Why no Jacobs?
...posted by David Jacks...
Newsday’s, Wallace Mathews, takes a look back at Brandon Jacobs and the 2005 draft.
10 other running backs were selected before the baby Rhinoceros, every team in the league passed up on him, almost 3 times. Here is your VH1 list of “Where are they now.”
1) Miami selected Ronnie Brown in the first round, 2nd overall. Brown is the starter for the Dolphins and currently has 605 rushing yards. Coincidentally it was Ronnie Brown and Cadillac Williams who forced Jacobs to transfer from Auburn after the Tigers asked him to try out a new position. Fortunately Jacobs turned them down and continued his college career as a half back.
2) Chicago selected Cedric Benson in the first round, 4th overall. He was cut by Bears; signed by Bengals after having issues on and off the field.
3) Tampa Bay selected Carnell “Cadiallac” Williams in the first round, 5 overall. He has yet to play in ‘08. With Earnest Graham going down Tampa Bay is desperate for him to return.
4) Arizona selected J.J. Arrington in the second round, 44th overall. He is currently Tim Hightower’s backup. The Cardinals have a history of drafting poorly at the running back spot. Thomas Jones, and Michael Pittman have flourished elsewhere but were unable to be major contributors in Arizona. I think they finally have a keeper in Tim Hightower. But I digress.
5) Carolina selected Eric Shelton in the second round, 54th overall. He is currently not in the league. Due to this fact I refuse to bold his name…in thee face Shelton…now I feel bad…sorry Eric Shelton.
6) San Francisco selected Frank Gore in the 3rd round, 65th overall. He is currently seventh in NFL in rushing, and if he ever gets a team behind him Gore will get more recognition from people other then fantasy nerds like myself. He is a great runner and phenomenal out of the backfield as well. He is one of only two backs in this class that you can compare with Jacobs.
7) Houston selected Vernand Morencyin the 3rd round, 73rd overall. He is currently not in the league. This seems like a mistake, not that he isn’t in the league, but that he was selected in the 3rd round.
8) Philadelphia selected Ryan Moats in the 3rd round, 77th overall. He is currently a backup with Texans, and I believe his only big game came against big blue.
9) Denver selected Maurice Clarett in the 3rd round, 101 overall. He was recently sentenced to a 7 1/2-year prison term. Seems like a poor selection.
10) Dallas selected Marion Barber III in the 4th rounds, 109thoverall. He is currently ninthin NFL in rushing. Barber was a great find for the Cowboys and he, along with Gore, are the only two backs worth comparingto Jacobs. Barber plays with a similar tenacity to Jacobs, and along with Jacobs has to be one of the toughest backs in the league.
Just some food for thought on the players day off. As fellow writer Rich Resch points out I should probably include Ronnie Brown in the debate, but I didn’t, because I once saw him in a bar and we got into a fight. And by Ronnie Brown I mean some girl wearing a Cowboy jersey. And by fight I mean we made out…quit judging I still hate the Cowboys.
Although, notwithstanding Ronnie Brown who has been up and down for my fantasy team, there are a few great backs in this draft. Giants made out great, but Cowboys did great as well (and I am not happy about that). Living in SF, I’d take Gore over all of them. He is the total package. I watch alot of the Niners, and this guy gets 100 rushing, 50-75 receiving every week, and that is without an offensive line, QB or receivers to stop the defense from keying in him.
BJ is a monster by any measure, too bad he has hands like Patrick Ewing!