Jonathan Taylor is your 1.01 now.

[ItsHandsomeDave]

Who is the DH you included as a bust? Derrick henry the NFL rushing champ and number 3 fantasy RB?

also taylor caught more balls than swift, it's a myth he can't be used in the passing game

Henderson.

I'm pretty much captain of the "DON'T DRAFT HENEDERSON IN THE FIRST ROUND" club, but even I think it's ridiculous to call him a bust, especially now that Gurley has left

Say that after the draft. I fully expect them to draft a RB.

Im tryng to move Henderson everywhere I can, maybe he comes good this year but he can do it on someone elses roster

[FantasyFreak]

Henderson.

I'm pretty much captain of the "DON'T DRAFT HENEDERSON IN THE FIRST ROUND" club, but even I think it's ridiculous to call him a bust, especially now that Gurley has left

Say that after the draft. I fully expect them to draft a RB.

Im tryng to move Henderson everywhere I can, maybe he comes good this year but he can do it on someone elses roster

Well, they need to add a back to the roster because they lost one, but where is the question. Not to derail the thread, but the Rams don't pick until 52, and also don't have a 5th. They have a lot of other needs, so I don't expect them to spend a lot of capital on a back.

Back to JT. Wisconsin backs typically don't get heavily involved in the passing game, and I think the fact JT didn't play on 3rd downs a lot had more to do with the amount of touches he received than his receiving abilities. He can't be on the field all the time, with how many touches he was receiving in that system on early downs.

[Bot101]

Best post yet

[PR0v3]

The fantasy community has been and still is way higher on Taylor than the draft/scouting community. It is not even clear if Taylor will be the first RB off the board, as many mocks still have him in the round two range.

I do not find this take surprising, given OPs history, as it seems to break from the casual fantasy footballer opinion and fall more in line with the professionals.

I’m always skeptical of commonly held opinions by amateurs that don’t align with the professionals.

So Bucky Brook saying Gurley will be an MVP candidate this year is a lock? He has JT as his RB5. Then again, at the end of February last year, he had Riley Ridley as a first round WR, and a lot of people that weren't involved in his industry sure didn't. I understand what you are saying, but most of these guys lost their jobs years ago as scouts or whatever their role was in an organization, and simply watch film, don't utilize metrics, or any newer and useful form of information. I never hear anything about metrics in the draft scout community. It remains to be seen where Taylor goes, but regardless, he's a lock to be a top 2 round RB, and many players in the 2nd round end up being better than players drafted ahead of them. MT, AJ Brown etc. etc.

The difference with Taylor, compared to a lot of other situations, is analytically, he's an elite prospect. So it will be interesting to see what ends up happening.

I’m not talking about rankings or evaluations, I’m talking about mock drafts and where people think players will go in the draft. I’m not about to anoint a guy as the clear cut, must pick, top option at his position if he’s not viewed the same way by the real NFL.

Obviously we will see come draft time, but currently all indications point to the idea that Taylor isn’t viewed by the real NFL like the way he is by fantasy scouts. If he is, then come draft time there should be no doubt that he will be the first RB selected in the draft and he should go very early.

[MrUbuto]

Best post yet

Haha agreed. I feel like this thread will go 30 or 40 pages deep and this is perfect as the top post.

We even have Henderson somehow in here. We should actually easily hit +100 pages

[Bot101]

Best post yet

Haha agreed. I feel like this thread will go 30 or 40 pages deep and this is perfect as the top post.

We even have Henderson somehow in here. We should actually easily hit +100 pages

Absolutely. I'm a fan of Taylor's, but imma sit this one out and just enjoy

[OhCruelestRanter]

I have a 1.02 in 1QB and two 1.03s in superflex, and I’m really hoping tape-grinders find silly reasons to drop Taylor so he falls to me.

Thank you for your service.

[Jigga94]

I have a 1.02 in 1QB and two 1.03s in superflex, and I’m really hoping tape-grinders find silly reasons to drop Taylor so he falls to me.

Thank you for your service.

Months and months ahead to overthink things

[MEuRaH]

I have a 1.02 in 1QB and two 1.03s in superflex, and I’m really hoping tape-grinders find silly reasons to drop Taylor so he falls to me.

Thank you for your service.

