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re: Russell Shepard as an eventual replacement for Sproles?
Posted on 11/16/12 at 10:25 am to Suntiger
Posted on 11/16/12 at 10:25 am to Suntiger
Late rounder would be welcome I think.
CSP could actually put him on the field where he could excell. Seems to be that "our kinda guy" the Saints draft.
CSP could actually put him on the field where he could excell. Seems to be that "our kinda guy" the Saints draft.
This post was edited on 11/16/12 at 10:25 am
Posted on 11/16/12 at 10:30 am to Fearthehat0307
quote:This. There are a thousand Russel Shepards out there and no one is starting threads for those guys.
if he didnt play for lsu this thread would never have been even remotely close to existing as a thought in someone's brain
Posted on 11/16/12 at 10:35 am to xxKylexx
Sproles under contract for 2 more years. He's 29 and a tough MFer. I could see him playing past 35 like Kevin Faulk (5-8 202). So replacemen talk is premature IMO.
Wouldn't mind Sheppard in camp as a UDFA but the way we have been gushing in RBs I can't see a draft pick for another right now.
You guys notice Joique Bell in Detroit?
193yds 4.4ypc
30 catches 10.4yds avg
2 TDs
Wouldn't mind Sheppard in camp as a UDFA but the way we have been gushing in RBs I can't see a draft pick for another right now.
You guys notice Joique Bell in Detroit?
193yds 4.4ypc
30 catches 10.4yds avg
2 TDs
Posted on 11/16/12 at 10:48 am to SJS Eagle 85
quote:
This. There are a thousand Russel Shepards out there and no one is starting threads for those guys.
Who are they then? Who is the next Reggie Bush/Darren Sproles for this offense.
Posted on 11/16/12 at 11:04 am to Suntiger
What in the frick has shep shown in college to show you he'll replace a sproles like player? Sproles single handily beat an undefeated oklahoma team in 2003. Do you ever see Shep doing something like that against an undefeated, clear cut number 1 team?
Posted on 11/16/12 at 11:10 am to Suntiger
He's still in high school.
Comparing Shepard to the nfl record holder for all purpose yards and one of the best college football players ever is laughable.
Comparing Shepard to the nfl record holder for all purpose yards and one of the best college football players ever is laughable.
Posted on 11/16/12 at 11:18 am to TigerBait1127
We need MORE running backs!
Seriously, sun, good troll.
You had me.
Seriously, sun, good troll.
You had me.
Posted on 11/16/12 at 11:22 am to Suntiger
quote:
Who are they then?
You want me to list the rest of the high caliber scatback RB recruits coming out of highschool?
Posted on 11/16/12 at 11:31 am to Breesus
On "after further review" yesterday, moscona suggested Russell Shepard could be a Courtney Roby type player at the next level. I might tend to agree with that. Special teams guy and 5th receiver.
Posted on 11/16/12 at 11:35 am to motorbreath
quote:He's not even the 5th best receiver on his college team.
Special teams guy and 5th receiver.
Posted on 11/16/12 at 11:47 am to SJS Eagle 85
Ok nitpicker. Special teams guy and occasional action at receiver.
Posted on 11/16/12 at 11:56 am to motorbreath
He can barely even make a fricking catch in college.
Posted on 11/16/12 at 11:59 am to motorbreath
since the discussion continues and I'm in the draftaholic corner I will throw out my top Sproles-like prospect:
Andre Ellington Clemson
some scouting report info-
Size: At 5’9 190lbs, the diminutive Andre Ellington has a nice compact build with a fairly low center of gravity. With that said, he does lack prototypical size to be considered an every down back at the next level. The Clemson coaching staff has expressed concerns regarding Ellington’s durability as he has shared carries for the better part of his collegiate career.
It appears he’s been able to take on a larger workload this season, but he has routinely struggled with general soreness following games. It is possible that his tendency for getting banged up week in and week out could be directly correlated to his lack of ideal size.
Speed: One of Ellington’s greatest attributes is his speed. It’s evident that he has very good speed as he routinely outruns angles in the secondary. Ellington also takes the edge with ease on outside runs. I fully expect Ellington to run anywhere from 4.39-4.44 in the 40 yard dash for NFL scouts.
Quickness: Ellington is very sudden and possesses outstanding burst. His big plays are often times a byproduct of his above average start and stop ability and change of direction. Ellington’s quickness enables him to freeze defenders in space and accelerate by them. His quickness and long speed work in tandem with one another to make him a true “Homerun Hitter”.
Receiving: Ellington shows natural hands in the screen game, however he tends to struggle catching the football on crossing patterns. His drops on crossing patterns seem to be due to bad hand positioning when attempting to haul the ball in. Ellington also has difficulty catching the football away from his core.
While he could certainly stand to be more consistent as a pass catcher, he is not featured in the passing game nearly as often as I’d like to see. The sheer fact that there is a small sample size in terms of targets and completions, gives me hope that he will only improve in this area as he prepares for the next level.
