LaMichael James

[JMedlock5186]

The kid has talent, and can change directions quick. I love that he makes defenders miss

 

[RobertPhD01]

I wonder if Harbs will play a bunch of backs on game day like they did at Stanford. James is a freak. I was surprised that his forty times weren't in the 4.3s because his field speed is phenomenal. If there is a crease, he's gone. Love the pick.

Good pick he should improve redzone ,3rd down and yac for us!! GO 49ers!!

 

[OregonDucks]

he will be a great 3rd down back for you guys.

 

[NinerSickness]

he will be a great 3rd down back for you guys.

I agree. I wanted a RB like him for a long time. I didn't think there'd be any way he lasted all the way 'til the end of the 2nd round though.

 

[Dodub]

No way, Dixon is awful and hasnt accomplished anything in his career, Jacobs has averaged 8 tds a year since 2005

So would you rather have a 4th string RB who likely has one more year left in his legs and offers nothing more to the team than being the 4th stringer or would you have your 4th stringer be young and a huge contributpr on special teams?

It's a no brainer to me. I think it is more likely that they are both cut than Dixon being cut and Jacobs staying. It makes no sense to keep Jacobs at all at this point. He isn't really a special teams contributor and he's all but lost his legs.

 

[Kinzu]

The only thing I don't like about the pick is that we now have 2 running backs in Hunter and James that do not project to be everydown backs. We still do not have a running back on the roster that can be Gore's replacement.

I guess we look for that next year. Jacobs will make the roster as Gore's main backup. James and Hunter will see more playing time though unless Gore gets hurt.

 

[Dodub]

The only thing I don't like about the pick is that we now have 2 running backs in Hunter and James that do not project to be everydown backs. We still do not have a running back on the roster that can be Gore's replacement.

I guess we look for that next year. Jacobs will make the roster as Gore's main backup. James and Hunter will see more playing time though unless Gore gets hurt.

BS Hunter doesn't project to be an every down back. Did you see him last season? He completely proved that to be 100% wrong. Despite his size he was actually the guy I felt most comfortable with on short yardage. He also was our most explosive guy coming out of the back field.

Hunter looked like a future pro bowler last season.

How do you figure he isn't an every down back?

 

[Kinzu]

BS Hunter doesn't project to be an every down back. Did you see him last season? He completely proved that to be 100% wrong. Despite his size he was actually the guy I felt most comfortable with on short yardage. He also was our most explosive guy coming out of the back field.

Hunter looked like a future pro bowler last season.

How do you figure he isn't an every down back?

Sproles looks good in limited carries as well, but he is not built to take 20+ carries across 16+ games. I don't think Hunter is either, but I'm pretty sure James is not.

 

[Dodub]

Sproles looks good in limited carries as well, but he is not built to take 20+ carries across 16+ games. I don't think Hunter is either, but I'm pretty sure James is not.

Are you kidding? Sproles and Hunter are completely different runners. They don't even have the same body type. Sproles is 5'7" 170 and Hunter is 5'9" 205, Hunter has much more size to him. Even if he isn't the biggest built running back, he is certainly just as compact as a guy like McCoy who no one would argue is an every down back. I just don't see the point you are trying to make here.

Once again how is Hunter not an every down back?

 

[Flyingiguana]

hunter is too small to be an every down back. maybe he can be like warrick dunn and carry the load, but he looks more like a solid back up. i think he would wear down with a full load.

 

[Dodub]

hunter is too small to be an every down back. maybe he can be like warrick dunn and carry the load, but he looks more like a solid back up. i think he would wear down with a full load.

8LeSean McCoy 5'11" 205, Hunter 5'8" 205, Frank Gore 5'9" 215, Barry Sanders 5'8" 200, Emmitt Smith 5'9" 215, Maurice Jones Drew 5'7" 208, 5'8" 212, Ahmad Bradshaw 5'10" 212. All of these every down backs is of similar size to Hunter. They are all withing 2 inches (except McCoy) and within 7 lbs (except Gore and Smith).

What exactly is too small to be an every down back? That is like the people who said that Justin Smith would never be able to play in the 3-4 because he was too small. It is absolutely ridiculous.

Please explain your position.....

 

[NinerSickness]

That is like the people who said that Justin Smith would never be able to play in the 3-4 because he was too small.

Just to be a stinker I'll point out that they actually said he was too big to play in a 3-4 (because they originally wanted to make him an OLB).

That non-sequitur notwithstanding I completely agree with you about Hunter. I never saw him as a Jahvid Best / Sproles kind of RB. I think he can be a starter; but these days you need at least 2 RBs to carry the load. Hunter & James would do just fine IMO.

And I'm quite happy with the pick. RBs like James are not easy to find, and sometimes they go in round 1 (like Best did).

