I started doing some digging after me and some other posters discussed Joe McKnight's recent performance. Besides LeGarrette Blount, Joe McKnight might just be the steal of the 2010 running back class. Blount wasn't even draft. I believe he spent time on multiple teams before he ended up in Tampa Bay. That's a hell of a pick up: 1,000 yards out of an undrafted rookie. Anyway, let's take a look at the first rounders: CJ Spiller - Buffalo Bills Ryan Mathews - San Diego Chargers Jahvid Best - Detroit Lions Ryan Mathews had the best season statistically. In only twelve games, he put up bigger numbers than the other two first round backs: Jahvid Best and CJ Spiller. Mathews had a very underwhelming rookie season. It's kind of sad that he was the most productive out of the three. Best stats of the round: Ryan Mathews - 158 carries for 678 yards and 7 TDs. 22 receptions for 145 yards. (3 fumbles lost) Here's a look at the second rounders: Dexter McCluster - Kansas City Chiefs Toby Gerhart - Minnesota Vikings Ben Tate - Houston Texans Montario Hardesty - Cleveland Browns McCluster's a dangerous player, but he's looking more like a glorified return specialist right now. The Chiefs moved him to receiver. Gerhart's looked very mediocre in limited action while playing behind the best back in the league. Ben Tate broke his ankle in the pre-season. He'll return to back up the league's leading rusher, Arian Foster. Montario Hardesty tore his ACL in the pre-season. He'll return to back up Peyton Hillis. This is a kid that's battled knee injuries his entire career. Hopefully he'll bounce back. Best stats of the round: Toby Gerhart - 82 carries for 322 yards and 1 TD. 21 receptions for 167 yards. (3 fumbles lost) No backs were selected in the third round ... Fourth round: Joe McKnight - New York Jets A lot of posters on TGG were upset about this pick. What now? After you've seen everything, what now? Best stats of the round (so much competition): 39 carries for 189 yards. 3 receptions for 20 yards. (no fucking fumbles!) No backs were selected in the fifth round ... Sixth Round: Anthony Dixon - San Francisco 49ers Deji Karim - Jacksonville Jaguars Jonathan Dwyer - Pittsburgh Steelers James Starks - Green Bay Packers Charles Scott - Philadelphia Eagles Dixon's a pretty reliable powerback that has a lot of wear on his tires already. Karim's a decent return man, but didn't get much work behind MJD and Jennings. Dwyer was inactive for every game but one. He was unimpressive. Stark's battled injuries all season long. He played only played in three games. Scott was released by Philly. He's on the Giants' practice squad now. Best stats of the round: Anthony Dixon - 70 carries for 237 yards and 2 TDs. 5 receptions for 11 yards. (no fumbles) No backs were selected in the seventh round No one can tell me how this isn't a good pick now. We got a developmental back that's developing behind one of the best all-purpose players ever.
I put this in the draft forum, but I figured that most of you needed to see this. I started doing some digging after me and some other posters discussed Joe McKnight's recent performance. Besides LeGarrette Blount, Joe McKnight might just be the steal of the 2010 running back class. Blount wasn't even draft. I believe he spent time on multiple teams before he ended up in Tampa Bay. That's a hell of a pick up: 1,000 yards out of an undrafted rookie. Anyway, let's take a look at the first rounders: CJ Spiller - Buffalo Bills Ryan Mathews - San Diego Chargers Jahvid Best - Detroit Lions Ryan Mathews had the best season statistically. In only twelve games, he put up bigger numbers than the other two first round backs: Jahvid Best and CJ Spiller. Mathews had a very underwhelming rookie season. It's kind of sad that he was the most productive out of the three. Best stats of the round: Ryan Mathews - 158 carries for 678 yards and 7 TDs. 22 receptions for 145 yards. (3 fumbles lost) Here's a look at the second rounders: Dexter* McCluster - Kansas City Chiefs Toby Gerhart - Minnesota Vikings Ben Tate - Houston Texans Montario Hardesty - Cleveland Browns McCluster's a dangerous player, but he's looking more like a glorified return specialist right now. The Chiefs moved him to receiver. Gerhart's looked very mediocre in limited action while playing behind the best back in the league. Ben Tate broke his ankle in the pre-season. He'll return to back up the league's leading rusher, Arian Foster. Montario Hardesty tore his ACL in the pre-season. He'll return to back up Peyton Hillis. This is a kid that's battled knee injuries his entire career. Hopefully he'll bounce back. Best stats of the round: Toby Gerhart - 82 carries for 322 yards and 1 TD. 21 receptions for 167 yards. (3 fumbles lost) No backs were selected in the third round ... Fourth round: Joe McKnight - New York Jets A lot of posters on TGG were upset about this pick. What now? After you've seen everything, what now? Best stats of the round (so much competition): 39 carries for 189 yards. 3 receptions for 20 yards. (no fucking fumbles!) No backs were selected in the fifth round ... Sixth Round: Anthony Dixon - San Francisco 49ers Deji Karim - Jacksonville Jaguars Jonathan Dwyer - Pittsburgh Steelers James Starks - Green Bay Packers Charles Scott - Philadelphia Eagles Dixon's a pretty reliable powerback that has a lot of wear on his tires already. Karim's a decent return man, but didn't get much work behind MJD and Jennings. Dwyer was inactive for every game but one. He was unimpressive. Stark's battled injuries all season long. He played only played in three games. Scott was released by Philly. He's on the Giants' practice squad now. Best stats of the round: Anthony Dixon - 70 carries for 237 yards and 2 TDs. 5 receptions for 11 yards. (no fumbles) No backs were selected in the seventh round No one can tell me how this isn't a good pick now. We got a developmental back that's developing behind one of the best all-purpose players ever.