Blocking: As a smaller back, Ellington is certainly a willing blocker and has proven that he will put his body on the line to keep his Quarterback upright. He shows solid technique w/ the exception of his tendency to lunge at defenders. He attempts to stalemate his man in the hole, however he simply does not have enough size or strength to be anything more than a chip/cut guy at this point in his career. When he attempts to block straight up, defenders often make quick work of him as he simply doesn’t pose much of a challenge in this area.
Reading Blocks: As I alluded to earlier, Ellington has a great feel for pursuit and setting up his blocks along the perimeter, but he has yet to master this when it comes to interior runs. Instead of pressing the hole on interior runs and forcing defenders to commit to him while remaining patient; he at times buries his head into the back of his lineman which has a negative impact on his ability to maximize yardage.
Vision: Ellington runs with outstanding vision on outside runs as he consistently sites cutback lanes from the outside in, however he has difficulty recognizing creases in the defense from the inside out. One good thing about this is that Ellington does not bounce many plays to the outside, as he is disciplined enough to stick with the design of inside run calls. With that said he does not exercise the necessary patience and vision to consistently recognize cutback lanes on plays that originate from the interior.
Carrying/handling vs. fumbling: I certainly have an appreciation for the way Ellington carries the football. Ellington carries the football high and tight, which certainly helps, considering his frame. Upon watching a couple of Ellington’s fumbles, one thing that stood out to me is that while he’s fundamentally sound as far as his ball-handling is concerned, he still managed to cough up the football.
I’m curious as to whether this can be attributed to hand size, or lack of functional strength. Ellington must also make a concerted effort to protect the football when he feels pursuit coming from the backside. Overall, I have confidence in Ellington’s ability to carry the football without making the “big mistake”.
Injuries: Ellington missed time in 2011 with an ankle injury and he battled turf toe in 2010. While he hasn’t had any major injuries, Ellington has also suffered from what many coaches call “Running Back body”. Running Back body is essentially general soreness associated with the pounding Running Backs take on a weekly basis. Ellington’s body has been slow to respond. His recovery time has been a concern of the Clemson coaching staff which is why they believe it is important to get guys like Roderick McDowell, DJ Howard and Sammy Watkins involved in the run game.
Character: Ellington came to Clemson as a young kid with much to learn. While he had much to learn, he was fortunate to have leaders such as James Davis and CJ Spiller who taught him to become a better student in the classroom and a better student of the game. Ellington is now considered a leader and tone setter for his team. His coaching staff thinks a lot of him, calling him their biggest offseason recruit after he toyed with the idea of entering the 2012 NFL draft. Ellington’s teammates and coaches are ecstatic to have him back.
Overall: Due to Ellington’s outstanding speed, acceleration and better than advertised balance, he will be utilized primarily as an edge rusher at the next level. Ellington is working hard to prove his doubters wrong in terms of his ability to catch the football and I’m willing to bet he will improve his hands significantly.
While Ellington is a student of the game, and he is well aware of his blocking assignments in pass protection, he simply is no match when attempting to stalemate oncoming pass rushers. Ellington is currently a two down player with an outside shot of developing into an every down back. Ellington will be much better served as a change of pace RB that gets anywhere from 10-15 carries a game; especially early in his NFL career.
Ellington’s athleticism at the position will be highly coveted come April. I truly believe he may achieve a David Wilson like grade and could be selected anywhere from late round 1 to mid round 2. Teams like the Bengals, Browns and Redskins could greatly benefit from a player like Ellington.
there
Andre Ellington Clemson
some scouting report info-
Size: At 5’9 190lbs, the diminutive Andre Ellington has a nice compact build with a fairly low center of gravity. With that said, he does lack prototypical size to be considered an every down back at the next level. The Clemson coaching staff has expressed concerns regarding Ellington’s durability as he has shared carries for the better part of his collegiate career.
It appears he’s been able to take on a larger workload this season, but he has routinely struggled with general soreness following games. It is possible that his tendency for getting banged up week in and week out could be directly correlated to his lack of ideal size.
Speed: One of Ellington’s greatest attributes is his speed. It’s evident that he has very good speed as he routinely outruns angles in the secondary. Ellington also takes the edge with ease on outside runs. I fully expect Ellington to run anywhere from 4.39-4.44 in the 40 yard dash for NFL scouts.
Quickness: Ellington is very sudden and possesses outstanding burst. His big plays are often times a byproduct of his above average start and stop ability and change of direction. Ellington’s quickness enables him to freeze defenders in space and accelerate by them. His quickness and long speed work in tandem with one another to make him a true “Homerun Hitter”.
Receiving: Ellington shows natural hands in the screen game, however he tends to struggle catching the football on crossing patterns. His drops on crossing patterns seem to be due to bad hand positioning when attempting to haul the ball in. Ellington also has difficulty catching the football away from his core.
