Knile Davis RB - Arkansas (5 Viewers)

[gianmarco]

The only guys that are clearly ahead of him for me based on what I've seen lately on them (I don't watch a ton of college football so I won't pretend to know a great deal about some of these guys) are Lacy and Lattimore at this time. I'm not as impressed with Gio as some others are, although I know there's some knowledgeable people out there that really like him. I would put him in the same group as Michael/Stacy/Franklin at this point. I think Bell is awful, equally unimpressed with Taylor, and Ball just seems like a guy to me. So, depending on where these guys end up, I could have him as high as #3 RB (and that's assuming Lattimore comes back healthy). If he goes in the first 3 rounds, then I'm going to like him a lot more than if he falls significantly on team's draft boards. Ultimately, his draft position and location are going to influence how high I end up being on this guy. I think his upside matches any guy in this draft except for Lacy or a healthy Lattimore.

 

[gianmarco]

On your list, I think he should be ahead of Ball, Taylor and Franklin.

And Bell. I'd probably put Stacy behind him as well.

 

[Nero]

The combine isn't everything, but I think RB is the position where the combine is the most telling IMO. Taylor was horrible, if he doesn't run at least 4.65 at his pro day, I don't think he will get drafted. I don't know if he can improve that much. Ball did just about what was expected. While he was productive he was not a great prospect, that is part of the reason he went back to school. I have him outside the top 10. I hold Michael, Stacy, Ford, and Davis in higher regard because of their perfomance. Where everyone goes will settle the score.

 

[jonboltz]

The time that Taylor ran is a full-back time, and I believe that will actually hurt him a great deal. (I also really liked Taylor, but didn't quite have him as a 2nd rounder).I think Montee's time, while slow, is still in 'barely acceptable' range for power RBs. I believe both of them, with faster pro day times, would do a lot to alleviating some concerns.

I think Barner is a situational guy that will be a better pro than a fantasy guy. I think he's a 4th rounder as a COP back.

Randle was very high on a lot of lists, but also had a disappointing combine time. I think his ability to pass protect, catch the ball, and tape will have him in the 3rd round range.

 

[tdmills]

The combine isn't everything, but I think RB is the position where the combine is the most telling IMO. Taylor was horrible, if he doesn't run at least 4.65 at his pro day, I don't think he will get drafted. I don't know if he can improve that much. Ball did just about what was expected. While he was productive he was not a great prospect, that is part of the reason he went back to school. I have him outside the top 10. I hold Michael, Stacy, Ford, and Davis in higher regard because of their perfomance. Where everyone goes will settle the score.

Alfred Morris didn't change your mind at all?

 

[EBF]

Davis benefits from the overall weakness of this year's RB class. Beyond Lacy there's nobody that I'd take in the first two rounds if I were running an NFL team. I have him in the mix with Bernard, Michael, and Lattimore for a top 5 RB slot. Less because I like him and more because none of these guys look that amazing.

 

[jonboltz]

The combine isn't everything, but I think RB is the position where the combine is the most telling IMO. Taylor was horrible, if he doesn't run at least 4.65 at his pro day, I don't think he will get drafted. I don't know if he can improve that much. Ball did just about what was expected. While he was productive he was not a great prospect, that is part of the reason he went back to school. I have him outside the top 10. I hold Michael, Stacy, Ford, and Davis in higher regard because of their perfomance. Where everyone goes will settle the score.

Alfred Morris didn't change your mind at all?

Well, Morris did fall to the 6th round. I'm not sure that NFL GMs will view him as a reason to discount other RBs in the 4.65 range.In regards to Taylor, however, Morris' time was much better and is one that would be "poor, but possibly acceptable". What he actually ran (4.78) is very, very far outside what is generally considered acceptable for a RB in the NFL.I think a 4.65 gets him back to the 4/5 round range.

 

[tdmills]

Upside, sure he's right up there with Lacy/Lattimore/Gio.Downside, he goes undrafted and is out of the league in a year or two.

The Ball/Bell/Franklin/Taylor types have consistent production without injury issues. These guys have higher floors because you know what you're getting.

Is Davis going to be the 2010 RB or the 2012 RB that was benched? I'm more concerned with the benching. Arkansas was a mess last year, if they had a RB that was potentially awesome, one would think he would've received a ton of carries.

 

[tdmills]

The combine isn't everything, but I think RB is the position where the combine is the most telling IMO. Taylor was horrible, if he doesn't run at least 4.65 at his pro day, I don't think he will get drafted. I don't know if he can improve that much. Ball did just about what was expected. While he was productive he was not a great prospect, that is part of the reason he went back to school. I have him outside the top 10. I hold Michael, Stacy, Ford, and Davis in higher regard because of their perfomance. Where everyone goes will settle the score.

Alfred Morris didn't change your mind at all?

Well, Morris did fall to the 6th round. I'm not sure that NFL GMs will view him as a reason to discount other RBs in the 4.65 range.In regards to Taylor, however, Morris' time was much better and is one that would be "poor, but possibly acceptable". What he actually ran (4.78) is very, very far outside what is generally considered acceptable for a RB in the NFL.I think a 4.65 gets him back to the 4/5 round range.

I don't think Taylor's game speed is 4.78, it's actually much better.Taylor and Davis are polar opposites. If you bump Taylor down a bunch due to the combine, i'm sure you bumped up Davis a bunch due to the combine.

 

[jonboltz]

The combine isn't everything, but I think RB is the position where the combine is the most telling IMO. Taylor was horrible, if he doesn't run at least 4.65 at his pro day, I don't think he will get drafted. I don't know if he can improve that much. Ball did just about what was expected. While he was productive he was not a great prospect, that is part of the reason he went back to school. I have him outside the top 10. I hold Michael, Stacy, Ford, and Davis in higher regard because of their perfomance. Where everyone goes will settle the score.

Alfred Morris didn't change your mind at all?

Well, Morris did fall to the 6th round. I'm not sure that NFL GMs will view him as a reason to discount other RBs in the 4.65 range.In regards to Taylor, however, Morris' time was much better and is one that would be "poor, but possibly acceptable". What he actually ran (4.78) is very, very far outside what is generally considered acceptable for a RB in the NFL.I think a 4.65 gets him back to the 4/5 round range.

I don't think Taylor's game speed is 4.78, it's actually much better.Taylor and Davis are polar opposites. If you bump Taylor down a bunch due to the combine, i'm sure you bumped up Davis a bunch due to the combine.

I generally believe the combine is often used to affirm what scouts/GMs already believe about a player. If the player looks athletic, you want him to show that in these drills. If he is expected to be slow, it won't hurt him if he runs a typical slow time.Mayock had a comment while the TEs were working out that I think is a bit relevant. I believe it was in response to Escobar's slower than expected 40 time (though this is based on memory). Mayock basically said that when he watched Escobar on tape, he felt he played faster, but when he sees a slower than normal time at the combine, he believes it will cause teams to go back and re-evaluate Escobar's game tapes.I'd expect the slow times from Taylor to cause his explosiveness, which was already a concern, to loom larger. I think a 'normal' pro day run will help ease those fears.I didn't bump Davis because I believe it wasn't unexpected that he did well at the combine, and those drills don't do anyone to dissuade his injury and 2012 production concerns.

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

John L Smith might be the worst coach ever, dont put any stock into how he runs a team.

 

[Kenny Powers]

Anyone saying Davis will be going later than the 5th is in denial. Yes, the combine is just the combine, but in a weak class where Davis is potentially a top 5 RB he's going to go somewhere in the 3rd-5th rounds.

