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2017 5* RB Cam Akers (FSU 12/27/16)


aucanucktiger

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Sigh.

Mark Ingram- Heisman winner, 28th overall pick in 2011, 1st RB taken

Trent Richardson- 3rd overall pick in 2012, 1st RB taken

Eddie Lacy- 61st overall pick in 2013, 4th RB taken

T.J. Yeldon (forgot about him)- 36th overall pick in 2015, 3rd RB taken

Derrick Henry- Heisman winner, 45th overall pick in 2016, 2nd RB taken

Kenyan Drake- 73rd overall pick in 2016, 3rd RB taken

Ben Tate- 58th overall pick in 2010, 6th RB taken

Michael Dyer- Not drafted, failed to make roster in Oakland

Onterrio McCalebb- UFA in 2013, signed with Cincinnati as a cornerback

Tre Mason- Heisman finalist, 75th overall pick in 2014, 5th RB taken

Cameron Artis-Payne- 174th overall pick in 2015, 15th RB taken

Peyton Barber- UFA in 2016

They have had 2 first rounders, had 2 guys taken in the top 3 RBs this past year, 2 Heisman winners, and haven't gone a year without one of their guys being one of the first 4 RBs taken.

We have had no first rounders, had no guys taken higher than the 5th RB, no Heisman winners and 3 guys who failed to get drafted at all.

Which list looks more impressive to a high school recruit, which is what this thread is about?

So what you're saying is that the bama mistique and media machine that helps them get into the NFL, only to flounder a good portion of the time is what you're basing your statement that "bama has been better than Auburn for RBs" on. If that's the case, you're right, and they always will be, because Auburn doesn't have, and probably never will have the level of hype that bama has.

If you look at the numbers, Newton and Dyer both outperformed Ingram, and Mason and CAP both outperformed Yeldon. Richardson and Lacy had their banner years when we were at our worst, and Richardson's time in the NFL has shown that he was all hype. Henry is a force of nature, and there's no denying it, but it will be interesting to see how he does in a league that calls holding.

If you look at that list, all of the backs on Auburn's list who were the #1 back and actually finished their career at Auburn were drafted. Dyer would have been, had he not fallen apart. Also, on bamas list, almost all of their backs had 1 year as the starter. On Auburn's list Dyer and Mason both had 2 years. That gives Auburn fewer opportunities to place someone in the NFL.

You honestly shouldn't even consider Barber. He was a #3 back who came out too early. OMac was a specialist who's physical attributes didn't fit as an NFL back. Oh... and don't forget, Corey Grant plays for the Jaguars.

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Lion, come on. Cam Newton is a quarterback. Stop it.

You seriously think that the best football minds in the world are buying into the bama "mystique and media machine" instead of properly evaluating players like we are?

You're attributing Richardson's and Lacy's "banner years" to Auburn being down? You realize that they only play us once a season, right? Trent Richardson set a rushing touchdown record while sharing time with Eddie Lacy. Lacy ran for 7.5 YPC his last year at bama.

I don't even have time for all the qualifiers and excuses you're listing.

As for Richardson's NFL production compared to Auburn RBs, see below.

^ still doesn't address my argument that their RB's are damaged goods on the next level.

Also, Maybe we should throw in Gus's work with Felix Jones and McFadden also?

...and yet the NFL keeps snatching them up early and often. I suppose the damaged goods theory hasn't made its way to the highest echelons of the sport yet.

-Kenny Irons (not that 2007 has anything to do with 2016, but somebody else mentioned him) probably could've been a successful NFL RB if he hadn't gotten injured before his first season started.

-Ben Tate has played 51 games and had 540 carries and 67 receptions in 5 years.

-Mark Ingram has played in 62 games and had 748 carries and 103 receptions in that same 5 years.

-Trent Richardson- the poster boy for the damaged goods theory- played in 46 games and had 614 carries and 113 receptions in four years.

-Eddie Lacy has played in 46 games and had 717 carries and 98 receptions in three years.

-Tre Mason has played in 25 NFL games, and actually averaged 15 touches a game in the 12 games he played in 2014. CAP stayed healthy for all 50 of his touches last year, so that's pretty impressive. TJ Yeldon also averaged 15 touches a game for the 12 games he played his rookie year.

As for McFadden and Jones, McFadden is the most infamous example of oft-injured RBs perhaps in NFL history and Jones... well, he did have 4 years with over 100 carries (but only 1 over 150).

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Certainly, there's no argument that Bama positions its RBs better for the NFL draft. Mark Ingram is the best possible example for them. He was, is, and always will be criminally overrated. He would've been Ben Tate's backup at Auburn. No question. But in that offense, behind that line, and propped up by that defense, he was a star. That year also netted him an unearned Heisman based on the narrative ("No Alabama Heisman winners..."), and reputation netted him a first round selection.

