Rating the state's RB's

[Bullpride08]

LOL, I admit he is very good, but he is not a Heisman candidate as some seem to think on here.

I missed the heisman reference, but most do have some to reference him by and he's great darn good.  We got your opinion when you walked in the door, no need to amplify your point.

[Guest Vanilla Rice]

Unfortunately, unless Hall leads the nation in rushing, I doubt he will be a Heisman contender.  The best running back in the nation this year HANDS DOWN is not Reggie Bush (he isn't even the best RB on his own team....that goes to LenDale White), but it's someone we've seen here the past couple of years.....Memphis's DeAngelo Williams!  He was smart to stay in school another year with all the running backs that were drafted high last year.  He should be the top RB taken in this year's NFL draft.  The knock against Hall as far as NFL potential is that he really isn't that big, and typically for guys that size in the NFL, they want them to be blazers (like DeJuan Green type 4.4 speed).  He has problems holding onto the ball, but that is due to the fact that he is so competitive and he fights for extra yardage.....I like that in a running back.  Sometimes when that happens though, you get the ball taken out.  But Hall is definately one of the top 15 running backs in the nation.  Probably somewhere between 10 and 15.  

[Cubanbull]

I agree he is one of the top 10-15 RBs out there. Deangelo is definetely a very good back.he is the total package.

About the fumble issue with Hall, according to stats he had 5 fumbles in 210 carries last year.Thats about 1 in 40 carries so not too bad.of course a fumble is never good

[Guest Vanilla Rice]

With a productive year like last year, Hall may get drafted.  Probably in the mid to lower rounds.  He doesn't have the size of a DeAngelo Williams or a Ronnie Brown.  Even Cadillac is a little bigger than Andre.  When you are a smaller back, they expect you to be faster.  That is what got DeJuan Green picked up by the Raiders was the fact he could run a 4.4.  Guys with the potential to be drafted this year are Andre and Tim Jones.  Johnnie Jones might make his way into someones camp as a free agent pick up (nice size, but doesn't have the cover skills) and Terrance Royal will have to probably move to linebacker as he's not a very big DE by NFL standards.

[Guest USFPDIDDYguest]

With a productive year like last year, Hall may get drafted.  Probably in the mid to lower rounds.  He doesn't have the size of a DeAngelo Williams or a Ronnie Brown.  Even Cadillac is a little bigger than Andre.  When you are a smaller back, they expect you to be faster.  That is what got DeJuan Green picked up by the Raiders was the fact he could run a 4.4.  Guys with the potential to be drafted this year are Andre and Tim Jones.  Johnnie Jones might make his way into someones camp as a free agent pick up (nice size, but doesn't have the cover skills) and Terrance Royal will have to probably move to linebacker as he's not a very big DE by NFL standards.

I have a feeling Hall will go higher than you expect, probably in the 2nd to 3rd rounds, barring an exceptionally awful or terrific season this year.

Hall is an amazing back who has had above average ypc in every single game he played for USF.  Those were the first team running d's he got most of his yards for vs pitt, usc, and UL.  Hall would be able to play at most bcs schools this season, outside of places like USCal and such.  Miami would take him in a heartbeat, and he'd most likely be the starter in their then-deep rotation.

Hall will not contend for the heisman, however, unless we win about 9-10 games.  You didnt see backs like moats or even michael turner get serious heisman consideration (though they did get noticed), because their teams overall weren't good enough.  There are also top notch receivers at schools like western michigan and so on that will seldom even get their names mentioned, but will have excellent NFL careers.

I'd love USF to win 9-10 games next year.  But unless both our offense and defense have improved big time, it wont happen.

[Guest Vanilla Rice]

For Andre to go second or third round, he should run no slower than a 4.5.  If he runs a 4.4 (which he is not 4.4 speed), he would DEFINATELY go in the second or third round.  Not trying to be a pesimist, but I think he is probably a solid fourth rounder.  Don't forget, running backs are a dime a dozen in the NFL.  Also don't forget, Maurice Jones went undrafted.  I thought Maurice would be a sixth or seventh round pick.  Maurice is a good player.  I think if Tim Jones has a good year, he could be a late round pick.  The thing he has going for him is his size and strength.  