 

[tdmills]

The combine isn't everything, but I think RB is the position where the combine is the most telling IMO. Taylor was horrible, if he doesn't run at least 4.65 at his pro day, I don't think he will get drafted. I don't know if he can improve that much. Ball did just about what was expected. While he was productive he was not a great prospect, that is part of the reason he went back to school. I have him outside the top 10. I hold Michael, Stacy, Ford, and Davis in higher regard because of their perfomance. Where everyone goes will settle the score.

Alfred Morris didn't change your mind at all?

Well, Morris did fall to the 6th round. I'm not sure that NFL GMs will view him as a reason to discount other RBs in the 4.65 range.In regards to Taylor, however, Morris' time was much better and is one that would be "poor, but possibly acceptable". What he actually ran (4.78) is very, very far outside what is generally considered acceptable for a RB in the NFL.I think a 4.65 gets him back to the 4/5 round range.

I don't think Taylor's game speed is 4.78, it's actually much better.Taylor and Davis are polar opposites. If you bump Taylor down a bunch due to the combine, i'm sure you bumped up Davis a bunch due to the combine.

I generally believe the combine is often used to affirm what scouts/GMs already believe about a player. If the player looks athletic, you want him to show that in these drills. If he is expected to be slow, it won't hurt him if he runs a typical slow time.Mayock had a comment while the TEs were working out that I think is a bit relevant. I believe it was in response to Escobar's slower than expected 40 time (though this is based on memory). Mayock basically said that when he watched Escobar on tape, he felt he played faster, but when he sees a slower than normal time at the combine, he believes it will cause teams to go back and re-evaluate Escobar's game tapes.I'd expect the slow times from Taylor to cause his explosiveness, which was already a concern, to loom larger. I think a 'normal' pro day run will help ease those fears.I didn't bump Davis because I believe it wasn't unexpected that he did well at the combine, and those drills don't do anyone to dissuade his injury and 2012 production concerns.

I agree, good post

 

[tdmills]

haha, true

 

[jonboltz]

Anyone saying Davis will be going later than the 5th is in denial. Yes, the combine is just the combine, but in a weak class where Davis is potentially a top 5 RB he's going to go somewhere in the 3rd-5th rounds.

Injury histories are a big, big factor in draft position. It was a big part of the reason Lamar Miller dropped to the 4th round last year, and his injury history was much less significant than Davis'.I think the general consensus is that Lattimore is around a 3rd round pick, and his injury history is still less severe that Davis'.I wouldn't say he's "definitely later than a 5th", as if I had to guess his round, I'd actually say exactly in the 5th. But I think he's much more likely to go in the 6th/7th than he is in the 2nd.

 

[Evilgrin 72]

Don't nap on Joseph Randle out of OSU.

 

[werdnoynek]

Anyone saying Davis will be going later than the 5th is in denial. Yes, the combine is just the combine, but in a weak class where Davis is potentially a top 5 RB he's going to go somewhere in the 3rd-5th rounds.

Injury histories are a big, big factor in draft position. It was a big part of the reason Lamar Miller dropped to the 4th round last year, and his injury history was much less significant than Davis'.I think the general consensus is that Lattimore is around a 3rd round pick, and his injury history is still less severe that Davis'.I wouldn't say he's "definitely later than a 5th", as if I had to guess his round, I'd actually say exactly in the 5th. But I think he's much more likely to go in the 6th/7th than he is in the 2nd.

right. people were saying chris polk could be a second/third rounder last year in mocks... he wasn't even drafted due to injury concerns after solid combine and pro day showings. rookies are an investment, would you want to put a bunch of money on a guy who has shown he is unable to consistently stay healthy? he's an risk as a third day guy and should be a UDFA imo, but someone will take shot.

 

[MAC_32]

Anyone saying Davis will be going later than the 5th is in denial. Yes, the combine is just the combine, but in a weak class where Davis is potentially a top 5 RB he's going to go somewhere in the 3rd-5th rounds.

RB depth is not weak.

 

[Nero]

Anyone saying Davis will be going later than the 5th is in denial. Yes, the combine is just the combine, but in a weak class where Davis is potentially a top 5 RB he's going to go somewhere in the 3rd-5th rounds.

Injury histories are a big, big factor in draft position. It was a big part of the reason Lamar Miller dropped to the 4th round last year, and his injury history was much less significant than Davis'.I think the general consensus is that Lattimore is around a 3rd round pick, and his injury history is still less severe that Davis'.I wouldn't say he's "definitely later than a 5th", as if I had to guess his round, I'd actually say exactly in the 5th. But I think he's much more likely to go in the 6th/7th than he is in the 2nd.

right. people were saying chris polk could be a second/third rounder last year in mocks... he wasn't even drafted due to injury concerns after solid combine and pro day showings. rookies are an investment, would you want to put a bunch of money on a guy who has shown he is unable to consistently stay healthy? he's an risk as a third day guy and should be a UDFA imo, but someone will take shot.

It was not just the injury concerns. Polk's combine was not solid. He ran a slower than expected 4.57 and his jumps 9.3(broad) and 31.5(vert) were pretty bad. He improved his 40 time at his proday, but those numbers combined with the injury history made him undraftable.Davis showed superior athleticism, its unlikely he will go undrafted in spite of his injury history. I personally am less concerned about Davis' broken bones than I am about Lattimore's shredded knee after seeing him perform at the combine.

 

[Hoosier16]

I think the general consensus is that Lattimore is around a 3rd round pick, and his injury history is still less severe that Davis'.

This is bizarre. How do you figure? Davis has returned from his latest injury and Lattimore hasn't yet. The only significant injury is the latest.Do people really think broken bones suggest that someone is injury prone?

 

[Kenny Powers]

Anyone saying Davis will be going later than the 5th is in denial. Yes, the combine is just the combine, but in a weak class where Davis is potentially a top 5 RB he's going to go somewhere in the 3rd-5th rounds.

RB depth is not weak.

Let me rephrase that as "talented depth" then for this draft class. There's always a ton of RBs entering the draft, this year far and away the consensus is that its weak, and not just at the top, but guys who could potentially be viable players in the NFL. Overall, the RBs 40 times pretty much showed the same thing. To me, Knile appears he could be one of those RBs that lasts in the NFL. While the injury history no doubt hurts him, his risk/reward makes him worth drafting in the middle rounds I think.

 

[gianmarco]

I think the general consensus is that Lattimore is around a 3rd round pick, and his injury history is still less severe that Davis'.

This is bizarre. How do you figure? Davis has returned from his latest injury and Lattimore hasn't yet. The only significant injury is the latest.Do people really think broken bones suggest that someone is injury prone?

No kidding. Lattimore shredded his knee. He already injured his ACL the year before. We have no idea what he'll be like after that injury and it's already been said that it's unlikely he's playing until 2014.Davis broke his ankle two years ago, played this last year, and ran the second fastest 40 this year at 227 lbs. Yet somehow Lattimore's injury history is less severe.

 

[Kenny Powers]

I think the general consensus is that Lattimore is around a 3rd round pick, and his injury history is still less severe that Davis'.

This is bizarre. How do you figure? Davis has returned from his latest injury and Lattimore hasn't yet. The only significant injury is the latest.Do people really think broken bones suggest that someone is injury prone?

Id easily say tearing ligaments, multiple ligaments, is worse than broken bones. Now I would think there is a study or something out there to prove that, but IDK. Bones get much more blood flow, thus the healing time is not as long. There's more to it than that, but if we are purely comparing injuries, I think Lattimore's history is worse and more of a red flag. That said, Id still take Lattimore over Davis.

