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There are players, past and present, that anytime they touched the ball, were a homerun threat. It is obviously difficult to pick just one, so this can be an "In your lifetime" thread. After reviewing some names, it seems like they are all either RBs or kick returners.
Being a UM(iami) fan, there were a few. Frank Gore, Devin Hester and Edgerrin James were a threat to take it all the way everytime. But the one that I pick was one from another team and era altogether. Notre Dame's Rocket Ismail. He was breathtaking to watch, literally the closest thing to greased lightning I had seen. Others that pop up: Desmond Howard, Bo Jackson, Reggie Bush, Deion Sanders. I know there's a bunch of others, but remember, they had to be that special, touch-it-and-they're-gone types. It would also be interesting to hear of some slightly forgotten ones, that didn't necessarily go on to star at the next level.
There are players, past and present, that anytime they touched the ball, were a homerun threat. It is obviously difficult to pick just one, so this can be an "In your lifetime" thread. After reviewing some names, it seems like they are all either RBs or kick returners.
Being a UM(iami) fan, there were a few. Frank Gore, Devin Hester and Edgerrin James were a threat to take it all the way everytime. But the one that I pick was one from another team and era altogether. Notre Dame's Rocket Ismail. He was breathtaking to watch, literally the closest thing to greased lightning I had seen. Others that pop up: Desmond Howard, Bo Jackson, Reggie Bush, Deion Sanders. I know there's a bunch of others, but remember, they had to be that special, touch-it-and-they're-gone types. It would also be interesting to hear of some slightly forgotten ones, that didn't necessarily go on to star at the next level.
I wasn't around during the Jim Brown and Gayle Sayers eras, but everything I've seen on tape tells me that opposing defenses probably dreaded seeing them on their schedules. Jim Brown had more than five yards per carry for his entire career. That means that it's an automatic first down if you just give him the ball twice. That's the definition of unstoppable.
Since I've been watching the game, which is about 30 years now, I'd have to say that Eric Dickerson, Marshall Faulk, and Barry Sanders are the three names that immediately pop into my mind.
Emmitt Smith was pretty doggone good, too, but it was really more of a combination of Dallas' legendary O-line and Smith was just a relentless battering ram that finally turned five yard carries into 25 yard carries in the 3rd and 4th quarters. He would have been a 1,000 yard rusher on any team, but I'm not sure if he would have been quite as successful with a lesser team.
Now, imagine Eric Dickerson, Barry Sanders, or Marshall Faulk on a team that had the kind of O-line Dallas had.
But why restrict this conversation to running backs. What about Jerry Rice? What he did after the catch was something that kept defensive coordinators up all night the night before the big game.
If we are talking dangerous as in dominant/game controling, I would go with Ndamukong Suh. I think Colt McCoy would back me up on this.
I like Suh. He's a throwback player, the kind of player that an upstart franchise like Detroit really needs. He's very reminiscent of Mean Joe Greene, and if you're going to draw analogies here, I think the Detroit Lions defense is what the Steelers Iron Curtain was in the early 1970s. A group of talented, angry, pissed-off, chip-on-the-shoulder players who are tired of losing and want to show up and stomp some you know what. I wish Andy Reid or Bill Belichick were the coach of that team. They'd get it done then for sure. I fear they're going to waste their talent.
I wasn't around during the Jim Brown and Gayle Sayers eras, but everything I've seen on tape tells me that opposing defenses probably dreaded seeing them on their schedules. Jim Brown had more than five yards per carry for his entire career. That means that it's an automatic first down if you just give him the ball twice. That's the definition of unstoppable.
Since I've been watching the game, which is about 30 years now, I'd have to say that Eric Dickerson, Marshall Faulk, and Barry Sanders are the three names that immediately pop into my mind.
Emmitt Smith was pretty doggone good, too, but it was really more of a combination of Dallas' legendary O-line and Smith was just a relentless battering ram that finally turned five yard carries into 25 yard carries in the 3rd and 4th quarters. He would have been a 1,000 yard rusher on any team, but I'm not sure if he would have been quite as successful with a lesser team.
Now, imagine Eric Dickerson, Barry Sanders, or Marshall Faulk on a team that had the kind of O-line Dallas had.
But why restrict this conversation to running backs. What about Jerry Rice? What he did after the catch was something that kept defensive coordinators up all night the night before the big game.
We are talking college... Not their professional careers. Having said that I would add Marshall Faulk to my honorable mention list or smaller school players. He was dangerous... Eric Dickerson had to split time with Craig James who had similar numbers in college. so I would say it was more their offense than him.
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