 

[SFAnthem]

The only thing I don't like about the pick is that we now have 2 running backs in Hunter and James that do not project to be everydown backs. We still do not have a running back on the roster that can be Gore's replacement.

I guess we look for that next year. Jacobs will make the roster as Gore's main backup. James and Hunter will see more playing time though unless Gore gets hurt.

What's an every down back? They don't make many of those anymorore the trend is to have more multifaceted offensive schemes with packages for every type of scenario now.

 

[Dodub]

Just to be a stinker I'll point out that they actually said he was too big to play in a 3-4 (because they originally wanted to make him an OLB).

That non-sequitur notwithstanding I completely agree with you about Hunter. I never saw him as a Jahvid Best / Sproles kind of RB. I think he can be a starter; but these days you need at least 2 RBs to carry the load. Hunter & James would do just fine IMO.

People said both. But when he was originally signed people were all pissed and saying he was much too small to play DE. Then the rumor came out that he would play OLB and people said he was much too big. I think he turned out pretty well lol.

I agree you do need 2 RB's and i think we have our future lined up pretty nicely in that department with Hunter and James.

 

[clyde_carbon]

Just to be a stinker I'll point out that they actually said he was too big to play in a 3-4 (because they originally wanted to make him an OLB).

That non-sequitur notwithstanding I completely agree with you about Hunter. I never saw him as a Jahvid Best / Sproles kind of RB. I think he can be a starter; but these days you need at least 2 RBs to carry the load. Hunter & James would do just fine IMO.

And I'm quite happy with the pick. RBs like James are not easy to find, and sometimes they go in round 1 (like Best did).

Best had one of the most ridiculous change of direction ability I've ever seen. It was remarkable watching him at Cal. James is great too, but Best is just on a different level.

I hope he recovers from his concussions quickly. He's a joy to watch, and is a great guy as well.

 

[clyde_carbon]

People said both. But when he was originally signed people were all pissed and saying he was much too small to play DE. Then the rumor came out that he would play OLB and people said he was much too big. I think he turned out pretty well lol.

I agree you do need 2 RB's and i think we have our future lined up pretty nicely in that department with Hunter and James.

Yeah. I was one of the very few that weren't pissed that we signed Justin Smith as I recall. Most of the ESPN board was livid at the time.

 

[NinerSickness]

Yeah. I was one of the very few that weren't pissed that we signed Justin Smith as I recall. Most of the ESPN board was livid at the time.

Oh that. Yeah uhhh.... Someone must've hacked my account when I said those things. I mean when whoever hacked my account said those things I said. :typing:


Speaking of Best, it's too bad he has that concussion issue. I read an article saying his career may be over. That would be a bummer for any player, but what a waste of speed that would be! One of those Bo Jackson type of situations. Hope he can get back on the field... unless the Lions are playing the Niners. In which case better safe than sorry Jahvid! Think of your family until next week.

 

[numone9er]

When i first heard about this i thought my buddy was lying to me. Now that i see it's real, i am okay with it. I didn't really think we needed the help at RB, but i have very little concern about him not being productive.

 

[bigpb72]

hunter can carry the load ala Ray Rice MJD he fits in there mold of running back style and to be short he is a hell of a blocker he really looks up to gore and baught in to rathmens style so getting a talent like james at the end of the 2nd was nice drafting ..

 

[Jikkle]

I think it's clear now that Harbaugh wants as many different tools at his disposable.

If you look at the way he gameplans it's all about exploiting weaknesses in the defense (Detroit), Out thinking your opponent (Giants 1st game), and creating as many mismatches and throwing off defenses as much as possible.

So basically having 4 different RBs is just a huge headache for defensive coordinators to account for and gameplan.

For example I already have a formation pictured in my mind that could give defenses fits:

2 TE set with Walker and Davis; LaMichael James lined up on the outside as an WR; Hunter and Gore (or Jacobs) split in the backfield. Think of all the things you can do from that formation and all the things defenses would have to account for.

You can pass or play action pass.

You can Fly Sweep with James, with one of the OGs pulling to the side of the run and Hunter or Gore being blockers depending on what side the play is ran on. And for a little trickery you could actually run that as an option play as well.

You can fake the Fly Sweep and hand the ball off to Hunter or Gore to run on the inside, or pitch for them to run on the outside, run a QB bootleg with a with a pulling OG along with James and Gore/Hunter to block, also could bootleg pass there too. Counter might work as well though it might be a little too slow to develop.

So imagine that running through your head as a defender trying to figure out what the play is going to be. Much harder to figure out what's going to happened compared 4 WR set with the QB in shotgun.

Also that's a pretty easy formation to tweak and play around with throughout the season.

And let's not forget one other thing to consider is that speed is one of the hardest things to defend in Football. A defense can have the perfect play called and it could be destroyed simply because the defender can't keep up with the speed. I mean look at how many times in the past our defense has been victimized by it.