PowerBack ~ Leonard Fournette ~ Louisiana State Fighting Tigers ~ 6000/240
Regarding PowerBacks
A couple Years ago, I dropped the term "FlexBack" and divided all HalfBacks into PowerBacks & SpeedBacks.
I've come to believe that any HalfBack that doesn't bring a Passing Game element to the BattleField is...incomplete.
Hence, the term "FlexBack" ~ although quite cool, I believe!! ~ short-circuits the Evaluation Process.
As to how I break them down, I expect that the terms are pretty self-explanatory:
PowerBacks ~ HalfBacks who do their best Work between the Tackles..
SpeedBacks ~ HalfBacks who do their best Work outside the Tackles.
The PowerBack prototype would be about 5115/220 or so.
The SpeedBack prototype would be about 5010/200 or so.
Those are gross oversimplifications, of course, and many HalfBacks will manifest Attributes of both styles. Indeed, Power and Speed ~ better yet: Agility ~ are crucial to the Success of either kind of HalfBack. But I believe that it advances the discussion and better serves my Fellow FootBall Fanatics if I make an effort to distinguish between types.
This is how I break things down, when evaluating all HalfBacks:
Power: Above all: Core Power. Upper body Power is important, but lower body Power, from the Knees to the Ribs, is absolutely crucial. An HalfBack's Capacity to break Tackles is more about Core Power than anything else.
Agility: Launch Velocity, Fluidity, Acceleration, and Ricochet. Long Speed is all well and good, but at the end of the day, it is Gravy. What wins Championships is Moving The Chains. And Moving The Chains is accomplished far more consistently by the guys who exhibit the Agility ~ and the Focus ~ to consistently pick up 5 and sometimes 10 Yards at a time.
Processing Speed: Diagnostic Velocity. Field Vision. That ethereal Capacity to Rapidly Read & React to the Rapidly Roiling & Boiling Tactical LandScape...and to foresee and envision Lanes developing before they actually do.
Blocking: Having an HalfBack who doesn't Block effectively is like having 10 Men on the Field of Battle. Most HalfBacks just coming out'f College are mediocre Blockers, but this is a crucial Aspect of the Game that they'll need to master.
Receiving: Whether he be a PowerBack or a SpeedBack, an HalfBack that can effectively present a genuine Threat in the Passing Game dramatically increases his Team's Options on any given Play. The more dynamic the Threat, the more valuable to'is Team on the Field of Battle, whether he's just slipping out'f the BackField or splitting out Wide.
Broken down into SubCategories, it'd go something like this:
Power
* Core Power is most of it. Tyrannosaurus Rex would've made an Hell of an HalfBack.
* Torso Power doesn't hurt, though.
Agility
* Launch Velocity
* Fluidity
* Acceleration
* Ricochet
* Long Speed
Processing Speed
* That ethereal Capacity to foresee and envision Lanes developing before they actually do.
Blocking
* Power
* Agility
* Combat Skills
* Processing Speed
* Motor
Receiving
* Separation
* Catch Point Capacity
* Navigation
I've come to believe that any HalfBack that doesn't bring a Passing Game element to the BattleField is...incomplete.
Hence, the term "FlexBack" ~ although quite cool, I believe!! ~ short-circuits the Evaluation Process.
As to how I break them down, I expect that the terms are pretty self-explanatory:
PowerBacks ~ HalfBacks who do their best Work between the Tackles..
SpeedBacks ~ HalfBacks who do their best Work outside the Tackles.
The PowerBack prototype would be about 5115/220 or so.
The SpeedBack prototype would be about 5010/200 or so.
Those are gross oversimplifications, of course, and many HalfBacks will manifest Attributes of both styles. Indeed, Power and Speed ~ better yet: Agility ~ are crucial to the Success of either kind of HalfBack. But I believe that it advances the discussion and better serves my Fellow FootBall Fanatics if I make an effort to distinguish between types.
This is how I break things down, when evaluating all HalfBacks:
Power: Above all: Core Power. Upper body Power is important, but lower body Power, from the Knees to the Ribs, is absolutely crucial. An HalfBack's Capacity to break Tackles is more about Core Power than anything else.
Agility: Launch Velocity, Fluidity, Acceleration, and Ricochet. Long Speed is all well and good, but at the end of the day, it is Gravy. What wins Championships is Moving The Chains. And Moving The Chains is accomplished far more consistently by the guys who exhibit the Agility ~ and the Focus ~ to consistently pick up 5 and sometimes 10 Yards at a time.
Processing Speed: Diagnostic Velocity. Field Vision. That ethereal Capacity to Rapidly Read & React to the Rapidly Roiling & Boiling Tactical LandScape...and to foresee and envision Lanes developing before they actually do.
Blocking: Having an HalfBack who doesn't Block effectively is like having 10 Men on the Field of Battle. Most HalfBacks just coming out'f College are mediocre Blockers, but this is a crucial Aspect of the Game that they'll need to master.
Receiving: Whether he be a PowerBack or a SpeedBack, an HalfBack that can effectively present a genuine Threat in the Passing Game dramatically increases his Team's Options on any given Play. The more dynamic the Threat, the more valuable to'is Team on the Field of Battle, whether he's just slipping out'f the BackField or splitting out Wide.
Broken down into SubCategories, it'd go something like this:
Power
* Core Power is most of it. Tyrannosaurus Rex would've made an Hell of an HalfBack.
* Torso Power doesn't hurt, though.
Agility
* Launch Velocity
* Fluidity
* Acceleration
* Ricochet
* Long Speed
Processing Speed
* That ethereal Capacity to foresee and envision Lanes developing before they actually do.
