Shonn Greene, underrated
Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 3:56 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrWZwH9VVJU
Shonn Greene rushed for over 1,700 yards, over 6 YPC, and had at least 100 yards in all 13 of Iowa's games this year. He was very consistent. Not only was he consistent, but he was consistently GREAT.
So I'm reading about what draft experts are saying about him and I'm hearing he'll go 3rd round, maybe late 2nd. He didn't have a great combine. But I have always thought the combine is overrated.
Watch his highlights on YouTube and tell me this guy is a slow, Ron Dayne style back. Pssshhttt........PLEASE! Not even remotely close. Greene has very good speed, he has power, great footwork for a guy his size, and can make guys miss in the open field. He's also a very patient back......watch these highlights as he patiently waits for his linemen to open a hole and then he shoots right through it.
I am hoping my Chiefs will take him in the 2nd or 3rd round because I think he'd be an excellent fit in KC. Shonn is not a great receiver at this point. So what? Neither is Michael Turner or Adrian Peterson. I think those guys combined for maybe 20 catches last year. You don't have to be a great receiving back in the NFL unless you're simply a 3rd down back. Many of the top backs in the league are not.
His blocking skills are so-so. Not great, but not bad either. Again, I don't think guys like Turner or Peterson will ever be mistaken for Lorenzo Neal or Tony Richardson in pass coverage so as long as he's good enough he'll be fine.
All I know is someone is going to get an absolute steal in the draft for the next 4-5 years. Do I think Shonn will have a long career? No. But very few running backs do anyways. I think he'll be a 1,100+ yard rusher for 3-5 years and then burnout. But when you're drafting a running back, you should be very satisfied to get that. Durability is very overrated at this position because almost all of them burnout after 5 years in the league anyways. It's part of the game.
Shonn Greene rushed for over 1,700 yards, over 6 YPC, and had at least 100 yards in all 13 of Iowa's games this year. He was very consistent. Not only was he consistent, but he was consistently GREAT.
So I'm reading about what draft experts are saying about him and I'm hearing he'll go 3rd round, maybe late 2nd. He didn't have a great combine. But I have always thought the combine is overrated.
Watch his highlights on YouTube and tell me this guy is a slow, Ron Dayne style back. Pssshhttt........PLEASE! Not even remotely close. Greene has very good speed, he has power, great footwork for a guy his size, and can make guys miss in the open field. He's also a very patient back......watch these highlights as he patiently waits for his linemen to open a hole and then he shoots right through it.
I am hoping my Chiefs will take him in the 2nd or 3rd round because I think he'd be an excellent fit in KC. Shonn is not a great receiver at this point. So what? Neither is Michael Turner or Adrian Peterson. I think those guys combined for maybe 20 catches last year. You don't have to be a great receiving back in the NFL unless you're simply a 3rd down back. Many of the top backs in the league are not.
His blocking skills are so-so. Not great, but not bad either. Again, I don't think guys like Turner or Peterson will ever be mistaken for Lorenzo Neal or Tony Richardson in pass coverage so as long as he's good enough he'll be fine.
All I know is someone is going to get an absolute steal in the draft for the next 4-5 years. Do I think Shonn will have a long career? No. But very few running backs do anyways. I think he'll be a 1,100+ yard rusher for 3-5 years and then burnout. But when you're drafting a running back, you should be very satisfied to get that. Durability is very overrated at this position because almost all of them burnout after 5 years in the league anyways. It's part of the game.