While he could certainly stand to be more consistent as a pass catcher, he is not featured in the passing game nearly as often as I’d like to see. The sheer fact that there is a small sample size in terms of targets and completions, gives me hope that he will only improve in this area as he prepares for the next level.
Blocking: As a smaller back, Ellington is certainly a willing blocker and has proven that he will put his body on the line to keep his Quarterback upright. He shows solid technique w/ the exception of his tendency to lunge at defenders. He attempts to stalemate his man in the hole, however he simply does not have enough size or strength to be anything more than a chip/cut guy at this point in his career. When he attempts to block straight up, defenders often make quick work of him as he simply doesn’t pose much of a challenge in this area.
Reading Blocks: As I alluded to earlier, Ellington has a great feel for pursuit and setting up his blocks along the perimeter, but he has yet to master this when it comes to interior runs. Instead of pressing the hole on interior runs and forcing defenders to commit to him while remaining patient; he at times buries his head into the back of his lineman which has a negative impact on his ability to maximize yardage.
Vision: Ellington runs with outstanding vision on outside runs as he consistently sites cutback lanes from the outside in, however he has difficulty recognizing creases in the defense from the inside out. One good thing about this is that Ellington does not bounce many plays to the outside, as he is disciplined enough to stick with the design of inside run calls. With that said he does not exercise the necessary patience and vision to consistently recognize cutback lanes on plays that originate from the interior.
Carrying/handling vs. fumbling: I certainly have an appreciation for the way Ellington carries the football. Ellington carries the football high and tight, which certainly helps, considering his frame. Upon watching a couple of Ellington’s fumbles, one thing that stood out to me is that while he’s fundamentally sound as far as his ball-handling is concerned, he still managed to cough up the football.
I’m curious as to whether this can be attributed to hand size, or lack of functional strength. Ellington must also make a concerted effort to protect the football when he feels pursuit coming from the backside. Overall, I have confidence in Ellington’s ability to carry the football without making the “big mistake”.
Injuries: Ellington missed time in 2011 with an ankle injury and he battled turf toe in 2010. While he hasn’t had any major injuries, Ellington has also suffered from what many coaches call “Running Back body”. Running Back body is essentially general soreness associated with the pounding Running Backs take on a weekly basis. Ellington’s body has been slow to respond. His recovery time has been a concern of the Clemson coaching staff which is why they believe it is important to get guys like Roderick McDowell, DJ Howard and Sammy Watkins involved in the run game.
Character: Ellington came to Clemson as a young kid with much to learn. While he had much to learn, he was fortunate to have leaders such as James Davis and CJ Spiller who taught him to become a better student in the classroom and a better student of the game. Ellington is now considered a leader and tone setter for his team. His coaching staff thinks a lot of him, calling him their biggest offseason recruit after he toyed with the idea of entering the 2012 NFL draft. Ellington’s teammates and coaches are ecstatic to have him back.
Overall: Due to Ellington’s outstanding speed, acceleration and better than advertised balance, he will be utilized primarily as an edge rusher at the next level. Ellington is working hard to prove his doubters wrong in terms of his ability to catch the football and I’m willing to bet he will improve his hands significantly.
While Ellington is a student of the game, and he is well aware of his blocking assignments in pass protection, he simply is no match when attempting to stalemate oncoming pass rushers. Ellington is currently a two down player with an outside shot of developing into an every down back. Ellington will be much better served as a change of pace RB that gets anywhere from 10-15 carries a game; especially early in his NFL career.
Ellington’s athleticism at the position will be highly coveted come April. I truly believe he may achieve a David Wilson like grade and could be selected anywhere from late round 1 to mid round 2. Teams like the Bengals, Browns and Redskins could greatly benefit from a player like Ellington.
there
Posted on 11/16/12 at 12:07 pm to blueslover
I'll skip my career to read this.
Posted on 11/16/12 at 12:26 pm to Hoodoo Man
quote:THIS.
We need MORE running backs!
Maybe we can take him as a CB (and that's only a half-joke, as that's where Shep should be playing).
Posted on 11/16/12 at 1:13 pm to Suntiger
No.
You better have incredible hands to take away touches from anyone on this Saints team.. especially not being a true wide receiver target.. and I don't believe Shep does.
Sproles doesn't really deserve to have anyone compared to him. He's incredible all around.
You better have incredible hands to take away touches from anyone on this Saints team.. especially not being a true wide receiver target.. and I don't believe Shep does.
Sproles doesn't really deserve to have anyone compared to him. He's incredible all around.
Posted on 11/16/12 at 1:15 pm to blueslover
Yes I agree a guy more like short and compact with better hands is more of a Sproles-like player.
I still don't understand why Shep hasn't established himself in the return game.. considering that is a very lacking position this season and he isn't even the guy there.
I still don't understand why Shep hasn't established himself in the return game.. considering that is a very lacking position this season and he isn't even the guy there.
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