[Bullpride08]

For Andre to go second or third round, he should run no slower than a 4.5.  If he runs a 4.4 (which he is not 4.4 speed), he would DEFINATELY go in the second or third round.  Not trying to be a pesimist, but I think he is probably a solid fourth rounder.  Don't forget, running backs are a dime a dozen in the NFL.  Also don't forget, Maurice Jones went undrafted.  I thought Maurice would be a sixth or seventh round pick.  Maurice is a good player.  I think if Tim Jones has a good year, he could be a late round pick.  The thing he has going for him is his size and strength.  

and versatility since Tim can play either end or down.  

Hall doesn't have that extra gear for the 4.4, but Ricky Ponton does have that speed.  He's a big guy but that kid can run, but Hall's still a much better running back at this point.

[dabull80]

And what team are you scouting for Rice ?  Teams are getting a little smarter these days and the combines help players that are marginal for the NFL and if they post good times then they may be late round take a chance draft pick.  They look at more then times.  But lets get back to the threads subject,  since football is a team sport Hall is the best RB in Fl in a large part because he brings so many intangibles to his team starting with great leadership.  Or would you rather have a hot dog skilled player that really only cares about himself ?

[beastiebull]

Andre was a great back for CUSA - our comp has stepped up however.  I think Andre will do less ypc this year but he may have more yardage if our D can shut some teams down.  An improved passing game will open things up for Andre as well.  You can bet your bottom dollar that defenses will key on him until our passing game forces them to do otherwise.

[Guest Vanilla Rice]

Da Bull 80,

If you knew a little thing or two about football.  You would probably know that the best RB in the state of Florida hands down is Washington out of FSU.  I think outside of the box and know my football.  Sure I'm a Bull's fan, but I automatically don't think everything on the Bulls team is the best in the state.  FSU has one of the best tandems in the country with Washington and Booker.  

As far as NFL goes.  There's also a thing called being a good college player and being a good pro player.  Some players are better college players than pro players and vice versa.  Take Ronnie Brown from Auburn for example.  Many people think his best ball is ahead of him.   Take Danny Wuerfull.  Perhaps the greatest college QB ever to come out of the state of Florida and the southeast, but not a very succesful pro player.  Wuerful was better than Peyton Manning in college but obviously Manning is having a better pro career.  My point is, don't get caught up to much into what a player does in college.  If you knew anything about scouting and evaluating a player, you would know that.  Hall is an excellent college player.  Will that translate to an excellent pro player?  I don't know and know one does.  Like recruiting, scouting isn't an exact science.  But here are the intangibles.  Hall has good vision, decent speed, but not great speed.  He is very quick at hitting the hole, but lacks great breakaway speed (i.e. DeJuan Green had breakaway speed).  From a pro scouting sense, Hall's speed would be good.....if he weighed over 220.  But what the NFL looks for in the smaller backs (Hall is a smaller back as he weighs around 205), is the speed.  Hall is basically about the same size as DeJuan Green.  The only reason why DeJuan got a shot on the practice squad with the Raiders is because he ran a legit 4.4.  Typically if you are a 200 pound back, you better have 4.4 speed or some spectacular ability (i.e. Marshall Faulk coming out of college ability).  But, if you are productive, a pro team will take a shot at you.  But also, I'm sure you've seen a lot of great college players go undrafted.  Take for instance Lawrence Wright out of the University of Florida back in 96.  This guy was the heart and soul of the florida defense.  he had good size and won the Thorpe Award for the best defensive back in the nation (only because K-State's Chris Canty was arrested the week before for a DUI).  But, Lawrence went undrafted.  He won the Thorpe award for crying out loud!  There was a strong safety from Michigan last year who was a first team All American, Ernest Shazor, who also went undrafted.  What the pros look for is more than productivity.  They also look at size, speed, intangibles, etc.  That is why Shurron Pierson was drafted in the fourth round.  did you know that Shurron wasn't even a full time starter his junior year (Terrance Royal a lot of times started in front of him).  I'm not knocking Hall.  But I'm also looking at reality and not saying he's going to be a first round pick and comparing him to Eric Dickerson and Walter Payton when they were in college.  Every year there are good backs that come out every year.  If you are basing your evaluation on just because all you've seen is Andre Hall, than that running back from Army a year ago should be a first round pick this year.