 

[jonboltz]

I think the general consensus is that Lattimore is around a 3rd round pick, and his injury history is still less severe that Davis'.

This is bizarre. How do you figure? Davis has returned from his latest injury and Lattimore hasn't yet. The only significant injury is the latest.Do people really think broken bones suggest that someone is injury prone?

No kidding. Lattimore shredded his knee. He already injured his ACL the year before. We have no idea what he'll be like after that injury and it's already been said that it's unlikely he's playing until 2014.Davis broke his ankle two years ago, played this last year, and ran the second fastest 40 this year at 227 lbs. Yet somehow Lattimore's injury history is less severe.

I may be speculating, but I'm going to go and imagine that the NFL GMs and team physicians might, perhaps, look a bit longer into his injury history than merely his most recent ankle break -- which additionally is pretty significant in and of itself since it cost him an entire year and turned him into the player we saw last season. At least we know that this is the only time that ankle injury has been an issue for him...right? Oh wait, nevermind, he broke that same ankle as a high-school senior and only played one game. Thankfully, the ankle injuries are it I guess. Except that he broke his collarbone...twice. Once in his junior year in high school that cost him the remainder of the season, as well as the offseason prior to 2010 (luckily during offseason and was able to recover for the season).

Injuries
: Unfortunately this is the area every NFL GM is going to have to do their homework on Davis. The question is do you really want to invest in a back that has broken his both his ankles a combined three times and his left collarbone twice in a span of three years?Davis has routinely proven he can bounce back from these injuries, however these are major red flags, which could potentially detract from his stock. Having sustained multiple ankle injuries, and enduring a surgery which included having nine screws and a plate inserted into my ankle, needless to say I’m pulling for the kid. It is my hope he can remain healthy and have a great NFL career.

Overall, Knile has had one relatively injury free season since his sophomore year...in High School. I'll stand by my argument that Lattimore's injury history is a red flag, but not as much as Davis'.

 

[TheFanatic]

Thankfully, the ankle injuries are it I guess. Except that he broke his collarbone...twice. Once in his junior year in high school that cost him the remainder of the season, as well as the offseason prior to 2010 (luckily during offseason and was able to recover for the season).

Injuries
: Unfortunately this is the area every NFL GM is going to have to do their homework on Davis. The question is do you really want to invest in a back that has broken his both his ankles a combined three times and his left collarbone twice in a span of three years?Davis has routinely proven he can bounce back from these injuries, however these are major red flags, which could potentially detract from his stock. Having sustained multiple ankle injuries, and enduring a surgery which included having nine screws and a plate inserted into my ankle, needless to say I’m pulling for the kid. It is my hope he can remain healthy and have a great NFL career.

I notice you didn't provide a link as to where this quote came from. I found it at a place called The Football Standard. Now we can rely on non-reputable sources? Something tells me the link was omitted on purpose.

Overall, Knile has had one relatively injury free season since his sophomore year...in High School. I'll stand by my argument that Lattimore's injury history is a red flag, but not as much as Davis'.

Broken bones are not nearly as big a flag as torn ligaments, twice in the same knee. Did you stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night or something?

 

[TheFanatic]

Anyone saying Davis will be going later than the 5th is in denial. Yes, the combine is just the combine, but in a weak class where Davis is potentially a top 5 RB he's going to go somewhere in the 3rd-5th rounds.

Injury histories are a big, big factor in draft position. It was a big part of the reason Lamar Miller dropped to the 4th round last year, and his injury history was much less significant than Davis'.I think the general consensus is that Lattimore is around a 3rd round pick, and his injury history is still less severe that Davis'.I wouldn't say he's "definitely later than a 5th", as if I had to guess his round, I'd actually say exactly in the 5th. But I think he's much more likely to go in the 6th/7th than he is in the 2nd.

right. people were saying chris polk could be a second/third rounder last year in mocks... he wasn't even drafted due to injury concerns after solid combine and pro day showings. rookies are an investment, would you want to put a bunch of money on a guy who has shown he is unable to consistently stay healthy? he's an risk as a third day guy and should be a UDFA imo, but someone will take shot.

It was not just the injury concerns. Polk's combine was not solid. He ran a slower than expected 4.57 and his jumps 9.3(broad) and 31.5(vert) were pretty bad. He improved his 40 time at his proday, but those numbers combined with the injury history made him undraftable.Davis showed superior athleticism, its unlikely he will go undrafted in spite of his injury history. I personally am less concerned about Davis' broken bones than I am about Lattimore's shredded knee after seeing him perform at the combine.

Wow the Davis haters really have bad memories....

 

[jonboltz]

Thankfully, the ankle injuries are it I guess. Except that he broke his collarbone...twice. Once in his junior year in high school that cost him the remainder of the season, as well as the offseason prior to 2010 (luckily during offseason and was able to recover for the season).

Injuries
: Unfortunately this is the area every NFL GM is going to have to do their homework on Davis. The question is do you really want to invest in a back that has broken his both his ankles a combined three times and his left collarbone twice in a span of three years?Davis has routinely proven he can bounce back from these injuries, however these are major red flags, which could potentially detract from his stock. Having sustained multiple ankle injuries, and enduring a surgery which included having nine screws and a plate inserted into my ankle, needless to say I’m pulling for the kid. It is my hope he can remain healthy and have a great NFL career.

I notice you didn't provide a link as to where this quote came from. I found it at a place called The Football Standard. Now we can rely on non-reputable sources? Something tells me the link was omitted on purpose.

Overall, Knile has had one relatively injury free season since his sophomore year...in High School. I'll stand by my argument that Lattimore's injury history is a red flag, but not as much as Davis'.

Broken bones are not nearly as big a flag as torn ligaments, twice in the same knee. Did you stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night or something?

If you believe the injuries that were detailed in that listed quote (which I didn't use/read any of the 'scouting report'), and many other easily accessible articles, are an inaccurate of Davis' injury history then I'm all ears for that argument.Additionally-- Lattimore's injuries were to different knee's. HTH.

 

[gianmarco]

Thankfully, the ankle injuries are it I guess. Except that he broke his collarbone...twice. Once in his junior year in high school that cost him the remainder of the season, as well as the offseason prior to 2010 (luckily during offseason and was able to recover for the season).

Injuries
: Unfortunately this is the area every NFL GM is going to have to do their homework on Davis. The question is do you really want to invest in a back that has broken his both his ankles a combined three times and his left collarbone twice in a span of three years?

Davis has routinely proven he can bounce back from these injuries, however these are major red flags, which could potentially detract from his stock. Having sustained multiple ankle injuries, and enduring a surgery which included having nine screws and a plate inserted into my ankle, needless to say I'm pulling for the kid. It is my hope he can remain healthy and have a great NFL career.

I notice you didn't provide a link as to where this quote came from. I found it at a place called The Football Standard. Now we can rely on non-reputable sources? Something tells me the link was omitted on purpose.

Actually, the best part is how he selectively left out the bottom portion from that link that doesn't quite agree with his stance. You know, this part:

If not for his injuries, Davis would easily be a 1st round draft pick next April. Davis is one of my favorite running back prospects in college football off or pure talent alone. With that said, due to his injury plagued career, I fully expect him to slide to the middle of round 2 or the tail end of round 3 at the latest.

