2025 NFL Free Agency and Draft: RB

[MaroonBells]

10?

Lol 

No sir. I can’t help but wonder if this isn’t just breaking from “consensus” for the sake of “ohhhhh look at this” type of thing. If you look at the trend line from the mock draft database he’s been RB2 for about 4 months. Deuce McCalister is one comp I’ve seen that rings true. 

10, cmon.

While I tend to like people who challenge convention, not to mention the world's most perfect example of groupthink, 10 is pretty ridiculous. He also has Jalen Milroe as his QB2. I guess he didn't see the Senior Bowl.

[Canthony]

While I tend to like people who challenge convention, not to mention the world's most perfect example of groupthink, 10 is pretty ridiculous. He also has Jalen Milroe as his QB2. I guess he didn't see the Senior Bowl.

Having Milroe as your QB2 should be all you need to know about his rankings.

[MaroonBells]

Another reason to like Henderson. Great speed and vision, ranks high in yards after contact (he's not a big guy), catches the ball well, probably the best pass blocker in this class....AND he doesn't fumble. 

[JustInTime]

Two things were true about the Minnesota running game in 2024: Aaron Jones was very good and the running game had some serious deficiencies. Jones ran for over 1,100 yards and caught 51 passes while averaging 5.1 yards per touch. The last time a Vikings running back was over 5.0 yards per touch was Dalvin Cook in 2020. From that perspective, Jones was a success.

However, the fact that Jones had to set a career high in touches was not ideal. They wanted Jordan Mason to allow Jones to be the best version of himself.

“The big thing we learned about Aaron Jones is that he can be an every-down back…but what we wanted to make sure we were doing is using him in a way that allows him to be his most impactful self, which is early-down runs, pass game, he has third-down value,” O’Connell said. “When he has historically had that 1A, 1B backfield structure, he can be a total game-changer every time he touches the ball. It was always about bringing Aaron back. Huge leadership role on our team. He assumed that from Day 1. But what are we going to pair him with?”

O’Connell is referring to Jones’s time in Green Bay in which he averaged 12.1 carries per game and 5.0 yards per carry as opposed to 15.0 carries per game in 2024 and 4.5 YPC.

The Vikings didn’t just like the fact that Mason had the potential to give Jones a rest, they viewed him as a thunder to Jones’s lightning.

“Heavy runner, slash runner, tough to tackle, gets into space and has burst and explosion to finish runs,” O’Connell said. “Also a guy that doesn’t get enough credit for his pass protection, just every-down versatility. We really aren’t pigeonholed into any particular scheme or in the run or pass phase.”

Where Mason can greatly improve the Vikings’ running game is in short-yardage, where they struggled immensely in 2024.

“I think Jordan’s going to bring something to the table in short-yardage situations, goal-line situations, goal-to-go, where we really left a lot to be desired as a football team and that starts with me to improve in that area because we certainly improved personnel wise,” O’Connell said.

[supafreak84]

https://www.si.com/nfl/raiders-gm-feeling-pressure-draft-rb-ashton-jeanty-surprising-source

[purplefaithful]

https://www.si.com/nfl/raiders-gm-feeling-pressure-draft-rb-ashton-jeanty-surprising-source

I dont think he gets past Raiders. That pairing is as frequent in mocks as the Penn St TE to The Colts is. 

Addison + #1 this year (and #1 or #2 next year) for Jeanty at 6???

Id probably do that trade.

[supafreak84]

I dont think he gets past Raiders. That pairing is as frequent in mocks as the Penn St TE to The Colts is. 

Addison + #1 this year (and #1 or #2 next year) for Jeanty at 6???

Id probably do that trade.

Was listening to NFL Radio yesterday and they were discussing the Raiders draft and to not be surprised, with as much as Pete Carroll loves drafting DB's, to see them take Barron at #6.

[JustInTime]

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Was listening to NFL Radio yesterday and they were discussing the Raiders draft and to not be surprised, with as much as Pete Carroll loves drafting DB's, to see them take Barron at #6.

Spytek’s son told him to draft Jeanty or he’s leaving the family. Pete’s opinion probably holds more weight.

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Ignore the goofy shades

[purplefaithful]

Two things were true about the Minnesota running game in 2024: Aaron Jones was very good and the running game had some serious deficiencies. Jones ran for over 1,100 yards and caught 51 passes while averaging 5.1 yards per touch. The last time a Vikings running back was over 5.0 yards per touch was Dalvin Cook in 2020. From that perspective, Jones was a success.

However, the fact that Jones had to set a career high in touches was not ideal. They wanted Jordan Mason to allow Jones to be the best version of himself.

“The big thing we learned about Aaron Jones is that he can be an every-down back…but what we wanted to make sure we were doing is using him in a way that allows him to be his most impactful self, which is early-down runs, pass game, he has third-down value,” O’Connell said. “When he has historically had that 1A, 1B backfield structure, he can be a total game-changer every time he touches the ball. It was always about bringing Aaron back. Huge leadership role on our team. He assumed that from Day 1. But what are we going to pair him with?”

O’Connell is referring to Jones’s time in Green Bay in which he averaged 12.1 carries per game and 5.0 yards per carry as opposed to 15.0 carries per game in 2024 and 4.5 YPC.

The Vikings didn’t just like the fact that Mason had the potential to give Jones a rest, they viewed him as a thunder to Jones’s lightning.

“Heavy runner, slash runner, tough to tackle, gets into space and has burst and explosion to finish runs,” O’Connell said. “Also a guy that doesn’t get enough credit for his pass protection, just every-down versatility. We really aren’t pigeonholed into any particular scheme or in the run or pass phase.”

Where Mason can greatly improve the Vikings’ running game is in short-yardage, where they struggled immensely in 2024.

“I think Jordan’s going to bring something to the table in short-yardage situations, goal-line situations, goal-to-go, where we really left a lot to be desired as a football team and that starts with me to improve in that area because we certainly improved personnel wise,” O’Connell said.

Jones put up some nice stats last year, great locker room guy and he's old. 
Luv the Mason pick for all the reasons KOC states.
Neither one does what a Gibbs can do on the field or give a DC sleepless nights 
24 is a little high for Henderson, but he is explosive and a field tilter - something we dont have in Jones or Mason
 - not pimping him over a DT or CB, but he may be higher ranked than anyone at those positions by 24, OROY ceiling in this offense, JJM best friend after Darrisaw and JJ

[JustInTime]

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