Whoa..you are putting Jones and Washington in Peterson's class with that statement. I'm sure you don't mean that. There are things Peterson can do that McFadden can't but there are also things that McFadden can do that Peterson can't.
I meant that there's different levels of running backs in the NFL (This is a rough list based on my opinions) Superstars: Adrian Peterson, LT, Westbrook maybe? Very Good: Addai, Barber, Gore, McFadden Possibly? Good: Jones/Washington Combo, Chester Taylor, etc. Drafting McFadden only gives us the possibility of getting a very good player, I don't see him becoming a LT/AD superstar. If we draft McFadden and he does only end up being a very good player and not a superstar than we probably should have just stuck with TJ and Washington because that isn't much of an improvement. Whereas if we get someone who is a very good pass rusher it would be a huge improvement over Brian Thomas assuming he continues to suck it up, not to mention we don't even know if Pace will be a competent pass rusher on the Jets.
If he doesn't become that player you are right. If he does he is worth 3 Gholstons. This team was doing pretty good on defense last year. They added a couple more really good defensive players since then (hopefully). They totally sucked in all categories on offense, especially at the skill positions. That is where we desperately need help.
Yeah, but what are the odds that McFadden is another LT/AD? I think the odds are a lot better that Gholston will be very good than McFadden will be the next LT/AD. There's only a couple of those guys every 10 years. Assuming QB play gets better and we draft a WR, I don't think we'll have much problems on offense this year. If anything needs work its the defense. If you're assuming QB play doesn't get better than we might as well draft Matt Ryan because CP and KC's performances last year wont even get us to the playoffs.
The odds are really good he does. That's why he is being called the best player in the draft by everybody who evaluates talent for a living. You won't get any argument from me on the need for a QB and i think we will take one in the second round and I hope it's Flacco if we do. The thing with him is he won't be ready for at least a year. In the meantime we can win a lot of games with a strong running game and a solid defense.
I hate to throw Reggie Bush's name into the mix, but he was probably the highest praised RB ever and some people would argue that he doesn't even belong in the very good category now. Plus coming out of college all AD had against him was his injuries, there wasn't all this talk about fumbles, off field problems, and falling down at the point of contact. I think its pretty safe to say that McFadden being another LT/AD is pretty improbable, but not impossible. Also, he might be in the top 3 players consistently, but I think most people probably think that Chris Long is a better player than McFadden.
Actually, they don't think Chris Long is as good. Fumbles can be coached (see Tiki Barber). Falling down at the point of contact only means something when there is contact. Do you really think that all these experts that gush on about him are wrong? Even if you do, it is still the best choice for the Jets to go with the smart thinking then to take somebody that everybody agrees isn't worth a top 10 pick. You can't lose that way.
Obviously they'll be contact in the NFL; even more than in college so falling down at the point of contact does mean something, it means a lot. I'm not sure if the experts are wrong or not, but I do know they have been wrong before. There was even that post that said 7/10 teams prefer Stewart over McFadden so I'm not sure that all experts agree on McFadden. In the end though I do think McFadden will be a very good pro and I wouldn't be upset if the Jets picked him. I just think that there is a larger need on defense than on offense and even on offense the RB position is probably our only 100% solid position since QB, WR, and even the OL needs work. I don't think we're in the position where we can pick McFadden because we THINK he'll be the next LT/AD. To pick a player that we don't really need when we have so many holes we better be sure that he's the next LT/AD. I'm not sure he's going to be and actually I think he wont be.
if it comes down to having to choose between gholston and dmc who cares it'd be like choosing between jessica alba and jessica simpson either way you can't lose
mcfadden is the better prospect at his position without a doubt. but depends. me personally i prefer mcfadden to Gholston.
If the Longs, Gholston, Dorsey go 1-4, who are the next best draftees for 5th and 6th picks other than McFadden?
pretty much Ryan, CB, Rivers, maybe Harvey... with those guys gone, and where DMC ranks amongst most teams, he is the BPA at 6, but only with those guys gone.
With the sixth overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft the New York Jets take.....Dan Connor OLB Penn State -BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!! NOOOOO!!!
IMO you take McFad, and move Thomas Jones during the draft. You start McFad next year on day 1 and let Leon and Chatman back him up. The jets have a stupid history of taking franchise RBs and babying them. Freeman McNeil and Blair Thomas hardly saw any action in their first game. Jimmy Johnson started Emmitt Smith on day 1 with the Cowboys. When you make an investment like that you play him, and that my opinion. If McFad gone, take Gholston. If both gone and you can get good value moving down, do it.
