Good outlook for Andre

[Mr._2_cents]

To me, I think he better than a couple of those guys on the first list. But at least they know of him. Good luck dre, show them, what we already know.

It’s just June, but early indications are that this year’s class of senior running backs will be exceptionally thin.  DeAngelo Williams sits comfortably in the pole position without a clear-cut No. 2 in the rear view mirror or a slam dunk to join him as a high pick in next April’s draft.  There is, however, no shortage of quality backs eagerly looking to emulate J.J. Arrington in their final year of eligibility.  Arrington was the former Cal Bear, who spent two seasons at College of the Canyons (Calif.) and started just two games as a junior before parlaying an unexpected 2,000-yard senior season into a second-round selection by the Arizona Cardinals.  If such a late bloomer exists in 2005, his identity probably won’t be known until conference schedules begin.

Unlike last year when the first four backs chosen were seniors, the strengthâ€â€and eventual depthâ€â€of the 2006 draft eligible running backs depends on the decisions of a handful of juniors and sophomores, who’ll be heavily pursued by the NFL at the end of this year.  Reggie Bush, Laurence Maroney, Michael Bush LenDale White and Lynell Hamiltonâ€â€each with first-round potential and more than a year of eligibility leftâ€â€have a chance to carry the flag for a shallow group of backs, and elevate it to respectability.  

1. Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma (Soph.) – Peterson is ready for the NFL today, but the NFL won’t be ready for him for another two years.  Last year’s Heisman runner-up nearly eclipsed the 2,000-yard barrier, making him the best thing in a true freshman since Herschel Walker landed in Athens.  At 6-2, 210, Peterson runs like a gazelle and sheds tacklers better than any young back in recent history.  Hit him low, and he keeps his balance.  Hit him high, and he’ll leave tread marks.  The best defense is to gang tackle Peterson, and that’s a heck of a burden on a defense.  It’s way early, but barring injuries, he has the physical characteristics and personal makeup of an all-time great.          

2004 Numbers – 339 rushes for 1,925 yards and 15 touchdowns

Shades of…Eric Dickerson

2. Reggie Bush, USC (Jr.) – Like a Michael Jordan or Barry Bonds, Bush is one of those rare athletes that’s so electrifying, people go out of their way just to witness his magic.  With his dazzling moves and game-breaking cutbacks, he forces you to dig deep into your vocabulary to look for new adjectives.  More important, he forces opposing coaches to dedicate so many resources specifically on him that teammates are allowed to flourish.  Bush is a whirling dervish, and a candidate for Play of the Game every time he takes a handoff, catches a pass or returns a kick.  In two years, he has accounted for touchdowns five different ways.  And while such a player might conjure up images of a diminutive scatback, Bush is a stout 6-feet and 200 pounds.   2004 Numbers – 143 carries for 908 yards and 6 TDs – 43 catches for 509 yards and 7 TDs            

Shades of…Gale Sayers

3. DeAngelo Williams, Memphis – Gentlemen, start your engines.  Fully healed from the broken right fibula he suffered in last year’s GMAC Bowl, Williams will be gunning his engine as soon as the 2005 season begins.  By definition, he’s a complete back, who can take over a game in a number of different ways.  He’s an all-purpose workhorse, who regularly contributes to the passing game and special teams.  Williams is shifty and super quick, but can also bring the hammer when necessary behind a solid, 220-pound frame.  His measurables aren’t off the charts, but his character and personality are, which always sells well when scouts are doling out grades.              

2004 Numbers – 313 carries for 1,948 yards and 22 TDs – 18 catches for 210 yards and 1 TD

Shades of…LaDainian Tomlinson

4. Laurence Maroney, Minnesota (Jr.) –Maroney already has a pair of 1,000-yard seasons in the vault, and he wasn’t even a full-time starter.  Now that Marion Barber III is a Dallas Cowboy and the Gopher O-line returns intact, Maroney is poised for a run at 2,000 yards and national honors.  He’s a blur with great field vision, which allows him to get into, and often beyond, the opposing secondary with just a hint of daylight.  And while he’s hardly a plower, Maroney has bulked up over 200 pounds since getting to college and will shed arm tacklers effortlessly.  Get ready for the widespread launching of a college superstar.            

2004 Numbers – 217 carries for 1,348 yards and 12 TDs

Shades of…Kevin Jones

5. Michael Bush, Louisville (Jr.) – If Reggie’s the President, then that must make Michael the Governor.   Suggesting First Lady could lose a guy a few of his chicklets.  Bush is a former can’t-miss quarterback turned running back, who just happens to be built like an outside linebacker.  At 6-3 and somewhere north of 240 pounds, he’s a bigger, more versatile version of former Cardinal Eric Shelton, who was selected in the second round of April’s draft by the Carolina Panthers.  Bush has uncommon athleticism for a man his size, and now that Shelton has departed, he’ll get plenty of opportunities to showcase his talents in the Big East.