In the end, though, talent wins out. This year, his fifth in the league, was the first season he's been a full-time starter. He's never run for over 1000 yards in any season (by comparison, it took Cadillac and Ronnie two seasons for each to turn the trick). He is average in every way, but the Saints have a lot invested in him and don't really need a star RB. Thus, they stick with him. He's reliably average, and Bama made him look amazing. He's the biggest feather in their cap.

It is true that Bama running backs get overused in college. It's also true (I believe) that their strength and conditioning program is steroid-driven, which is why so many of their players struggle with weight issues, injuries, etc. Obviously, that's unproven, but it happens frequently enough that there has to be an explanation. It's not just bad luck. Regardless, you could definitely contend that Bama does not set up RBs for long-term success, but they help you net a fat first contract. In the NFL that's the only guaranteed money a RB has so I doubt you'll hear complaints.

As for college production, no, they haven't really been better. They've gotten more accolades, but Derrick Henry is the only one that really posted amazing numbers. Ingram's year was very good, but it was largely indistinguishable from Cameron Artis-Payne's last season, except for the fact that Ingram played opposite a better defense. That tit-for-tat could go on for a while.

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Lion, come on. Cam Newton is a quarterback. Stop it.

You seriously think that the best football minds in the world are buying into the bama "mystique and media machine" instead of properly evaluating players like we are?

You're attributing Richardson's and Lacy's "banner years" to Auburn being down? You realize that they only play us once a season, right? Trent Richardson set a rushing touchdown record while sharing time with Eddie Lacy. Lacy ran for 7.5 YPC his last year at bama.

I don't even have time for all the qualifiers and excuses you're listing.

As for Richardson's NFL production compared to Auburn RBs, see below.

^ still doesn't address my argument that their RB's are damaged goods on the next level.

Also, Maybe we should throw in Gus's work with Felix Jones and McFadden also?

...and yet the NFL keeps snatching them up early and often. I suppose the damaged goods theory hasn't made its way to the highest echelons of the sport yet.

-Kenny Irons (not that 2007 has anything to do with 2016, but somebody else mentioned him) probably could've been a successful NFL RB if he hadn't gotten injured before his first season started.

-Ben Tate has played 51 games and had 540 carries and 67 receptions in 5 years.

-Mark Ingram has played in 62 games and had 748 carries and 103 receptions in that same 5 years.

-Trent Richardson- the poster boy for the damaged goods theory- played in 46 games and had 614 carries and 113 receptions in four years.

-Eddie Lacy has played in 46 games and had 717 carries and 98 receptions in three years.

-Tre Mason has played in 25 NFL games, and actually averaged 15 touches a game in the 12 games he played in 2014. CAP stayed healthy for all 50 of his touches last year, so that's pretty impressive. TJ Yeldon also averaged 15 touches a game for the 12 games he played his rookie year.

As for McFadden and Jones, McFadden is the most infamous example of oft-injured RBs perhaps in NFL history and Jones... well, he did have 4 years with over 100 carries (but only 1 over 150).

"As for McFadden and Jones, McFadden is the most infamous example of oft-injured RBs perhaps in NFL history"

No he is not. Hell, he is still playing.

You can pull up the stats all you want on Lacy, T Rich, Ingram, whatever, all you're proving is that you know how to use Google.

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Mcloofus seems to have an unpopular opinion on this but I gotta say I agree with him.

Also lumping Cam Newton as a running back is just trying to skew the numbers to fit a preconceived narrative IMO

"They have had 2 first rounders, had 2 guys taken in the top 3 RBs this past year alone, 2 Heisman winners, and haven't gone a year starting in 2011 without one of their guys being one of the first 4 RBs taken.

We have had no first rounders, had no guys taken higher than the 5th RB, no Heisman winners and 3 guys who failed to get drafted at all.

Which list looks more impressive to a high school recruit?"

Put the list and stats in front of a HS kid while hiding the school names and any top 5 or 4 star running back prospect will find, on the surface level, that Bama's recent history at the RB position as a whole is more impressive. 2 Heisman's. I don't really need to expand on that. They currently have double the number of running backs on NFL rosters than we do.

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Certainly, there's no argument that Bama positions its RBs better for the NFL draft.

All I was trying to say, although re-reading my initial response on this side thread, I did fluff bama players' NFL production a bit.

Also, Darren McFadden is somewhat injury prone. Hell, NFL RBs are injury prone, period. That's why very few of them are first rounders anymore and why it's hard to pick a true RB1 in your fantasy leagues. Everything's a time share now.

