Eric the Red
Team HuskerBoard
Huskers' droughts in draft puzzling
By STEVEN M. SIPPLE / Lincoln Journal Star ANALYSIS
Nebraska's Brandon Jackson (32) runs through the defense of Patrick Trahan (42) of Auburn in the Huskers' game against the Tigers in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 1. (LJS file)
Occasionally in examining sport one stumbles on a streak that elicits pause.
Consider for instance that five years have passed without Nebraska having a running back selected in the NFL Draft, an ignominious drought for a program long regarded for rushing prowess.
It isn’t for lack of stockpiling bodies.
Nebraska carried 10 I-backs on the 2002 roster, and a couple of them (Dahrran Diedrick and Josh Davis) enjoyed a cup of coffee in the NFL as free agents, while another (Cory Ross) will try to make it through a second season in 2007 as a Baltimore Ravens free agent.
Advertisement
All the hyperbole in the world — which is approximately the amount Thunder Collins received upon his arrival in Lincoln from East Los Angeles College — couldn’t land the thunderous one on an NFL roster. “Thunder” wasn’t exactly the image that came to mind when one laid eyes on Collins’ spindly legs.
A sports radio program breathlessly counted down the days to Collins’ arrival on campus. Hoodwinked, all of us.
Now, with less fanfare, we count down days to the end of Nebraska’s running back drought in the draft. Somebody’s going to snatch the swift, shifty, strong and instinctive Brandon Jackson, if not Saturday (first three rounds) then for sure Sunday (final four).
The 5-foot-10, 210-pound Jackson appears capable of sticking around The League for a sustained period, as has fellow Mississippi native Correll Buckhalter, who, along with wrecking-ball runner Dan Alexander, was drafted out of NU in 2001.
Then came the drought.
It wasn’t for lack of searching.
For instance, Nebraska’s 1999 roster included a guy from Brussels, Belgium (Alik Tillery). The Huskers recruited intriguing names from afar (Thunder) and impossible-to-spell names from across town (Nanfwang Mutfwang of Lincoln Northeast).
Some talented I-backs left Lincoln limping, overweight and in a huff (DeAngelo Evans), and too many simply weren’t fast or tough enough.
Many we forget (Tim Reese), others we regret (Marques Simmons).
We should note that in 1999, Nebraska carried a dozen I-backs on the roster: Matt Albertson, Alexander, Buckhalter, Chad Buller, Chris Butler, Davis, Diedrick, Evans, DeAntae Grixby, Robin Miller, Reece and Tillery.
Diedrick was underappreciated, even derided in some quarters for lack of speed despite rushing for 1,299 yards in 2001 while averaging 5.6 per carry.
Buckhalter also was somewhat underappreciated by fans and arguably underused. He played in 46 games but started only nine. His best year was 1998, when he rushed for 799 yards as a sophomore. He averaged 6.1 yards for his college career while often playing hurt. What he lacked in breakaway speed he made up for in instinct. He was a natural for the position.
Buckhalter’s college career overlapped that of Alexander, who rushed for a career-high 1,154 yards in 2000 and also averaged 6.1 for his career. The 6-foot, 245-pound Alexander had excellent speed but was anything but natural, especially when he tried to catch a pass. It hurt to watch him try.
Now, we wonder: Will the selection of Jackson this weekend be followed by another I-back draft drought?
Marlon Lucky arguably possesses NFL-caliber talent. But is he tough enough mentally and physically to last in a rugged land where defenders seize upon weakness like sharks on blood?
Will Cody Glenn’s aching right foot ever fully heal? Does he possess the requisite speed and athleticism even with two good feet to be an every-down NFL guy?
Will Nebraska ever again feature a running back the caliber of Mike Rozier or Lawrence Phillips? With due respect to Ahman Green, only Rozier was as intimidating as Phillips when Phillips was of healthy mind and not the tormented athlete overcome by his demons. Damned demons ruined a potential NFL superstar.
Another statistic that might give Nebraska fans reason for pause:
When this weekend’s draft concludes, Nebraska still will have had only two offensive linemen selected in five years (Josh Sewell in 2004, Richie Incognito in 2005). The pipeline slowed to a trickle.
Carl Nicks, projected as Nebraska’s starting left tackle in 2007, next April will end the Huskers’ two-year offensive line draft drought.
“He’ll be a great pro,” says Husker offensive line coach Dennis Wagner, who also projects center Brett Byford as an NFL-caliber performer.
Watch for the Big Red pipeline to soon start flowing with talent for years to come. The recent accumulation of these behemoths has been a sight to behold.
All told, only two of the 17 Nebraska players selected in the last four drafts were offensive players; in the last 10 drafts, it’s 16 on offense out of 52 total.
OK, OK, so defense wins championships, or so they say.
But draft droughts on offense evidently can exact a toll on a program.
