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| Derrick Green |
Name: Derrick Green
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 215 lbs.
Position: Running back
High school: Richmond (VA) Hermitage
Notes: Scouted in person back in May . . . Holds offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Boston College, Clemson, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Miami, Michigan, Mississippi, Mississippi State, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Penn State, Pitt, Purdue, Rutgers, South Carolina, Tennessee, UCLA, USC, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin . . . Claims a 4.58 forty . . . Claims a 4.08 shuttle . . . 32″ vertical . . . As a sophomore in 2010, had 800 yards and 10 touchdowns . . . As a junior in 2011, had 1,493 yards and 20 touchdowns . . . ESPN 4-star RB, 86 grade, #6 RB, #53 overall . . . Rivals 5-star RB, #1 RB, #12 overall . . . Scout 4-star RB, #7 RB . . . 247 Sports 4-star RB, 96 grade, #10 RB, #123 overall
Strengths: NFL size . . . Good strength . . . Drives legs through contact . . . Good speed for his size . . . Picks up feet at line of scrimmage to wade through trash . . . Runs with good body lean . . . Excellent acceleration . . . Sometimes too fast for his blocking . . . Can be very good pass blocker
Weaknesses: Poor downfield vision . . . Does not go side to side well or make people miss . . . Runs through head-on tackles but lacks great balance . . . Gets taken down too easily by tacklers coming from either side . . . Needs to be more patient at times and let blocking develop . . . Mediocre receiver
Projection: Running back. As I’ve said before, any running back who picks Michigan in the next year or two will have a chance for a very good career because of the offensive line being assembled by Brady Hoke. Green is somewhat overrated by Rivals (the #1 back and #12 player nationally), but his career could be reminiscent of the P.J. Hills and John Clays from Wisconsin in recent years. He’s a kid who could have a very good career in the right system by running behind very good offensive lines and then punishing smaller linebackers and defensive backs. But he’s not a dynamic runner who can carry a college team by himself.
Reminds me of: LeGarrette Blount’s running style (not his punching people style)
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Is this guy a rich man's Thomas Rawls? I'm thinking more of high school status than ultimate success.
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They're pretty similar runners, yeah. Green will probably end up being a little bigger, if he's not already.
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How do you compare Green and Smith?
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I think Green is a notch above Smith, but not a great deal better. I think Green has a little more chance of wearing down a defense, but Smith is a little shiftier.
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Wondering if signing Green means that Smith would open his recruitment up again? Hopefully, Smith is prepared for a 2nd RB in the class (not counting Shallman). They both have potential, but I am not super-confident about either. Green maybe has a higher ceiling, but he may have more bust-potential than Smith too. As you mention, Green does not have the best vision and cutting ability. After enjoying watching a nifty Troussaint last year, I would rather not go back to watching RB's regularly miss cuts and holes (Brown, Shaw, etc.), no matter how physically impressive.
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Smith has known all along that the coaches are pursuing a third running back, so I'm not sure it would affect him to have Green (or someone else) commit.
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How would you compare Green with last years main RB target Dunn?
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I'd take Green over Dunn.
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wow
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Aha, this is the analysis I've been pining for! 1,500 yards rushing and 20 touchdowns, eh? How's his HS competition out there in VA?
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Richmond puts out quite a bit of talent every year. Nine kids have star ratings (according to Rivals) with Green, Tim Harris (Virginia), Doug Randolph (Stanford), Cequan Jefferson (Virginia Tech), Jack English (Virginia), and a few others. Hermitage sends at least one kid to D-I schools just about every year.
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I call shenanigans on only being 215. The latest pictures of him at the BBQ, etc. tell a different story.
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Excellent post.
Not sure Blount is a good comp though – dude is a freak of nature and weighed 240 in high school. Hard to see Green, who is already pretty physically mature by all appearances, gaining 30 more pounds without losing some ability.
And…while I don't get a vote I'll give one anyway – hold off on scouting reports of '14 recruits until you have something more than their sophomore highlight reels to work off of. Seems premature, even if the coaches are already making offers and focusing on that class.
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@BlastBeat88 – Green has weighted in at several camps at 215 or more. ESPN has him listed around that and they only take numbers from camps.
@Lanko – Not sure about ability dropoff but Green at one time weighted in at 280lbs. I believe is was his freshman or soph. year.
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@Anonymous
If you read my post correctly, you'd see that my skepticism was on the opposite end. I don't think it's possible that Green weighs less than 225 at this point.
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I see Biakabutuka. Quickly gets 3-4 yards, prefers to bounce to the outside, gets a couple more yards as he goes down, and not many direct shots. Decent speed, good first cuts, some elusiveness and runs well off blocks. He has shed 50 pounds since his freshman year, so a little more trimming puts him around Biak's 210-215 range. Plus he should run behind a line similar in size and quality to the mid-1990s.
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I don't see Biakabutuka at all. Biakabutuka had some of the best feet I've ever seen at the running back position. Green's not that nifty.
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Not to be hyper critical about Green's running style or technique. But would you say he runs kind of high at the line of scrimage.
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