I don't revere any draft analysts. They are all very hit and miss. And no I wasn't comparing Michel to Blount. I was suggesting Ledyard prefers a strong runner that hits the hole hard. Gets four yards a pop etc,..He seems to think every back should fit into a neat little box. He likes Guice and Michel better because they fit what he likes in a back. He isn't considering ability nor upside. He basically ignores the value of the pass catching back in present day offenses. Plus, it seems like he feels that Barkley won't run up the middle in the Pros, because he didn't do it in college. He has no idea why Barkley developed those tendencies. He only considers his narrow view of the player and mentions none of the reasons that I listed early as to why Barkley does what he does. Finally a homerun threat like Chris Johnson is a huge asset. Barkley could be considered a homerun threat. So, Ledyard isn't evaluating Barkley as much as he is comparing him to what he likes a back to be.
Yes Barkley is playing to his strengths. He prefers to rush the edge. His incredible leg strength and quickness allow him to make crazy cuts and gives him very good body control. In that regard, no back in this last draft can do the things he does. Turning him into a between the tackles back would be a waste of his talent. He isn't a one dimensional runner. He has run up the middle, around the end, and ran routes. He is versatile like Gurley, who wasn't as versatile in Fisher's offense.
You have always been defensive when it comes to Barkley. Are you afraid he will unseat Gurley as the top back in the NFL? Or angry that he was talked about as a possible #1 overall and was drafted #3, while Gurley was a surprise pick at ten? None of us know if Barkley will be great or average or stink. The fact that he was a successful runner despite an undermanned Oline, his first season, makes me think he will be pretty good with a good OLine. The fact that he's on the Giants, doesn't give me the feeling that he will be used to his fullest potential, but maybe Shurmur surprises me. I generally don't bash any rookie once he is drafted and before he plays. Some guys do more than expected and others do less. At this point the draft analysis is mute. Let's see what he can do now that he's an NFL player.