flo fan Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 Hello folks, first time long time.... I wanted to see what the thoughts on Darius are, He would fit that Thurman mold and was very productive at the college level. He has played in the national spotlight and seems to have the character Marv is looking for. With our Oline additions he would be able to run b/t the tackles and be a servicabe recieving option(we haven't really had a recieving threat at rb since thurman/Centers). This would allow us to pick defense in the 1st round(Willis,Okoye), he may even slip to the 3rd b/c people may veiw him as a 3rd down back. If we could get: 1)Willis LB 2)Leonard FB 3)Walker RB 4) CB,DT This would add characer and talent for a 10-6 campaign. Regards, 'Flo Fan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oneonta Buffalo Fan Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 Espn had a segment on him about 2 weeks ago. He looks good, but do we really want to waste our 2nd pick on a RB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROCCEO Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 Thanks but no thanks, if the bills pick him in the 2nd over any of Bush, Irons or Hunt then we are in trouble. One of my friends is the biggest ND fan you'll ever meet. Anyhow, he's surprised that people are saying walker is even gonna get drafted. let alone in the 2nd-4th round. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly the Dog Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 I think Walker would be a good choice in the third round if we wait that long. The one thing that stands out to me about him is that he is pretty good at everything. He's a good receiver and a willing fundamentally sound blocker. If we don't go the Lynch route, we sign a veteran starter like Brown or Dillon and package him with A train, we really don't have a serious threat as a third down back. Brown could do it but I don't think he's a very good pass blocker. If we go with Bush, who I like a lot, he isn't supposed to be a very good blocker at all, at least from what I have been reading. I like the idea of Leonard, who immediately fills 3-4 small voids that we have. Third down back, fullback (at least a back-up), short yardage and goal-line back, etc. I'm not sure we want to count on him as our full time starter RB of the future but all of these guys face that risk that they won't be. The way he leaps so much, he's an injury waiting to happen, however. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CosmicBills Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 Espn had a segment on him about 2 weeks ago. He looks good, but do we really want to waste and early pick on a FB. Walker is a RB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROCCEO Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 The way he leaps so much, he's an injury waiting to happen, however. So is Reggie Bush Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clumping platelets Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 Antonio Pittman would be a better choice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JStranger76 Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 Please................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JuanGuzman Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 40 time: 4.56 at the combine, 4.55 at his proday. Those are dissapointing numbers for a guy who is 5'10 and weighs 205lbs. i wouldn't draft this guy at all not even with a 7th round pick there are plenty other talented backs out there. To put it in perspective Tony Hunt is 6'2 235 and he ran 4.60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozymandius Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 Hunt didn't run at the combine and PSU hasn't had its Pro Day yet. We have no either how slow or fast Hunt is. Well, we do have film and he looked fine on film. Probably a 4.60 guy but no confirmation yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozymandius Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 We should sign Anthony Thomas and have Brandon Jackson or Lorenzo Booker be the change of pace back. Everyone else is going to a 2-back system, so should we. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oneonta Buffalo Fan Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 Walker is a RB. LOL. My bad. We should sign Anthony Thomas We've been waiting for this to happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ndirish1978 Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 As an ND student, I can tell you Walker is a nice guy. I have seen every one of his homes games and he plays hard. That being said, he doesn not hit holes strong enough. He lacks the speed to turn it up a notch in the secondary and break really big plays. When he has broken through to the secondary he gets caught from behind. He is more Kevin Faulk than Thurman Thomas. I've met him and he is nice enough. My buddy gets his haric ut at the same barber shop and they always make fun of him when he's there for being slow, lol! Forget what you read in the news, he is a decent player who should not be picked before the 4rth round and that is coming from a fan. ND players other than Quinn were ALL overhyped this year. Zbi is a decent safety who stinks incoverage and makes tackles because he has decent speed and can ake up for his blown coverages. Smardzija wasnt as good as everyone said and our O-lineman are fair at best. Picking him up before the 4rth is a hige reach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayFinkle Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 walker is being projected as a 4th rounder in most publications... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ndirish1978 Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 Yep, that's why I didnt understand the 2nd rd talk above. I'd pick him up in the 4th IF we have already gotten: LB, DT and CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 Yep, that's why I didnt understand the 2nd rd talk above. I'd pick him up in the 4th IF we have already gotten: LB, DT and CB I think he'd be a steal in the 4th. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ndirish1978 Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 Nah, not a steal. It would be value. Again, watching tape is interesting but it's alos important to understand the perception of a player when he is playing. We always knew Walker could get those 2 or 3 yeards when we needed them (unlike Willis). But the big play hopes were basically nonexistent. Wehn he did break a long one it was always a welcome surprise. He does have GREAT hands catching screen passes. i would love him in the 4th. Actually if we reached, I wouldnt be disappointed. I just dont want people thinking he is Thurman reincarnetd. This expectations aren't fair to him cause I don't think he would compare himself, to Thomas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROCCEO Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 I think he'd be a steal in the 4th. Kinda like a duke preston-level steal Even though he might've been instrumental for the Irish in short yardage situations I have a hard time seeing a guy that size duplicate it at the pro level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeF Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 Nah, not a steal. It would be value. Again, watching tape is interesting but it's alos important to understand the perception of a player when he is playing. We always knew Walker could get those 2 or 3 yeards when we needed them (unlike Willis). But the big play hopes were basically nonexistent. Wehn he did break a long one it was always a welcome surprise. He does have GREAT hands catching screen passes. i would love him in the 4th. Actually if we reached, I wouldnt be disappointed. I just dont want people thinking he is Thurman reincarnetd. This expectations aren't fair to him cause I don't think he would compare himself, to Thomas Agree on the Walker the summary nd. He can get the yards. He can catch the ball. He is a very smart football player..always knows where he is in regard to the marker; understands clock management. He is not Thurman though in terms of shiftiness, elusiveness or field speed. Fairchild's system can really maximize his talents -- but what really becomes is a bigger, more durable, more usable Shaud Williams. We still need a player that can take the bulk of the carries. I could live with Walker in the 4th, resign A-Train and draft Tony Hunt in the 2nd. Alternatives to Hunt and Walker would be Brian Leonard in the 2nd and maybe Ronnie McGill in the 6th round. This group lacks a breakaway threat but all are effective betweent the tackles and move the chains. We need D help with three out of those first 4 picks...one secondary player, one D-line player, one LB....but we also need to remake the RB position now and doing it with rookies and one savvy, relatively inexpensive veteran makes sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ndirish1978 Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 walker gives you something we don't have: ball control. We can grind drives out with him and let the D refresh. I agree. We draft 4 D players in and get him in the 4th, maybe add Chris Brown and we have a nice 3 headed monster in the backfield. though that monster would quickly shrink once Brown makes his yearly trip to IR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrDawkinstein Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 Thanks but no thanks, if the bills pick him in the 2nd over any of Bush, Irons or Hunt then we are in trouble. Antonio Pittman would be a better choice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ndirish1978 Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 well obviously there are better choices in earlier rounds! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoondckCL Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 What is this infatuation with Antonio Pittman, the guy is a mediocre back on a team that had a good college qb and passing game. He's not going to translate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD in CA Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 Nah, not a steal. It would be value. Again, watching tape is interesting but it's alos important to understand the perception of a player when he is playing. We always knew Walker could get those 2 or 3 yeards when we needed them (unlike Willis). But the big play hopes were basically nonexistent. Wehn he did break a long one it was always a welcome surprise. He does have GREAT hands catching screen passes. i would love him in the 4th. Actually if we reached, I wouldnt be disappointed. I just dont want people thinking he is Thurman reincarnetd. This expectations aren't fair to him cause I don't think he would compare himself, to Thomas After watching Darius for 3 years I completely agree. IMO, he was a good, not great college back and I am not confident of his ability at the pro level. He should not be a day one pick. Another TT? No chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In space no one can hear Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 After watching Darius for 3 years I completely agree. IMO, he was a good, not great college back and I am not confident of his ability at the pro level. He should not be a day one pick. Another TT? No chance. Agreed. Not to mention those Thurman comparisons shouldn't be thrown around lightly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmdevisser Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 Kenneth Darby Height: 5-10 Weight: 213 Position: Running Back College: Alabama I've been reading up on a good amount of running backs and this one interests me quite a bit, anyone know where he projects to get drafted? Positives: Has a short, compact frame with good upper-body thickness, muscular arms and legs, broad shoulders, big bubble and thick thighs and legs. … Creative open-field runner with that sudden burst of speed that allows him to immediately gain an advantage through the rush lanes. … Elusive cutback runner with precise plant-and-drive agility. He has the body control and lower-body flexibility to stop and go with no wasted motion and is effective at utilizing head fakes and his hip wiggle to set up the opponent. … Alert athlete, especially when it comes to recognizing and locating the blitz and bull rush. … Needs only minimal reps to retain and takes the plays from the chalkboard to the playing field. … Most featured backs shy away from blocking assignments. Darby relishes playing the role of blocker; he is a tough, fiery type who will not hesitate to mix it up in the trenches. … Explodes out of his stance through rush lanes and is very decisive attacking the holes. … Has the loose hips and wiggle to make the initial tackler miss and stays low in his pads to burst through the pile. … Runs with short pitter-patter steps and is very fluid redirecting. … Very deceptive varying his speeds to break free along the perimeter. … Has the burst to outrun defenders when working in space and most of his long runs have been the result