Jordan Wilkins: Colts camp sleeper?

[Defjamz26]

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2787363-every-nfl-teams-biggest-sleeper-heading-into-training-camps?share=other#slide15

 

Thoughts? He’s the most intriguing of our draft picks for me. With the exception of our two 7th rounders, he was the least heralded of our draft picks and didn’t receive much fanfare during the off-season process. Almost a complete unknown. 

[Yoshinator]

13 minutes ago, Defjamz26 said:

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2787363-every-nfl-teams-biggest-sleeper-heading-into-training-camps?share=other#slide15

 

Thoughts? He’s the most intriguing of our draft picks for me. With the exception of our two 7th rounders, he was the least heralded of our draft picks and didn’t receive much fanfare during the off-season process. Almost a complete unknown. 

I like Wilkins. With Turbin being suspended for the first 4 games, Wilkins will get lots of extra touches and goal-line carries. He'll have lots of opportunity to stand out early. Lets hope he does.

[Flash7]

We haven't yet heard too much about Jordan Wilkins during camp, and there is a reason for it. Jordan Wilkins is a smooth runner, not flashy like Hines. Hines will look great in shorts and a T-shirt during practice because of his quickness and shifty moves. For Wilkins, his smooth running style will not stand out during those practices, but he should stand out during padded practices. 

[Fisticuffs111]

From just the running back standpoint I think I actually like Wilkins a little bit more than Hines. I like Hines a lot, love his versatility, but Wilkins just seems to be really agile and hits/finds the hole well.

[Defjamz26]

9 minutes ago, Fisticuffs111 said:

From just the running back standpoint I think I actually like Wilkins a little bit more than Hines. I like Hines a lot, love his versatility, but Wilkins just seems to be really agile and hits/finds the hole well.

Wilkins is more of a complete back. Hines is a gadget player like Tarik Cohen or Darren Sproles. That’s how I see it at least

[Fisticuffs111]

7 minutes ago, Defjamz26 said:

Wilkins is more of a complete back. Hines is a gadget player like Tarik Cohen or Darren Sproles. That’s how I see it at least

Yeah, definitely. If only Wilkins was a better pass protector. Haven't seen much of him to really form an opinion on it but by all accounts his pass pro is pretty poor.

[TKnight24]

1 hour ago, Defjamz26 said:

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2787363-every-nfl-teams-biggest-sleeper-heading-into-training-camps?share=other#slide15

 

Thoughts? He’s the most intriguing of our draft picks for me. With the exception of our two 7th rounders, he was the least heralded of our draft picks and didn’t receive much fanfare during the off-season process. Almost a complete unknown. 

I knew who he was just didn’t know he entered the draft. His name got called and I was like “I’ve heard that name before” and sure enough his face came across the screen and I jumped for joy. Gonna be a good player for us hopefully 

[BPindy]

1 hour ago, Flash7 said:

We haven't yet heard too much about Jordan Wilkins during camp, and there is a reason for it. Jordan Wilkins is a smooth runner, not flashy like Hines. Hines will look great in shorts and a T-shirt during practice because of his quickness and shifty moves. For Wilkins, his smooth running style will not stand out during those practices, but he should stand out during padded practices. 

 

Agreed. He did shake Leonard to the ground yesterday though, only thing I’ve heard about him

[richard pallo]

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if he's our day one starter.  I guess he's the most complete back on our roster.  He can do it all.  Ballard loves him and compares him to Forte.  Another reporter compared him to Arian Foster.  Pretty lofty comparable's.  

[ColtsBlitz]

4 hours ago, Fisticuffs111 said:

From just the running back standpoint I think I actually like Wilkins a little bit more than Hines. I like Hines a lot, love his versatility, but Wilkins just seems to be really agile and hits/finds the hole well.

The thing I like the most is that both can be on the field at the same time. Hines in a WR slot position and Wilkins at RB. Hines versatility and catching ability is what has me so excited about him

[ColtsBlitz]

5 minutes ago, richard pallo said:

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if he's our day one starter.  I guess he's the most complete back on our roster.  He can do it all.  Ballard loves him and compares him to Forte.  Another reporter compared him to Arian Foster.  Pretty lofty comparable's.  

Mack is very fast and powerful too. I think he’s gonna start mainly bc he is a 2nd year player. The only way Wilkins starts is if the role fits him and he performs really well

[NewColtsFan]

10 minutes ago, ColtsBlitz said:

Mack is very fast and powerful too. I think he’s gonna start mainly bc he is a 2nd year player. The only way Wilkins starts is if the role fits him and he performs really well

 

Mack is....    powerful?    Seriously?

 

First time I’ve ever seen that word associated with Mack.

 

[Alex22]

44 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

 

Mack is....    powerful?    Seriously?

 

First time I’ve ever seen that word associated with Mack.