 

[tdmills]

Thankfully, the ankle injuries are it I guess. Except that he broke his collarbone...twice. Once in his junior year in high school that cost him the remainder of the season, as well as the offseason prior to 2010 (luckily during offseason and was able to recover for the season).

Injuries
: Unfortunately this is the area every NFL GM is going to have to do their homework on Davis. The question is do you really want to invest in a back that has broken his both his ankles a combined three times and his left collarbone twice in a span of three years?

Davis has routinely proven he can bounce back from these injuries, however these are major red flags, which could potentially detract from his stock. Having sustained multiple ankle injuries, and enduring a surgery which included having nine screws and a plate inserted into my ankle, needless to say I'm pulling for the kid. It is my hope he can remain healthy and have a great NFL career.

I notice you didn't provide a link as to where this quote came from. I found it at a place called The Football Standard. Now we can rely on non-reputable sources? Something tells me the link was omitted on purpose.

Actually, the best part is how he selectively left out the bottom portion from that link that doesn't quite agree with his stance. You know, this part:

If not for his injuries, Davis would easily be a 1st round draft pick next April. Davis is one of my favorite running back prospects in college football off or pure talent alone. With that said, due to his injury plagued career, I fully expect him to slide to the middle of round 2 or the tail end of round 3 at the latest.

haha, nice catch. I'm warming to Davis after watching a lot of his stuff. Middle of round 2 seems too high though.

 

[jonboltz]

Thankfully, the ankle injuries are it I guess. Except that he broke his collarbone...twice. Once in his junior year in high school that cost him the remainder of the season, as well as the offseason prior to 2010 (luckily during offseason and was able to recover for the season).

Injuries
: Unfortunately this is the area every NFL GM is going to have to do their homework on Davis. The question is do you really want to invest in a back that has broken his both his ankles a combined three times and his left collarbone twice in a span of three years?

Davis has routinely proven he can bounce back from these injuries, however these are major red flags, which could potentially detract from his stock. Having sustained multiple ankle injuries, and enduring a surgery which included having nine screws and a plate inserted into my ankle, needless to say I'm pulling for the kid. It is my hope he can remain healthy and have a great NFL career.

I notice you didn't provide a link as to where this quote came from. I found it at a place called The Football Standard. Now we can rely on non-reputable sources? Something tells me the link was omitted on purpose.

Actually, the best part is how he selectively left out the bottom portion from that link that doesn't quite agree with his stance. You know, this part:

If not for his injuries, Davis would easily be a 1st round draft pick next April. Davis is one of my favorite running back prospects in college football off or pure talent alone. With that said, due to his injury plagued career, I fully expect him to slide to the middle of round 2 or the tail end of round 3 at the latest.

As I mentioned above, I didn't even read the scouting report. I wanted to be sure that I was as accurate as possible on his injury history, and it was a nice quote pointing out the extensiveness of his ankle and collarbone issues.

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

Thankfully, the ankle injuries are it I guess. Except that he broke his collarbone...twice. Once in his junior year in high school that cost him the remainder of the season, as well as the offseason prior to 2010 (luckily during offseason and was able to recover for the season).

Injuries
: Unfortunately this is the area every NFL GM is going to have to do their homework on Davis. The question is do you really want to invest in a back that has broken his both his ankles a combined three times and his left collarbone twice in a span of three years?Davis has routinely proven he can bounce back from these injuries, however these are major red flags, which could potentially detract from his stock. Having sustained multiple ankle injuries, and enduring a surgery which included having nine screws and a plate inserted into my ankle, needless to say I’m pulling for the kid. It is my hope he can remain healthy and have a great NFL career.

I notice you didn't provide a link as to where this quote came from. I found it at a place called The Football Standard. Now we can rely on non-reputable sources? Something tells me the link was omitted on purpose.

Overall, Knile has had one relatively injury free season since his sophomore year...in High School. I'll stand by my argument that Lattimore's injury history is a red flag, but not as much as Davis'.

Broken bones are not nearly as big a flag as torn ligaments, twice in the same knee. Did you stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night or something?

lattimores injury was the worst Ive ever seen, napoleon kaufman, joe theisman, lattimores was awful. Id be surprised if he ever plays football again to be honest. It would be a miracle.

 

[jonboltz]

Thankfully, the ankle injuries are it I guess. Except that he broke his collarbone...twice. Once in his junior year in high school that cost him the remainder of the season, as well as the offseason prior to 2010 (luckily during offseason and was able to recover for the season).

Injuries
: Unfortunately this is the area every NFL GM is going to have to do their homework on Davis. The question is do you really want to invest in a back that has broken his both his ankles a combined three times and his left collarbone twice in a span of three years?

Davis has routinely proven he can bounce back from these injuries, however these are major red flags, which could potentially detract from his stock. Having sustained multiple ankle injuries, and enduring a surgery which included having nine screws and a plate inserted into my ankle, needless to say I'm pulling for the kid. It is my hope he can remain healthy and have a great NFL career.

I notice you didn't provide a link as to where this quote came from. I found it at a place called The Football Standard. Now we can rely on non-reputable sources? Something tells me the link was omitted on purpose.

Actually, the best part is how he selectively left out the bottom portion from that link that doesn't quite agree with his stance. You know, this part:

If not for his injuries, Davis would easily be a 1st round draft pick next April. Davis is one of my favorite running back prospects in college football off or pure talent alone. With that said, due to his injury plagued career, I fully expect him to slide to the middle of round 2 or the tail end of round 3 at the latest.

haha, nice catch. I'm warming to Davis after watching a lot of his stuff. Middle of round 2 seems too high though.

Fairly certain that this article/report was written prior to Knile announcing that he was returning for the 2012 season.

 

[tdmills]

Thankfully, the ankle injuries are it I guess. Except that he broke his collarbone...twice. Once in his junior year in high school that cost him the remainder of the season, as well as the offseason prior to 2010 (luckily during offseason and was able to recover for the season).

Injuries
: Unfortunately this is the area every NFL GM is going to have to do their homework on Davis. The question is do you really want to invest in a back that has broken his both his ankles a combined three times and his left collarbone twice in a span of three years?

Davis has routinely proven he can bounce back from these injuries, however these are major red flags, which could potentially detract from his stock. Having sustained multiple ankle injuries, and enduring a surgery which included having nine screws and a plate inserted into my ankle, needless to say I’m pulling for the kid. It is my hope he can remain healthy and have a great NFL career.

I notice you didn't provide a link as to where this quote came from. I found it at a place called The Football Standard. Now we can rely on non-reputable sources? Something tells me the link was omitted on purpose.

Overall, Knile has had one relatively injury free season since his sophomore year...in High School. I'll stand by my argument that Lattimore's injury history is a red flag, but not as much as Davis'.

Broken bones are not nearly as big a flag as torn ligaments, twice in the same knee. Did you stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night or something?

lattimores injury was the worst Ive ever seen, napoleon kaufman, joe theisman, lattimores was awful. Id be surprised if he ever plays football again to be honest. It would be a miracle.

Close on this one. Napoleon McCallumFor those that dare want to see the injury

 

[MAC_32]

Anyone saying Davis will be going later than the 5th is in denial. Yes, the combine is just the combine, but in a weak class where Davis is potentially a top 5 RB he's going to go somewhere in the 3rd-5th rounds.

RB depth is not weak.

Let me rephrase that as "talented depth" then for this draft class. There's always a ton of RBs entering the draft, this year far and away the consensus is that its weak, and not just at the top, but guys who could potentially be viable players in the NFL. Overall, the RBs 40 times pretty much showed the same thing. To me, Knile appears he could be one of those RBs that lasts in the NFL. While the injury history no doubt hurts him, his risk/reward makes him worth drafting in the middle rounds I think.

