Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2012 1:51 pm
These are a year old and seem accurate to me:
Helu:
Stength: Roy Helu was a dominating runner against elite college competition. Roy Helu has ideal size, with very sturdy legs and abdominals to push through piles and accelerate through openings. Roy Helu nearly always takes the yardage available to him. Roy Helu has good hands. Roy Helu was among the best RB in all of his predraft leg workouts: Speed, Agility, Acceleration, Jumping.
Weakness: Roy Helu doesn't show the agility to dance around tackles, run crisp routes, or make sudden stops and starts during games. Roy Helu was rarely a part of the passing game in college. Roy Helu shows questionable upper body strength when blocking or fending off tacklers.
Development: The one guy the Redskins traded up to get in a draft full of trading downs was Roy Helu. You have to believe it is because they believe he can make an immediate contribution to the team. This seems to be an accurate assessment in terms of his running and receiving skills. He brings plenty of experience and success with him. Further, his find a hole and take it as far as it leads running style is a perfect fit for the zone blocking scheme Washingon has in place. He needs only to improve his blitz pick up and general blocking skills in order to be a star in the NFL. He can further improve his performance by adding some upper body strength to shed high tacklers and maintain blocks. His biggest obstacle will be a proven, but injury prone incumbant and a more experienced and polished Evan Royster. He will easily be the most physically gifted running back on the roster and should eventually be the starter if he works hard on his blocking. If he stays healthy, Roy Helu's running ability should make him a semi-rare 4th round star in the NFL.
Typecast Outlook Opinion: Prototype athletic fit for Shannahan offense.
Royster:
Stength: Evan Royster is a very experienced running back. Evan Royster shows good vision and determination with the ball. Evan Royster consistently put up good rushing averages against good competition. Evan Royster has an ideal build for an NFL running back. Evan Royster has been an extremely durable running back.
Weakness: Evan Royster has had an unusually high number of carries as both a high school and college running back. Evan Royster has below average running back speed, acceleration, quickness, and agility.
Development: Evan Royster has more in common with a veteran NFL running back than with the average rookie running back. He doesn't have the speed or moves of most rookie running backs, but he's racked up a lot of carries and knows what he's doing on the football field. His long history shows he always produces, regardless of athletic measurables. He should compete for a starting job right away, primarily because he's the type of runner who can handle a 35 touches per game load and he already knows what to do on the football field, whether running, blocking, or receiving. He does need to work more on his concentration when blocking. The most likely early result will be a battle for a job as the short yardage back, third down back, and special teams slot. His best chance for a roster spot is his versatility and his best chance for playing time is his reliability. What he has that most backs don't have is his vision and quick reactions to what he sees.
Typecast Outlook Opinion: Experienced and ready to play, Evan Royster is a constant positive yardage back and team player, but not a threat to create many long yardage plays.
I think Helu really knows where to press the line of scrimmage on the stretch and, combined with his improved pass pro and big play potential, will be the primary back this year.
DarthMonk
Helu:
Stength: Roy Helu was a dominating runner against elite college competition. Roy Helu has ideal size, with very sturdy legs and abdominals to push through piles and accelerate through openings. Roy Helu nearly always takes the yardage available to him. Roy Helu has good hands. Roy Helu was among the best RB in all of his predraft leg workouts: Speed, Agility, Acceleration, Jumping.
Weakness: Roy Helu doesn't show the agility to dance around tackles, run crisp routes, or make sudden stops and starts during games. Roy Helu was rarely a part of the passing game in college. Roy Helu shows questionable upper body strength when blocking or fending off tacklers.
Development: The one guy the Redskins traded up to get in a draft full of trading downs was Roy Helu. You have to believe it is because they believe he can make an immediate contribution to the team. This seems to be an accurate assessment in terms of his running and receiving skills. He brings plenty of experience and success with him. Further, his find a hole and take it as far as it leads running style is a perfect fit for the zone blocking scheme Washingon has in place. He needs only to improve his blitz pick up and general blocking skills in order to be a star in the NFL. He can further improve his performance by adding some upper body strength to shed high tacklers and maintain blocks. His biggest obstacle will be a proven, but injury prone incumbant and a more experienced and polished Evan Royster. He will easily be the most physically gifted running back on the roster and should eventually be the starter if he works hard on his blocking. If he stays healthy, Roy Helu's running ability should make him a semi-rare 4th round star in the NFL.
Typecast Outlook Opinion: Prototype athletic fit for Shannahan offense.
Royster:
Stength: Evan Royster is a very experienced running back. Evan Royster shows good vision and determination with the ball. Evan Royster consistently put up good rushing averages against good competition. Evan Royster has an ideal build for an NFL running back. Evan Royster has been an extremely durable running back.
Weakness: Evan Royster has had an unusually high number of carries as both a high school and college running back. Evan Royster has below average running back speed, acceleration, quickness, and agility.
Development: Evan Royster has more in common with a veteran NFL running back than with the average rookie running back. He doesn't have the speed or moves of most rookie running backs, but he's racked up a lot of carries and knows what he's doing on the football field. His long history shows he always produces, regardless of athletic measurables. He should compete for a starting job right away, primarily because he's the type of runner who can handle a 35 touches per game load and he already knows what to do on the football field, whether running, blocking, or receiving. He does need to work more on his concentration when blocking. The most likely early result will be a battle for a job as the short yardage back, third down back, and special teams slot. His best chance for a roster spot is his versatility and his best chance for playing time is his reliability. What he has that most backs don't have is his vision and quick reactions to what he sees.
Typecast Outlook Opinion: Experienced and ready to play, Evan Royster is a constant positive yardage back and team player, but not a threat to create many long yardage plays.
I think Helu really knows where to press the line of scrimmage on the stretch and, combined with his improved pass pro and big play potential, will be the primary back this year.
DarthMonk