What can we expect from Joseph Yearby in his freshman year?

[BigPoppaCane]

IM EXPECTING GREATNESS AND EVENTUALLY UNSEATING DUKE

 

[Calinative]

I expect him to get under 500 yards this year. But What I'm really hoping for is above 5 YPC.

 

[CANE1775]

Lu, you view freeman and Yearby as similar players/prospects? I didn't pay much attention to Freeman coming out of high school. In college, I'd consider him solid.

Different styles, but similar level of prospects, yes. Yearby having a little more upside along the lines of Gio Bernard (some will disagree). Freeman was basically a 4.6 guy in the Combine. Bernard was a 4.53 guy. Freeman was 5' 8" 206. Bernard was 5' 8" 202. Both had fairly short arm length. Bernard had a great shuttle (objective) and burst (subjective), which is why Yearby has some of that upside. Weaknesses for both Freeman and Bernard revolved around "long speed" and size questions. That's the same question you'll have hang over Joe's head.

Yearby's style (not level of prospect, but manner of cuts, etc.) is more like Lesean Mccoy, as I think I've written before. Again, doesn't mean he'll ever be as good as Shady, but means he fits well with what evolving offenses are asking of RBs to do in space.

Maybe it's just me, but I'm fine with the Bernard comparison because I think bernard was a pretty dang good college football player. Again, maybe it's just me, but I look at bernard as being a good amount better than freeman.

 

[Cans4life]

Lu, you view freeman and Yearby as similar players/prospects? I didn't pay much attention to Freeman coming out of high school. In college, I'd consider him solid.

Different styles, but similar level of prospects, yes. Yearby having a little more upside along the lines of Gio Bernard (some will disagree). Freeman was basically a 4.6 guy in the Combine. Bernard was a 4.53 guy. Freeman was 5' 8" 206. Bernard was 5' 8" 202. Both had fairly short arm length. Bernard had a great shuttle (objective) and burst (subjective), which is why Yearby has some of that upside. Weaknesses for both Freeman and Bernard revolved around "long speed" and size questions. That's the same question you'll have hang over Joe's head.

Yearby's style (not level of prospect, but manner of cuts, etc.) is more like Lesean Mccoy, as I think I've written before. Again, doesn't mean he'll ever be as good as Shady, but means he fits well with what evolving offenses are asking of RBs to do in space.

Maybe it's just me, but I'm fine with the Bernard comparison because I think bernard was a pretty dang good college football player. Again, maybe it's just me, but I look at bernard as being a good amount better than freeman.

I've always kind've thought Yearby was a poor man's Bernard. I dont think he has quite the level of explosiveness Bernard has but very similar styles of play.

 

[LuCane]

Lu, you view freeman and Yearby as similar players/prospects? I didn't pay much attention to Freeman coming out of high school. In college, I'd consider him solid.

Different styles, but similar level of prospects, yes. Yearby having a little more upside along the lines of Gio Bernard (some will disagree). Freeman was basically a 4.6 guy in the Combine. Bernard was a 4.53 guy. Freeman was 5' 8" 206. Bernard was 5' 8" 202. Both had fairly short arm length. Bernard had a great shuttle (objective) and burst (subjective), which is why Yearby has some of that upside. Weaknesses for both Freeman and Bernard revolved around "long speed" and size questions. That's the same question you'll have hang over Joe's head.

Yearby's style (not level of prospect, but manner of cuts, etc.) is more like Lesean Mccoy, as I think I've written before. Again, doesn't mean he'll ever be as good as Shady, but means he fits well with what evolving offenses are asking of RBs to do in space.

Maybe it's just me, but I'm fine with the Bernard comparison because I think bernard was a pretty dang good college football player. Again, maybe it's just me, but I look at bernard as being a good amount better than freeman.

That's why I said, in terms of level of prospect, somewhere between Freeman and Bernard. If we get that, we're in serious business.