Blocking
* Power
* Agility
* Combat Skills
* Processing Speed
* Motor
Receiving
* Separation
* Catch Point Capacity
* Navigation
Leonard Fournette Scouting Report
Power: Magnificent. Extremely difficult to knock off balance. Breaks Tackles routinely.
Agility: Tremendous. Explosive Acceleration through the Line of Scrimmage. Excellent Speed, DownField. Impressive Ricochet out'fis Breaks. Outstanding Fluidity. Remarkably agile, all around, for 230 Pounds.
Field Vision: Exceptional, and rapidly improving. I read, from trusted Writers, that Fournette's Field Vision was a bit sketchy, going into the 2016 Campaign, but if that was so ~ and like I said: I trust these guys ~ it has indeed improved quite dramatically, for the Fournette I watched on 2016 Tape consistently played one Tick ahead of'is Foes.
Blocking: Impressive, and with outstanding Potential. There aren't may Reps on Tape, and indeed Fournette doesn't seem to've been given much Experience in this Aspect of the Game, which shows in his mediocre Combat Skills, but his sensational Core Power and outstanding Motor should translate into a tremendous Blocker, in time.
Receiving: Exceptional, and with tremendous Potential. Here, too, he hasn't gotten many Reps, and his Route Running is consequently mediocre, but his Hands are outstanding, he generally extends well for the Ball, and once he get the Opportunity to get some Time & Training, I believe that his Power and Agility have the Potential to translate into an extraordinarily dangerous Weapon, After the Catch. He's raw, but there is immense Potential, here.
Agility: Tremendous. Explosive Acceleration through the Line of Scrimmage. Excellent Speed, DownField. Impressive Ricochet out'fis Breaks. Outstanding Fluidity. Remarkably agile, all around, for 230 Pounds.
Field Vision: Exceptional, and rapidly improving. I read, from trusted Writers, that Fournette's Field Vision was a bit sketchy, going into the 2016 Campaign, but if that was so ~ and like I said: I trust these guys ~ it has indeed improved quite dramatically, for the Fournette I watched on 2016 Tape consistently played one Tick ahead of'is Foes.
Blocking: Impressive, and with outstanding Potential. There aren't may Reps on Tape, and indeed Fournette doesn't seem to've been given much Experience in this Aspect of the Game, which shows in his mediocre Combat Skills, but his sensational Core Power and outstanding Motor should translate into a tremendous Blocker, in time.
Receiving: Exceptional, and with tremendous Potential. Here, too, he hasn't gotten many Reps, and his Route Running is consequently mediocre, but his Hands are outstanding, he generally extends well for the Ball, and once he get the Opportunity to get some Time & Training, I believe that his Power and Agility have the Potential to translate into an extraordinarily dangerous Weapon, After the Catch. He's raw, but there is immense Potential, here.
Leonard Fournette ~ Prospectus
Yeah, that was an easy Evaluation.
Leonard Fournette literally took my breath away, the first time that I saw'm explode through the Line.
He is truly a RunAway Train, once he gets going...and here's the thing: Unlike many PowerBacks, who're impressive once they get going, but most'f whom take far too long to get there ~ Derrick Henry jumps to mind ~ Leonard Fournette explodes towards the Line of Scrimmage...and explodes through the Line of Scrimmage.
And he isn't any Linear Runner, either: He can slip, slide, or cut at a very high level.
His Blocking needs some Work, but he's highly impressive as a Catcher.
And his Field Vision is improving by Leaps and Bounds.
It's pretty clear to me that ~ once he gets sufficient Time & Training ~ he's a very good Bet to develop into a formidable Blocker, a devastating Weapon in the Passing Game...and a legendary Runner.
Yeah. All the Accolades are entirely warranted.
Pay the Man.
Grateful Thanks, as always, for the crucial Work done by the folks at Draft BreakDown!!
Leonard Fournette literally took my breath away, the first time that I saw'm explode through the Line.
He is truly a RunAway Train, once he gets going...and here's the thing: Unlike many PowerBacks, who're impressive once they get going, but most'f whom take far too long to get there ~ Derrick Henry jumps to mind ~ Leonard Fournette explodes towards the Line of Scrimmage...and explodes through the Line of Scrimmage.
And he isn't any Linear Runner, either: He can slip, slide, or cut at a very high level.
His Blocking needs some Work, but he's highly impressive as a Catcher.
And his Field Vision is improving by Leaps and Bounds.
It's pretty clear to me that ~ once he gets sufficient Time & Training ~ he's a very good Bet to develop into a formidable Blocker, a devastating Weapon in the Passing Game...and a legendary Runner.
Yeah. All the Accolades are entirely warranted.
Pay the Man.
Grateful Thanks, as always, for the crucial Work done by the folks at Draft BreakDown!!
Yank Rank: SuperBeast ~ Blue Chip Beast
Bargain!!
Bargain!!
| Market Value Top 10 | Yankee Grade #01!! |
Please do Note: This and all Evaluations issued by this Site are produced by a ludicrously unqualified Amateur, privy to not even the tiniest fraction of Coach's Tape, Scouting Expertise, Face to Face Interviewing, Experience, or Inside Information enjoyed by the Professionals. As such, anything put forth is certainly misinformed, euphonious, derivative Tripe, and should be rejected out'f hand and indeed shunned by all men and women of Good Will!! I'm trying to discern Power, Agility, Combat Skills, and far more abstract, esoteric Concepts such as Processing Speed and Motor, and I'm trying to do so based almost entirely on a fascinating fusion of Tape, Combine Numbers, and Pro Days, while trying to attenuate my findings based on Allowances for Competition Level, Scheme, Concept, Context, and, above all: Trajectory!!
None of this is even remotely a Complaint, mind you, but rather a Warning!! Caveat Emptor!!
None of this is even remotely a Complaint, mind you, but rather a Warning!! Caveat Emptor!!
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