Will Vegas Bet Offer Hint On First-Round RBs?
April 13th, 2017
What do the wiseguys know?
Those disinterested in short-term investments on sports events likely missed the fact the Nevada gaming authority approved gambling on the NFL Draft.
Previously, it was forbidden by law. But now casinos can offer action on general draft-related happenings, such as how many Alabama players will be taken in the first round, or how many many running backs are drafted in Round 1.
The latter bet is intriguing, and Joe is keeping an eye on how the oddsmakers handle that. The gurus in Vegas have unrivaled intelligence.
Overseas, the over/under on running backs drafted in the first round is 2.5. And Joe has yet to see that line move. That means there is heavy skepticism that the Bucs will go running back, considering Leonard Fournette and Christian McCaffery are very sure bets to be gone in the first round before Tampa Bay is up at No. 19 overall.
Making matters more interesting is the growing chatter that beastly Texas running back D’Onta Foreman, a guy who officially visited the Bucs this month, may sneak into the first round.
Dallas Morning News columnist Kevin Sherrington was live-chatting about that this week.
How high do you think Texas running back D’Onta Foreman goes in the draft?
Kevin Sherrington: From what I read, he’s a second-rounder. But I have to tell you, I was shocked that he ran a sub-4.5. At his size, that’s phenomenal. He was also very productive in college. So what else do you want? Wouldn’t be surprised to see him slip into the first round, what with the success of Zeke Elliott and the depth in defensive talent. You can get a corner in the second round. I don’t know how many guys are available as big as Foreman and that fast. Maybe two or three.
Of course, Joe’s primary focus is on Florida State stud Dalvin Cook, the clear first-round wild card in the running backs class. A lot of people won’t be shocked if Cook is a second-round pick — and many wouldn’t blink if he was the first running back selected in Round 1.
Joe will keep a close eye on the Vegas offerings as the clock ticks toward the draft in two short weeks.
April 13th, 2017 at 1:19 pm
No RB that size (237 lbs) has ran a 40 that fast. Getting him on Day 2 would be sick, but I’m not so stoked if we got him 19th overall. I’m also in the Mixon > Cook crowd….
April 13th, 2017 at 1:19 pm
You could write an article about Josh Freeman or football inflation regulations and we would still see a picture of someone other team’s future RB Dalvin Cook on the article.
April 13th, 2017 at 1:32 pm
Money talks.
April 13th, 2017 at 1:36 pm
It’s too hard not to get real excited if we land Cook or McCaffrey if the first. Need Sweezy to be what we signed him for and our offense has real potential to dominate. If not, a defensive player I would love is Peppers. He has the “it” quality on the field.
April 13th, 2017 at 1:36 pm
A productive college running back that didn’t test well at the big job interview forces teams to look closer and dig deeper.
The fact that the Bucs have looked at mostly second and third day RB prospects, and then Dalvin Cook should say something. Only problem is the density of the skull of 1000+ Bucs fans.
April 13th, 2017 at 1:37 pm
Loud for the ppl in the back…. SAY NO TO COOK AT 19
April 13th, 2017 at 1:53 pm
“Joe Mixon is the next David Johnson w/ extra gear”
“Next 1k reciever and !k rusher same season”
Kobe Faker aka 1 Buc Mole
April 13th, 2017 at 2:25 pm
Cook, Kamara, Mixon, Foreman, McCaffery, Mack, or Hunt, get any of these guys and we are in business, Cook scares me the most, but him and Mixon have the highest ceilings for sure. These are the top tier guys that can benefit us the most, we go with the same crew we had last year, then it’s gonna be a long season!
April 13th, 2017 at 2:28 pm
So MCaffrey is now a sure fire 1st round draft pick but Dalvin Cook may not be??? Give me a break.
Cook is the best RB (for our needs at least) in this DEEPLY talented at RB draft and he’s also one of the best RBs to come out of college since AP 10 years ago. (Top 5 easy along w/ Fournette).
