Mendenhall, Stewart, McFadden, Feix Jones, James Davis, Kevin Smith...??

[TexanFan4Life]

If you were an NFL franchise in desperate need of a young, talented RB, would you draft a guy like Mendenhall or Stewart with your 1st Round pick or trade down to acquire more picks and take a guy like James Davis or Kevin Smith with a 2nd or 3rd Round pick?

[District303aPastPlayer]

Originally posted by TexanFan4Life
If you were an NFL franchise in desperate need of a young, talented RB, would you draft a guy like Mendenhall or Stewart with your 1st Round pick or trade down to acquire more picks and take a guy like James Davis or Kevin Smith with a 2nd or 3rd Round pick?

I'd draft Rashard Mendenhall.

[Old Tiger]

This draft is turning out to be a deep one for RB's but I don't think any of them are big time backs on the next level. Mendenhall and Smith are the most likel to be because of their styles.

[big daddy russ]

It depends. Am I running a ZBS? Do I need a pass-catcher out of the backfield? What am I looking for in my RB? Ricky Williams was one of the best RB prospects of all-time, but Edgerrin James was drafted ahead of him because Bill Polian wanted someone who could make plays out of the backfield in the passing game.

Here's how I'd rank the backs personally, but it's so hard to determine where they'll go.

1. McFadden
2. Stewart (The best cutback runner of the bunch, IMO. Would look great in a Texans uni.)
3. Mike Hart (Doesn't have the wheels that Mendenhall and Charles do, but neither did Emmitt.)
4. Rashard Mendenhall
5. Steve Slaton
6. Chris Johnson (Don't know what to think of him. Looked like a first-rounder against Boise State, but I've heard grumblings of him tiptoeing through the line. Don't know what to think of him, but I'll put him sixth for safety's sake.)
7. Jamaal Charles
8. Felix Jones (I'm not as high on him as an NFL runner as some.)

Each of these kids has a great shot at being picked before the end of the second round. And you're right, Casey. Great class.

[Adidas410s]

I'm a big James Davis fan. He's been very fortunate to be in a system that maximized his ability while not asking him to be a 20-25 carry guy each week. He's shown a consistent ability to find the endzone and rush for a good average for 3 years. Here are his numbers:

2005 - 165 for 879 yds (5.3 ypc) 9 TD's
2006 - 203 for 1187 yds (5.8 ypc) 17 TD's
2007 - 214 for 1064 yds (5.0 ypc) 10 TD's

Averages - 194 for 1043 yds (5.4 ypc) 12 TD's

Considering that he comes from a 2-back system, and Marion Barber is also from that type of system, I think they could compliment each other very well and he could be picked up for a lot less money than a Felix Jones. That said, I would bet that JJ tries to get Felix Jones.

[buffalo2006]

I've liked the way James Davis hit the hole and I want to say he was injuried this year but I think he is more of the power back instead of a third down back.
I wouldn't mind Davis in the third round and drafting a DB or OL inthe first round with a deep RB class