Colts See Darren Sproles Ability In Undrafted Running Back Josh Ferguson

[krunk]

4 hours ago, Chucklez said:

Little guys take head shots more unfortunately, especially when used as a RB/WR taking dump offs over the middle because their head height is precisely where LB's are used to hitting people in the chest etc.

 

Whens the last time you saw Sproles get blasted?  Half of the time he is used in the passing game it's on a quick hitch or a screen pass.

[krunk]

With all that shiftiness I could easily see him being used at running back especially in the Red Zone area on zone stretch and other type of runs situationally.  You play this guy all over the place because of the matchups you can create.  I just wish Grigson would have picked him up because the kid is going to be a star.

[krunk]

20 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:

 

Here is Sproles data card from college.      He was 187.     He's currently listed at 190 when I looked today.

 

http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=55011&draftyear=2005&genpos=RB

 

Grant is a WR, not a RB.     At 5'6" and a game built for speed,  he's NOT putting on 20 pounds.

 

He might put on 5-10,   but that's it.

 

Grant to Sproles is not the right comparison.

 

 

Sometimes I get frustrated with you because I feel like you see everything black and white.  I don't feel that you look at things from every possible angle creatively.  To be fair, it's not just you as there are other members of this forum like that too.   Just because someone was used a certain way does not mean that is what they are limited to, or their skill set can't be enhanced at a different position in another scheme that asks them to do pretty much everything they did before with a tweak here or a tweak there.  I mean the only thing we knew about Antonio Gates coming out of College was he was a Basketball Player. 

 

There were no websites saying "This Guy Has Played Basketball so he should never be used as a Football Player".  Edelman was Quarterback at San Jose state who got converted to WR in the NFL.  Where are all the website who predicted he would be a 1st class WR in the NFL? The other pass rusher that a couple of us were talking about before the draft was David Perkins.  He's an undrafted guy, but he is entering the league as a Pass Rusher even though he used to be a WR and a RB. Who would have expected he had that type of skill set?  And the things I've argued so far with Jakeem are not even about a full conversion.  My argument is add to the resume because of the Unique Skill Set.   Size is not always the determing factor if you do things the right way.  Football has many examples of people doing things outside of conventional wisdom.

[Chucklez]

6 minutes ago, krunk said:

 

Sometimes I get frustrated with you because I feel like you see everything black and white.  I don't feel that you look at things from every possible angle creatively. 

We arent looking at things as black and white. We are looking at things realistically....

 

Name me 5 WR's in the from the past 20 years who have changed position from WR to RB or even played part-time at RB at the NFL level who were sucessful at it.

[crazycolt1]

23 minutes ago, Chucklez said:

We arent looking at things as black and white. We are looking at things realistically....

 

Name me 5 WR's in the from the past 20 years who have changed position from WR to RB or even played part-time at RB at the NFL level who were sucessful at it.

In all fairness I don't think Krunk was referring to just the WR spot. His comment was in general. I think you, me and just about everyone has made comments about certain players might be good at other positions. I know it's not common for players to switch positions but it has happened a few times in the past with success.

[NewColtsFan]

5 hours ago, krunk said:

 

You always have some kind of issue with a player doing anything else other than he did in College or some pro websites projection.  Like your thing with Shaq Lawson and Kevin Dodd, both who coincidentally went to 3-4 teams.  Somehow these coaches seem to think other wise.    Second of all NFLDraftScout is not the only site listing weights for players.  Most of the other internet sites have sproles listed as 181 coming out of college.  Finally there is not a rule that says "If your not at least 190lbs then you can never be used as a running back". He would be fine around 170lbs to 180lbs because it's not like somebody is going to run him 15 to 30 carries a game.   A dual use player does not have to have ideal height and size.  For that matter Grant does not even have the ideal size you would like from a WR but he'll definitely play there.  Somebody was smart enough to see that his shiftiness would translate out of the backfield as well so they scripted plays with him doing that as well.  Please believe this will happen in the pros as well. 

 

Not aways.      Only when experts express their doubt.      I pay attention to things like that.

 

The thing that most fans don't get,   is that the college game is not all that predictive of what a guy will do in the NFL.        That's why lots of college QB's don't pan out at the NFL level.     And that has been going on long before the popularity of the spread went through the roof.

 

Lawson went to Buffalo,  they play more 4-3 than 3-4.     Dodd went to Tennessee,  with a new coaching staff.   We'll see how much 3-4 they play,   and what defense do they play when Dodd is on the field.     Big difference.