Every year I do a write up. Every year I get someone thanking me because I helped a Ronald Jones or Darrell Henderson fall to them.

You're welcome?

I don't want to speak for someone else, but he didn't say that he had 5 RBs ranked ahead of Taylor. What he did say is that he would not draft Taylor in the top 6 and that he would rather draft someone like Dobbins or a top WR.

This.

JT didn't play on third downs. That doesn't mean he can't.

I never saw him pass block one time in any of the games I watched. I have notes on every other RB I've ever scouted about their pass-blocking ability, which means I've seen it happen at least once. With JT, I don't have any notes. There isn't a single time in a recorded game that JT stayed in to block. Meanwhile there are at least two other RBs on that same team who I watched stay in and block. That's a red flag to me.

It's weird to me that people are focusing in the pass blocking and completely avoiding the other parts of my writeup that mean far more in terms of his value. He has NO technique. None. Zilch. He's big and fast and he has quick feet, but if he has no skills to go along with his traits, then he's JAG at the next level. Where's the stop-and-go footwork that every RB needs to possess? Where did he ever show ability to find cut back lanes? Why can't he keep his hips pointed downfield when he avoids tacklers?

The pass blocking part sucks but that's not an area that's as big a red flag as the other things I've mentioned.

[Pac_Eddy]

I never saw him pass block one time in any of the games I watched.

Now THAT is interesting.

As for his pass pass blocking and footwork, a lot of my valuation of him will be determined by the NFL draft. Thanks for pointing those things out, they're on my radar.

[Johnny B. Goode]

I think it's really unfair to say JT cant catch balls and be a third down back. As another poster mentioned that was the big knock on chubb too. Wisconsin is the absolute definition of a power back system they just don't use RBs that way, and chubb suffered from a similar system.

check the season stats. There is always a RB getting a piece of the receiving pie. It wasn't Taylor, it was some guy you haven't heard of unless you watch the Badgers

That being said I respectfully disagree with the OP. I understand he got it right with a couple guys, but hes also gotten it wrong as well. And it's too early to call Henderson a bust. Having watched a lot of Badger games, he was a man among boys

[Ice]

Glad to hear that I'm not totally alone on a island when I have 3 RBs ranked ahead of Taylor. I don't think he'll bust, but I do prefer others(including CEH) ahead of him. I do have to warn you though that this will be a VERY unpopular take.

FYI
you're not alone in this take.

This class is pretty close in talent. I have Taylor in the 1.8 range and the 4th RB but don't really buy he is overrated. He has a lot of miles on him and may only be a one contract type player but he should impact early. I do think he will be over drafted but he isn't a Trent Richardson type who I thought was the most overvalued RB ever. Pass Pro is a concern so 3rd down work is also a concern but there isn't enough tape to know for sure. There is risk though that he will only be a 2 down back. That is another reason I drop him personally.

I see Swift and Dobbins as the top 2 RB's in this class.

[dynastyninja]

Taylor is still probably my 1.01, but situation is going to play a pretty big role in my RB rankings. Don't fault anyone for having other RBs above him, but he checks my "good enough to keep a job long-term" box.

[DJB]

While I've been on the Dobbins is the best RB in this draft train for a while, I have had JT as the 3rd best, I do have a tough time not taking him in the top 6 like you mentioned Mike.

Had you said top 5 I could be inclined because it likely means you have Akers ranked higher which wouldn't be outrageous.

I love CEH as a prospect hes one of my guys I really like but even I cant put him ahead of JT and I'm assuming hes the 5th guy you have ahead of JT.

I am interested to see where your guys are ranked overall at least up until JT if possible.

I don't want to speak for someone else, but he didn't say that he had 5 RBs ranked ahead of Taylor. What he did say is that he would not draft Taylor in the top 6 and that he would rather draft someone like Dobbins or a top WR.

Yes I was completely assuming and a guess. I figured Jeudy and Lamb are guys he has ahead of him too but again all guess work. It could be Ruggs or anyone elseas well. I'm interested to know what Mike has as his rankings up to Taylor

[DJB]

I never saw him pass block one time in any of the games I watched.

Doesn't mean he can't or is unable to learn . Will it possibly lead him to being only a two down guy year one ? Melvin Gordon had the same issues coming out as well and now he's pretty good 3 down guy.