jokeman said: My biggest issue with the Spiller pick was we had a solid 2 RBs in Lynch and Jackson, I wanted us to take Dez Bryant leading up to the draft and stand by it today. I don't think Lynch wanted out of Buffalo, he just got upset that Fred got more playing time than him. That was me as well. I remember getting the notification, as I wasn't able to watch the draft live... and that's the reason I was so pissed. Not because he wasn't a good player, but because having the backfield we already had, it was an unnecessary pick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whatdrought Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 Lets not forget, the guy had 1700 yards and 8 touchdowns in a season. He just could never stay healthy/play on a decent team. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gray Beard Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 Wasn’t the Spiller pick a result of somebody wanting a “water bug” running back? Was it Ralph Wilson who said that? I think he was picked higher than he should have been because of a pick for a need (possibly a misguided need). 2010 was about the time when a running back was transitioning away from being considered as an elite part of a team. Running backs who can move the pile five yards after contact are currently in demand, and they are not first round talent. Remember when Mike Ditka traded away his entire draft for Ricky Williams in 1999. How times have changed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave mcbride Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 40 minutes ago, whatdrought said: Without hindsight, as a prospect alone? Probably still top 15. Agreed, to an extent. Teams bet on talent in the first round, and he had talent to burn - a 4.27 40 time and a rep as a good receiver too. That said, I do think teams today tend to take RBs a little later, so I would say late first round. The best comps I can think of are Reggie Bush and a guy John Butler coveted - Leeland McElroy, who was the 32nd overall pick in 1996. He was a bust, but teams did love him coming out of Texas A & M. As for Bush, he had a pretty good career once you look past where he was drafted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whatdrought Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 1 minute ago, dave mcbride said: Agreed, to an extent. Teams bet on talent in the first round, and he had talent to burn - a 4.27 40 time and a rep as a good receiver too. That said, I do think teams today tend to take RBs a little later, so I would say late first round. The best comps I can think of are Reggie Bush and a guy John Butler coveted - Leeland McElroy, who was the 32nd overall pick in 1996. He was a bust, but teams did love him coming out of Texas A & M. As for Bush, he had a pretty good career once you look past where he was drafted. We've seen great prospects go high at RB lately, and I think Spiller was seen as a great prospect. He may not have been Barkley or Elliot, but I think he was considered near that level of a prospect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave mcbride Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 (edited) 12 minutes ago, whatdrought said: We've seen great prospects go high at RB lately, and I think Spiller was seen as a great prospect. He may not have been Barkley or Elliot, but I think he was considered near that level of a prospect. I just read the scouting reports from the time. They all generally say that he off-the-charts speed, but most expressed concern about his size in that they thought he couldn't put on weight and maintain his speed. Some saw him as a really dynamic #2/third down back. Still valuable, but the reports at the time did question whether he could be a horse. Elliott and Barkley both had reputations as guys who could handle very large loads. Another comp mentioned was Jahvid Best, who went 30th overall. He was also superfast (4.35) and quick as lightning, but his career never got off the ground because of injuries. EDIT: Best was even faster than I thought. He ran in the Olympics in the 100 for St. Lucia (he went out after his first heat which featured Usain Bolt as the winner), and his personal best in the 100 was 10.16. Edited February 19, 2020 by dave mcbride 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auburnbillsbacker Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 Revisionist history here. He was considered good value at the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardhatharry Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 I got winded just reading that... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Over 29 years of fanhood Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 43 minutes ago, The Jokeman said: My biggest issue with the Spiller pick was we had a solid 2 RBs in Lynch and Jackson, I wanted us to take Dez Bryant leading up to the draft and stand by it today. I don't think Lynch wanted out of Buffalo, he just got upset that Fred got more playing time than him. In 2010 the new offensive genius Chan I often read about here, ran an offense where he could not figure out how to use this nearly HoF caliber RB And since he convinced nix to get his “waterbug” in spiller at pick 9, There weren’t enough touches to go around. this was after 2 1K+ seasons and a pro bowl mind you, granted there were the legal issues and who knew at that time if he was going to straighten up. I also can’t remember why his 09 season blew, but the team in general was a dumpster fire. Anyway chanix shopped him and Seattle obliged. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Frankish Reich Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 37 minutes ago, whatdrought said: Lets not forget, the guy had 1700 yards and 8 touchdowns in a season. He just could never stay healthy/play on a decent team. Right. I think there’s increased awareness today that most RBs have an extremely short peak window - not even the 5 years of team control you get with a 1st rounder - so that’s made them unpopular 1st round picks. And Spiller certainly fit the mold. But then again: was there any objective reason at the time of the draft to think he couldn’t go on for as long as, say, Darren Sproles did? It was an odd pick given the many other holes the Bills had to fill, but we can’t forget that he was a dynamic player while it lasted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beck Water Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 1 hour ago, Flip Johnson said: Most people knew in the moment and everyone can see in hindsight that CJ Spiller was a luxury pick at #9 in 2010. The way the RB position has been re-valued in today's NFL, where would a Spiller-type player get picked now, ten years later? Third round? And speaking specifically of the Bills I would love to see them draft a guy like Spiller - just not at #9. If the Bills could find an explosive RB to play behind Singletary that could also give you something out of the backfield and in the return game, that would be a huge addition. The 2010-12 Bills had a thousand issues, but the Jackson/Spiller backfield was fantastic - it was Spiller's draft position (esp. compared to Fred as a UDFA) and relatively low usage that caused so much discontent among fans. The complement was excellent and I'd like to see a similar thing again. I think a player like Spiller is a luxury to put a team over the top. A team like the Bills trying to improve on offense would be better suited seeking a workaday Derrick Henry or Fred Jackson type hoss who reliably gets 3-4 yds when you need it. I also think Spiller got under-utilized because he struggled with the playbook 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alphadawg7 Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 (edited) People are making judgement based on his NFL career. Coming out of college he was the highest rated offensive player and most explosive player in the draft. Top end RB prospect have still gone early in drafts. Spiller would still be a first round pick and probably top 20 player still. So keeping it about his college career and how he was graded as a prospect he is still a first round pick, especially since his type of play As a dual threat RB whose explosive is even more coveted in today’s NFL. Edited February 19, 2020 by Alphadawg7 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thenorthremembers Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 1 hour ago, Gray Beard said: Wasn’t the Spiller pick a result of somebody wanting a “water bug” running back? Was it Ralph Wilson who said that? I think he was picked higher than he should have been because of a pick for a need (possibly a misguided need). 2010 was about the time when a running back was transitioning away from being considered as an elite part of a team. Running backs who can move the pile five yards after contact are currently in demand, and they are not first round talent. Remember when Mike Ditka traded away his entire draft for Ricky Williams in 1999. How times have changed. It wasnt Ralph. Chan made the comment. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOUSE Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 If Chan Gailey was still here, Buffalo moves up 20 spots in the first round. After all "There is only one CJ Spiller " Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virgil Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 He’d still go in the first because Gruden makes the picks for the Raiders. He was obsessed with Spiller 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beck Water Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 2 minutes ago, Virgil said: He’d still go in the first because Gruden makes the picks for the Raiders. He was obsessed with Spiller This is true Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KGun12TD Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 In Space...or created space? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBillies Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 (edited) In 2020 he'd probably still go around the right end for a 1 yard gain. Edited February 19, 2020 by BuffaloBillies 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 (edited) If C.J. Spiller, exactly as he was coming out of college, was in the 2020 draft, I'd expect him to go sometime in the 2nd or early 3rd round (given some of the other talented RBs available in this class). If we are looking at a generic draft occurring now compared to 10 years ago, I'd say he'd have a chance to go late 1st. In the 2018 draft, if guys like Rashaad Penny and Sony Michel were late 1st round picks given who they were as prospects at the time, I think C.J. Spiller would've been right up there in that discussion if he was also part of that draft class. Edited February 19, 2020 by Tommy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanC883 Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 (edited) In the 2020 draft I think Spiller goes to Miami at pick 18. He was a highly regarded RB coming out, and I think he'd go slightly before DeAndre Swift in the 2020 draft. (although teams of course would come to regret that). Redo of 2010 draft: I think Spiller goes to the Chargers at #11. In this scenario, Spiller reminds the Charges of LT who just left (went to Jets for 2010), and the Chargers took RB Ryan Mathews a few picks after us. I think/hope in this redo scenario we trade down and draft Dez or Demarius. Or Earl Thomas, or JPP, or D. Morgan. Edited February 19, 2020 by RyanC883 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 2 hours ago, Kirby Jackson said: This is correct. The Bills had good RBs. Spiller was considered the top skill player in that draft class at the time. He was maybe a luxury for the Bills but he definitely wasn’t over drafted as a prospect. That’s about where experts thought he’d go. In fact, MANY had him off the board before the Bills picked. I have a WAY bigger issue reaching on Torell Troup than taking the luxury pick in Spiller. adjusted for today’s drafting style he might slide a bit in 2020s class but not wildly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Florida Bills Fanatic Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 1 hour ago, whatdrought said: We've seen great prospects go high at RB lately, and I think Spiller was seen as a great prospect. He may not have been Barkley or Elliot, but I think he was considered near that level of a prospect. Your memory is accurate. I remember people talking about him as a sub 4.4 forty version of Marshall Faulk. The hype train was definitely rolling for CJ. The Bills definitely did not need a running back at the time. His selection was a poor choice by a bad management group. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. WEO Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 6 hours ago, Flip Johnson said: Most people knew in the moment and everyone can see in hindsight that CJ Spiller was a luxury pick at #9 in 2010. The way the RB position has been re-valued in today's NFL, where would a Spiller-type player get picked now, ten years later? Third round? And speaking specifically of the Bills I would love to see them draft a guy like Spiller - just not at #9. If the Bills could find an explosive RB to play behind Singletary that could also give you something out of the backfield and in the return game, that would be a huge addition. The 2010-12 Bills had a thousand issues, but the Jackson/Spiller backfield was fantastic - it was Spiller's draft position (esp. compared to Fred as a UDFA) and relatively low usage that caused so much discontent among fans. The complement was excellent and I'd like to see a similar thing again. meh...1 year in the top 10 (2012). Anywaay, there have been 5 RBs drafted in the top 10 in the last 5 years and 4 of them are bruisers (at least 5' 11" 220lbs). The only one who wasn't is McCaffrey who had more rushing yards (nad nearly as many total yards from scrimmage) in his last 2 years at Stanford, than Ant Man had in his 4 year career at Clemson. The chance that Spiller would go in the top 10 in a 2020 draft is zero point zero. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C.Biscuit97 Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 Man, that last half of the 2012 season was one of the most dominant stretches I’ve ever seen from a Bills Rb. I believe he was a 1st rounder in every fantasy draft the next year. I definitely was a luxury pick (of course, Lynch was having major issues and that was before we knew what F Jax was). But in turns of talent, he was easily a 1st round pick because he seemed like he could do everything. I think the knock was that he was a great guy but he really struggled to learn the playbook and he may have had a learning disability. I was genuinely shocked he didn’t have a better NFL career. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BringBackOrton Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 5 hours ago, whatdrought said: Lets not forget, the guy had 1700 yards and 8 touchdowns in a season. He just could never stay healthy/play on a decent team. The converse is that he had one pretty good year. As a top 10 pick. 25 minutes ago, C.Biscuit97 said: Man, that last half of the 2012 season was one of the most dominant stretches I’ve ever seen from a Bills Rb. I believe he was a 1st rounder in every fantasy draft the next year. I definitely was a luxury pick (of course, Lynch was having major issues and that was before we knew what F Jax was). But in turns of talent, he was easily a 1st round pick because he seemed like he could do everything. I think the knock was that he was a great guy but he really struggled to learn the playbook and he may have had a learning disability. I was genuinely shocked he didn’t have a better NFL career. There was a debate at one point of Jamaal Charles vs Spiller. It didn’t last long but it did exist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo716 Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 He is still a first round pick. His physical skills were undeniable and he was nothing like Darren sproles small He would be the most explosive RB in this draft as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. WEO Posted February 20, 2020 Share Posted February 20, 2020 2 hours ago, Buffalo716 said: He is still a first round pick. His physical skills were undeniable and he was nothing like Darren sproles small He would be the most explosive RB in this draft as well oy.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo716 Posted February 20, 2020 Share Posted February 20, 2020 (edited) 9 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said: oy.... I think you forget how big a prospect Spiller was. 6' 200 pounds, extremely explosive and a good reciever. He was called the best offensive weapon in the draft hands down Ran a 4.38 He would never make it out of the top 20 picks of any draft. He had elite traits I'm not talking the CJ Spiller we knew, the 21 year old prospect would be a first round pick in any draft Edited February 20, 2020 by Buffalo716 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. WEO Posted February 20, 2020 Share Posted February 20, 2020 29 minutes ago, Buffalo716 said: I think you forget how big a prospect Spiller was. 6' 200 pounds, extremely explosive and a good reciever. He was called the best offensive weapon in the draft hands down Ran a 4.38 He would never make it out of the top 20 picks of any draft. He had elite traits I'm not talking the CJ Spiller we knew, the 21 year old prospect would be a first round pick in any draft no 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo716 Posted February 20, 2020 Share Posted February 20, 2020 (edited) 3 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said: no 5'11 3/4 and 198 lol he was 197 and the combine and most certainly didn't lose weight He was actually jacked and bulked since his Clemson days. Not a bell cow but not small. Super lean Edited February 20, 2020 by Buffalo716 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. WEO Posted February 20, 2020 Share Posted February 20, 2020 1 minute ago, Buffalo716 said: 5'11 3/4 and 198 lol He was actually jacked and bulked up since his Clemson days. Not a bell cow but not small in his sister's heels maybe. he was a fidget. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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