Strongly disagree. There's not any marquee talent, but there are more good RB's in this crop than there have been in the last several. It's why I think the free agent market for RB's will be stale. If Knile is drafted into a 5-7 touch/game role I like him, obviously not from a fantasy perspective but real life. I don't see him lasting if his workload is significant.

 

[tdmills]

Thankfully, the ankle injuries are it I guess. Except that he broke his collarbone...twice. Once in his junior year in high school that cost him the remainder of the season, as well as the offseason prior to 2010 (luckily during offseason and was able to recover for the season).

Injuries
: Unfortunately this is the area every NFL GM is going to have to do their homework on Davis. The question is do you really want to invest in a back that has broken his both his ankles a combined three times and his left collarbone twice in a span of three years?

Davis has routinely proven he can bounce back from these injuries, however these are major red flags, which could potentially detract from his stock. Having sustained multiple ankle injuries, and enduring a surgery which included having nine screws and a plate inserted into my ankle, needless to say I'm pulling for the kid. It is my hope he can remain healthy and have a great NFL career.

I notice you didn't provide a link as to where this quote came from. I found it at a place called The Football Standard. Now we can rely on non-reputable sources? Something tells me the link was omitted on purpose.

Actually, the best part is how he selectively left out the bottom portion from that link that doesn't quite agree with his stance. You know, this part:

If not for his injuries, Davis would easily be a 1st round draft pick next April. Davis is one of my favorite running back prospects in college football off or pure talent alone. With that said, due to his injury plagued career, I fully expect him to slide to the middle of round 2 or the tail end of round 3 at the latest.

haha, nice catch. I'm warming to Davis after watching a lot of his stuff. Middle of round 2 seems too high though.

Fairly certain that this article/report was written prior to Knile announcing that he was returning for the 2012 season.

After reading it, they don't reference anything from this senior season or the combine. That may very well be the case.

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

Thankfully, the ankle injuries are it I guess. Except that he broke his collarbone...twice. Once in his junior year in high school that cost him the remainder of the season, as well as the offseason prior to 2010 (luckily during offseason and was able to recover for the season).

Injuries
: Unfortunately this is the area every NFL GM is going to have to do their homework on Davis. The question is do you really want to invest in a back that has broken his both his ankles a combined three times and his left collarbone twice in a span of three years?

Davis has routinely proven he can bounce back from these injuries, however these are major red flags, which could potentially detract from his stock. Having sustained multiple ankle injuries, and enduring a surgery which included having nine screws and a plate inserted into my ankle, needless to say I’m pulling for the kid. It is my hope he can remain healthy and have a great NFL career.

I notice you didn't provide a link as to where this quote came from. I found it at a place called The Football Standard. Now we can rely on non-reputable sources? Something tells me the link was omitted on purpose.

Overall, Knile has had one relatively injury free season since his sophomore year...in High School. I'll stand by my argument that Lattimore's injury history is a red flag, but not as much as Davis'.

Broken bones are not nearly as big a flag as torn ligaments, twice in the same knee. Did you stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night or something?

lattimores injury was the worst Ive ever seen, napoleon kaufman, joe theisman, lattimores was awful. Id be surprised if he ever plays football again to be honest. It would be a miracle.

Close on this one. Napoleon McCallumFor those that dare want to see the injury

right wrong napoleon.

 

[werdnoynek]

Anyone saying Davis will be going later than the 5th is in denial. Yes, the combine is just the combine, but in a weak class where Davis is potentially a top 5 RB he's going to go somewhere in the 3rd-5th rounds.

Injury histories are a big, big factor in draft position. It was a big part of the reason Lamar Miller dropped to the 4th round last year, and his injury history was much less significant than Davis'.I think the general consensus is that Lattimore is around a 3rd round pick, and his injury history is still less severe that Davis'.I wouldn't say he's "definitely later than a 5th", as if I had to guess his round, I'd actually say exactly in the 5th. But I think he's much more likely to go in the 6th/7th than he is in the 2nd.

right. people were saying chris polk could be a second/third rounder last year in mocks... he wasn't even drafted due to injury concerns after solid combine and pro day showings. rookies are an investment, would you want to put a bunch of money on a guy who has shown he is unable to consistently stay healthy? he's an risk as a third day guy and should be a UDFA imo, but someone will take shot.

It was not just the injury concerns. Polk's combine was not solid. He ran a slower than expected 4.57 and his jumps 9.3(broad) and 31.5(vert) were pretty bad. He improved his 40 time at his proday, but those numbers combined with the injury history made him undraftable.Davis showed superior athleticism, its unlikely he will go undrafted in spite of his injury history. I personally am less concerned about Davis' broken bones than I am about Lattimore's shredded knee after seeing him perform at the combine.

Wow the Davis haters really have bad memories....

i'm not going to go through ridiculous amounts of digging just to wet your whistle, but here is a decent comparison to draft stock pre-draft...NFL.com's draft profile for each of them post combine...Chris Polk - draft grade 84.0 (Eventual Starter - 2nd/3rd)Knile Davis - draft grade 65.4 (Draftable player - 4th/7th)the polk / davis comparison isn't close as far as measurables, I understand that... but both had/have injury histories coming into the draft and the red flags will be flying for davis just like they did for Polk is all i'm saying. most people were saying Polk was a 2nd/3rd rounder after the combine/prodays. his numbers were solid for what he was. for what davis is, just a speed straight line guy, his numbers are solid as well. the numbers don't show the full picture, and it seems all people are seeing with davis are the numbers.

 

[werdnoynek]

someone said it right when they said davis would be one of the more polarizing players in fantasy drafts this year after putting up the combine numbers he did. the amount of stock people put in those numbers is always all over the place as well as what is put into injury history. i just this the risk isn't worth the reward in davis' case.

 

[gianmarco]

someone said it right when they said davis would be one of the more polarizing players in fantasy drafts this year after putting up the combine numbers he did. the amount of stock people put in those numbers is always all over the place as well as what is put into injury history. i just this the risk isn't worth the reward in davis' case.

That's the thing, it's NOT just the numbers. Some people like what they saw in 2010 and the production was there.

 

[TheFanatic]

Thankfully, the ankle injuries are it I guess. Except that he broke his collarbone...twice. Once in his junior year in high school that cost him the remainder of the season, as well as the offseason prior to 2010 (luckily during offseason and was able to recover for the season).

Injuries
: Unfortunately this is the area every NFL GM is going to have to do their homework on Davis. The question is do you really want to invest in a back that has broken his both his ankles a combined three times and his left collarbone twice in a span of three years?Davis has routinely proven he can bounce back from these injuries, however these are major red flags, which could potentially detract from his stock. Having sustained multiple ankle injuries, and enduring a surgery which included having nine screws and a plate inserted into my ankle, needless to say I’m pulling for the kid. It is my hope he can remain healthy and have a great NFL career.

I notice you didn't provide a link as to where this quote came from. I found it at a place called The Football Standard. Now we can rely on non-reputable sources? Something tells me the link was omitted on purpose.

Overall, Knile has had one relatively injury free season since his sophomore year...in High School. I'll stand by my argument that Lattimore's injury history is a red flag, but not as much as Davis'.

Broken bones are not nearly as big a flag as torn ligaments, twice in the same knee. Did you stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night or something?

