Quick, someone name the top ten rushers in NCAA Division I-A history!

[Ultra Peanut]

First one to answer correctly gets a prize.

[Skip Towne]

I suspect Williams will have about the same NFL success as Prentice has had. Town team players you know.

[NaptownChief]

Originally Posted by Cochise

So what's the scouting report on Williams? What kind of runner is he? How many years has he been playing? What kind of NFL potential? Is he a 1st round pick?

Definitely looks to be a 1st round pick but the LT/Holmes comparison is a bit strong.

Reminds me a lot of Mike Cloud......Just kidding actually reminds me Tiki Barber...Very good speed, very quick and runs harder than his size would indicate. They don't use him that much in the passing game so I really don't know if he is anywhere near the pass catcher of Tiki however.

[Eleazar]

Originally Posted by NaptownChief

Definitely looks to be a 1st round pick but the LT/Holmes comparison is a bit strong.

I kind of cast doubt on the prevailing thought on which running backs are going to be surefire feature backs in the NFL anyway. I mean, a guy like Priest Holmes came out of Texas unnoticed and has spent a few years as one of the best backs in the league. And at draft time LT had plenty of doubters because he had only played at TCU. Meanwhile, how many Curtis Enis's are out there.

It's almost as much of a crapshoot as the QB position, seems like. At the very least, a ton of potentially successful NFL backs probably slip through the cracks like Holmes almost did.

[Ultra Peanut]

Originally Posted by Cochise

Where will he be drafted?

I mean, no disrespect, I would expect you to think he was the greatest thing since sliced bread since that's your team, but what's the word on him? Is he going to go in the first round?

He could have declared after last season, and he would have gone in the first round. After agonizing over the decision and, incidentally, talking about it with Matt Leinart at the Wooden Cup ceremony in LA (both were finalists for the college award; Will Shields was a finalist for the pro one), he eventually announced at a press conference that it was the NFL versus Memphis, and, "Memphis won hands down."

Kiper had him right up there with Benson, Caddy, and Brown in the 2005 draft, and listed him as the #5 overall player and top running back for 2006.

He is the personification of "all-purpose back." He is an amazing runner, his vision and balance are incredible beyond the telling of it, he has a combination of speed and strength (and SPEED... and STRENGTH) that is simply indescribable... in short, he's okay.

In addition, Memphis lost 27 seniors, including the best QB in school history, the top WR, and four starting offensive linemen. On the first series of the season, junior QB Patrick Byrne went down for the year. In the third game, redshirt freshman QB Will Hudgens went down for the year. True freshman Billy Barefield didn't cut it, and with WR-turned-QB Mo Avery starting in the 35-20 win over Houston, Memphis has started 5 different QBs in 7 games, stretching back to the GMAC Bowl. Memphis is also missing upwards of 10 other starters, most of them long-term. Despite this, he's carried the whole team on his back, even with the target everyone has had on him from the national attention and Heisman hype.

Oh, and not to overload you with "he's so great," but he really is, off the field, as well. He's a good student and an exceptionally great representative of the school and the city.

[NaptownChief]

Originally Posted by Cochise

It's almost as much of a crapshoot as the QB position, seems like. At the very least, a ton of potentially successful NFL backs probably slip through the cracks like Holmes almost did.

Especially when the single most important trait a RB needs to possess for a RB to have success at the NFL is a good O Line in front of him and OC on the sideline. It is only the extremely rare back like a Barry Sanders, Walter Payton type that can overcome that key ingredient.

[Ultra Peanut]

Definitely looks to be a 1st round pick but the LT/Holmes comparison is a bit strong.

Don't just listen to me, listen to the Bob Loblaw from other places:

Originally Posted by Green Hurricane, TheGangGreen.com

I love the Faulk-Bush comparisons, and I was anxious to see how many other people felt the same way.

As for LDT and Deangelo, it makes sense. DA hasn't gotten as many opportunities in the passing game as Tomlinson had, but there's no doubt he has good enough hands. Plus, they both have that compact, and deceptive strength to them. DA's leg drive is incredible, just look at the man's calf muscles.

Originally Posted by Jonathan Vilma, TheGangGreen.com

I like DeAngelo Williams a bit more since he runs the ball a whole hell of a lot more, and equally effective. Williams doesn't have the passing threat that Bush has, nor does he have a guy like LenDale White to run inside and get the tough yards.

Bush had 186 touches in 2004. DeAngelo had 331. Bush 68 this year, DeAngelo 116. I just think DeAngelo is more durable, and he's a lot bigger than Bush at almost 220 lbs. There's no doubt that Bush is a dynamic college player, but he's doing that in the best offense in football, and possibly one of the best teams ever.