If he makes it to 19 (he won’t) and the Bucs select him (they would) – then we just got LUCKY as hell. That’s all I’m gonna say about it.
April 13th, 2017 at 2:28 pm
http://walterfootball.com/ProspectMeetings/ByTeam
They haven’t even brought in Perine or visited and he’s the best back I feel like. Nor fournette who’s either be best or second best. They have crazy interest in hunt Mack Godwin obi wan donta foreman and several others. Brought in Baker and oj howard several times. This site indicates their intentions more than anything can. It rules out certain guys and shows clear interest in others. I feel like I know a group of 5 guys they’ll be looking at in rounds 1,2,3
April 13th, 2017 at 2:30 pm
Get Mixon out of your heads people. They are not taking that slug.
I’m guessing Cook or one of the top 3-4 WRs if they slip.
Round 2-3 another DB and DLine
April 13th, 2017 at 2:31 pm
Really impressed with Obi. I’m thinking right now BPA available first round like cook then obi second or Godwin. Thinking Godwin obi and best running back they can in this draft. Maybe Samuel
April 13th, 2017 at 2:34 pm
And Baker is an absolute stud. This draft is absolutely loaded. I can see cook first round and baker or obi or Godwin round 2. I wouldn’t know what to do if I’m Tampa but it’s gonna depend on the other teams. They’re not moving up. I think id move down and grab like peppers and then go hunt/foreman third and Godwin round 2. Gonna be interesting and I cannot wait. We are close. This draft will help. I see some sure things. This is a draft where mental checkouts looking for true football players is more crucial than usual
April 13th, 2017 at 2:35 pm
Foreman will probly be the 4th RB gone. I doubt he makes it to us in the 2nd round. The same teams that need a RB in front of us in the 1st are also in front of us in Round 2. They wont all go RB round 1.
If the Panthers don’t grab a RB in the 1st round, get used to seeing Foreman twice a year.
April 13th, 2017 at 2:35 pm
And guzzie they have no interest in Kamara
April 13th, 2017 at 2:39 pm
@Pickgrin
People on here can say his shoulders and “criminal record” don’t effect him, but they will effect his stock.
Teams want a safe 1st round pick. 3 shoulder surgeries and off the field questions isnt exactly safe, which is why he has been falling in mocks.
He has Top 10 talent, but talent is only part of the equation.
April 13th, 2017 at 2:52 pm
Rather have Foreman at 19 than Cook tbh.
April 13th, 2017 at 2:53 pm
If there is all this debate on all these runningbacks then I think the Bucs might just do what one of the Joe’s suggested, and that is take a DE. Another DE or corner or safety, these are all need positions and a first round corner or DE in particular, those are positions where seemingly a lot of the starters are 1st rounders. If there are a bunch of RBs the Bucs like or think are fairly close then just wait until round 2 and take a need player at another position – well depending on how the draft board falls anyways. One thing is that with all these runners out there it’s possible there is a big slide for many of them as teams might just wait until round 3 to take a RB since there are so many, if that is the case there could be a huge slide of some top names. Doubtful they fall too far, but day 2 for Cook is looking more like it could happen and if Cook gets past the first few picks of the 2nd round the Bucs could look to trade up and wouldn’t have to give up a 1 for next year.
April 13th, 2017 at 2:59 pm
Dalvin Cook received 7 of 21 1st place votes per NFL team according to Charlie Casserly (former GM of the Redskins and Texans) as the number 1 running back in this draft. Fournette received 14 votes.
Charlie also said he believes Dalvin is a top 10 player in this years draft.
April 13th, 2017 at 3:06 pm
GM fired by two teams.
April 13th, 2017 at 3:29 pm
Joey – I hope you are correct and it causes Cook to fall to 19. That would be about the best thing that could happen for the Bucs – that or OJ Howard falling to 19. Nether will happen. I’m telling you – this Dalvin “dropping” thing is smokescreen city.
