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Because things that happened 20-40 years ago make a difference on what happens now.
I bet if there were people questioning the Bears drafting Curtis Enis in '98, Bears fans probably said, "Well, they drafted Gale Sayers and Walter Payton in the 1st round too... conversation over." How'd that turn out?
Can Zeke pass-block? Is he valuable catching passes out of the backfield? Those qualities are a hell of a lot more important now than "Gimme the ball 40 times; I'll get you 120 yards and maybe a TD."Comment -
a lot of Opie haters here not Dallas haters
Lets get Johnny Football as a backupComment -
A young inexperienced and unpolished RB with an aging QB who can't take a hit before he is out for the season. Nothing can go wrong.Comment -
Elliot is a beast but is dallas the right organization to get the best out of him?Comment -
The Ravens were hoping to draft him but Cowboys pulled the trigger.Comment -
A true junior from St. Louis, Missouri, Ezekiel Elliott is a do-it-all specialist with elite NFL traits on every down. He is a legitimate top-10 player. During his Ohio State career, Elliott rushed for 3,961 yards and added 43 touchdowns while posting back-to-back 1,800-yard seasons in his two years as a starter.
Elliott has impressive speed for a big back, posting a 4.47-second 40-yard dash. He shows that same speed on tape, often pulling away for long runs against Big 10 competition. Elliott's 80-yarder against Virginia Tech in the 2015 opener is another example of his long speed.
With excellent start-stop quickness, Elliott can take the handoff and spot his opening before exploding into the offensive line. His first three steps are full of power and acceleration, which gets him to the line of scrimmage at a high speed with excellent body lean and balance. He's able to see cutback lanes and recognize small creases in the line that can become rushing lanes. Elliott can create on his own and does not need the line to do his job for him.
With tree-trunk legs, Elliott will run through arm tackles. He has excellent footwork and churns his legs through the contact. A tackler going for his leg is likely to get a knee to the facemask. Even at 5'11", Elliott has a stout, compact frame that can get low behind his pads. He doesn't run at full height until well into the open field.
On third down, throw it to Zeke. He posted 55 catches in a run-first offense in the last two seasons and dropped just three passes total. Not only is he a very good receiver, but Elliott is also the class' best pass-protection back. He is a true three down back who can catch the ball, but can also stay back to block. Elliott is an incredibly aggressive blocker who positions his body incredibly well and diagnoses situations quickly. Frankly, he blocks like he runs: Smart, aggressively and quickly.
Elliott is still a baby by NFL standards, as he won't turn 21 until July 22.Comment -
Zeke!!
still need a QBComment -
Dont really like him.Comment -
Guy was running through holes the size of semi-trucks at Ohio State. Probably won't live up to expectations.Comment -
Dumbass Cowboys.
Cowboys never want to just be sensible ever...they try constantly to be the smartest in the roomComment -
Browns had chance to take MAJOR step forward this year if they would have been smart enough to pick up Derrick Henry...BUT...they're not that smart...another 3-13 season looms. Cowboys just wrote their ticket to Super Bowl. Zeke Elliott will make them forget DeMarco Murray.Comment -
Even if Ezekiel Elliott Is Great, He Was an Awful Selection for the Cowboys
The Cowboys selected Ezekiel Elliott with the fourth overall pick in last night's first round of the NFL Draft. But why?
Ezekiel Elliott could end up being one of the best running backs in the NFL, and Dallas would still have made the wrong choice in selecting him last night.
NFL front offices are still -- objectively -- getting it wrong. Rather than spending early-draft selections on truly impactful positions, they're doing what the Cowboys did last night. They're taking a running back. With the fourth overall pick.
Fans are excited, and I understand why: we live in a fantasy football world where 1,500 yards from scrimmage is everything at the running back position.
But from a real football standpoint, it was a bad pick. And it's made worse when you read the Cowboys' logic as to why they selected Elliott. Here's something head coach Jason Garrett said after the selection:
“Hopefully you possess the ball more. You get more plays on offense, fewer plays on defense, and that allows your defense to play at a higher level. It’s similar to how we played a couple years ago, when we ran the ball so effectively — and I thought it had a really positive impact on everybody on our team. We believe Zeke gives us a chance to do that.”
This is something that seems like it should be true, but there's absolutely nothing quantifying whether or not it's actually true.
The truth is, there's no correlation -- the r-value is 0.10 -- between rushing and defensive performance according to our schedule-adjusted Net Expected Points (NEP) metric. It may seem intuitive that holding the ball would help a defense -- and it might to a small degree -- but there are plenty of instances where that's not the case.
I mean, if we want to play the anecdotal game like the Cowboys are doing (their sample size here is "one", after all), Adrian Peterson's teams haven't always had above-average defenses. Remember Le'Veon Bell's breakout season a couple of years ago? That Steeler defense was awful.
Here's the kicker, though: per NEP, the Cowboys had a better defense last season (19th when adjusted for strength of opponent) than they did in 2014. You know, last year, when they were Tony Romo-less and had Darren McFadden leading the backfield.
more....https://www.numberfire.com/nfl/news/...r-the-cowboys#Comment -
Love or hate the Cowboys, you all still care...
#JERRYWINS
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fukin bluehorseshoe gets it
.....guys been a poster here for 10 years.....quality post pal
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I think o/u on yards rushing is like 1280....seems highComment -
he blows a divaComment -
[QUOTE=Bluehorseshoe;25652641]Even if Ezekiel Elliott Is Great, He Was an Awful Selection for the Cowboys
The Cowboys selected Ezekiel Elliott with the fourth overall pick in last night's first round of the NFL Draft. But why?
dak prescott was an increddible pick i watched every MSU game hes the real deal
Demarco murray broke every record for a single season and dallas shit on himComment -
Wrong MSU! Prescott no answer for the Cowboys when Romo goes down. Convert him to a tight end. Conner Cook was the Cowboy pick for QB but they took Prescott instead. Bad move but time will tell.Comment -
Imagine if Dallas had drafted Jalen Ramsey (who I initially wanted with #4 as well), people would be saying that they're top two picks won't even be on the field potentially for the 2016-17 season and Dallas drafted injured players again har har har.
Ramsey could be playing by Week 1 but the Jags have been patient with Fowler Jr so I imagine they'll be patient with Ramsey.
Also the article is wrong when it talks about Dallas' clock eating offense keeping defenses off the field not working. Of course it worked. They won the NFC East Crown and made it to the second week of the play-offs. When they go back to being able to convert third downs and third and shorts which was a struggle last season it'll make all the difference.Comment -
Lol. I always win.Comment -
you aint won shit laker they assassinating my mans characterComment -
plot twist, dallas doesnt win 7 games..Comment -
Super high on this kid. Dallas is the spot for a back, behind the leagues best offensive line.
Upon studying the tape, I actually think its fair to argue that Elliot is actually a better pro prospect than Todd Gurley. Gurley was more of a 'freakish' athlete sure, but Elliot seems to have more polish and a better handle on the position overall. His giantic 10.25" hands meant he doesn't fumble much with just 4 in his career. And perhaps what is most impressive is what he does without the ball. He is the best blocker I have watched at his position. He also sells the play action very well, running to contact just as hard as he would with the ball in his hands.
I'm locking him as a top 12 selection but I am hoping he slides to somewhere around 24 ADP due to mixed vibes.Comment -
Guy is a beast
Best in NFL already
Nobody can touchComment -
Man I was spot on here.
I am pretty awesome.Comment