don't forget undrafted free agent RBS 12 games 137 carries 716 yards 5.2avg 5TDs only 1 catch for 17 yards. still not too shabby
Good Research!!! I believe GH and Yourself were pimping McKnight on this site two years ago. Can't teach speed and elusiveness.
Jahvid Best is a complete stud though. His numbers looked like garbage because he had lingering injuries the entire season and turf toe really held him back. The guy is an incredibly dangerous receiving passes out of the backfield as well as running the ball. I dont think theres a doubt in my mind that next year well see why the Lions drafted him. That said McKnight doesnt look so bad in hindsight. Even though Blount without a doubt is the steal of the year
Holy shit he had one big game against the Bills Mr. E. I want him to succeed as much as the next guy but don't you think this is a tad bit premature?
I was caught a bit off guard with the pick, but I didn't hate it. His potential is off the charts, moreso out of HS, he just didn't completely get to showcase it(whether it was his commitment to becoming better or USCw to blame). He looks very sharp in the limited times he's been in, I liked him on returns too. 1st Rd potential that fell into our laps in the 4th...
Jahvid Best is injury prone. That was his biggest knock coming out of Cal. As a matter of fact, Spiller and Mathews also dealt with lingering injuries while they were in college. It's not surprising to me that all three of these backs missed games this year.
I said it before the season started the Jahvid Best would prove to be the Best RB of the draft. He had two great games to start the season off with, and then the turf toe injury slowed him down tremendously. I followed him for the entire year. Thats because I had Best, Calvin and Stafford on my fantasy league. When healthy, Best can be a beast imo. But yeah, McKnight finally showed us that he can step up and back up Greene once LT leaves. I wouldn't be worried about drafting any RB next off season.
How is this premature? Look what the majority of the backs drafted higher than him did this year. This was a great value pick. That's all I'm trying to say.
Someone one twitter compared him to Adrian Murrell, which may be close but IMO McKnight has a much higher ceiling. I think it is a close comparison though, Murrell was also a quick and shifty back but he couldn't carry the players that McKnight did. (literally) That was my only complaint coming in was his lack of muscle, but you can certainly see he has bulked up. I'm excited to see what he brings in the future, and also hope he continues to work his ass off because we can certainly see the results.
All the guys drafted ahead of him were either injured or have the best HBs in the nfl playing in front of them though. I think its way too early to say he was a bargain, especially since we traded up for him.
This is exactly the point of this thread. Just because he didn't get any playing time behind two very good backs, a lot of you guys don't realize how much of a steal this could turn out to be.
Great thread. He definitely earned burn for the playoffs. Plus I loved the way the team handled him and developed him.
The bulk of your argument is based on stats compiled against the worst run defense in the league. He looked good but I'm not ready to make a decision one way or the other based on that one game.
Well the point of this thread was that hes a bargain compared to the rest of the HB class. Where in reality we've seen either very little or next to nothing at all from all of the HBs drafted this year, McKnight included. Its quite possible that McKnight could be the steal of the century or complete garbage, all im saying is its way too premature to say. And too add, im not sure if we should be concerned that McKnight didnt have any big runs at all. Yeah obviously the Bills would be stacking the box since it was apparent we were going to pound the shit out of the ball, but at the same time Smith had at least 2 huge runs in obvious running situations