By the way, I'm not suggesting that Cam Akers would be better off there. I don't think he would be. I just don't blame a kid by being blinded by sparkly, nice things, which bama currently has more of than we do. That's all.

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Lion, come on. Cam Newton is a quarterback. Stop it.

I know he's a quarterback. He's also included in the rushing statistics, which is why I included him and also why I included the numbers excluding him and using Dyer instead... who also out performed Ingram even with Cam being one of the top rushers in the NCAA that year. The fact that Dyer racked up over 1000 yards WHILE Newton was racking up 1473 and Ingram only had 875, while both teams were having a good year, tells me that Dyer was the better back.

You seriously think that the best football minds in the world are buying into the bama "mystique and media machine" instead of properly evaluating players like we are?

There's talk every year, outside of the Auburn faithful, about why bama gets so many players drafted who end up not being what they were expected. I don't know how else to explain it. Someone's being sold something.

You're attributing Richardson's and Lacy's "banner years" to Auburn being down? You realize that they only play us once a season, right? Trent Richardson set a rushing touchdown record while sharing time with Eddie Lacy. Lacy ran for 7.5 YPC his last year at bama.

No, I'm saying that, had we not been down, we could have very well had a back eclipse them. Statistically, when we are both having good years, Auburn has the better rushing numbers.

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Mcloofus seems to have an unpopular opinion on this but I gotta say I agree with him.

Also lumping Cam Newton as a running back is just trying to skew the numbers to fit a preconceived narrative IMO

"They have had 2 first rounders, had 2 guys taken in the top 3 RBs this past year alone, 2 Heisman winners, and haven't gone a year starting in 2011 without one of their guys being one of the first 4 RBs taken.

We have had no first rounders, had no guys taken higher than the 5th RB, no Heisman winners and 3 guys who failed to get drafted at all.

Which list looks more impressive to a high school recruit?"

Put the list and stats in front of a HS kid while hiding the school names and any top 5 or 4 star running back prospect will find, on the surface level, that Bama's recent history at the RB position as a whole is more impressive. 2 Heisman's. I don't really need to expand on that. They currently have double the number of running backs on NFL rosters than we do.

Bama has had a better run recently but Auburn has consistently put out the RB's long term and is still RBU. Hopefully Eddie Lacy stays off the extra order of pancakes so one of their running backs can prove to be successful long term.
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Certainly, there's no argument that Bama positions its RBs better for the NFL draft.

All I was trying to say, although re-reading my initial response on this side thread, I did fluff bama players' NFL production a bit.

Also, Darren McFadden is somewhat injury prone. Hell, NFL RBs are injury prone, period. That's why very few of them are first rounders anymore and why it's hard to pick a true RB1 in your fantasy leagues. Everything's a time share now.

By the way, I'm not suggesting that Cam Akers would be better off there. I don't think he would be. I just don't blame a kid by being blinded by sparkly, nice things, which bama currently has more of than we do. That's all.

That's a lot different than:

"McFadden is the most infamous example of oft-injured RBs perhaps in NFL history"

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Lion, come on. Cam Newton is a quarterback. Stop it.

I know he's a quarterback. He's also included in the rushing statistics, which is why I included him and also why I included the numbers excluding him and using Dyer instead... who also out performed Ingram even with Cam being one of the top rushers in the NCAA that year. The fact that Dyer racked up over 1000 yards WHILE Newton was racking up 1473 and Ingram only had 875, while both teams were having a good year, tells me that Dyer was the better back.

Or maybe defenders having to account for perhaps the best rushing QB in college history helped Dyer get some of those yards? This is why it's dangerous to play the ifs and buts game.

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Mcloofus seems to have an unpopular opinion on this but I gotta say I agree with him.

Also lumping Cam Newton as a running back is just trying to skew the numbers to fit a preconceived narrative IMO

"They have had 2 first rounders, had 2 guys taken in the top 3 RBs this past year alone, 2 Heisman winners, and haven't gone a year starting in 2011 without one of their guys being one of the first 4 RBs taken.

We have had no first rounders, had no guys taken higher than the 5th RB, no Heisman winners and 3 guys who failed to get drafted at all.

Which list looks more impressive to a high school recruit?"

Put the list and stats in front of a HS kid while hiding the school names and any top 5 or 4 star running back prospect will find, on the surface level, that Bama's recent history at the RB position as a whole is more impressive. 2 Heisman's. I don't really need to expand on that. They currently have double the number of running backs on NFL rosters than we do.

Bama has had a better run recently but Auburn has consistently put out the RB's long term and is still RBU. Hopefully Eddie Lacy stays off the extra order of pancakes so one of their running backs can prove to be successful long term.