 

 

He pushed Clowney to the ground. I would guess that is what he is referring to 

[IinD]

I think he'll be great in a duo with Mack as a 1 & 1A combo. 

 

If they can both produce as much as one workhorse back we'll be blessed from that pick.

 

You HAVE TO assume they will be drilled on pass protection because of AL shoulder. You don't want to be the guy that gets Andrew killed.

 

[Defjamz26]

3 hours ago, richard pallo said:

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if he's our day one starter.  I guess he's the most complete back on our roster.  He can do it all.  Ballard loves him and compares him to Forte.  Another reporter compared him to Arian Foster.  Pretty lofty comparable's.  

Comparisons are always lofty when it’s coming from a coach or FO person. The only realistic player comparisons come from some of the scouting sites and certain analysts like Zerlein. His pro comparison for Wilkins was Aaron Jones of the Packers. I’d put more stock into that comp.

[Tombstone]

Fan of the SEC and watched this kid alot. He has the goods to be a good back in the NFL.

[NewEra]

On 7/28/2018 at 6:23 PM, Alex22 said:

 

He pushed Clowney to the ground. I would guess that is what he is referring to 

Sure clowney didn't trip? Or was already falling? Lol I can't see Mack over powering clowney

Man, I really miss Edge. That dude was a beast!!

[Shive]

1 hour ago, NewEra said:

Sure clowney didn't trip? Or was already falling? Lol I can't see Mack over powering clowney

Man, I really miss Edge. That dude was a beast!!

 

[Steamboat_Shaun]

11 hours ago, Shive said:

 

 

The 2nd play where he pushes the pile forward for a TD is solid too... crazy to think he played all year with a torn labrum.

[MikeCurtis]

I didnt see a everydown RB last year in Mack.

 

Maybe that was the injury.

 

He didnt do well between the tackles

 

He clearly has talent......

 

I wonder if he puts some time in the weightroom..... like adding 10-15lbs

 

If HE can be the guy......

 

 

[Chucklez]

3 minutes ago, MikeCurtis said:

I didnt see a everydown RB last year in Mack.

 

Maybe that was the injury.

 

He didnt do well between the tackles

 

He clearly has talent......

 

I wonder if he puts some time in the weightroom..... like adding 10-15lbs

 

If HE can be the guy......

 

 

I'm pretty sure I've seen a report recently that said Mack has been working on his inbetween the tackles running, and it is showing in practice.

 

Seems positive to me. I think he is gonna be our starting RB and will surprise a lot of people this year.

[Fluke_33]

11 hours ago, Shive said:

 

Thank you!  i cannot wait for this season.

[MikeCurtis]

On 7/28/2018 at 5:23 PM, Alex22 said:

 

He pushed Clowney to the ground. I would guess that is what he is referring to 

That was a great play...... but I think that you would agree...... that scenario didnt happen often last year with Mack

 

A power back does that consistently

[dgambill]

There is a difference between a back having "power" and having a good stiff arm. Power to me speaks of leg drive and finishing a run. That said Mack had a bad shoulder and I think we really wanted to limit his snaps last year. If his shoulder is healthy he should see more carries. I think Wilkins has a lot of promise. I think we would like to slowly work him into the offense but the Turbin situation perhaps has pushed up the time frame. Hines I think is a gadget back that won't see a lot of traditional carries but should see lots of passes and other opportunities where we get him out in space.

[thatonefan]

2 hours ago, MikeCurtis said:

I didnt see a everydown RB last year in Mack.

 

Maybe that was the injury.

 

He didnt do well between the tackles

 

He clearly has talent......

 

I wonder if he puts some time in the weightroom..... like adding 10-15lbs

 

If HE can be the guy......

 

 

He definitely has the frame to add that weight. Good ole' Rusty Jones can make it happen.

[thatonefan]

17 minutes ago, dgambill said:

There is a difference between a back having "power" and having a good stiff arm. Power to me speaks of leg drive and finishing a run. That said Mack had a bad shoulder and I think we really wanted to limit his snaps last year. If his shoulder is healthy he should see more carries. I think Wilkins has a lot of promise. I think we would like to slowly work him into the offense but the Turbin situation perhaps has pushed up the time frame. Hines I think is a gadget back that won't see a lot of traditional carries but should see lots of passes and other opportunities where we get him out in space.

Mack bounced outside a lot at South Florida as well. I think it fits well in our supposed Eagles-type three back system - Wilkins for in between the tackles, Mack for outside runs, Hines as a playmaker

[dgambill]

29 minutes ago, thatonefan said:

Mack bounced outside a lot at South Florida as well. I think it fits well in our supposed Eagles-type three back system - Wilkins for in between the tackles, Mack for outside runs, Hines as a playmaker

Yeah...I think the change of pace that Mack brought last year REALLY threw teams off. You get this patient, plodding type runner in Gore and then suddenly this kid breaks it to the outside and you think...oh...I can take this angle on him...and then NOPE...he beats you to the edge and leaves you in the dust. I won't say it will continue to work all the time but he was deceptively fast in getting to the corner...I think teams will be more ready for it...so he is going to have to learn to cut it back up inside too.