Blake – I like Foreman too but NOBODY is projecting him as a top 20 pick. NOBODY. Most “experts” mock him somewhere between the mid 2nd and early 3rd rounds. He may well be better “value” than Dalvin Cook if that turns out to be true. But Foreman is definitely not the NFL prospect that Dalvin Cook is. Not by a long shot. Cook is a top 10 prospect on a whole lot of NFL big boards. Maybe not all because of some teams being scared like Joey was saying. But I guarantee you at least 20 or more teams rate Cook as a top 15 prospect in this draft. And likely only a handful would even consider drafting Foreman as early as the end of the 1st round.
April 13th, 2017 at 3:32 pm
Walterfootball hasn’t had a good pulse on us lately imo.. other than knowing we want offensive weapons which everyone knows.
Last year their mock was off on everyone in the top 10. They didn’t even have Joey Bosa as a possibility for the Chargers. They had the Bucs taking Leonard Floyd when we had no interest in him; and listed Shaq Lawson & Ronnie Stanley as the other 2 possibilities when we weren’t interested in them really vs Jack Conklin who was taken right before us. That was when we were picking a lot earlier and it should have been more predictable.
Pewterreport usually has a pretty good pulse and seemed to know we liked Rankins & Vernon Hargreaves
April 13th, 2017 at 3:38 pm
Charlie Casserly asked 21 teams and then he confirmed he also has Dalvin Cook as a top 10 prospect.
In his 23-year career with the Washington Redskins, the team went to four Super Bowls, winning three. I’d say he has had a successful career.
April 13th, 2017 at 3:55 pm
@Pick
I realize fully how they are rated by others. And obviously I would prefer us trading down to get him.
Just have a gut feeling that Cook is going to bust due to injuries.
April 13th, 2017 at 4:07 pm
Anything is possible, but Dalvin Cook’s low pad level running style is much less likely to get him injured than Fournette’s high pad running style.
Dalvin Cook is the ideal back in today’s NFL.
April 13th, 2017 at 4:24 pm
Just the odds should show you fournette and maccaffrey are not very sure top 20 locks. All this chatter of late is about teams leaking out stories to find out other teams interest in players. Other positions take priority in this passing league. I wouldnt want maccafrey in 1st if he were just a rb. Guy is a legit nfl wr too. Also a great returner. Id take the over on the 2.5 this year tho. Shoooot i might even have to make that bet. Go bucs
April 13th, 2017 at 4:41 pm
Would love Peppers in 1st, Foreman in 2nd….all 3 phases have been addressed & they wouldn’t have to be rushed due to the veteran depth.
April 13th, 2017 at 4:49 pm
Wausa says:
“Dalvin Cook’s low pad level running style is much less likely to get him injured than Fournette’s high pad running style.
Dalvin Cook is the ideal back in today’s NFL.”
Correctamundo. Heeeey… Whoah…. (Fonzie flashback)
People had the same “fears” about Warrick Dunn who was 20 lbs lighter than Cook. They have similar skillsets and a similar running style. Dunn rarely took big shots yet always seemed to squirt forward for a couple extra yards on most runs – even straight up the middle – than a lot of backs would have gotten. But could also take it to the house on any given play. Dunn is #23 on the NFL all time list for total yards and had a damn good 12 year NFL career. Cook is assuredly a better prospect coming out than Dunn was…
April 13th, 2017 at 5:04 pm
Pickgrin, I respect you and your opinions. But Warrick Dunn and Dalvin Cook are nothing alike. Warrick Dunn was a scat back with legit 4.28 speed and agility for days. Dalvin Is a one cut back with 4.49 speed, and while he can certainly make guys miss in the open field, he is no Barry Sanders.
In short they are two completely different kinds of Running back who’s similarities stop with the College they went too.
April 13th, 2017 at 5:04 pm
Broy34 I completely agree with you on which players they will likely draft. If you dig a little you can see which prospects the Bucs have shown the most interest.
The Bucs are more likely to draft Hunt, Mack, Foreman, or Joe Williams (Utah) than Cook.
