Heard in the Cheap Seats

Throw out the 4.3 40-yard dash. Throw out the prototypical running back size. In fact, throw out all his combine numbers-Darren McFadden is not the best running back in this draft.

I firmly believe that it is more important to watch how a player dominates a game than if he dominates a game. Does he play the game intelligently? Does he make his teammates better? Does he possess a drive superior to his counterparts? Or, is he just a man playing amongst a bunch of boys?

Every so often, there comes along an athlete so superior that he can dominate a game based solely on his athletic prowess. Darren McFadden was that athlete in college. When he gets to the NFL, he won’t be able to rely solely on his speed. To be a top-shelf back in the NFL, speed is only one portion of the complex equation. And while McFadden seemingly posses all of the attributes, it warrants closer consideration. Was McFadden’s dominance merely a product of his athletic prowess, or does he also possess the innate abilities required to succeed at the next level?

As you probably have figured out by now, I believe Darren McFadden has succeeded based on athletic prowess alone. Watch his tape closely. He runs far too high, which will inevitably get him punished in the NFL. His upper body is incredibly strong, but his legs are not powerful. He has moderate patience for his position, but often reverts to relying on his speed to outrun defenders. This won’t suffice in the NFL.

I think Darren McFadden will be a productive player in the NFL-but that production won’t warrant the first pick in the NFL draft. In fact, I think his teammate at Arkansas, Felix Jones, will wind up the better NFL running back.