InvaderRam wrote:

just want to add one more thing. people talk about how gurley is a once in a decade type running back…

well. gurley had a teammate at georgia – freshman running back nick chubb.

some were whispering last year that he might be BETTER than gurley.

so… take that for what it’s worth. he put up some mighty impressive numbers behind the same line. early heisman candidate.

What do you (and others too) like about Gurley? I have my own opinions (I liked the pick instantly)…it’s just fun to hear.

..

i’ll leave film analysis to mack and others. mine is more of a cheerleader type response.

i always go back to steven jackson. he was the unquestioned talisman for the offense. he set a physical tone from the start. he was going to punish the defense. he was going to get up and he was going to do it again. he was relentless. but more than that he was also an explosive playmaker at his prime. he could bust long runs. he didn’t just grind out the tough yards. he made plays that could change the game in an instant.

even in his last year here. even when he was a shell of his former self. we all saw it. we saw that physicality. even if he could no longer produce the explosive plays. he provided that physicality.

but more than that. he was versatile. he was a very good receiver of the ball. he could go inside. he could go outside. there were so many ways steven could attack you. and an underrated skill of his was pass pro. he did the dirty work to help out his teammates. he realized the importance of giving up yourself for the team.

that’s what i believe gurley will bring to the table. he’s got it all. he can run inside. he can run outside. he can break a defenses will by churning out first downs. but equally by taking it to the house. his receiving skills are said to be top notch. he’s got big soft hands. he can run routes. he’s great after the catch.

and like mack said, i was pleased to hear him say pass protection was the first thing he needed to work on as a professional. he knows he can run. he knows he can catch. but he also recognizes that the nfl is a different game. it’s a passing league. and he needs to do his part to keep his qb clean.

he also protects the ball. everyone should watch the waldman piece on gurley. one of the first things he harps on is gurley’s fundamentals. how he holds the ball high and tight. the one thing that worries me about mason is his tendency to fumble the football. not with gurley. he’s got 10″ mitts. he takes care of the ball. he pays attention to the small things.

again. fixing the offensive line was important. not trying to minimize that. but maybe more important than that was establishing an identity. they not only got a blue chip playmaker. they established an identity for this offense in much the same way jackson did when he was here.

does he get caught from behind? gurley that is.

i read somewhere that he beat chris conley in a 40 yard dash. conley ran a 4.35 at this combine. no idea what it is post surgery.

as far as style he reminds me of edgerrin james. similar body type. edgerrin was a little smaller. but yeah. watching the both of them run. very similar. that comparison came from a charlie casserly interview on nfl network.

in the post-draft interview i think he said that he admires cj spiller. don’t know if he tries to emulate him.

i wanted hundley instead of mannion. but perhaps a risk the rams were unwilling to take.

i hated the havenstein pick the moment it was made. i prefer linemen with versatility. this guy is a one position pony. but the more i read about him the more excited i get. character seems through the roof. a naturally big guy. hard worker. nasty. i keep thinking jon runyan. a nice complement to robinson on the other side. we got some mean nasty bookends now. i like it.

i like the brown pick too. i think he sounds like an excellent guard prospect although i think he’s a year away at least.

http://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2010/2/12/1307175/torn-acl-success-stories

i also want to note that jamal lewis tore his lateral collateral ligament in college.

also. with willis mcgahee. he tore the acl, pcl, and mcl his last game in college. a much more serious injury.

i’ll be wondering/worrying about gurley’s knee for the next eight years… and that’s the BEST case scenario…

more

http://mattwaldmanrsp.com/2015/02/05/todd-gurley/

this was posted awhile back. but i thought i’d repost it considering he is now a RAM!

i really do think gurley is the risk.

i had posted about it a couple months ago. hoping that it would happen but telling myself that the smart play was drafting an olineman. but when scherff went off the board. and with what la’el collins is going through. it suddenly looked like a real possibility.

i think he’s got the potential to be better than steven jackson was. i really do. and i loved steven. he’s got to learn pass pro from what i’ve read. but he’s got everything else. he can run for power. he can get the tough yards. but then he can bust the big plays. he can catch the ball. he’s potentially a guy that defenses have to scheme against. and the rams did not have that before this draft. i think tre mason can be a very good back. but i don’t see him as a guy who can make his teammates look better. i know that phrase is tossed around a lot. but i believe it to be true about gurley. he’ll make that offensive line look better. he’ll make his qb and wrs look better. imagine this guy as a safety valve. with his speed and his power?

and most importantly with a dominant running game. that defense is gonna be fresh and rested. the dline is gonna get after those qbs. williams will be coming up with schemes to get turnovers.

well. that’s the idea anyway.

hmmm… maybe they shoulda took a flyer on collins?

there’s a lot of beef on that offensive line. their guards and tackles will probably all weigh over 320 pounds at least.

i think they’ve at least gained on the 9ers. not sure about the cardinals. still have a long way to go to catch the seahawks.

but i think they could finish second.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 6 months ago by InvaderRam.

sounds like he can step right in and start from day 1.

what i like most is hearing and reading about his demeanor. sounds like a fisher right tackle. loving this pick more and more.

Mackeyser wrote:

No, Brown isn’t Robinson raw, but he’s not the athlete that Robinson is, either.

I really like him at RG. Almost good enough feet for ROT, good enough length and certainly nasty enough.

The combo of Brown and Havenstein fits this team to a T.

the personality of this offense with guys like gurley, robinson, havenstein, and brown is really taking shape. for the first time since fisher took over i see a physical offense. or at least the potential. wow first two days all spent on offense. who woulda thunk?

i was thinking jon runyan when i was reading about havenstein.

cameron erving was second on my want list. i really like that guy.

one other thing about gurley. i think they have big plans for him in the passing game. i don’t think that can be ignored. everything i’ve read about him is that he’s a great route runner. he’s got big strong hands – 10″!!!

he’s also got explosive playmaking ability. i compare him to steven jackson. but even he didn’t have that ability to take it to the house on any given play that gurley does.

mason? i worry about his ability to take care of the ball. he had fumbling problems in college. i’m not sure he can carry a full load by himself. i am excited about he and gurley splitting carries. especially in an offense as run heavy as i expect this offense to be.