Bigger Backs: Hardesty vs. MathewsApril 7, 2010
Per Colin Cowherd, name the third best running back in the league? …..it shouldn’t take you more than 10 seconds. Yeah, the first two are easy Chris Johnson and Adrian Peterson. The third, not so much. The NFL has changed. I mean when the Pittsburgh Steelers are throwing the ball to setup the run you know something is “wrong”. Is wrong the right word? Depends on who you ask. I’d rather say evolved. Either way, the days of the bruising back has come and gone and the league now employs the two back system. There are a few big backs in the league trying their best to keep the bruiser tradition alive. Two every down backs in this year’s class are Tennessee’s Montario Hardesty and Fresno State’s Ryan Mathews. Both backs can carry the load for a team if the league ever returns to that style of play.
The top two big backs this year are Montario Hardesty and Fresno State’s Ryan Mathews. Who would you pick?
Montario Hardesty
Vitals: 6′0″ 225 lbs.
Speed: Train-like (4.49)
Quickness: Very for his size
Change of Direction: Nice
Ball Security: Good
Elusiveness: Very good
Vision: Great
Pass Catching: Good
Blocking: Willing, but not great
Balance: Unbelievable
Toughness: Too tough for tv
Pros: Can you say Corey Dillion part 2. He’s not a speed burner but he has enough quickness and speed to make plays. His best trait is his vision and balance. He makes the right cuts every time and the first defender never brings him down allowing him five to six yards a carry a pop.
Cons: He’s not a home run hitter. Like all young back’s he’ll need to improve his pass-blocking to stay on the field on third downs.
Overall: So what he’s not going to break one 80 yards. He will get 4 to 5 yards a carry for you and wear down a defense if you give it to him 20-25 times a game and may very well break one 50 yards at the end of a the game.
Ryan Mathews
Vitals: 6′0″ 218 lbs.
Speed: Good (4.45)
Quickness: Good
Change of Direction: One cut type of guy
Ball Security: Good
Elusiveness: Have you grabbing thin air
Vision: Great
Pass Catching: Needs work
Blocking: Okay
Balance: Best of 2010 class
Toughness: Injury prone
Pros: Would be a great in a zone blocking scheme. Decisive and gets through the hole extremely fast and makes one cut and is in the second level. He does have enough speed to get past the secondary and take it the distance as well.
Cons: Injury prone and has been injured every year of his career at Fresno State. Drops too many passes as well and might not be very effective on third downs and in the screen game.
Overall: He can hit the home run or pound it out for a 10-12 play drive. His versatility to do both is invaluable. A team has the option to play the spread offense or burn the clock with the running game with Matthews. Durability is a concern.
Who am I picking???
The league is now a passing league and although Hardesty has better hands, Mathews is the better pass blocker overall. Also the passing offense opens up running lanes and leaves more DBs on the field for Matthews to break tackles and take long runs the distance.
That’s all I got,
Ricky Writer
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