April 13th, 2017 at 5:10 pm
Draft can’t get here soon enough…with that being said I keep watching Cook play and while he may not have top end speed he certainly has burst and vision. My absolute favorite thing about Cook though is the balance he has, when people are chopping at his legs or he is making a cut he always keeps his feet under him. I still have concerns about character (his friends and past discretions) as well as injury history, so by no means would I consider him a “safe pick”. Depending on who is there at 19 I would consider him but no way in hell would I trade up for him in this draft.
On the flip side someone mentioned a back named Brian Hill and said he could be next David Johnson so of course being curious I went and checked him out. I don’t know what they see cuz the dude basicially looked like he was tripping over his feet on half his runs and this is on a highlight tape. Mean stuff arm though.
I really like Foreman but not in the first, the only back I’d say is a lock for the first is Fournette for me. Other than him I’d be trying to find a “value” back later on. Or trade back and get Cook or Foreman plus more picks.
April 13th, 2017 at 5:40 pm
Obi will for sure not be around for 👌🏾bucs rd 2 pick. I’d prefer McCaffrey over cooks but would be Happy with either. I just hope we land Samuels in Rd 2 to finish off that WR dynamic Trio/Quad
April 13th, 2017 at 6:03 pm
Blake – there a lot more similarities between Dunn and Cook coming out than you are acknowledging. Ask any long time FSU fan who watched both play extensively in College. I’ve watched just about every one of Dalvin Cook’s games the last 3 years which is why I can say with such confidence that he will be a star NFL RB – just like I said over and over about Winston at QB pre-draft.
This isn’t FSU homerism. This is about getting a very extended look over 3 years at a supremely talented RB who basically destroyed just about every defense he ever faced including some of the best in College football. And that was with lots of teams keying on him and stacking the box. Dude can do it all. Run, outrun, juke, one cut, multi cuts, superior vision, gets the edge and down the sideline better than anyone we’ve seen in years. Incredible balance and enough power for his size to run through a lot of arm tackles. Blocks pretty well. Catches well out of the backfield and then makes big plays after short catches. Runs good receiving routes – catches the ball well downfield. Cook is a complete back. A legit “3 down” back. The most complete and “NFL ready” RB in this draft loaded with very good running backs. Dude is a scoring machine. He can score from anywhere on the field and did often at FSU. 38 rushing TDs in the last 2 years alone. Let me say that again. THIRTY EIGHT rushing TDs in 26 games.
You obviously haven’t watched enough of Cook’s tape to feel the way you do about him or you would know he is one of the best RB prospects to come out in quite a few years.
Yes Dunn was shorter and lighter – but their speed is not that dissimilar. I don’t care what time Cook ran at the combine. He is WAAAY faster than the 4.49 he posted at the combine. At least a tenth of a second faster IMO. Cook could pull a 4.35 on a good day I bet. Or maybe he just sucks at track style out of the block running. On the football field wearing pads is where his obvious speed clearly shows itself and that’s all that really matters.
There are similarities in their running styles to be sure and there will be similarities in their NFL careers as well I believe. Mainly in the area of productivity. Cook is absolutely a better prospect coming out than Dunn was 20 years ago and Dunn was selected #12 overall.
April 13th, 2017 at 6:16 pm
At this point if Joe posts a recipe for cookies there will be a photo of Dalvin Cook.
Put an end to the madness.
Make Mixon a Buc
April 13th, 2017 at 6:19 pm
I’ve watched every game tape of his available to be watched on draftbreakdown.com a couple times now and just do not see it the same way Pick.
I think he is incredibly over-rated.
April 13th, 2017 at 6:35 pm
Well then I guess you just don’t know what a star running back prospect looks like Blake. Its the only explanation. Trying not to be disrespectful but there’s nothing on tape about Dalvin Cook not to like. NOTHING. You could nitpick here or there of course but no prospect is perfect. Dalvin Cook is going to be a top 5 NFL RB in short order. There’s no other logical conclusion other than injury which I gather is your biggest fear but which has no basis in reality. Cook is a gamer. When its time to play – dude shows up. Healthy, knicked or otherwise. He missed 1 game in 3 years of College ball. Less games missed than any other of the top backs in this draft.