 

[IndayArtHauz]

Yearby is a lighter Shady. Somebody said it above. He's not a burner, but at the first line he will freeze defenders with his instincts and decisiveness. He has a very uncommon mix of abilities. I think because he sees the field so well, he can almost slide through a hole and adjust so quickly. Plus he runs small, so it's even harder for defenders to track him. It's almost like the open field is less effective for him, in some weird way.

I really think he's special.

 

[Classic]

I've read Devonte Freeman's sour *** name too many times in a Yearby thread.

 

[DMoney]

I like the Devonta Freeman comparison in terms of impact. Both guys are just solid, well-rounded football players. Freeman has a little more burst but Yearby has better moves.

One area where Yearby is further along than expected is pass-blocking. He's small but he's a tough **** who knows what to do.

 

[brock]

Y'all must forgot yearby is coley's guy. He will have over 5 ypc this year book it.

 

[cowboycane]

If he is as productive as Freeman we got ourselves a ******* player. That said, he is way shifter than Freemam and far more versatile.

 

[IndayArtHauz]

Y'all must forgot yearby is coley's guy. He will have over 5 ypc this year book it.

I was upset when I first heard that Coley was making him a priority over Cook. But that's faded, and I'm glad he got his man. (That's not saying I wouldn't like to have Cook, or which of the two I would prefer.)

 

[JgDaCane]

listened to the kids interview, nothing but the best wishes for the young man. I love the way these kids are humble & hungry..yearby, wyche, chad, & kaaya in particular.

 

[SmokeyRone]

Really? This is outrageous. LOL! Golden closed on teh S Fl elite RBs! Yeah boy! "The Closer".

 

[The Franchise]

Change of pace. Some swing routes. Will juke at least a handful of guys out of their cleats.

85 Carries
395 yards
6 TDs
10 catches
110 yards

For historical references:

Devonta Freeman got 120 carries as a Frosh at FSU.
Gus Edwards got 66 carries last year.

I can't see him only averaging 4.6 per carry.

Very fair comment. I moved the total around a couple times. 4.6 would be on the low end. 5.5 would be on the high end of a prediction. So, you're looking at around an additional 70 yards if he gets to that high end. You're looking at about 35-40 somewhere in the middle.

I've had this discussion with D$ and I don't question his ability to rip off long(er) runs the way he wonders. D$ can speak for himself, but I think he mentioned he sees Yearby as a guy who gets 10, 10, 12, 10, etc. As opposed to a guy who rips off 40-50+. I don't think he's ripping off consistent 50+ yarders to get into the 6 ypc range like Duke did as a Frosh, but can see maybe a couple. These guys who "don't have long speed" have an incredible feel for angles and run to corners - ala Gore. I think that's what we'll see from Yearby.

Reference:

Devonta Freeman, in a similar 2011 offense to what we'll likely see this year, put up 4.8.

Good stuff. I appreciate the Freeman comparison, but I think Yearby is a much better prospect.

As for long speed, there's a laundry list of really famous RBs who didn't have long speed but regularly busted off 50+ yard runs. Joe is so shifty that he will get into that 2nd and 3rd level like Frank, who you mentioned, and Emmitt Smith and plenty of other HOFers without classic long speed. If there was a knock on Barry Sanders it was his long speed.

 

[The Franchise]

He'll get his feet wet and get some serious burn against FAMU and if CANES are winning in a blowout

Really i was thinking he would be taken most of gus carries since Yearby is the second best rb on the team. Gus went from number 2 when Duke went down to number 4 on the team

He is going to get some serious run but he won't have the impact duke did. Gus is gunna be used short yardage (if he learned how to lower those pads) and Gray will be used in special kind of packages but yearby will get the bulk of regular carries of the backups. Plus unless Kaaya has a manziel/winston kind of impact were gunna run it quite a bit. It wouldn't shock me if he gets 600-800 yards and 5 or 6 TDs.

