Murray #2 on this potential list

[pappy]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=Atr9SZhpKBiHfYzzfwK0b2dDubYF?slug=tsn-draftwatchheismanwinnerma20100721

Its funny cause at lunch a friend and I were talking about where we thought Demarco will be rb wise in the nfl draft next year and we both agreed top 5. Then I got home and saw this list.

[Curly Bill]

Top to bottom that's a pretty weak group.

[GKeeper316]

Top to bottom that's a pretty weak group.

i disagree. at least 5 of those guys will be 1000 yard rushers in the nfl.

[budbarrybob]

Top to bottom that's a pretty weak group.

Top to bottom a very generic assessment with no stats to make his argument.

[Eielson]

i disagree. at least 5 of those guys will be 1000 yard rushers in the nfl.

Really? Which ones?

[CaliBornSoonerBred]

I'd say at best, there's 3 1000 yard backs in the NFL. Even that may be a little bit generous

[goingoneight]

Graig Cooper tore his ACL up in a bowl game and they expect him to be a top-flite RB this season?

Murray and Hunter are one injury a piece from not being drafted, but also one solid season from being first rounders. Health is of concern.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

Typically every year, you have about 15-17 backs total rush for over 1000..to say 5 of these guys will do it is a little overboard...if your just saying they may have one 1000 yard season in their career, thats not a great benchmark to use..

With the exception of Ingram, the top 15 runningbacks are all pretty much interchangeable at this point....just not anybody that jumps out...

IMO, the flaws with those rankings...

No Ryan Williams from VT? At all? IMO, the 2nd or 3rd best NFL RB prospect
Cooper from Miami wayyy to high... probably in the 15-18 range

Murray too high? His 40 is gonna be huge along with just staying healthy...going off the evidence of his previous years, 2 is way too high...I'd have Thomas from Kstate ahead of him right now...possibly even Royster...

A healthy Kendall Hunter is a 3rd round pick at best..

[stoops the eternal pimp]

I think with this draft class...runningback 5 will be picked somewhere in the 3rd round..

[sooner59]

Typically every year, you have about 15-17 backs total rush for over 1000..to say 5 of these guys will do it is a little overboard...if your just saying they may have one 1000 yard season in their career, thats not a great benchmark to use..

With the exception of Ingram, the top 15 runningbacks are all pretty much interchangeable at this point....just not anybody that jumps out...

IMO, the flaws with those rankings...

No Ryan Williams from VT? At all? IMO, the 2nd or 3rd best NFL RB prospect
Cooper from Miami wayyy to high... probably in the 15-18 range

Murray too high? His 40 is gonna be huge along with just staying healthy...going off the evidence of his previous years, 2 is way too high...I'd have Thomas from Kstate ahead of him right now...possibly even Royster...

A healthy Kendall Hunter is a 3rd round pick at best..

Wasn't Ryan Williams just a redshirt freshmen last year? I think the list was just specified to Juniors and Seniors. I think he is only a sophomore this year.

"After breaking down game film all summer, here is our scouts’ rankings for the top junior and senior running backs entering the college season."

[stoops the eternal pimp]

He is, and your right...however it seems the reason he made this list seniors and juniors was to cover all draft eligible rbs...typically the lists I see are top seniors at a position and then top draft-eligible at the position...

I should have read it instead of just looking at the rankings..I just presumed the guy would know one of the top backs available is a rd shrt soph..

[TheUnnamedSooner]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=Atr9SZhpKBiHfYzzfwK0b2dDubYF?slug=tsn-draftwatchheismanwinnerma20100721

Its funny cause at lunch a friend and I were talking about where we thought Demarco will be rb wise in the nfl draft next year and we both agreed top 5. Then I got home and saw this list.

That is pretty funny ;)

[kelloggOUballa]

DeMarco is one of the best to ever play at OU.... Anyone who read the latest issue of Sooner Spectator realizes that he is one healthy season away from being No. 1 in several career categories. I've never understood the criticism of him from Sooner fans. Critics, yes, but fans, no.

[NormanPride]

The kid from Pitt is my favorite RB this year.


Well, other than our guys. :D

[GKeeper316]

Really? Which ones?

ingram
murray
hunter
devine
rodgers

[stoops the eternal pimp]

I would almost bet my life hunter never breaks 600 yards rushing in a season... Devine will probably not get enough carries to do it, same
with Rodgers...

[GKeeper316]

after devine and rodgers get another 20 lbs on em, they'll both be beasts.

just my opinion... but i see greatness in those 2, particularly.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

DeMarco is one of the best to ever play at OU.... Anyone who read the latest issue of Sooner Spectator realizes that he is one healthy season away from being No. 1 in several career categories. I've never understood the criticism of him from Sooner fans. Critics, yes, but fans, no.

