GM calls Todd Gurley the best RB prospect since Adrian Peterson
Georgia Bulldogs star running back Todd Gurley is currently suspended indefinitely by the jocular NCAA for monetizing his name and brand after working hard to build it up with excellent performances on the field (which, by extension, build money and brand recognition for the dreaded four-letter acronym). Gurley is a lock to be a first-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, so the suspension would actually help the team that drafts him; they know they are getting a healthy Gurley with fresh legs (barring any injuries during pre-draft workouts, which should also be better if he is fresher).
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The lofty praise for Gurley never gets old, and some of it is almost obvious at this point. An NFC GM told the NFL Network’s Albert Breer that he thinks Gurley is the best running back prospect since Oklahoma Sooners star RB Adrian Peterson, whom Gurley’s rushing ability has been compared to. That’s lofty praise, but it’s not like there’s a laundry list of backs between those two draft classes with that kind of ability. The GM also told Breer that Gurley is “clearly” better than Trent Richardson when T-Rich came out of Alabama, but discussing this point can’t lead anywhere positive.
I’ve generally tried to avoid comparing Gurley to other running backs, because I think he’s his own animal. I mean, how many times do we compare the rushing styles of AP, Marshawn Lynch, or Eddie Lacy (three backs Gurley has been compared to at various points) to other backs? This happens, but not as often. That’s mostly because they are top NFL RBs and not draft prospects who always get comps labeled to them anyway, but the most talented RBs generally have nuanced games that can be more difficult to cross-compare.