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Mel Kiper just released his new bog board and he has Dewayne McBride as the #9 RB in the class!

Running backs
1. Bijan Robinson, Texas
2. Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama
3. Devon Achane, Texas A&M
4. Zach Evans, Ole Miss
5. Tank Bigsby, Auburn
6. Deuce Vaughn, Kansas State
7. Zach Charbonnet, UCLA
8. Sean Tucker, Syracuse
9. DeWayne McBride, UAB
10. Travis Dye, USC

Wow! Looking forward to him having a great season.

I caught Kiper on the Worldwide Leader a couple of days ago. His half a can of White Rain helmet hair looks funny combined with a receding hairline.

So for kicks if McBride was to be the 9th RB to go in the 2023 draft, in the 2022 draft the 9th RB to be selected went in the 4th (Isaiah Spiller, Texas A&M). The 2023 class doesn't look to be a strong class and the 1st RB drafted in the 2022 draft went in the 2nd round as the 36th pick. If McBride improves from last season and eliminate some of his fumble tendencies I could see him going between the 5th and last round of the draft.

I think he could go third round with a really good season. In the NFL, it doesn’t make sense to take a RB before the second round, but there is normally a ton of value in rounds 2-4, and even beyond. McBride needs to show he can pass protect, not fumble, and catch the ball a little bit out of the backfield this year. He has really good size and strength, and has shown an ability to outrun defenders. I think his upside is sky high.

Top G5 RB...

McBride would have to have a special season to be drafted that high. Jordan Howard was drafted in the 5th Round and I think he was a better college RB than McBride and the both of them have similar builds.

Debo will have to run all over Death Valley

McBride looked beyond solid in the spring game, and it looks like we have some decent backups this year too (Zeus!). Hopefully that will help keep him fresh/healthy this year.

Howard had injury concerns and the inability to catch the ball out of the backfield. He also didn't have the breakaway speed.

Both are/were terrific college backs, but I think McBride has a lot of potential in the NFL.

I know little about talent evaluation, but I'm usually forced to watch at least some Auburn games to maintain family harmony (my brother played there) and even I could see that Bigsby pass-blocks about as well as Victor Salem. This brings that list into question, at least in my mind.

I believe that we have yet to see the best of Debo.

(06-02-2022 09:07 AM)blazers9911 Wrote:  Howard had injury concerns and the inability to catch the ball out of the backfield. He also didn't have the breakaway speed.

Both are/were terrific college backs, but I think McBride has a lot of potential in the NFL.

I agree. If Deebo shows he can catch the ball some, block, and stop fumbling, he has a lot of NFL potential. We all know his baseline talent is already really good.

I think Deebo shows a lot of explosiveness and tackle breaking ability that Howard didn't have.

Both Howard and Brown were excellent college RBs, but more of the hand the ball off 25 times to them, pound it up the middle, little creativity with their use, durable, kind of old-school RBs. I think Deebo has more top end talent and potential than both of them.

Let's put a little respec on Jordan Howard's name. He did score 39 touchdowns as a pro and made a Pro Bowl.

Jordan Howard is tough and plays with heart. In the NFL some players worry too much about next year and not enough about their current opportunity. Howard took advantage of his opportunities.