Reach Steven M. Sipple at 473-7440 or ssipple@journalstar.com.
By STEVEN M. SIPPLE / Lincoln Journal Star ANALYSIS
Nebraska's Brandon Jackson (32) runs through the defense of Patrick Trahan (42) of Auburn in the Huskers' game against the Tigers in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 1. (LJS file)
Occasionally in examining sport one stumbles on a streak that elicits pause.
Consider for instance that five years have passed without Nebraska having a running back selected in the NFL Draft, an ignominious drought for a program long regarded for rushing prowess.
It isn’t for lack of stockpiling bodies.
Nebraska carried 10 I-backs on the 2002 roster, and a couple of them (Dahrran Diedrick and Josh Davis) enjoyed a cup of coffee in the NFL as free agents, while another (Cory Ross) will try to make it through a second season in 2007 as a Baltimore Ravens free agent.
Advertisement
All the hyperbole in the world — which is approximately the amount Thunder Collins received upon his arrival in Lincoln from East Los Angeles College — couldn’t land the thunderous one on an NFL roster. “Thunder” wasn’t exactly the image that came to mind when one laid eyes on Collins’ spindly legs.
A sports radio program breathlessly counted down the days to Collins’ arrival on campus. Hoodwinked, all of us.
Now, with less fanfare, we count down days to the end of Nebraska’s running back drought in the draft. Somebody’s going to snatch the swift, shifty, strong and instinctive Brandon Jackson, if not Saturday (first three rounds) then for sure Sunday (final four).
The 5-foot-10, 210-pound Jackson appears capable of sticking around The League for a sustained period, as has fellow Mississippi native Correll Buckhalter, who, along with wrecking-ball runner Dan Alexander, was drafted out of NU in 2001.
Then came the drought.
It wasn’t for lack of searching.
For instance, Nebraska’s 1999 roster included a guy from Brussels, Belgium (Alik Tillery). The Huskers recruited intriguing names from afar (Thunder) and impossible-to-spell names from across town (Nanfwang Mutfwang of Lincoln Northeast).
Some talented I-backs left Lincoln limping, overweight and in a huff (DeAngelo Evans), and too many simply weren’t fast or tough enough.
Many we forget (Tim Reese), others we regret (Marques Simmons).
We should note that in 1999, Nebraska carried a dozen I-backs on the roster: Matt Albertson, Alexander, Buckhalter, Chad Buller, Chris Butler, Davis, Diedrick, Evans, DeAntae Grixby, Robin Miller, Reece and Tillery.
Diedrick was underappreciated, even derided in some quarters for lack of speed despite rushing for 1,299 yards in 2001 while averaging 5.6 per carry.
Buckhalter also was somewhat underappreciated by fans and arguably underused. He played in 46 games but started only nine. His best year was 1998, when he rushed for 799 yards as a sophomore. He averaged 6.1 yards for his college career while often playing hurt. What he lacked in breakaway speed he made up for in instinct. He was a natural for the position.
Buckhalter’s college career overlapped that of Alexander, who rushed for a career-high 1,154 yards in 2000 and also averaged 6.1 for his career. The 6-foot, 245-pound Alexander had excellent speed but was anything but natural, especially when he tried to catch a pass. It hurt to watch him try.
Now, we wonder: Will the selection of Jackson this weekend be followed by another I-back draft drought?
Marlon Lucky arguably possesses NFL-caliber talent. But is he tough enough mentally and physically to last in a rugged land where defenders seize upon weakness like sharks on blood?
Will Cody Glenn’s aching right foot ever fully heal? Does he possess the requisite speed and athleticism even with two good feet to be an every-down NFL guy?
Will Nebraska ever again feature a running back the caliber of Mike Rozier or Lawrence Phillips? With due respect to Ahman Green, only Rozier was as intimidating as Phillips when Phillips was of healthy mind and not the tormented athlete overcome by his demons. Damned demons ruined a potential NFL superstar.
Another statistic that might give Nebraska fans reason for pause:
When this weekend’s draft concludes, Nebraska still will have had only two offensive linemen selected in five years (Josh Sewell in 2004, Richie Incognito in 2005). The pipeline slowed to a trickle.
Carl Nicks, projected as Nebraska’s starting left tackle in 2007, next April will end the Huskers’ two-year offensive line draft drought.
“He’ll be a great pro,” says Husker offensive line coach Dennis Wagner, who also projects center Brett Byford as an NFL-caliber performer.
Watch for the Big Red pipeline to soon start flowing with talent for years to come. The recent accumulation of these behemoths has been a sight to behold.
All told, only two of the 17 Nebraska players selected in the last four drafts were offensive players; in the last 10 drafts, it’s 16 on offense out of 52 total.
OK, OK, so defense wins championships, or so they say.
But draft droughts on offense evidently can exact a toll on a program.
Reach Steven M. Sipple at 473-7440 or ssipple@journalstar.com.