Just looking at his stats alone and never even seeing him play – one would normally assume this guy is a very high quality RB prospect.
Let me say it again – THIRTY EIGHT rushing TDS in his last 26 games. Against mostly decent to good College defenses and just as if not even more productive against quite a few very good defenses as well. That ain’t no fluke bro. He wasn’t playing in Div 2 yaknow…
April 13th, 2017 at 6:45 pm
Trade back and grab him
April 13th, 2017 at 6:45 pm
Oooooooook then. Just not impressed by
April 13th, 2017 at 6:49 pm
… Seeing a guy get 80 percent of his production on long sweeping runs to the outside when I know that Nfl defenses make a concerted effort to take the edge away.
Also not swayed by college stats in the least bit.
We’ll see who’s right in the end.
April 13th, 2017 at 7:01 pm
Cook’s college game is MUCH better than Dunn’s.
F.L.O.R.I.D.A. S.T.A.T.E.
Florida State Florida State Florida State…wooooooooooooooo!
April 13th, 2017 at 7:02 pm
Anyone who has watched Cook play knows that he is much better than the combine showed. I’m not saying he intentionally lagged, but we all know how much he wants to play with Jameis and the Bucs. Yes he looked average at the combine, but in no way is he average when he play. He is the best RB in this draft and FSU history and if we can get hI’m at 19 our offense will flourish.
April 13th, 2017 at 7:36 pm
You guys and the Perrine love. He’s slowwww, if We take a big back, I want a 2000 yard, 237 lb, sub 4.5 guy.
April 13th, 2017 at 8:00 pm
MIXON: he’s that damn good…. The best RB in this Draft if he falls to Day 2, then the tape did what its release was designed to do! DAMN WHAT THE PEOPLE SAY MIXON OR BUST!
April 13th, 2017 at 8:01 pm
Joe you crush so hard on hiesman guys. First it was Johnny Football and now it’s Dalvin Cook. Dude give it a break… We need big boys up front on both sides and some dudes who can take the ball away in the secondary
April 13th, 2017 at 8:41 pm
He should slide in this draft. He’s got too many question marks attached to him at a non-value position. There’s too many safer picks with higher positional value graded just as high in this draft.
April 13th, 2017 at 8:46 pm
One other thing there’s too many of is guys on Youtube that can cut the hell out of some game tape. Highlight video’s tell so little of the story for running backs.
April 13th, 2017 at 9:05 pm
Yeah let’s see the lowlights.
April 13th, 2017 at 9:27 pm
Lowlights tell you just as much as the highlights.
April 13th, 2017 at 9:41 pm
Championship teams don’t draft rb in the 1st
Last super bowl winner to draft a RB in the 1st was the saints
April 13th, 2017 at 10:28 pm
To suggest that all the homework they’ve done on Day 2 running back prospects means they won’t draft a RB in the 1st is silliness. It means they’re determined to get a RB early in this draft and it’s very possible that the top 3 will be gone…so they need to be prepared for that possibility. I think they would “run to the podium” if either Cook or McCaffrey are there. Keep in mind, they never had a visit with Mike Evans before they drafted him. They have no need to waste a private visit on McCaffrey…Everybody knows what he is about and why draw extra attention to him?
April 13th, 2017 at 10:30 pm
gotbbucs:
Excellent point. People should be going to draftbreakdown.com and watching full game tape of these guys before saying anything…reveals ALOT more than the highlight videos…go watch those and tell me McCaffrey can’t run between the tackles…
April 13th, 2017 at 11:02 pm
Since we want to be like 4th Titans we should sign Jason McCourtey who they just released. Would give us a great 3rd CB.
April 13th, 2017 at 11:04 pm
Two more weeks and we can start talking about Bucs players again. Thank God.