If you believe the injuries that were detailed in that listed quote (which I didn't use/read any of the 'scouting report'), and many other easily accessible articles, are an inaccurate of Davis' injury history then I'm all ears for that argument.Additionally-- Lattimore's injuries were to different knee's. HTH.

Oh, so he's blown both knees? To me that would make matters worse. But I don't have the medical training you do.Still love how you didn't cite your source. Love the hypocrisy! Oh, but it was just to show the injury history?!?! HAHAHAHAHAHA!

 

[gianmarco]

Look, this is why this discussion is getting tiresome. It's ok to disagree about Knile's talent level. Not everyone is going to like what they see. I understand the concerns about how he runs and his lack of "wiggle" and I don't blame anyone for not liking what they see. He's not a conventional RB in the sense of a guy that can do it all on the field. But, here are the 3 main factors for Knile Davis (and pretty much all RBs)1) Talent level on the field (how he looks)2) Production on the field3) Measureables (height, weight, combine numbers)4) Red flags (injury history, off field stuff, etc.)A guy like Trent Richardson had all of the above checked off. That's ideal. Most every other RB that isn't elite won't. So then you have to decide how much each of those factor. For #3, it's pretty objective. He has great size and great speed. #4 is also pretty objective--he has a significant injury history that shouldn't be ignored. #1 is subjectve--You obviously didn't like what you saw on the field but clearly others do. #2 is also pretty objective and this is where the issue is and why a couple of you that are arguing against Davis are coming off as stubborn and myopic. You don't rattle off 1300 yds and 13 TDs in the SEC without some talent. Now, whether or not you think that will translate to the NFL is up to you. But the fact of the matter is, the guy DID produce on the field and did enough to warrant 1st round consideration and high rankings from multiple sites prior to his 2011 injury. When you keep saying things like "people are going to fall in love with the numbers", it's annoying because you're discounting anyone's opinion of him ON THE FIELD as insignificant. I'm not falling in love with Knile Davis because of his combine performance. I'm not even falling in love with him period, but I do still like him both because of his measureables but more importantly how he looked on the field and his production numbers. If you guys would stop pretending that he never did anything on the field and doesn't look good to some (i.e. the whole discussion about his draft projection pre-injury), then this discussion might go somewhere. Obviously you didn't like how he looked before and you couple that with his injuries and I get why you don't like him. And I'm ok with that. It makes sense. But can you at least appreciate the fact that it's NOT just about the combine numbers that has people liking him. And it's not just the combine numbers that may have him drafted relatively high. If not for the injury history, this guy would go in the 1st-2nd round even with his sub-par 2012.

 

[jonboltz]

Thankfully, the ankle injuries are it I guess. Except that he broke his collarbone...twice. Once in his junior year in high school that cost him the remainder of the season, as well as the offseason prior to 2010 (luckily during offseason and was able to recover for the season).

Injuries
: Unfortunately this is the area every NFL GM is going to have to do their homework on Davis. The question is do you really want to invest in a back that has broken his both his ankles a combined three times and his left collarbone twice in a span of three years?Davis has routinely proven he can bounce back from these injuries, however these are major red flags, which could potentially detract from his stock. Having sustained multiple ankle injuries, and enduring a surgery which included having nine screws and a plate inserted into my ankle, needless to say I’m pulling for the kid. It is my hope he can remain healthy and have a great NFL career.

I notice you didn't provide a link as to where this quote came from. I found it at a place called The Football Standard. Now we can rely on non-reputable sources? Something tells me the link was omitted on purpose.

Overall, Knile has had one relatively injury free season since his sophomore year...in High School. I'll stand by my argument that Lattimore's injury history is a red flag, but not as much as Davis'.

Broken bones are not nearly as big a flag as torn ligaments, twice in the same knee. Did you stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night or something?

If you believe the injuries that were detailed in that listed quote (which I didn't use/read any of the 'scouting report'), and many other easily accessible articles, are an inaccurate of Davis' injury history then I'm all ears for that argument.Additionally-- Lattimore's injuries were to different knee's. HTH.

Oh, so he's blown both knees? To me that would make matters worse. But I don't have the medical training you do.

I don't have medical training too, but I actually believe it would have been worse to have blown the same knee twice. I believe there becomes issues with losing cartilage with multiple injuries, and the possibility that it would eventually get down to bone-on-bone contact. I seem to recall this being a concern with RG3s recent ACL.

Still love how you didn't cite your source. Love the hypocrisy! Oh, but it was just to show the injury history?!?! HAHAHAHAHAHA!

Oh noes, I didn't write a link in a clearly embedded quote. Here go you...My link

 

[jonboltz]

Look, this is why this discussion is getting tiresome. It's ok to disagree about Knile's talent level. Not everyone is going to like what they see. I understand the concerns about how he runs and his lack of "wiggle" and I don't blame anyone for not liking what they see. He's not a conventional RB in the sense of a guy that can do it all on the field. But, here are the 3 main factors for Knile Davis (and pretty much all RBs)

1) Talent level on the field (how he looks)

2) Production on the field

3) Measureables (height, weight, combine numbers)

4) Red flags (injury history, off field stuff, etc.)

A guy like Trent Richardson had all of the above checked off. That's ideal. Most every other RB that isn't elite won't. So then you have to decide how much each of those factor. For #3, it's pretty objective. He has great size and great speed. #4 is also pretty objective--he has a significant injury history that shouldn't be ignored. #1 is subjectve--You obviously didn't like what you saw on the field but clearly others do. #2 is also pretty objective and this is where the issue is and why a couple of you that are arguing against Davis are coming off as stubborn and myopic.

You don't rattle off 1300 yds and 13 TDs in the SEC without some talent. Now, whether or not you think that will translate to the NFL is up to you. But the fact of the matter is, the guy DID produce on the field and did enough to warrant 1st round consideration and high rankings from multiple sites prior to his 2011 injury. When you keep saying things like "people are going to fall in love with the numbers", it's annoying because you're discounting anyone's opinion of him ON THE FIELD as insignificant. I'm not falling in love with Knile Davis because of his combine performance. I'm not even falling in love with him period, but I do still like him both because of his measureables but more importantly how he looked on the field and his production numbers.

If you guys would stop pretending that he never did anything on the field and doesn't look good to some (i.e. the whole discussion about his draft projection pre-injury), then this discussion might go somewhere. Obviously you didn't like how he looked before and you couple that with his injuries and I get why you don't like him. And I'm ok with that. It makes sense. But can you at least appreciate the fact that it's NOT just about the combine numbers that has people liking him. And it's not just the combine numbers that may have him drafted relatively high. If not for the injury history, this guy would go in the 1st-2nd round even with his sub-par 2012.

You are arguing against your own strawmen.

 

[TheFanatic]

Look, this is why this discussion is getting tiresome. It's ok to disagree about Knile's talent level. Not everyone is going to like what they see. I understand the concerns about how he runs and his lack of "wiggle" and I don't blame anyone for not liking what they see. He's not a conventional RB in the sense of a guy that can do it all on the field. But, here are the 3 main factors for Knile Davis (and pretty much all RBs)

1) Talent level on the field (how he looks)

2) Production on the field

3) Measureables (height, weight, combine numbers)

4) Red flags (injury history, off field stuff, etc.)

A guy like Trent Richardson had all of the above checked off. That's ideal. Most every other RB that isn't elite won't. So then you have to decide how much each of those factor. For #3, it's pretty objective. He has great size and great speed. #4 is also pretty objective--he has a significant injury history that shouldn't be ignored. #1 is subjectve--You obviously didn't like what you saw on the field but clearly others do. #2 is also pretty objective and this is where the issue is and why a couple of you that are arguing against Davis are coming off as stubborn and myopic.

