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Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas
6'2, 205, 4.40
Kyle Allen, 2/19/08
Strengths: McFadden has the potential to be an elite NFL
Running Back. Arguably the best athlete in the draft. He is extremely
versatile. Along with his talent as a runner, he also returns kicks and
can beat you with his arm. Runs hard and fast, and is almost impossible
to bring down in the open field. Hardly ever goes down after
first contact. Has great speed, and an incredible burst. Can accelerate
through holes and has great footwork and vision.
Weaknesses:
He has good size, but could afford to bulk up his lower body. Has
off-the-field issues, and character questions as well. Runs a bit high,
which leaves him open for the big hit. His high running could also
cause fumbles. Shared the workload in college, so durability is a
question. Didn’t run a conventional offense in college. Could improve
his blocking.
Projected
Round: Top 5 pick
Jared Donnelly, 1/22/08. He
is electric in the passing and running game and has the breakaway speed
that makes NFL suits and coaches drool. His ability and vision to find
holes and hit them hard while still being a patient runner makes him an
instant fit on a lot of teams in need of a back. What worries me
is that he did carry it a lot at Arkansas and was shut down in some
games against Auburn and perennial bottom feeder Florida International
(four TDs is nice, but his 3.2 average is less than inspiring). He runs
very up and down and takes a lot of hits. In this way he reminds me a
little bit of Eddie George with better pure speed. As a long term
prospect, I am not sure I like him as much as most people do. However,
for five or six years, he should make a large impact as long as he
adjusts to running against NFL defenses, something that Reggie Bush
never did. Right now, I have McFadden going to the Raiders and that
seems like a lock if he is there but it is possible that he could sneak
up a spot or two but no more. Not because of inadequacies, but because
other teams ahead of him don’t need a back or have larger holes to fill.
by Imran Tahir,
1/12/08. Junior
RB Darren McFadden has decided to leave school early, and enter the NFL
Draft. This decision has obviously been anticipated for quite some time
now, ever since the conclusion of McFadden’s ground-breaking Sophomore
season, which saw the home-grown phenom rush for well over 1,600 yards
(at 5.8 yards/carry) and 14 TD’s. Included within these statistics were
several 50-80 yard runs, wherein McFadden showcased unbelievable raw
speed and open-field explosiveness that quickly caught the eyes of NFL
Scouts and GM’s alike. Amidst heightened expectations, McFadden
followed his 2006 campaign with a 2007 season to remember, recording a
school-record 1,830 yards rushing (at 5.6 yards/carry) to go along with
16 TD’s. McFadden’s characteristic 50-80 yard runs were abundantly
present once again this past season, and he leaves the Razorback
football program with, amongst other things, the all-time school record
for career rushing yards, as well as two straight Doak Walker Awards
(given annually to the nation’s top RB), and consecutive 2nd place
finishes in voting for the Heisman Trophy. At 6’2,” McFadden possesses
an elite-level frame for a tailback, and his versatility at the RB
position is almost unparalleled in recent collegiate memory. Indeed,
aside from taking handoffs, McFadden has proven extraordinarily
effective at catching passes out of the backfield, taking direct snaps
from center, and returning kickoffs. What is even more amazing about
McFadden’s productivity and all-around play is the fact that he has
ceded a considerable number of carries over the last 3 seasons to his
talented teammate, Junior RB Felix Jones (who may still declare for the
2008 Draft himself). As a heady and team-oriented football player,
McFadden is sure to garner rave reviews during the pre-Draft process,
while standing a very real chance to record a 40-yard dash time in the
4.35 range, if not better. While both trade possibilities and ongoing
front-office personnel and coaching changes make the top of the 2008
Draft a difficult one to forecast, make no mistake about it folks:
Darren McFadden is one of the top-3 prospects available in this year's
Draft.
Michael
Abromowitz's 2008 NFL
Mock
Draft
Gregory Cox's 2008
NFL Mock Draft
Paul Eide's 2008 NFL
Mock Draft
Jared
Donnelly's 2008 NFL Mock
Draft
Mock
Draft Database
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