[Superman]

I think Wilkins has a chance to be the lead back right away, but Mack seems to be having a good camp so far, showing some things he didn't show last year. Mack apparently played last year with a shoulder injury, which might have affected his pass pro and his running style. But on film, Wilkins seems like the kind of reliable, one cut runner that this offense calls for.

 

In the past, I've questioned Wilkins' physicality. I see some plays where he gets stopped by minimal contact, doesn't finish well, etc. But I see many more plays where he hits the hole aggressively, runs through arm tackles, takes big hits, breaks tackles, and finishes well. Sometimes his balance is a problem and he runs too upright, but mostly he's a steady, smooth runner who can churn out yardage. 

 

(By the way, credit to a Twitter breakdown thread I saw a couple weeks ago that isolated a lot of Wilkins' best inside runs. I'd post it, but I can't find it at the moment.)

 

I'm still not comparing him to LeGarrette Blount, who was 240 coming out of college, but I don't have a problem with Wilkins being a #1 back. His pass pro is a question mark because he didn't do much in college, and they didn't use him as a receiver very much, but I don't see any inadequacies from him in those areas. I'm eager to see him in the preseason.

[will426]

You don’t need a “power back” to be successful on the ground nor does Mack need to be to show off..McCoy wasn’t a powerback he was shifty but he’s shown he can..Chris Johnson wasn’t a powerback and he ran wild back when he was with the titans..I prefer Mack’s outside runs anyway because there a chance of a cutback Lane  our past olines have been crap up the middle only Gore was able to survive that out of how many backs?

[LockeDown]

I think we’ll use all of our backs. 

[Alex22]

9 hours ago, MikeCurtis said:

That was a great play...... but I think that you would agree...... that scenario didnt happen often last year with Mack

 

A power back does that consistently

 

I dont think it is a representation of Mack's strength. He pushed clowneys face while he was falling. 

 

The camp reports suggest Mack is looking more like an in between the tackles runner, but I'll wait until the season starts to judge. 

[richard pallo]

2 minutes ago, Alex22 said:

 

I dont think it is a representation of Mack's strength. He pushed clowneys face while he was falling. 

 

The camp reports suggest Mack is looking more like an in between the tackles runner, but I'll wait until the season starts to judge. 

Can Mack improve his pass blocking?  That's one of his issues.  If Wilkins is the better of the two at pass protection it could help him get the start. 

[Dark Superman]

When Ballard compares you to Matt Forte, you gotta have high hopes for the kid. Compliments like that don't come around too often with Ballard.

[Alex22]

40 minutes ago, richard pallo said:

Can Mack improve his pass blocking?  That's one of his issues.  If Wilkins is the better of the two at pass protection it could help him get the start. 

 

We shouldnt need the RBs to do as much pass blocking in Reichs offense. 

 

From what I saw of the Eagles last year they didn't do too much compared to what we had Gore doing 

[Superman]

8 minutes ago, Alex22 said:

 

We shouldnt need the RBs to do as much pass blocking in Reichs offense. 

 

From what I saw of the Eagles last year they didn't do too much compared to what we had Gore doing 

 

Pass pro from backs is important, but I think it gets overrated a lot of the time. Unless a guy is absolutely terrible at it, a good coaching staff should be able to make it work.

[AZColt11]

I like him and I haven't even seen him yet.  His game tape sold me.

[Alex22]

1 hour ago, Superman said:

 

Pass pro from backs is important, but I think it gets overrated a lot of the time. Unless a guy is absolutely terrible at it, a good coaching staff should be able to make it work.

 

agreed, even a chip block then having the back out in the flat is good enough.  

 

For Mack to take on bigger LBs consistently, wont be good for him.

 

Jamaal Charles is what I think his ceiling can be.   

[krunk]

I think the Mack/Wilkins combo will be real nice.

[BeanDiasucci]

Listening to Rick Venturi talk about his impressions of camp so far on JMV yesterday, he likes Wilkins and thinks he will be their best between the tackles runner. He is very high on Ebron and Cain, and thinks the Colts offense can be much improved this year if injuries can be avoided. Not surprisingly, he was not so high on the Colts defense and says their sum needs to be greater than their parts because although he sees some decent players, he doesn't see anybody that will cause opponents to lose any sleep. He also said he doesn't believe Hooker will be an impact player, having had his knee surgery less than a year ago.  You can listen to him here: http://www.1070thefan.com/theridewithjmv

[richard pallo]

12 hours ago, krunk said:

I think the Mack/Wilkins combo will be real nice.

I agree. The Wilkens/Mack combo will be very nice.