Originally posted by NinerSickness:
Originally posted by eastcoast49ersfan:
Doesn't change who Reggie Bush was as a college prospect. Seems a little absurd that you're assuming McCaffrey's career will mimic Reggie Bush'e career (or Darren Sproles' career) just because they have some similarities. As a prospect, Bush was better than Le'veon Bell. The difference is Bell got better after entering the league (cut weight, got much faster and quicker).
You have a very selective memory (are delusional) if you think you wouldn't have picked Bush in the first 3 rounds when he was coming out of college.
1. I didn't make the Bush comparison; someone else did.
2. I said he could be a "poor man's Darren Sproles" not because they're similar in build or anything but because I think McCaffery will be used as a receiver a lot and won't be an every-down rusher because he's too small (unless he adds a good 15 pounds without losing speed).
3. I didn't say Bush "wouldn't have been" picked in the first 3 rounds. I knew he was going to be a top-5 pick. I also knew he was vastly overrated. LOOKING BACK, Bush's actual value was probably a 3rd rounder (which makes him at least a disappointment if not a bust).
4. Bush was not a better prospect than Laveon Bell. GMs just missed on those 2 prospects. It happens. Terrell Davis was still a better prospect than Curtis Enis (my '98 first-round bust pick) despite being picked much later in the draft.
I'm not sure that you understand that when players don't work out, sometimes it's not because they were bad prospects, but because they were in bad situations, had bad luck with injuries, had issues in their personal lives, etc. If you put Bush on a different team to start out his career, his entire career is different. Heck, even if the same team drafts him a round later (or earlier), his career may have turned out completely differently. Just because a player ends up with 3rd-4th round production doesn't mean they should have been a 3rd or 4th round prospect or that evaluators made a mistake.
I would take a guy with Bush's size, measurables, production, and tape in the first round any day. He displayed good vision at times and had elite athleticism without issues off the field or a history of injuries. Some of his success was due to USC's dominant offensive line, but Bush was very explosive and elusive in the open field. One of the reasons he never developed into a special player is that he had a number of leg injuries early in his career which took away some of his athleticism. Despite all those injuries, he still put together two solid seasons in Miami and another one in Detroit.
Bush as a prospect has fewer red flags than Derrick Henry - Henry is terrible at making people miss in the backfield, also benefited from playing behind an elite offensive line, doesn't break a ton of tackles despite his size, and had a very heavy workload last year (406 touches to Bush's 237 his junior year). He also isn't as accomplished of a receiver and isn't great in pass protection. The only thing he has going for him over Bush is his size, but being 6'3 isn't necessarily an advantage at RB because he's a bigger target for tacklers, he can't hide behind blockers as easily, and he's putting a lot more pressure on his joints. None of this is to say that Henry can't have a better career than Bush has had though.
https://www.profootballfocus.com/college-why-derrick-henry-shouldnt-win-the-heisman-trophy/
Bush's injury history:
http://sportsinjurypredictor.com/injury-predictor/player/7751
2010
Bush fractured his right fibula while recovering his own fumbled punt in week 2. He missed 8 games in the season as a result
2009
Bush injured his knee in practice. The nature of the injury wasn't disclosed but he missed 2 games as a result
2009
Bush pulled his calf and missed the preseason games as a result
2008
Bush had microfracture surgery on his left knee after it was determined he had very little cartilage left and was resulting in bone rubbing on bone. He reported swelling in his knee when he first got to training camp in August '09
2008
Bush tore his meniscus in week 6 and missed 6 more games after he had to have arthroscopic surgery to fix the cartilage
2008
Bush sprained his left MCL and was placed on IR to end his season in week 15.
2007
Bush tore his PCL in week 12 and missed the final 4 games of the season.