I would have to disagree with your one of the best to ever
play here statement... Strongly... And I'm not gonna base my opinion of a sooner player in a sooner mag...

If considering a good back and not great is being too critical, then I don't know what to tell ya.

[Eielson]

DeMarco is one of the best to ever play at OU....

Wow...

[sooneron]

DeMarco is one of the best to ever play at OU....

I would take about eight to ten backs over him, not b/c I don't like him. I really do, but that statement is way over the top.

If one of the best is somewhere in the top 15, then, yes.

[OU-HSV]

Typically every year, you have about 15-17 backs total rush for over 1000..to say 5 of these guys will do it is a little overboard...if your just saying they may have one 1000 yard season in their career, thats not a great benchmark to use..

With the exception of Ingram, the top 15 runningbacks are all pretty much interchangeable at this point....just not anybody that jumps out...

IMO, the flaws with those rankings...

No Ryan Williams from VT? At all? IMO, the 2nd or 3rd best NFL RB prospect
Cooper from Miami wayyy to high... probably in the 15-18 range

Murray too high? His 40 is gonna be huge along with just staying healthy...going off the evidence of his previous years, 2 is way too high...I'd have Thomas from Kstate ahead of him right now...possibly even Royster...

A healthy Kendall Hunter is a 3rd round pick at best..

Yeah Ryan Williams is a stud, as is another young RB Dion Lewis at Pitt...but I'm sure they're not on that list because of their age as someone else said.

[kelloggOUballa]

I would take about eight to ten backs over him, not b/c I don't like him. I really do, but that statement is way over the top.

If one of the best is somewhere in the top 15, then, yes.

He's already No. 13 on the all-time list, and everyone above is in sight: http://soonerstats.com/football/recordbook/player/rush_career.cfm.

[Eielson]

He's already No. 13 on the all-time list, and everyone above is in sight: http://soonerstats.com/football/recordbook/player/rush_career.cfm.

By "one of the best to ever play at OU," are you only referring to RB's? I still don't agree, but it wouldn't be nearly as ridiculous.

[Shakadoodoo]

DeMarco is one of the best to ever play at OU.... Anyone who read the latest issue of Sooner Spectator realizes that he is one healthy season away from being No. 1 in several career categories. I've never understood the criticism of him from Sooner fans. Critics, yes, but fans, no.

Really? If so - he needs to prove it this year. He is good - with mounds of potential - if he does not get hurt - but one of the best???

[Sooner04]

DeMarco is one of the best to ever play at OU.
Off the top of my head I take Vessels, Owens, Pruitt, Washington, Overstreet, Peacock, King, Sims, Dupree, Gaddis, Parker, Griffin and Peterson.

Does that make Murray one of the best to ever play at OU? Or are we just stacked at RB?

Joe Don Looney for crying out loud.....

Hell, Mike Thomas was a really good running back in the pros and he couldn't even get on the field here. Busted a 90-yarder against Oregon in '72.

[kelloggOUballa]

By "one of the best to ever play at OU," are you only referring to RB's? I still don't agree, but it wouldn't be nearly as ridiculous.

Yes. Running Backs. And he is also well within striking distance of Lil' Joe's all-purpose yardage record, as well as Steve Owens' TD record.

[GKeeper316]

Hell, Mike Thomas was a really good running back in the pros and he couldn't even get on the field here. Busted a 90-yarder against Oregon in '72.

first down oregon?

[Sooner04]

Yes. Running Backs. And he is also well within striking distance of Lil' Joe's all-purpose yardage record, as well as Steve Owens' TD record.
That's great. Those guys played 10-11-12 game seasons while DeMarco gets to play 14 every year.

I don't see DeMarco withstanding the punishment that comes with carrying the ball 55 times........IN A SINGLE GAME!

[stoops the eternal pimp]

Yeah Ryan Williams is a stud, as is another young RB Dion Lewis at Pitt...but I'm sure they're not on that list because of their age as someone else said.

Dion Lewis is not eligible as he is a true soph...Williams is as a red shirt soph

[stoops the eternal pimp]

So is Chris Brown an all time great?

[Mississippi Sooner]

So is Chris Brown an all time great?

Don't forget poor little James Allen.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

the reason im asking is because i see his name way up on the stat sheet as well, but I wouldnt consider him an all time great..

