The stars aligned perfectly for Wisconsin Badgers’ star running back Melvin Gordon as he absolutely shredded the Nebraska Cornhuskers for a NCAA record 408 yards. More astounding than the junior’s rushing total is that he accomplished it in just three quarters. His average of 16.3 yards per carry is more than his counterpart, Ameer Abdullah, was able to gain on his longest run.
Gordon’s achievement was incredible to watch, and had the Badgers not called off the dogs, he may have hit 500 yards total. Despite the gaudy numbers, we have to dig deeper to see whether or not Gordon will translate to the NFL.
By: Ian Wharton
His predecessors at Wisconsin include the following well-known names: Ron Dayne, Michael Bennett and Montee Ball. That group has been uninspiring in the NFL after posting incredible collegiate statistics. That’s why we don’t just scout the statistics.
Back to Gordon, it’s clear he’s unlike previous Badgers’ running backs because he’s a tremendous athlete. He’s known for his game breaking runs, which he is capable of springing because he’s a rare player in space. When he gets to the second level of the defense, he has near-elite agility and ability to absorb contact without breaking stride.
His acceleration is also top-notch. Gordon likely runs a mid-4.4 40-yard dash, seeing as he doesn’t break away from all secondary members of Big Ten defenses consistently, but his acceleration up to top speed is unique and allows him to gain those big chunks of yards in a blink of an eye. That’s a translatable trait because if you get Gordon into space, he’s going to make magic happen.
Gordon did fumble twice against the ‘Huskers, but for the most part, that’s been an anomaly in his career. It was snowing and cold, so the ball was abnormally heavy and slick. He has 10 fumbles in 41 career games, which is something that can be improved upon.
With his balance, Gordon is very difficult to bring down. He routinely shakes off defenders en route to a bigger run. Instead of running around everyone like he currently does, he has to confront the contact more often in the NFL. He hasn’t faced many NFL-caliber defenders in his career at Wisconsin.
If he has one area of concern, it’s that he gets most of his big gains off unsustainable plays. Wisconsin has an excellent run blocking line and works to produce running lanes through jet sweeps and outside stretch plays. This works with Gordon because of his traits, but in the NFL, that physical advantage is much slimmer, if even present.
Gordon could stand to produce more in between the tackles. He has flashed this more as a junior than ever before, which is promising. But he will not be able to break runs outside as often as he has at Wisconsin and be able to stay on the field. NFL teams like consistency and reliability with calculated risks for bigger runs.
Of course, much is made of Gordon’s lack of experience and contributions in the passing game. He often leaks out on play action passes instead of blocking, and when he does block, the Badgers’ offensive line is good enough that he just shuffles trying to help somewhere. He is highly unproven as a pass blocker and has only seen snaps there this season.
In 41 career games, he has logged just 14 receptions. He’s of course been productive on those catches, but again lack of experience is an issue moving forward. He was subbed in for situational passing to the back over the course of his career. That sounds like an indictment on what coaches feel he is capable of. That could be misplaced, but if Gordon cannot contribute on third downs, his value drops and he becomes more of a specialist or part of a committee.
Grading Gordon is difficult because many of his runs do not project to the NFL, but his ability to win consistently against a single defender is rare. If he does end up leaving Wisconsin after the season, be sure to check back for our take on the talented back.
Other Notes
– The other back in the Wisconson and Nebraska game was Ameer Abdullah. Abdullah was dealing with an injury from his previous game against Purdue, but Nebraska’s lack of passing game and inability to handle Vince Biegel caused the offense to bog down repeatedly. Abdullah has shown issues breaking tackles in the backfield before he builds up steam, and his lack of size was troublesome against the Badgers. As good as his vision and balance are, he must show more patience to hit the running lane. He still looks like a Day 2 prospect, but it is a deep class that he’s competing with.
– Wisconsin right tackle Rob Havenstein and Nebraska defensive end Randy Gregory had an interesting matchup throughout the night. Gregory was dominant in the first quarter before the Badgers’ running game started to click. He wins with excellent speed and is improving his hand violence when disengaging. If the junior declares, expect him to be a top-10 pick. He’s Simeon Rice-esque in terms of how he wins as a pass rusher. As a run defender he was pushed around too easily, which is expected with his thin frame. The Badgers did seem to run away from Gregory often, but he remains a project in that area of his game.
Havenstein was excellent as usual as a run blocker, showing good leverage and ability to get to the second level. His pass protection is limited, but he’s got enough talent to warrant a Day 3 look. Left guard Dallas Lewallen also had a strong game. He’s a physical beast that dominates with shear strength, sealing blocks and handing out pancakes with ease. He can pull a little despite being a limited athlete, and finds a man to block well. Don’t be surprised to hear his name called on Day 3, either.
– You probably didn’t hear, but Indiana’s Tevin Coleman logged 307 yards in a losing effort against Rutgers. He’s having a monster season and is expected at the end of his junior season. Don’t be surprised if he’s rated as one of the more complete backs in the country.
– Another underclassmen impressing is Rutgers’ wide receiver Leonte Carroo. The junior is long and uses his frame impressively to win at the catch point. In a conference lacking many quality receivers, he’s a standout.
– Ohio State felt the wrath of Minnesota’s senior running back David Cobb. In his final home game, Cobb nearly helped the Gophers pull off an upset with his 145 yards and powerful performance. He’s an incredibly well built back and gets stronger as the game goes on. At 225 pounds he’s not incredibly fast, but he has good subtle quickness and presses running lanes very well. He could sneak into late Day 2 and be a very productive back at the next level.
– Buckeye cornerback Doran Grant showed his potential but also his issues throughout Saturday, as he had the chance for three interceptions but also was responsible for multiple pass interference calls and poor coverages. He’s a good athlete that plays well when he’s in off-man coverage, but when he turns his head and runs with a receiver, all bets are off. He doesn’t look back for the ball nearly enough and will get grabby to compensate for his thin frame. He’s improved this season for the Buckeyes in a bigger role and is developmental worthy late in the draft.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