You don't rattle off 1300 yds and 13 TDs in the SEC without some talent. Now, whether or not you think that will translate to the NFL is up to you. But the fact of the matter is, the guy DID produce on the field and did enough to warrant 1st round consideration and high rankings from multiple sites prior to his 2011 injury. When you keep saying things like "people are going to fall in love with the numbers", it's annoying because you're discounting anyone's opinion of him ON THE FIELD as insignificant. I'm not falling in love with Knile Davis because of his combine performance. I'm not even falling in love with him period, but I do still like him both because of his measureables but more importantly how he looked on the field and his production numbers.

If you guys would stop pretending that he never did anything on the field and doesn't look good to some (i.e. the whole discussion about his draft projection pre-injury), then this discussion might go somewhere. Obviously you didn't like how he looked before and you couple that with his injuries and I get why you don't like him. And I'm ok with that. It makes sense. But can you at least appreciate the fact that it's NOT just about the combine numbers that has people liking him. And it's not just the combine numbers that may have him drafted relatively high. If not for the injury history, this guy would go in the 1st-2nd round even with his sub-par 2012.

You are arguing against your own strawmen.

No, really he isn't and if you had an ounce of integrity you would see that.

 

[jonboltz]

Look, this is why this discussion is getting tiresome. It's ok to disagree about Knile's talent level. Not everyone is going to like what they see. I understand the concerns about how he runs and his lack of "wiggle" and I don't blame anyone for not liking what they see. He's not a conventional RB in the sense of a guy that can do it all on the field. But, here are the 3 main factors for Knile Davis (and pretty much all RBs)

1) Talent level on the field (how he looks)

2) Production on the field

3) Measureables (height, weight, combine numbers)

4) Red flags (injury history, off field stuff, etc.)

A guy like Trent Richardson had all of the above checked off. That's ideal. Most every other RB that isn't elite won't. So then you have to decide how much each of those factor. For #3, it's pretty objective. He has great size and great speed. #4 is also pretty objective--he has a significant injury history that shouldn't be ignored. #1 is subjectve--You obviously didn't like what you saw on the field but clearly others do. #2 is also pretty objective and this is where the issue is and why a couple of you that are arguing against Davis are coming off as stubborn and myopic.

You don't rattle off 1300 yds and 13 TDs in the SEC without some talent. Now, whether or not you think that will translate to the NFL is up to you. But the fact of the matter is, the guy DID produce on the field and did enough to warrant 1st round consideration and high rankings from multiple sites prior to his 2011 injury. When you keep saying things like "people are going to fall in love with the numbers", it's annoying because you're discounting anyone's opinion of him ON THE FIELD as insignificant. I'm not falling in love with Knile Davis because of his combine performance. I'm not even falling in love with him period, but I do still like him both because of his measureables but more importantly how he looked on the field and his production numbers.

If you guys would stop pretending that he never did anything on the field and doesn't look good to some (i.e. the whole discussion about his draft projection pre-injury), then this discussion might go somewhere. Obviously you didn't like how he looked before and you couple that with his injuries and I get why you don't like him. And I'm ok with that. It makes sense. But can you at least appreciate the fact that it's NOT just about the combine numbers that has people liking him. And it's not just the combine numbers that may have him drafted relatively high. If not for the injury history, this guy would go in the 1st-2nd round even with his sub-par 2012.

You are arguing against your own strawmen.

No, really he isn't and if you had an ounce of integrity you would see that.

Please point me to the post #s in question.

 

[werdnoynek]

Look, this is why this discussion is getting tiresome. It's ok to disagree about Knile's talent level. Not everyone is going to like what they see. I understand the concerns about how he runs and his lack of "wiggle" and I don't blame anyone for not liking what they see. He's not a conventional RB in the sense of a guy that can do it all on the field. But, here are the 3 main factors for Knile Davis (and pretty much all RBs)

1) Talent level on the field (how he looks)

2) Production on the field

3) Measureables (height, weight, combine numbers)

4) Red flags (injury history, off field stuff, etc.)

A guy like Trent Richardson had all of the above checked off. That's ideal. Most every other RB that isn't elite won't. So then you have to decide how much each of those factor. For #3, it's pretty objective. He has great size and great speed. #4 is also pretty objective--he has a significant injury history that shouldn't be ignored. #1 is subjectve--You obviously didn't like what you saw on the field but clearly others do. #2 is also pretty objective and this is where the issue is and why a couple of you that are arguing against Davis are coming off as stubborn and myopic.

You don't rattle off 1300 yds and 13 TDs in the SEC without some talent. Now, whether or not you think that will translate to the NFL is up to you. But the fact of the matter is, the guy DID produce on the field and did enough to warrant 1st round consideration and high rankings from multiple sites prior to his 2011 injury. When you keep saying things like "people are going to fall in love with the numbers", it's annoying because you're discounting anyone's opinion of him ON THE FIELD as insignificant. I'm not falling in love with Knile Davis because of his combine performance. I'm not even falling in love with him period, but I do still like him both because of his measureables but more importantly how he looked on the field and his production numbers.

If you guys would stop pretending that he never did anything on the field and doesn't look good to some (i.e. the whole discussion about his draft projection pre-injury), then this discussion might go somewhere. Obviously you didn't like how he looked before and you couple that with his injuries and I get why you don't like him. And I'm ok with that. It makes sense. But can you at least appreciate the fact that it's NOT just about the combine numbers that has people liking him. And it's not just the combine numbers that may have him drafted relatively high. If not for the injury history, this guy would go in the 1st-2nd round even with his sub-par 2012.

You are arguing against your own strawmen.

 

[gianmarco]

Look, this is why this discussion is getting tiresome. It's ok to disagree about Knile's talent level. Not everyone is going to like what they see. I understand the concerns about how he runs and his lack of "wiggle" and I don't blame anyone for not liking what they see. He's not a conventional RB in the sense of a guy that can do it all on the field. But, here are the 3 main factors for Knile Davis (and pretty much all RBs)

1) Talent level on the field (how he looks)

2) Production on the field

3) Measureables (height, weight, combine numbers)

4) Red flags (injury history, off field stuff, etc.)

A guy like Trent Richardson had all of the above checked off. That's ideal. Most every other RB that isn't elite won't. So then you have to decide how much each of those factor. For #3, it's pretty objective. He has great size and great speed. #4 is also pretty objective--he has a significant injury history that shouldn't be ignored. #1 is subjectve--You obviously didn't like what you saw on the field but clearly others do. #2 is also pretty objective and this is where the issue is and why a couple of you that are arguing against Davis are coming off as stubborn and myopic.

You don't rattle off 1300 yds and 13 TDs in the SEC without some talent. Now, whether or not you think that will translate to the NFL is up to you. But the fact of the matter is, the guy DID produce on the field and did enough to warrant 1st round consideration and high rankings from multiple sites prior to his 2011 injury. When you keep saying things like "people are going to fall in love with the numbers", it's annoying because you're discounting anyone's opinion of him ON THE FIELD as insignificant. I'm not falling in love with Knile Davis because of his combine performance. I'm not even falling in love with him period, but I do still like him both because of his measureables but more importantly how he looked on the field and his production numbers.