2004 Numbers – 132 carries for 734 yards and 7 TDs                              

Shades of…Keith Byars

6. LenDale White, USC (Jr.) – When you share a backfield with Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush, getting noticed can be tougher than summer two-a-days.  Such is life as a Trojan these days.  White has the talent and the resume of a budding superstar, but will continue to reside in the shadow of his teammates.  At a solid 6-2, 235 pounds, he moves piles in short yardage, yet is agile enough to bounce outside for big gains when there’s congestion between the tackles.  His 31 touchdowns are most ever by a Trojan in his first two years on campus.  It’s no secret White has struggled to maintain his grades, so expect him to bolt for the NFL when he becomes eligible at the end of this season.                          

2004 Numbers – 203 carries for 1,103 yards and 15 TDs

Shades of…Corey Dillon

7. Wali Lundy, Virginia – The upcoming season is a big one for Lundy and he knows it.  Few doubt he has the tools to be productive at the next level, but with expectations soaring last year, he disappointed.  Lundy piled up big numbers in September, but completely disappeared in the Cavs’ four losses and played second fiddle to the lesser-hyped Alvin Pearman.  He runs with authority between the tackles and is always moving forward, making him an ideal option at the goal line.  In a spring workout, Lundy ran the 40 between 4.5 and 4.55, respectable numbers for a 215-pound back, but if they slip any lower next year, he’ll slide.

2004 Numbers – 175 carries for 864 yards and 17 TDs

Shades of…Ronnie Brown

8. Leon Washington, Florida State – The next time someone downgrades Washington’s pro prospects because he’s just 5-9, remind him that Emmitt Smith and Thurman Thomas wore the same inseam.  He’s a classic slasher, whose low center of gravity makes him a human pinball and prevents tacklers from nailing him with clean shots.  Washington is never going to have the ideal measurables for an every down NFL back, but he’s plenty tough and is a week-in, week-out player.  From pass-catching and pass-blocking to returning kicks, Florida State coaches are still looking for his...uh, shortcoming.      

2004 Numbers – 138 carries for 951 yards and 7 TDs

Shades of…Thurman Thomas

9. Lynell Hamilton, San Diego State (Soph.) – Hamilton has been out of sight for more than a year with a broken ankle, but not out of the minds of NFL people, who are enamored with his upside and natural physical gifts.  It’s been a while since he rushed for more than 1,000 yards in an injury-shortened freshman season, but he’s back, and declaring himself fit and faster than he was pre-injury.  At 6-1, 220, Hamilton is a rare gem that can scamper through or past defenders, and leave a would-be tackler petrified with a sudden spasmodic juke.  If health is not a factor, expect a banner year from No. 22 followed by rumors that he’s thinking of leaving the Mesa with two years of eligibility left.                

2003 Numbers – 234 carries for 1,087 yards and 4 touchdowns

Shades of…Deuce McAllister

10. Joseph Addai, LSU – It’s easy to get lost in this year’s loaded Tiger offense, but once Addai leaves Baton Rouge and works out for scouts, he’ll quickly establish his own identity.  He’s a hot rod, part power and part flash, who’s most dangerous as a third-down back.  Addai excels as a pass catcher, runs the draw well and is outstanding in pass protection, all of which will endear him to NFL scouts isolating him on film.  Because of the abundance of playmakers at LSU, he’ll never amass the kinds of numbers that draw attention from casual fans and honors voters.  It’s at next February’s Combine that Addai’s numbers could propel him into the Top 3 rounds of the draft.                    

2004 Numbers – 101 carries for 680 yards and 3 TDs – 26 catches for 294 yards and 4 TDs  

Shades of…Tiki Barber

One Monster Year From First-Day Money

Gerald Riggs, Jr., Tennessee – It’s taken a while, but Riggs finally broke the seal on his potential last year, and with the Vol backfield decongested, is poised to make a run deep into the 2006 draft if he remains focused on the upcoming season.  While not a blazer, Riggs is quick to the hole and has terrific balance for a 225-pound back.

Marshawn Lynch, Cal (Soph.) – Lynch won’t be eligible until the 2007 draft, but that won’t stop NFL scouts from dissecting his every carry this fall.  He’s a stick of dynamite packaged in a solid 210-pound frame, who sprinted for 628 yards and eight scores on a mere 71 carries as a true freshman backup last year.  If needed this fall, he’s capable of carrying the Bear offense until the passing game starts to click.      

Jerod Void, Purdue – Void is a prototypical north-south runner with atypical speed for a 6-2, 220-pound back.  He’s a force in short yardage, but can also get into the opposing secondary in a hurry when his tackles create a little daylight.

