AC to Seatle (sic0

[MuskogeeHogFan]

Kirkland was the real loser in all this.  Terrible mistake.

I'm mixed on the RB's, but lean to them making the right call to enter early.  They're RB's for crying out loud, which is probably the position most worth the risk.  Especially if you're a good, but not special back, which fit both AC and JW.  RB's of their caliber go in the later rounds these days.  And I doubt they were going to improve their stock...especially if it's true that next draft will include a stronger RB class.  So Not worth the risk of injury at a position that might be the most injury prone in FB. 

The only surprise in the draft for me, other than Kirkland being undrafted, was Tretola not going until the 6th. 

I'm not sure what happened with AC. I expected him to go earlier. I have to admit that I was surprised to see J-Will go before him, especially since I really felt that J-Will should have come back for one more season to re-establish his ability to be a strong runner after the injury. That tells me that something went wrong for AC between the time the season ended, the scout evaluations and the combine. None of us know what kind of feedback that the scouts gave Bielema and AC but short of something changing at some point, he should have gone higher. I do think that J-Will felt a real responsibility to his family to go out when he did, but I still think he would have benefited from another season.

Kirkland on the other hand, screwed up and did so on his own, without the input of the staff visiting with he and his family. I hope he succeeds nonetheless, as I do all of the Hogs, but he has an uphill battle that might not have been necessary with another year in the trenches.

[Bubba's Bruisers]

I'm not sure what happened with AC. I expected him to go earlier. I have to admit that I was surprised to see J-Will go before him, especially since I really felt that J-Will should have come back for one more season to re-establish his ability to be a strong runner after the injury. That tells me that something went wrong for AC between the time the season ended, the scout evaluations and the combine. None of us know what kind of feedback that the scouts gave Bielema and AC but short of something changing at some point, he should have gone higher. I do think that J-Will felt a real responsibility to his family to go out when he did, but I still think he would have benefited from another season.

Kirkland on the other hand, screwed up and did so on his own, without the input of the staff visiting with he and his family. I hope he succeeds nonetheless, as I do all of the Hogs, but he has an uphill battle that might not have been necessary with another year in the trenches.

I don't think anything happened to him.  I think he's a very good, but not great back.  He really didn't separate himself from the other good, but not great backs.  Good, but not great backs go in the mid to late rounds.  Especially if you have average speed with ball security concerns.  He was drafted about where I expected.

[The Hogfather]

I don't think anything happened to him.  I think he's a very good, but not great back.  He really didn't separate himself from the other good, but not great backs.  Good, but not great backs go in the mid to late rounds.  Especially if you have average speed with ball security concerns.  He was drafted about where I expected.

He doesn't have ball security concerns and his speed is fine.  If he works, he'll have a better career than 75% of the backs drafted in front of him, even though they outmeasurable him.

[PorkSoda]

looks like collins was 13 of 23 RB's taken, however only 4 were taken in the top 3 rounds

Elliott, Ezekiel - Ohio St
Henry, Derrick - Bama
Drake, Kenyan - Bama
Prosise, C.J. - ND

looks like he was just lumped in with 'rest' rather than the 'best'

[Bubba's Bruisers]

He doesn't have ball security concerns and his speed is fine.  If he works, he'll have a better career than 75% of the backs drafted in front of him, even though they outmeasurable him.

That could be said of any of the backs drafted ahead of him.  If any one works, they'll have a better career than 75%. 

He's talented, no doubt, but he's likely not really anymore talented than many others drafted.  So it shouldn't be a surprise he was a 5th rounder.  Just like it wouldn't have been a surprise if he had been a 3rd rounder.  Once you get into the mid rounds, the talent differences are negligible, and it's likely that teams look for very particular characteristics in players they think best fit their system.  So it doesn't mean the guy picked a round earlier is more talented.

He got drafted where many really good backs get drafted.  And many make the 53 and are impact players...like AC should be.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

I don't think anything happened to him.  I think he's a very good, but not great back.  He really didn't separate himself from the other good, but not great backs.  Good, but not great backs go in the mid to late rounds.  Especially if you have average speed with ball security concerns.  He was drafted about where I expected.

I'll disagree. I think he was better than that and I think that he was somewhat limited by a late developing O-Line, something the others didn't have to deal with. Additionally, his ball control issues were for the most part, from a year earlier. I think something else occurred to diminish his draft stock, though I don't know what that might have been.

[PorkSoda]

I'll disagree. I think he was better than that and I think that he was somewhat limited by a late developing O-Line, something the others didn't have to deal with. Additionally, his ball control issues were for the most part, from a year earlier. I think something else occurred to diminish his draft stock, though I don't know what that might have been.

where do you think he should have been drafted?

Do you really think he had the same hype going in that Bama/Ohio St/ND have for their RB's?

which of these teams that drafted RB's in the 3-5 rounds do you think he would have fit the best with?

Dolphins
Seahawks
Texans
Ravens
Broncos
Raiders
Giants
Bears
Eagles
Bills

[Bubba's Bruisers]

I'll disagree. I think he was better than that and I think that he was somewhat limited by a late developing O-Line, something the others didn't have to deal with. Additionally, his ball control issues were for the most part, from a year earlier. I think something else occurred to diminish his draft stock, though I don't know what that might have been.

And that could be so, but fans usually live in a vacuum too.  They only fall in love with their team's players without much consideration that other teams have really good players too.

He's a good RB, and good RB's by and large start coming off the board about the 4th round.  I fully expected him to be a 4th or 5th rounder, and he was.  Conspiracy theories notwithstanding.  The only surprise to me was him being taken behind JW. 