[gaylordfan1]

Can we all agree to wait until the end of this season to see how he performs? That way it takes all the fun out of discussing whether he is terrible or one of our great backs! :D

[Mississippi Sooner]

I threw James Allen out there just to be snarky, but it reminds me of a game of his that I attended when he was a senior in high school. I don't remember why we called him poor little James Allen, but I know that a lot of people referred to him as PLJA even when he was still in Wynnewood.

Anyway, so Wynnewood was hosting Konawa, both are undefeated, and it's the biggest game of the year in class 2A. It's standing room only because of that fact, and also because half the D1 schools in the midwest are recruiting James Allen.

My brother and I are standing over in one corner when I notice that a rather large black man wearing an OU jacket has wandered over to where we were. He looked vaguely familiar, but I couldn't place him. Finally, I stuck my I hand out an introduced myself. He said, "glad to meet you. I'm Lucious Selmon."

I felt really stupid right about then.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

I played against JA and Wynnewood in the 2a semi's that year..they beat us 35-7...held him to a season low 120 yards rushing..

once again, the choices aren't terrible or great..someone can be a good back without being a great one....don't understand how people can get upset if you don't think he is a great one...being a good back at OU is a pretty big accomplishment

[gaylordfan1]

I would agree with that. I would consider AD a great back (the only star RB @ OU that I've personally seen live) . And I wouldn't compare Murray with him.... So, I understand where your coming from.

[IronHorseSooner]

Comparing DM to AD is a bit unfair to DM. DM will likely break some long-standing Sooner records, but AD is a once in a generation RB. Look, AD came very close to winning the Heisman as a freshman, and I don't think anyone in my lifetime will ever get that close. If he wasn't a platoon system with KJ, he would have broken 2000, AS A FRESHMAN. When voting on the Heisman, they asked guys like Hershel Walker, Eric Dickerson, George Rogers, and Charles White, and they said, to a man, that he was the best that they had seen. AD will be in the Pro and College HoFs. DM will likely go on to have a nice NFL career, but not likely to have the career success as AD. I wish DM the best and pray that he ends his Sooner career with a bang, but again, comparing him to AD is a bit much.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

I think that is what GF1 was saying....that he wouldn't compare the 2...


When I think of great OU backs, I think Sims, Gaddis, Vessels, Owens, Pruitt, Washington, Overstreet, King, Peacock, Q,AD......

Then there are all the good backs who have played....Tillman, Wilson, Brewer, Brown, Carr, etc...nothing negative they just don't fit with the 1st group....to me, this where Murray belongs

[gaylordfan1]

^ Exactly. I was commenting on STEP's previous post about great backs and good backs. I was using AD as an example of an unanimous GREAT back at OU. I'm in the camp of saying Murray is a good back. He has done great things at OU and is likely to break some records. I was pumped to hear that he was staying for his senior season... He brings the leadership and knowledge of the game that we will need this season. He can help bring these new backs along. If Murray would have left we would have to rely heavily on Calhoun who only saw mop up duty last year. Which isn't a bad thing, but having three years under your belt as Murray does helps. I forgot all about Miller. Think he is the #3 man, or do you think a frosh will step in?

[IronHorseSooner]

Think he is the #3 man, or do you think a frosh will step in?

It all depends how they look at the depth chart. Is Madu still going to be listed as a WR in the fall? I know he was listed as a flanker on the last depth chart, but I can't see that lasting. If he's an RB, then he and Calhoun will probably split time as the #2. I also thought that J. Miller was going to redshirt due to injury. I believe that Clay might be more ready than Finch right now due to size; therefore, Finch will likely redshirt.

[gaylordfan1]

For some reason I'm kinda anxious to see Finch on the field. I don't know what it is but I like his running style. Small (although stout) and low to the ground.

[texaspokieokie]

i feel that, barring injuries, DM would've been a great back.

he may yet, barring injury.

[picasso]

Off the top of my head I take Vessels, Owens, Pruitt, Washington, Overstreet, Peacock, King, Sims, Dupree, Gaddis, Parker, Griffin and Peterson.

Does that make Murray one of the best to ever play at OU? Or are we just stacked at RB?

Joe Don Looney for crying out loud.....

Hell, Mike Thomas was a really good running back in the pros and he couldn't even get on the field here. Busted a 90-yarder against Oregon in '72.

I'd put a healthy Demarco up there with most of those guys and with the lines they played for. Don't forget he was running into a brick wall last season.

[texaspokieokie]

of course, Billy Sims, while being @ OU for 5 yrs, really only had 2 full years. 78 & 79

barring injury, Mike Gaddis might have been one of the very best.

Mike Thomas had promise, but he transferred to UNLV & later made it to the pros.

Don't forget Clendon Thomas & tommy McDonald. they were excellent backs.