[BostonCard]

McCaffrey's entire draft position is going to be determined by his 40 time.  If he runs 4.4 or lower, he's a first rounder.  If he runs 4.5+, he's a second round pick.

He can play four positions: RB, slot WR, KR and PR.  That gives him a lot of position flexibility, which is really valuable for any player to have.

But let's be honest, McCaffrey is the victim of racial prejudice. If he was black, we wouldn't hear questions about his speed and explosiveness.  You would have thought seeing him play would have put those prejudices to bed, but apparently not.

Except that the article highlighted that the biggest question mark for him was not speed and explosiveness (although a couple of the scouts are quoted as saying that), it is whether he has the size to be an every down back.

Read the lede again...

As a versatile playmaker with a dynamic game and a sterling career resume, McCaffrey is revered by some coaches and scouts. In their minds, he's a game changer with the kind of big-play ability that energizes the offense whenever he steps onto the field. Although they might have some concerns about his ability to carry the load as a full-time starter, they point to his 731 career touches (rushing attempts/receptions) over a three-year career (25 starts) as a testament to his durability, toughness and stamina as an RB1. They also suggest that his 19 career games with 20-plus rushing attempts suggest that he is more than capable of toting the rock as a feature back at the next level.

On the other hand, McCaffrey's critics question whether the 6-foot, 205-pound playmaker is anything more than a change-of-pace back at the next level. They view him as a third-down weapon capable of making his impact as a receiver/returner in certain systems. Although those skeptics appreciate his versatility and playmaking potential, they see him as a niche player who needs to be in the right system to be a difference maker as a pro. While most players are viewed in that light, the devaluation of the running back position makes it hard for some evaluators to slap a big grade on a prospect who's viewed as a rotational player in most backfields.

The criticism of McCaffrey in those passages is not that he lacks NFL exposiveness; it's that he lacks prototypical NFL running back size.

BC

[BostonCard]

McCaffrey's entire draft position is going to be determined by his 40 time.  If he runs 4.4 or lower, he's a first rounder.  If he runs 4.5+, he's a second round pick.

He can play four positions: RB, slot WR, KR and PR.  That gives him a lot of position flexibility, which is really valuable for any player to have.

But let's be honest, McCaffrey is the victim of racial prejudice. If he was black, we wouldn't hear questions about his speed and explosiveness.  You would have thought seeing him play would have put those prejudices to bed, but apparently not.

Except that the article highlighted that the biggest question mark for him was not speed and explosiveness (although a couple of the scouts are quoted as saying that), it is whether he has the size to be an every down back.

Read the lede again...

As a versatile playmaker with a dynamic game and a sterling career resume, McCaffrey is revered by some coaches and scouts. In their minds, he's a game changer with the kind of big-play ability that energizes the offense whenever he steps onto the field. Although they might have some concerns about his ability to carry the load as a full-time starter, they point to his 731 career touches (rushing attempts/receptions) over a three-year career (25 starts) as a testament to his durability, toughness and stamina as an RB1. They also suggest that his 19 career games with 20-plus rushing attempts suggest that he is more than capable of toting the rock as a feature back at the next level.

On the other hand, McCaffrey's critics question whether the 6-foot, 205-pound playmaker is anything more than a change-of-pace back at the next level. They view him as a third-down weapon capable of making his impact as a receiver/returner in certain systems. Although those skeptics appreciate his versatility and playmaking potential, they see him as a niche player who needs to be in the right system to be a difference maker as a pro. While most players are viewed in that light, the devaluation of the running back position makes it hard for some evaluators to slap a big grade on a prospect who's viewed as a rotational player in most backfields.

The criticism of McCaffrey in those passages is not that he lacks NFL exposiveness; it's that he lacks prototypical NFL running back size.

BC