of his explosive second gear. … Shows a very good feel for rushing lanes and the vision to quickly locate cutback routes. … Excels at anticipating even the slightest of creases and, based on the poor performance of the Tide's 2006 offensive line, most of his yardage was the result of his own hard work; solid blocks rarely developed for him. … Has that explosive second gear, hip snap and balance to be much more effective turning the corner than running between tackles. … His hip shake and wiggle allow him to change direction in an instant and run through cutback lanes. … Slippery runner who is very difficult to bring down in isolated coverage. … Possesses an array of moves to elude, especially when changing direction. … Protects the ball well by keeping it close to his body, usually carrying it away from the defender (is ambidextrous). … Quick to uncover and has the anticipation skills to work back to the ball. … Effective cut blocker with enough hand strength to lock on and sustain. … Quick in the open, using angles properly to locate second-level defenders. … He shows good alertness picking up the blitz and has a quick kick-slide in pass protection. Negatives: Frame could carry some additional bulk, but he is too close to maximum growth potential to add without it affecting his quickness. … Was forced to create on his own; he could not be patient waiting for blocks to develop, which resulted in 23 negative-yardage runs by Darby in 2006 -- uncharacteristic for this player. … Will not hesitate to take the ball up the gut but, because of some size limitations he had to rely on his line to create space and they failed to do so in 2006. … .Type of player that needs room to run and can get bottled up inside, where his leg drive is only adequate. … His 2006 early-season knee bruise contributed to Darby being tackled behind the line of scrimmage 13 times in the team's first four games; he was also stopped five times for no gain during that span. … Executes excellent jump-cut moves, but just seemed a bit frustrated that he had little or no room to execute these moves in 2006. … Will run the ball hard up the gut, but unless he redirects or bounces wide, he is not the type that can break many tackles taking the ball up the middle. … Has good weight-room strength, but needs room to operate and seems to get too narrow with his base when having to power through arm tackles. … Doesn't have the long arm reach to compete for the ball at its highest point (29 5/8-inch reach) in passing situations. Compares To: DeAngelo Williams, Carolina Panthers (Memphis) -- Darby is bigger than Williams, but both rely on their exceptional burst, outstanding field vision and instincts with the ball to be slippery outside runners. Darby has a great feel for the crease and cutback lanes, but relies more on his elusiveness; he doesn't have the ideal strength to be a power runner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartshan-83 Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 I've given my opinion extensively on DW in various threads, so I will just summarize. I basically agree with ndirish and KD, except I'm a little more generous. As stated, his lack of elite speed will be his biggest hurdle in the NFL. He was noticeably average in speed even by college standards. However, I've seen slow RBs be successful in the league and I think his feel for the game will earn him a roster spot and some decent PT. The guy just sees the field better than any RB I've ever seen in college. He beat out a number or RBs on NDs squad who were better athletes. You'd think an undersized, slow RB wouldn't rush for 2500 yards and catch 100 balls in 2 years. He didn't need Reggie Bush-speed because he was great at finding the crease and maximizing the gain. This is why I think he will forge a solid NFL career because he knows how to pickup yards. He almost always made the "correct" decision with the football...whether it was the time to take the gamble and cut back a run, or whether it was time to dive forward for the extra three yards. Doesn't make boneheaded plays, and PROTECTS the football very well. Finally, his best asset is his receiving skill. Great after the catch, and a thing of beauty on screen passes. If there is one place where we can throw Thurman's name into the mix, it's the comparison of their screen pass abilities. Darius ran screens like Thurman, plain and simple. Yes, it was in college, but it was still a great talent to watch. He is very patient with his blockers and yet extremely decisive when he needs to be. His lack of speed will keep him from ever hitting a homerun on a screen, but I guarantee that he will rack up several key 1st downs in this regard if he used correctly. All that being said, I would take him in the 3rd. I believe that some people just know the game better than others and that this can't be measured with a stopwatch or in a cone drill. Darius will not be a star because he simply is not athletic enough. But he will contribute and could develop very nicely into a 3rd down back. I'd definitely use a third round pick on that kind of player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 Agreed.Not to mention those Thurman comparisons shouldn't be thrown around lightly. Damn right, Spaceman. There are no Thurmans in the draft, IMO. Thurman Thomases don't come around that often. He's one of the few GREAT backs on his era, IMO. But, I think Darius is being underrated by most on this wall. Because ND fans are among them, perhaps I overrate him. But I've seen him play a ton and I liked what I saw. The kid is versatile and smart. He played for Charlie Weiss in an NFL style offense (damn those NE alumni, damn them to hell!) and he played against top college competition. If we got him in the 3rd or 4th I'd be VERY happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flo fan Posted March 12, 2007 Author Share Posted March 12, 2007 Thanks for the input. With virtually no rb's on the roster it should be interesting to see who the new horse is Regards 'flo fan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_franchise Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 Pittman, in all the horrible youtube tributes has been the only back I have seen make efficient cuts and not just dance around for 2 yards... and he's good good speed. But Fanfair looked pretty good too even though he looks a little small.... I dont care who we get just as long as its not Sticky Ricky... once a fish always one in my opinon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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