One of my favorite parts of the NFL Draft is finding a
player who will be drafted in the third round or later and turn out to be a
star. Last year it was running back Alfred Morris, drafted in the 6th
round by the Washington Redskins. Morris finished the 2012 season second in the
NFL with 1,613 rushing yards and second in the league with 13 rushing
touchdowns. I am not saying that this player will be a star in 2013 but I
believe he will be a Pro Bowler in years to come. Stanford running back Stepfan
Taylor reminds me a lot of 49ers running back Frank Gore. Taylor and Gore are
both 5’9” and weight almost exactly the same at around 215 pounds. Also Taylor’s
running style compares a lot to the 4-time Pro Bowler Gore.
Stepfan
appeared in every game in his freshman year but only ran for 303 yards because
he was backing up Toby Gerhart, who would go on to finish second in the Heisman
voting. Throughout his next three years at Stanford, Taylor became one of the
most consistent running backs in college football and durable, never missing a
game in his four years with the Cardinal. Taylor rushed for 1,137 yards his sophomore
season, 1,330 his junior year, and finished 10th in the nation last
year with 1,530 yards. In his three BCS bowl appearances, Taylor ran for 379
yards and three touchdowns. His 4,300 career rushing yards set the all-time career
record at Stanford and his 45 career touchdowns are also a school record. He
also had 21 games with over 100 rushing yards, a school record.
I have seen
Taylor being taken in mock drafts anywhere from the third round to the sixth.
If he is taken anywhere between the third and the sixth, it will be a steal for
the team that gets him. Taylor is not going to flash you with his running style
but he finds ways to get open holes. Whether he waits for an open hole or runs
over opposing defenders, Taylor has the tools to have a long illustrious career
in the NFL. He is not afraid of contact and one of his weaknesses is that he
cuts off blockers in order to hit an opposing defender. He also excels in the
screen game and is a good pass blocker. Taylor also does what any running back
should do and that is fight for the extra yard.
Gore was
taken in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft and became the 49ers starting
running back in his second season. Another interesting note is that Gore and
Taylor ran the same 40-yard dash time, 4.59 in their pro days. A couple of
teams that I can see Taylor fitting with are the Pittsburgh Steelers, San
Francisco 49ers, and the New York Giants.
Stepfan
Taylor along with 253 other players will be getting drafted this weekend.
Although he will most likely not be a starter in his rookie year, he will
become one of the NFL’s most reliable running backs in the years to come.
image was used from stanforddaily.com
I like Jesse Williams, defensive tackle from Alabama for my steal. He was taken with the 137th pick (5th round) by the Seahawks. He's not a pass rusher, but I think he will quietly be a force against the run. Seattle has good depth on the defensive line so they won't need to keep him in there on passing downs. He was a force for Alabama with his biggest struggles coming against double teams - something he won't see on a line with Red Bryant, the newly added Cliff Avril, Brandon Mebane and, eventually, Chris Clemons when he returns.
ReplyDeleteAs for Taylor, I also think he will be a good player. He's a good blocker and receiver, and I think he will get a chance to see the field for the Cardinals. I'm not as high on his vision as you are and I don't know if his career will be "illustrious," but I see him being a serviceable player at least.
Good read, I enjoyed it. Finally found another sports blog besides my own on Blogger!