AC will be a solid NFL player, and probably ended up in a good situation.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

where do you think he should have been drafted?

Do you really think he had the same hype going in that Bama/Ohio St/ND have for their RB's?

which of these teams that drafted RB's in the 3-5 rounds do you think he would have fit the best with?

Dolphins
Seahawks
Texans
Ravens
Broncos
Raiders
Giants
Bears
Eagles
Bills

I'm not talking about hype as much as real value.

[PorkSoda]

I'm not talking about hype as much as real value.

well Seattle definitely got some value with their 5th round pick.  Also Collins was 2nd of 3 RB's drafted by Seattle, so there is going to be some competition to earn that roster spot.

[hog.goblin]

I didn't think AC had shown he was worthy of a draft pick after his first 2 seasons (and most players don't).  But he had an outstanding JR year, behind an offensive line that struggled for quite some time.  I'm not sure the NFL understands that as much as they should, "AC should overcome Toledo if he is a great back," which is nonsense.

I think the main reason he left was the unknown of 2016.  Tretola, Kirkland, and Pittman gone.  While I hope it's not the case, we could struggle to run the ball for several (or more) games before we find our groove with 2 new OL and a new OL coach.

[songofthesword]

Knilke Davis was better than Collins in every was measureablke. Taller, bigger, faster, more yards in one year, better pass Cather

And he was a third rounder.

[yraciv]

It's the way of the NFL these days. RB fall because it is the easiest position to find value in the late rounds, and teams are throwing the ball more and more.

[Hoggish1]

I already liked Seattle—now I like them even more.

[hogfan58]

Lack of consistent/dominating run game as they had in 2014 was a big factor in Romo being injured was my point.

That's a misleading stat.  How far below was he versus what Murray did the year before? 

Murray (2014) 1,845
DMac (2015) 1,089

Almost 800 yards different, which is a lot.

Jerry's boy knows Romo's time is limited, and he also knows the hardest thing to do in the entire NFL is find/develop a winning QB.  IMO they had no choice but to give Romo every chance to be successful right now. 

And Elliot gives them that chance more than any defender who was available, without question.

In 2014, Romo played almost the entire season (15 games); in 2015, he played almost none of it (4 games). BIG difference in their offense....also don't forget how many games Dez missed last year. Teams loaded up against the run because the Cowboys couldn't pass last year.

[hawg IQ]

looks like collins was 13 of 23 RB's taken, however only 4 were taken in the top 3 rounds

Elliott, Ezekiel - Ohio St
Henry, Derrick - Bama
Drake, Kenyan - Bama
Prosise, C.J. - ND

looks like he was just lumped in with 'rest' rather than the 'best'

don't know about Prosise and Elliott, but no doubt a heathy J Williams was a lot better than Henry. I see Drake as more a speed back and/or a receiver type.  Don't see him as outstanding pro running back, I could be wrong about that.

  I think AC has his best year here last fall, but got off to a very slow start. Another thing that hurt his stock was size and fumbling too much. I really thought he should have played one more, but the money, helping family is a big deal too.

[Boarcephus]

The only knock on AC, IMO, is he doesn't have that extra gear that allows him to run away from people but neither did Emmitt Smith.  Someone mentioned Davis and I'll agree he's bigger, faster, stronger but he's not nearly as elusive as Collins and I've never seen a back as big and strong as Davis is go down any easier. 

[DeltaBoy]

Good for Him and Seattle will benefit.

[Grizzlyfan]

looks like collins was 13 of 23 RB's taken, however only 4 were taken in the top 3 rounds

Elliott, Ezekiel - Ohio St
Henry, Derrick - Bama
Drake, Kenyan - Bama
Prosise, C.J. - ND

looks like he was just lumped in with 'rest' rather than the 'best'

Which is probably pretty accurate.

[Biggus Piggus]

My guess is Collins did not go higher because

1. His carries per fumble - total career - were among the worst.
2. He had little experience/achievements as a pass receiver out of the backfield.
3. He lacked breakaway speed and was not a threat to score on long runs.

Collins went to a team that selected another running back in the third round + one more (Zac Brooks) in the seventh + already had Thomas Rawls and Christine Michael on the roster. He has a chance to be the third back, but he would have to beat out several others. Seattle carried three backs and a fullback last season. Maybe they'll drop the fullback and keep four tailbacks.

[bennyl08]

don't know about Prosise and Elliott, but no doubt a heathy J Williams was a lot better than Henry. I see Drake as more a speed back and/or a receiver type.  Don't see him as outstanding pro running back, I could be wrong about that.

  I think AC has his best year here last fall, but got off to a very slow start. Another thing that hurt his stock was size and fumbling too much. I really thought he should have played one more, but the money, helping family is a big deal too.

Drake was pretty much drafted purely off of his combine numbers. If you take those numbers in a vacuum, he was clearly the second best rb in the draft. Outside of that vacuum, he was a very productive change of pace back who has a long injury history.

The dolphins draft offensively features explosive and fast players who are versatile. If that is what the coach wants, then Drake is going to be a better fit than most of the other backs including Collins. For Collins, I think Seattle, Arizona, or Denver would be the best fits for him. He has his work cut out for him to make the roster, but his skill set will be best utilized there.

The Titans are obviously going in a very different direction from Miami. They want a power run team getting DeMarco Murray and now Henry and drafting road graders like Tretola instead of more finesse pass blocking guys.