 

For some reason you're caught up with the idea that because two players are 5'6" that they're somehow the same player.       They're not.     Grant played WR.    On the college level you can get away with giving him a number of touches as a RB -- especially in the spread.    D'Anthony Thomas played some running back at Oregon at roughly 165/170.     Do you see him doing that in the NFL?       No.

 

Grant has a wide receiver's body.    Even with 10 more pounds he's still a WR.    Will he get an end around here and a reverse there,  and a bubble screen or two?     Or course.      But he's not a running back.   Never will be.  

 

Sproles is squatty and thick.    Grant will never be that.      You're trying to put a round peg in a square hole.   It won't fit,  no matter how hard you try.

 

 

[throwing BBZ]

On 5/11/2016 at 7:20 AM, Coltsman1788 said:

I never understood why the Colts did not ever try to sign Sproles.  He would have been a great fit for us.  If you can't beat the man add him to your darn team.  Solves two problems at once.  

 

 Thanks for the knowledge that our Colts NEVER did try to sign him. You must be deep inside the front office.
 Please keep us posted with more cool stuff.

[throwing BBZ]

On 5/11/2016 at 10:12 PM, RockThatBlue said:

http://www.colts.com/news/article-1/Colts-See-Darren-Sproles-Ability-In-Undrafted-Running-Back-Josh-Ferguson/89926103-7fcc-4ff2-91a3-e5e76e62910e

 

The more I read about him the more excited I get. 

 

I about threw up reading those games Sproles had against us in the article though. Yikes 

 

 The kid definitely looks twitchy.  
 Unfortunately, how can we maximize his receiving abilities?
 We have 2 midget WR`s who will be poor as blockers, with Big Stiffs Cusstatonzio, Mewhort and Reitz who are
 absolutely weak in at blocking in space. Oh boy!
   Can Andrew learn the touch of the screen game in year 5?  lol

[LJpalmbeacher2]

On 5/11/2016 at 0:53 PM, Valpo2004 said:

Temper your expectations. . . if other NFL teams saw Darren Sproles in Ferguson then he would have been drafted in the first round.

 

Maybe not the first but atleast in the 7th round.

 

[Coltsman1788]

5 hours ago, throwing BBZ said:

 

 Thanks for the knowledge that our Colts NEVER did try to sign him. You must be deep inside the front office.
 Please keep us posted with more cool stuff

 

I'm not in the Colts front office.  Don't insult me like that.  Ha ha 

[CR91]

 

[HectorRoberts]

I love this kid, I completely believe this guy can be used as a 3rd down back! He's got the good hands, good speed, avoid defenders and take a hit!

[Dark Superman]

I never heard of Ferguson, but if he's anything like Sproles I would love to have him out there. I always wanted the Colts to have a RB that could spread the field and blow past people with their elite speed. Sproles was always a guy I wanted to see in a Colts uniform. He always seems to kill us every time we play against him.

[Smonroe]

On May 14, 2016 at 10:32 PM, CR91 said:

 

 

That last catch was sweet. If he's going to make the team it's going to be because of his ability to make a catch out of the backfield.  I really didn't think he was a special runner. 

 

 

[CR91]

Just now, Smonroe said:

 

That last catch was sweet. If he's going to make the team it's going to be because of his ability to make a catch out of the backfield.  I really didn't think he was a special runner. 

 

 

 

if he does make the team, it will most likely to be a weapon on third down. gore and turbin are good runners between the tackles, but not that effective catching passes

[JR Indy]

On 5/12/2016 at 3:15 AM, NewColtsFan said:

 

Grant was NOT a RB.      Grant was a WR.     

 

And while his height is similar to Sproles,  his body was not.     Grant is 165.      Spirals is about 190/195.

 

Much heavier and thicker.     He's a RB and needs the weight to absorb the pounding he takes.   

 

The only thing similar about the two is the height.    But there's not much more.

 

OK Grant was a WR, does he have the idea weight to take a NFL pounding for a RB, probably not. The key thing with guys like him and Josh Ferguson is to put them in position to let them do what they do best.  Whenever the Colts play New England, outside of their running game and Tom B. and Ron G. two guys that has big games against the Colts is Danny Amendola (5-11, 190-WR), and Julian Edelman (*5-10, 200lb-WR). If its not both it is one or the other.  Can you imagine what Tom Brady would do with a Josh Feurgon or Grant.  Do they have the idea height-weight like an Amendola or Edelman no. But they are quick, fast, and very shifty.  I like to see the Colts, and Miami beat New England at their own game.