After the Detroit Lions released Reggie Bush in a cost cutting measure it has in my mind opened up the perfect opportunity to take a running back early in the NFL Draft. Here is my reasons why I believe the selection should be Georgia’s Todd Gurley with the 23rd pick.
Fit:
Okay. I’m done. That was easy. Seriously, the Detroit Lions need a running back badly. The Lions featured one of the more pathetic rushing attacks in football with averages of 3.6 yards per carry, 88.9 yards per game, only 11 rushing touchdowns, and 7 fumbles. Detroit also saw 13 dropped passes between Reggie Bush and Joique Bell combined.
Enter Todd Gurley
Let’s face it, Gurley, 20, is probably a top-10 pick if he doesn’t tear his ACL in the middle of last season. He has drawn comparisons to Marshawn Lynch and Jamal Lewis and he can do it all. The three sport high school star (Football, Track, and Basketball) has power, speed, vision, balance, and he sheds tacklers. At 6’1″ and 230 pounds he is a load that will find a hole, run over a would be tackler, and fight for the extra yard. Underrated is Gurley’s ability to catch pass out of the backfield. He has shown good hands in college when thrown to.
In his three years at Georgia, Gurley has never averaged under 6.0 yards a carry. He knows how to finish off his teams drives, as telling by his 36 career Touchdowns as a Bulldog. He has a skill set rarely seen in this day and age, add to his already impressive numbers 6 career Touchdown receptions and 2 kickoffs returned for scores. With Gurley the Lions would be getting an every down back, forget the situational two-back systems. He would render Bell a depth player as he can block, catch the ball on a check down and get that 1st down on a 3rd and short. The guy is flat out nasty, has a hard nose, and wants the extra yard.
In closing Gurley is a beast, and with the 23rd pick he’s a steal. The only reason he might be there is that teams are wary after an ACL injury and don’t want to spend a 1st rd pick on him. I freely admit his knee injury is a red flag and he probably starts the season on the PUP List ( Physically Unable to Perform), but after Dr. James Andrews says he is six weeks ahead on his recovery, it’s a nice sign. Dr. Andrews is the best Orthopedic Surgeon in the business. Gurley runs like it’s the “running of the bulls” and he is the one with horns. He is going through the defender or around him, either giving the tackler pay for bringing him down or leaving him searching for his jock strap. After watching game film on Gurley over the past two years he is a big, yet shifty and his height (6’1 typically a little tall) doesn’t not seem to be an issue as he gets his pads low as needed, whether it’s the second level or at the line of scrimmage. Gurley shows no ball security issues and protects the ball well, and he plays hard and sells out for the endzone,
I.WANT. HIM. ON. MY. TEAM!
How to improve the 28th ranked rushing attack #GimmeGurley. The solution is that simple.