Changes at RB for 2007

[Beemnseven]

Originally Posted by Buster

Out of college 40 YD Dash Times:

Betts = 4.60 to 4.62
NFL.com: NFL Draft
USATODAY.com - Ladell Betts, RB - Iowa
Top 10 running backs

Portis = 4.29 to 4.43
NFL.com: NFL Draft
NFL.com - NFL Insider
Top 10 running backs

I know it doesn't mean much since the data is a few years old, but they are the same age and Portis has always been faster. I just thought I'd look it up because I keep hearing that Betts "looks" faster.

Last week I was listening to Sportstalk 980 with Czaban and Andy Polin. They were talking about Trevor Matich, a former O-lineman who was going over game tapes of Ladell Betts.

Matich said that Betts is anticipating the blockers in front of him, and has the exact amount of patience for the holes to open up, demonstrating this ability apparently better than Portis ever did. He said that Betts was really starting to look like an "intelligent" runner.

So, while Portis has better breakaway speed, it seems that Betts, right now at least, is really taking advantage of the inside yardage between the tackles. For whatever reason, things just haven't lined up for him to break a long run.

Either way, there's no better 1-2 punch in the league.