If you guys would stop pretending that he never did anything on the field and doesn't look good to some (i.e. the whole discussion about his draft projection pre-injury), then this discussion might go somewhere. Obviously you didn't like how he looked before and you couple that with his injuries and I get why you don't like him. And I'm ok with that. It makes sense. But can you at least appreciate the fact that it's NOT just about the combine numbers that has people liking him. And it's not just the combine numbers that may have him drafted relatively high. If not for the injury history, this guy would go in the 1st-2nd round even with his sub-par 2012.

You are arguing against your own strawmen.

To both of you, then I'm done.

I don't recall a single reputable source claiming that Davis was ahead of Lattimore in terms of projected NFL talent. People certainly thought he was intriguing with his size/speed, but he needed to make improvements (pad level, pass pro, break a tackle just once in a blue moon perhaps)

He was more than "intriguing". He was a 1st round prospect prior to his injury.

and 2011 tape that merely warrants a mid-round selection.

Um, no it didn't. Maybe to you, but not to most anyone else (see all those links above).

precisely. it's amazing what a fast 40 can do for a guy's reputation

No, it's not the fast 40. It's much more than that.

i remember lattimore being mentioned first, then davis being mentioned second and with much less enthusiasm... haha. some call my memory selective though.

Again, no. People talked about Davis with plenty of enthusiasm (again, see the numerous links earlier on).So, once and for all, if you guys would stop pretending as if this guy wasn't highly regarded prior to his injury, you might be taken a bit more seriously. Again, it's perfectly fine if YOU didn't like him and you're more than entitled to that opinion. But for the love of God, stop presenting it as if he was nothing more than some no-talent, intriguing, mid-level prospect that has people fawning over him now because he ran a 4.37.

There is a BIG difference between YOU thinking he should only be a mid-level draft pick back in 2011 and the NFL community thinking he should only be a mid-level draft pick. You're misrepresenting how he was viewed prior to his injury. This is why you keep looking foolish. If you want to discuss and argue WHY you don't think he warranted that consideration back then despite what the consensus view was, then let's hear it. That would be helpful. If you want to argue that the consensus view was that he was simply intriguing and was just a mid-level draft pick, then we're done.

 

[werdnoynek]

he was highly regarded, 2-3 years ago. what does that matter to us now? the davis backers keep pointing to 2010, to what his draft stock was after 2010. i didn't like him then, you expect me to like him now? i don't understand what is so hard to understand!! for me he needs to prove he can play the way he does and stay healthy, then i'll give him some credit. until then, i'm staying away from him. you can go off of what you saw in him in the past... but i'd suggest looking at him now and what he has done recently. to me here's the present day knile davis:a big, straight line speed guy who was beat out by a mediocre back that wasn't even invited to the combine. a walking injury waiting to happen who spent an awful lot of time on the sideline in his college career rather than playing the game.ETA:i guess what i'm saying is, except for the 40 and his size, everything in this thread that is positive is in the past. other than the 40, there's not much else positive to say about him on the field recently. not to discredit what he did 2 years ago, but he hasn't shown he can do that again...

 

[jonboltz]

To both of you, then I'm done.

I don't recall a single reputable source claiming that Davis was ahead of Lattimore in terms of projected NFL talent. People certainly thought he was intriguing with his size/speed, but he needed to make improvements (pad level, pass pro, break a tackle just once in a blue moon perhaps)

He was more than "intriguing". He was a 1st round prospect prior to his injury.

and 2011 tape that merely warrants a mid-round selection.

Um, no it didn't. Maybe to you, but not to most anyone else (see all those links above).

precisely. it's amazing what a fast 40 can do for a guy's reputation

No, it's not the fast 40. It's much more than that.

i remember lattimore being mentioned first, then davis being mentioned second and with much less enthusiasm... haha. some call my memory selective though.

Again, no. People talked about Davis with plenty of enthusiasm (again, see the numerous links earlier on).So, once and for all, if you guys would stop pretending as if this guy wasn't highly regarded prior to his injury, you might be taken a bit more seriously. Again, it's perfectly fine if YOU didn't like him and you're more than entitled to that opinion. But for the love of God, stop presenting it as if he was nothing more than some no-talent, intriguing, mid-level prospect that has people fawning over him now because he ran a 4.37.

There is a BIG difference between YOU thinking he should only be a mid-level draft pick back in 2011 and the NFL community thinking he should only be a mid-level draft pick. You're misrepresenting how he was viewed prior to his injury. This is why you keep looking foolish. If you want to discuss and argue WHY you don't think he warranted that consideration back then despite what the consensus view was, then let's hear it. That would be helpful. If you want to argue that the consensus view was that he was simply intriguing and was just a mid-level draft pick, then we're done.

I think what you are mostly arguing against here is your "point #1" (how he looks), rather than your claims that people are ignoring his production (point #2, and my subsequent response that you were creating strawmen).

 

[gianmarco]

he was highly regarded, 2-3 years ago. what does that matter to us now? the davis backers keep pointing to 2010, to what his draft stock was after 2010. i didn't like him then, you expect me to like him now? i don't understand what is so hard to understand!! for me he needs to prove he can play the way he does and stay healthy, then i'll give him some credit. until then, i'm staying away from him. you can go off of what you saw in him in the past... but i'd suggest looking at him now and what he has done recently.

to me here's the present day knile davis:

a big, straight line speed guy who was beat out by a mediocre back that wasn't even invited to the combine. a walking injury waiting to happen who spent an awful lot of time on the sideline in his college career rather than playing the game.

It matters now because it shows what he's capable of. Is he still capable of it? I don't know. He didn't show it in 2012, that's for sure. But is that enough to completely write him off? For some yes, for me and others, no. If not for that 2010 season, I wouldn't care about him. A fast 40 time is nice, but if that's all he brought to the table, then who really cares (some would, but I'd argue most wouldn't). You didn't like him even before the injury so obviously you're not going to like him now. It's more helpful to discuss why you didn't like him back then. I've actually gone back to watch him looking for the things you and others have pointed out. That's the constructive part of the discussion. But above is one of the first times you and your compatriot have actually acknowledged that he was highly regarded as you both tried to argue that no "reputable sources" had him rated as a top-prospect. Again, that's why this has turned into what it is now.

Look at a guy like Alshon Jeffery. The guy had a monster 2010 college season (88/1517/9), stayed one more year, and completely stunk up the joint with 49/762/8. People wondered which was the real Jeffery. But, you don't just ignore his 2010 season because it wasn't the most recent because he flashed some big potential. Similarly, Knile Davis had a big 2010 season. He didn't take over as the starter until week 6 that year and still amassed 1300 yds and 13 TDs in the SEC. That is impressive any way you slice it. You want to discount it because it was pre-injury and took place 3 years ago. Others choose not to because it's an indication of what he might be capable of. Again, this is why you're having such a difficult time with this discussion. It IS relevant to some.

I have no idea if that year was a fluke. I have no idea if he'll ever return to that form. But I do know that it warrants consideration and, combined with his recent combine (which demonstrates he may be healthy again), makes him a prospect to look at in my eyes. If you didn't like him before, you certainly won't now. But stop asking why 2010 is relevant. It is very relevant even if it took place 3 years ago. A bad few games in a dysfunctional Arkansas program isn't enough for me to just say "ahh, he's done, nothing else to see here". We'll see if any NFL teams think the same thing come draft day.

ETA--And the equivalent to what you're doing with Knile when compared to Jeffery would be like saying after his down 2011 season- "yeah, Jeffery was an intriguing prospect after his 2010 season, but he was only looked at as a mid-round draft pick. All he did was run fast but he won't make it at the next level and was never really highly rated" when in reality he was the considered an elite WR prospect.