From the quotes we've heard recently about Gray I'd be interested to see just how much playing time he gets.

Don't see him getting much early - obviously super talented, but the coaches are talking about how he doesn't know the plays etc. You know they're sticklers for that (even though RB is the most instinctive position on the field).

I don't see Gus as a short yardage back - think that's still Duke. Edwards is a change pace back. He brings more size than Yearby or Duke, so it's something a little different for the defence to look at, but he's not a tough inside runner. Both he and Yearby will be used to spell Duke I think.

I don't see Gray getting many reps. He's got a long way to go with the playbook, so if you see him it'll mostly be on package stuff where they give him a couple plays to concentrate on learning.

Anyone who heard Al's comments knows Gray is a long way off. Al mentioned that the coaches won't be standing behind him in game situations telling him where to go.

 

[The Franchise]

Lu, you view freeman and Yearby as similar players/prospects? I didn't pay much attention to Freeman coming out of high school. In college, I'd consider him solid.

Different styles, but similar level of prospects, yes. Yearby having a little more upside along the lines of Gio Bernard (some will disagree). Freeman was basically a 4.6 guy in the Combine. Bernard was a 4.53 guy. Freeman was 5' 8" 206. Bernard was 5' 8" 202. Both had fairly short arm length. Bernard had a great shuttle (objective) and burst (subjective), which is why Yearby has some of that upside. Weaknesses for both Freeman and Bernard revolved around "long speed" and size questions. That's the same question you'll have hang over Joe's head.

Yearby's style (not level of prospect, but manner of cuts, etc.) is more like Lesean Mccoy, as I think I've written before. Again, doesn't mean he'll ever be as good as Shady, but means he fits well with what evolving offenses are asking of RBs to do in space.

Maybe it's just me, but I'm fine with the Bernard comparison because I think bernard was a pretty dang good college football player. Again, maybe it's just me, but I look at bernard as being a good amount better than freeman.

Same way I see it.

 

[CANE1775]

Lu, you view freeman and Yearby as similar players/prospects? I didn't pay much attention to Freeman coming out of high school. In college, I'd consider him solid.

Different styles, but similar level of prospects, yes. Yearby having a little more upside along the lines of Gio Bernard (some will disagree). Freeman was basically a 4.6 guy in the Combine. Bernard was a 4.53 guy. Freeman was 5' 8" 206. Bernard was 5' 8" 202. Both had fairly short arm length. Bernard had a great shuttle (objective) and burst (subjective), which is why Yearby has some of that upside. Weaknesses for both Freeman and Bernard revolved around "long speed" and size questions. That's the same question you'll have hang over Joe's head.

Yearby's style (not level of prospect, but manner of cuts, etc.) is more like Lesean Mccoy, as I think I've written before. Again, doesn't mean he'll ever be as good as Shady, but means he fits well with what evolving offenses are asking of RBs to do in space.

Maybe it's just me, but I'm fine with the Bernard comparison because I think bernard was a pretty dang good college football player. Again, maybe it's just me, but I look at bernard as being a good amount better than freeman.

That's why I said, in terms of level of prospect, somewhere between Freeman and Bernard. If we get that, we're in serious business.

I agree that we will be in business. With that said, I will be a bit disappointed if he's closer to Freeman. Yearby may not have the elite size that the NFL wants, but I fully expect this kid to have an outstanding college career barring injury. I really don't know how many total yards he will have as a freshman, but I'm thinking that with the type of role I expect him to play, his ypc will be extremely high.

 

[brock]

yearby is a more talented runner than freeman by far........... Freeman is just a tad bit faster, but yearby is the better running back hands down

 

[The Franchise]

Smokey, you're a good dude, but do you have anything else in your repertoire? Anything? Ponderous, man. Fcking ponderous.

 

[umfire]

Yearby is a 1000 yard back in the ACC. Kid is a south FL legend.

This year, 100 carries, 500 yards.

If Gus is your 3rd best back, you are loaded.