Perhaps I am dating myself here, but let me give a brief comparison I will make to these 2 great running backs, though their college careers are separated by about 50 years.
Calvin Hill played for Yale. He had incredible skills and was highly regarded both on and off the field. He ended up being the first Ivy League player ever taken in Round 1 of the draft- in 1969 and to the Dallas Cowboys.
Hill had a solid first year, winning Rookie of the Year. I would only go as far as calling it solid, because Hill often got injured. And how did he get hurt- trying to leap over defenders. Vertical jumps were not measured before the draft back in those days, but Hill was an outstanding jumper on the Yale track team. He certainly would have exceeded 40 inches in the vertical if tested (just like Barkley).
The flaw in Hill's game was his frequency to try to jump over defenders. When a running back tries to leap over a defender he is taking away all of the strength in his lower half, and subjecting himself to injury.
This continued for Hill's first few years in the League. I am sure his Cowboy coaches discussed it, but his career didn't really take off until 1972,73, and 74. (He actually tore his ACL against the Giants in 71). What changed to make Hill a better player-he finally stopping trying to leap over defenders.
I have watched quite a bit of Saquon Barkley, and have seen MANY games in which he tries to leap over a defender-some tape its more than once a game. He has done it successfully and has not been injured. But college is not the pros, and it can be hard to break a bad habit.
I think Barkley is going to be an outstanding pro-but I will throw out that one concern-this is the NFL, and while some of these leaps look great on the highlight reel, the risk to injury and conceding of all your lower core strength make it a poor decision by an NFL running back.
It took Calvin Hill several years to overcome the bad habit, and he was a much better player when it stopped. Hill learned the hard way the detriment to leaping.
Fair comparison of Hill to Barkley. Only time will tell.
Just one fans perspective.
Big trouble!
Barkley is a football player 1st
I could be wrong.
He was a totally different type of runner than Barkley
Hill looked like he was 10’ tall all legs and he enjoyed running over people
He was fast but not necessarily quick
Or is the point that everyone who leaps will have a similar career to Hill? I honestly am not sure what you are trying to say.
I can certainly imagine that the coaches at Penn State mentioned this, yet I probably saw even more of it in his final season.
Would I draft Barkley-absolutely.
My point is that 50 years ago Calvin Hill was a generational athlete. Today Saquon Barkley is a generational athlete. Sometimes they think they can do anything physically.
It worked for Hill in college-but not in the pros-until his 4th season and changing his game.
The last thing you need is a first round draft pick to get hurt because of a leap.
Remember the Giants drafted David Wilson. Another incredible athlete. In 2015, the Giants passed on Todd Gurley and Melvin Gordon and took Flowers because they had David Wilson (not criticizing that move at the time because they and didn't need a running back). And then what happened?
Nobody can predict injuries, but coaches need to take steps to avoid them.
If we can all agree that a running back leaving his feet is a bad idea, that we can all agree that its a bad habit we can hope Barkley will overcome.
Every down back. Could carry a team.
And ignoring other significant deficiencies, notably an almost total lack of vision, what was foreseeable, and virtually inevitable, happened.
Sayers was about 30 pounds lighter than Barkley.
Barkley is a bit shorter, but almost the same weight Jim Brown was.
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How about a comparison to Gale Sayers?
Sayers was about 30 pounds lighter than Barkley.
Barkley is a bit shorter, but almost the same weight Jim Brown was.
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In comment 13925053 Milton said:
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How about a comparison to Gale Sayers?
Sayers was about 30 pounds lighter than Barkley.
Barkley is a bit shorter, but almost the same weight Jim Brown was.
Everybody was lighter then. And it's not like Barkley runs over people. I'm no scout, but Barkley is certainly a lot more like Gale Sayers than Jim Brown.
Barkley usually ELECTS not to try to run over tacklers. But yes, disregarding a few other similarities other than weight between Barkley and Brown, Sayers' and Barkley's style have quite a few similarities.
Seems like he's built to take a pounding inside and can be used everywhere else.
Seems like he's built to take a pounding inside and can be used everywhere else.
He avoids contact to the extent possible.
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A lot of media is reporting that Barkley isn't really an inside the tackle runner... I'm wondering why? Is that because he just didn't do it much in college or can't. He's 6'0 230 pounds. That's what Zeke is. Peterson was 6'1 220.
Seems like he's built to take a pounding inside and can be used everywhere else.
He avoids contact to the extent possible.
I have really only seen highlights. Didn't watch many Penn State games
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In comment 13925060 TC said:
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In comment 13925053 Milton said:
Quote:
How about a comparison to Gale Sayers?
Sayers was about 30 pounds lighter than Barkley.
Barkley is a bit shorter, but almost the same weight Jim Brown was.
Everybody was lighter then. And it's not like Barkley runs over people. I'm no scout, but Barkley is certainly a lot more like Gale Sayers than Jim Brown.
Barkley usually ELECTS not to try to run over tacklers. But yes, disregarding a few other similarities other than weight between Barkley and Brown, Sayers' and Barkley's style have quite a few similarities.
That is going to be difficult in the NFL with the defensive closing speed.
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In comment 13925065 Milton said:
Quote:
In comment 13925060 TC said:
Quote:
In comment 13925053 Milton said:
Quote:
How about a comparison to Gale Sayers?
Sayers was about 30 pounds lighter than Barkley.
Barkley is a bit shorter, but almost the same weight Jim Brown was.
Everybody was lighter then. And it's not like Barkley runs over people. I'm no scout, but Barkley is certainly a lot more like Gale Sayers than Jim Brown.
Barkley usually ELECTS not to try to run over tacklers. But yes, disregarding a few other similarities other than weight between Barkley and Brown, Sayers' and Barkley's style have quite a few similarities.
That is going to be difficult in the NFL with the defensive closing speed.
I think so too. But I suspect he'll adapt his running style. He seems to have a high football IQ, and awareness of his strengths, and to select among them what he thinks best suits a particular run. Le'veon Bell is another bigger RB whose running style in school sought to minimize contact, but he's become much more aggressive in the pro's.
A scat ack in a fullback/H-back body. Wtf?
And ignoring other significant deficiencies, notably an almost total lack of vision, what was foreseeable, and virtually inevitable, happened.
Not like we completely telegraphed our pick, got jumped by TB, panicked and made a panicky reach pick. Smh.
Neither outcome would surprise me
As insightful as it is timely and relevant.
Thrill compares Barkley to the Galloping Ghost Red Grange.