Lorenzo Booker, Florida State (Jr.) – Since arriving in Tallahassee, Booker has added muscle without sacrificing any speed, a necessary transformation for a back that was a little light in the can for the NFL.  He still lacks optimum size, but makes tacklers miss, and compensates with exceptional speed and athleticism.

Brian Calhoun, Wisconsin (Jr.) – The Colorado ex-pat will flourish in Madison, where the linemen have girth and the ground game is still the preferred mode of transportation.  He's a polished mix of sprinter speed, reliable hands and big game experience courtesy of his two seasons in Boulder.  

DeShawn Wynn, Florida (Jr.) – Wynn needs to hit the books this summer, and hasn’t officially sewn up the starting job, but his blend of speed and power could make him more appealing to the NFL than ex-Gator Ciatrick Fason, who went in Round 4 to Minnesota.  The time has arrived for Wynn to begin realizing his sizable potential.  

Maurice Drew, UCLA (Jr.) – A poor man’s Reggie Bush playing in the Trojan’s shadow, Drew is a compact homerun threat with an exciting burst of speed.  In two seasons at Westwood, he’s scored on the ground, through the air and on punt and kickoff returns.  

Mike Bell, Arizona – Bell has persevered the last two years despite getting minimal help from the offensive line or the passing game.  He’s built like a feature back and very quick, but could lose some face time in the fall to sophomore Chris Henry, who dazzled ‘Cat coaches in April with his brute strength and quickness.        

Alley Broussard, LSU (Jr.) – Broussard will once again share the carries with Joseph Addai, Justin Vincent and Shyrone Carey, but a crowded backfield couldn’t prevent the 235-pound back from powering his way to team-highs in rushing and touchdowns in 2004.

Andre Hall, South Florida – With the Bulls set to debut in the Big East, Hall’s days of national anonymity are about to end.  The versatile ex-junior-college star quietly accounted for 1,838 yards and 12 touchdowns in his first season in Tampa.  

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[lotsofbull99]

Hall is the greatest USF running back ever?

[S p e n c e]

Well he had the greatest single season for a USF RB, and if he stays healthy this year he can break just about every school record for the running game, and thats in just 2 seasons here.  So I would say yes LOB he is the greatest USF RB ever.

[USFPDiddy]

In terms of pure running ability watching from actually watching him, no USF back I've seen since I've come here would even come close the the capabilities of Andre Hall.  The guy uses spin moves as an extra means of a cutback.

His YPC were gross last year.  Having him on the offense gives me hope, because if we get a QB completing 55-60 % of his passer, we'll go bowling.

[smazza]

pdiddy-if we get 60% from qb position to our receivers only,usf will have their best year ever

adrian p has been stopped

reggie bush hasn't.he could easily put up 2000  rushing if he was fed the ball. but white needs to be fed also.

[dabull80]

Did you notice of those outside the top ten list only Andre Hall had numbers posted and his where alot better then many in the top ten.  Considering he did it whithout being a featured player in his first three games those numbers are awsome.  I think if he can somehow manage a 100+ against PSU in the opener you will see him lock up a spot on the first day of the draft and maybe as high as the second round.  The PSU D is outstanding and ESPN will pick up on a 100 yard game agianst them.  If USF wins or it is a close game there will be even more air time and that will be a big boost for Andre.

[beastiebull]

Only way Hall gets drafted in the first round is if we get to a significant bowl.  

[Ricky the Bull]

Only way Hall gets drafted in the first round is if we get to a significant bowl.  

Kinda like Jerry Rice had to.

[FreaKnight]

pdiddy-if we get 60% from qb position to our receivers only,usf will have their best year ever

adrian p has been stopped

reggie bush hasn't.he could easily put up 2000  rushing if he was fed the ball. but white needs to be fed also.

Adrian Peterson was a true freshman.  No one easily puts up 2,000.  If I had to pick up one player as a RB, I pick Peterson.  But choosing between Bush and Peterson is like choosing between a Porsche and a Ferarri.

[Guest S.  Bien]

Adrian Peterson was a true freshman.  No one easily puts up 2,000.  If I had to pick up one player as a RB, I pick Peterson.  But choosing between Bush and Peterson is like choosing between a Porsche and a Ferarri.

It depends on which Bush you're talking about.  Reggie Bush is like a Ferarri, and Michael Bush (who's equally as exciting) is more like a Humvee.   I don't really consider Reggie or Michael true RB's.  Both run too upright, both have a tendency to tip-toe to holes, and drop their heads when contacted, because of that I wouldn't put either in the same zip code of Adrian Peterson as a true RB- Adrian could be the best pure running back I've seen come out since LT.  Both as wing backs/h-backs/WR's/pr/kr kinda players they're unparalleled, and when they're in the open field both Bushes could be the most exciting players to watch n college football.