Long term definitely we are RBU. We have been doing really solid at RB lately but they have been outperforming us at that position.

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Lion, come on. Cam Newton is a quarterback. Stop it.

I know he's a quarterback. He's also included in the rushing statistics, which is why I included him and also why I included the numbers excluding him and using Dyer instead... who also out performed Ingram even with Cam being one of the top rushers in the NCAA that year. The fact that Dyer racked up over 1000 yards WHILE Newton was racking up 1473 and Ingram only had 875, while both teams were having a good year, tells me that Dyer was the better back.

Or maybe defenders having to account for perhaps the best rushing QB in college history helped Dyer get some of those yards? This is why it's dangerous to play the ifs and buts game.

The following year, with a totally new offensive line and no help from Cam, Dyer racked up 1242 yards. Ingram had one great year at bama in 2009, behind an O-line with 3 future NFL draft pics on it (2 of which were still there in 2010), and the fact that bama had never won a Heisman, and was in the championship, allowed him to win it over a much more deserving Toby Gerhart. His other 2 years, he didn't break 900.

Agree that the ifs and buts aren't solid, by any stretch of the imagination, but you can paint a pretty accurate picture with enough data. Career numbers during their time at Auburn and bama say Dyer was better than Ingram.

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Long term definitely we are RBU. We have been doing really solid at RB lately but they have been outperforming us at that position.

In this decade, they have our performed us in 2011, 2012, and 2015. We our performed them in 2010, 2013 and 2014. As I said before, if our team is playing well overall, our backs outperform theirs.

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Get back to Cam Akers. Take the Bama RB production talk somewhere else.

While I get your point, E, for once, the rabbit trail is actually relevant as we are discussing a running back who may end up choosing between us and them.

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While I get your point, E, for once, the rabbit trail is actually relevant as we are discussing a running back who may end up choosing between us and them.

Bama does not appear to be a major player here anymore. It maybe somewhat relevant but was noted by a poster who said has anyone seen the Akers thread that members don't want to read Bammers RB production or accilaids here so take it to Rivals section to discuss it further.
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Get back to Cam Akers. Take the Bama RB production talk somewhere else.

While I get your point, E, for once, the rabbit trail is actually relevant as we are discussing a running back who may end up choosing between us and them.

Agreed.

And I completely agree about Dyer and Ingram. You're right. I went too far in trying to prove a different point. I just think that, although we can sell college production, they can sell something else that will mean more to certain recruits.

Okay, ellitor, done, promise.

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Long term definitely we are RBU. We have been doing really solid at RB lately but they have been outperforming us at that position.

In this decade, they have our performed us in 2011, 2012, and 2015. We our performed them in 2010, 2013 and 2014. As I said before, if our team is playing well overall, our backs outperform theirs

Exactly. We only led the SEC in the rushing two years in a row. Once leading the nation. Our RB's will get theirs in a Gus Malzahn offense. However, skeptics want call our RBs success a product of the system which is not accurate.
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I'd say our RB numbers are no more system driven than Bama's or Arkansas'. Heck, Bama ran plays at a faster clip than us last year so I guess the system was just goosing their numbers.

As for Akers, it's always been Ole Miss we had to overcome. It was cool that he committed to Bama and all, but even then, folks in Jackson and Oxford felt like he would sign with Ole Miss. If we land him, it'll be a dogfight with them down the stretch.

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I'd say our RB numbers are no more system driven than Bama's or Arkansas'. Heck, Bama ran plays at a faster clip than us last year so I guess the system was just goosing their numbers.

As for Akers, it's always been Ole Miss we had to overcome. It was cool that he committed to Bama and all, but even then, folks in Jackson and Oxford felt like he would sign with Ole Miss. If we land him, it'll be a dogfight with them down the stretch.

Agreed. I don't know that Tre benefited from fatigued defenses any more than Henry.
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  • 2 weeks later...

Long term definitely we are RBU. We have been doing really solid at RB lately but they have been outperforming us at that position.

In this decade, they have our performed us in 2011, 2012, and 2015. We our performed them in 2010, 2013 and 2014. As I said before, if our team is playing well overall, our backs outperform theirs

Exactly. We only led the SEC in the rushing two years in a row. Once leading the nation. Our RB's will get theirs in a Gus Malzahn offense. However, skeptics want call our RBs success a product of the system which is not accurate.

That 2013 team was also the first SEC team to lead the nation in rushing, if I remember correctly.

Must have just been a flaw that year.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Nothing new on Cam but I hope the staff is calling this kid every day to keep Auburn on his mind.  He's a game changer at the RB position, perfect fit for our offense as well.

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