Getting Ready For the Draft -What Are They Saying About Ray Rice

The 2008 NFL Draft is this Saturday, April 26th and (former NRYTLer)
Ray Rice is predicted to be chosen in the second round. The "draft experts"
have Ray rated as high as the 39th best player (regardless of position) to the 50th. He is rated as either the 5th best back or the 9th. With that being said, if all 32 teams picked the so called best player available, then he would be picked before pick 64 (the end of the second round). This rarely happens as teams generally pick to fill a need. Luckily, because of the short 'lifespan' of a running backs NFL career (vs other positions), teams never pass up on quality running backs.

Generally there are four backs who are predicted to get drafted in the first round. Darren McFadden(Arkansas), Rashard Mendenhall(Illinois), Jonathan Stewart(Oregon) and Felix Jones(Arkansas). It is doubtful that all four will go in the first round since only three times in the past ten drafts has four running backs been taken in the first round. The next group of running backs projected to be chosen is led by Ray Rice (Rutgers), Chris Johnson (East Carolina), Jamaal Charles(Texas) , Matte Forte(Tulane) and 2007 NCAA leading rusher Kevin Smith (Central Florida).
This group all present different styles for any team about to select. If a team is need of a third down speedster they may select Johnson (4.2 40yd dash) , or if a team is looking for a third and short back they may like Matte Forte (6'2, 222lbs), since he reminds many of the New Yorks Giants running back Brandon Jacobs. Rice of Rutgers has many teams intrigued because he is a every down back. Although 'supposedly' short in vertical height, at 200 lbs Rice is not a 'scatback' runner and compares favorably in bulk and speed to the other taller backs in this draft.

The great Walter Payton was 5'10, Thurman Thomas, 5'10 and Curtis Martin 5'10, all of whom went in the second round and all of whom are either in the Hall of Fame or headed there. Maybe comparing Rice to Hall of Fame runners is unfair, but if you look at current NFL rosters featuring Michael Turner ( 5'10, 5th round), Ahmad Bradshaw (5' 9, 7th round) Julius Jones (5'10, 2nd round) and Maurice Jones-Drew (5'7, 2nd round) you will understand why the general consensus is Ray can 'carry the load' as he did while at Rutgers, and be more than a complementary runner. There is no question Rice's style is built for the NFL running game and in the land of the NFL, when the pads go on that is what will count.

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