One things that's great about the both of them is combined they have ZERO fumbles.

What's with the freaking Miami fans on a Jets website?

NFLDraftBlitz.com:

Reminds You Of: LaDainian Tomlinson

Originally Posted by Collegefootballnews.com

3. DeAngelo Williams, Memphis – Gentlemen, start your engines. Fully healed from the broken right fibula he suffered in last year’s GMAC Bowl, Williams will be gunning his engine as soon as the 2005 season begins. By definition, he’s a complete back, who can take over a game in a number of different ways. He’s an all-purpose workhorse, who regularly contributes to the passing game and special teams. Williams is shifty and super quick, but can also bring the hammer when necessary behind a solid, 220-pound frame. His measurables aren’t off the charts, but his character and personality are, which always sells well when scouts are doling out grades.
2004 Numbers – 313 carries for 1,948 yards and 22 TDs – 18 catches for 210 yards and 1 TD
Shades of…LaDainian Tomlinson

I've seen DeAngelo, time and time and time again. He is the real deal, wholly and completely.

[Ultra Peanut]

Originally Posted by Skip Towne

I suspect Williams will have about the same NFL success as Prentice has had. Town team players you know.

Miami University is located in Oxford, Ohio.

[Ultra Peanut]

#10 5,177

#9 5,259

#8 5,263

#7 5,371

[Ultra Peanut]

NCAA Division I-A All-Time Leading Rushers
1. Ron Dayne, Wisconsin - 6,397
2. Ricky Williams, Texas - 6,279
3. Tony Dorsett, Pittsburgh - 6,082
4. Charles White, USC - 5,598
5. Travis Prentice, Miami (Ohio) - 5,590
6. Cedric Benson, Texas - 5,540
7. DeAngelo Williams, Memphis - 5,371
8. LaDainian Tomlinson, TCU - 5,283
9. Herschel Walker, Georgia - 5,269
10. Archie Griffin, Ohio State - 5,177

NCAA Division I-A All-Time All-Purpose Yardage Leaders
Ricky Williams Texas, 1995-98 7206
Napoleon McCallum, Navy 1981-85 7172
Darrin Nelson Stanford, 1977-78, 80-81 6885
DeAngelo Williams, Memphis 2002- 6860
Kevin Faulk, LSU 1995-98 6833

346 yards away from Ricky Williams' I-A record for career all-purpose yardage.

[Ultra Peanut]

Lead the nation in rushing? Check.
Have four 200+ yard games? Check.
Climb the all-time rushing leader charts? Check.
Rapidly approach the career all-purpose yardage record? Check.
Do all this with four different starting QBs in the span of six games? Check.

Originally Posted by ESPN.com Heisman Watch

DeAngelo Williams -- RB, Memphis
5-10, 217 lbs., Sr.

Last Performance -- The emphasis of every opponents game plans is stopping Williams, but it just doesn't matter. He still keeps putting up 200-yard games.

Last Game Stats -- Williams had 226 yards on 39 carries in Memphis' 27-24 win over East Carolina.
Season Stats -- Williams has 1,375 yards on 195 carries with 12 TDs. He also has 10 catches for 51 yards.
Next Game -- Memphis hosts UAB on Nov. 1.

http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/story/5021452

With his fourth 200-yard game of the season, Memphis RB DeAngelo Williams passed Archie Griffin, Herschel Walker and LaDainian Tomlinson on the all-time rushing list. The most incredible aspect of Williams' senior season is that he's leading the country in rushing on an offense that possesses nary a threat in the passing game. The Tigers lost both of their quarterbacks to broken legs, leaving WR Maurice Avery to get under center, and run a variation of the single-wing offense. Somehow, it's working for Memphis, who's won two straight, and are still alive in C-USA East.

CATCH A TIGER: Memphis running back DeAngelo Williams is moving past some pretty big names on the NCAA rushing list.

With his 226 yards Saturday, Williams passed Archie Griffin, Herschel Walker and LaDainian Tomlinson.

He is 169 yards behind Cedric Benson of Texas and trails Travis Prentice of Miami (Ohio) by 225 for fifth place.

"Everybody who has played Memphis in the last two years has known DeAngelo is going to carry the ball 25 to 35 times," East Carolina coach Skip Holtz said.

"And no one has been able to just line up and say, 'You're not going anywhere,' which is a testament to him."

The senior leads the nation in total yards (1,309) and average per game (187). Williams is second in all-purpose yards behind Reggie Bush of USC.

"He's a great back." Holtz said. "He's strong. He's powerful. I could go on and on and on about him. I think he is as good as the billing and the hype."