April 13th, 2017 at 11:08 pm
“It means they’re determined to get a RB early in this draft and it’s very possible that the top 3 will be gone…so they need to be prepared for that possibility.”
Completely agree. It does not rule out drafting a RB in the 1st. It does, imo, rule out them trading up for a RB in the 1st. Well, unless they were completely unimpressed with the Day 2 guys they met with lol
April 13th, 2017 at 11:11 pm
gotbbucs Says:
April 13th, 2017 at 8:41 pm
He should slide in this draft. He’s got too many question marks attached to him at a non-value position. There’s too many safer picks with higher positional value graded just as high in this draft.
—————————————————-
Yes, it is that simple. This is also why there are so many late round RB success stories. Don’t see why some people don’t understand that.
April 13th, 2017 at 11:15 pm
If Dalvin Cook was a DE, OL, WR, DB. He would be a lock as a Top 5 pick. However, he is a RB, so he will naturally fall.
It would not shock me to see him still available at #19. It would not shock me if he was still on the board at #20, after the Bucs picked.
April 13th, 2017 at 11:47 pm
Daily dose of reality. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sAf1Or6zbjw&time_continue=237
April 14th, 2017 at 1:24 am
That’s just some dude’s opinion Snowman and not very based in reality.
You want reality? Here ya go:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZj1HMPvVcs
April 14th, 2017 at 2:01 am
Good video hadn’t seen that specific one Pickgrin. I like Cook, I’m not on the avoid at all cost crew. On the vid I posted I just like the outlook on drafting the rb position in general, and not as much as them being down on Cook. Take away the testing, off field stuff which has numerous incidents, and injuries (which I’m amazed at his toughness to be able to play through) and I would be VERY comfortable drafting him based on his film.
Like I said before I would not trade up for him in this deep draft and if there was any way to trade back but stay in 1st round and still get him I’d applaud the move. Even if we stay put and take him I will be confident in our GM and his vetting process. This isn’t Dominic, Licht has shown a knack for drafting and I have faith in his process.
April 14th, 2017 at 2:03 am
And the mushroom stamping continues. If you are a Buc fan before a Nole fan you would never compare Dunn to Cook, Dunn is the real deal on and off the field. Show some respect, Dunn has earned it. He is a true baller and a real man off the field . Cook is a punk as$ thug who beats on women, Dunn buys them houses. Cook is a fumbler and Dunn is not. Dunn ran it up the middle and we all know what Cook does every play…..How do you label him better than Dunn before you even seen him take an NFL snap? smh
April 14th, 2017 at 3:11 am
Snowman – the biggest problem with that guy’s opinion is that he is generalizing and not looking at the talent level of this year’s group of RBs. I normally agree that its not usually the best idea or value to draft a RB in the 1st round. But the talent level of Cook, Fournett, McCaffrey and Mixon blows that theory into dust for this one year. Dude is trying to say that there’s a big interest in drafting RBs high this year only because Elliot had a big year last year so everyone else will try to copycat. But the truth is these top backs this year are just flat out more talented than RBs coming out usually are. Elliot coming out was just not as talented as Fournette is. There should be no debating that. Gurley couldn’t even tote Cook’s jockstrap when it comes to talent level and play making ability. Put Cook or Fournette behind the Cowboys Oline and see what kind of #s they would put up. That Oline would make Peyton Barber look like a star
I am strongly against trading up for Cook as well – despite pretty much knowing he will be a stud RB in the NFL and is practically a perfect fit for our system.
I would much rather trade down in round 1. Grab Budda Baker at the end of the 1st, WR Zay Jones/Chris Godwin in the 2nd, RB Hunt/Mixon/Perine/Mack in the 3rd, best TE available or BPA at DL/CB/LB/OL with the other 3rd round pick – than pay 2 premium picks for Dalvin Cook and come out of the 1st 3 rounds with only 2 players.
April 14th, 2017 at 3:24 am
Eric says:
How do you label him better than Dunn before you even seen him take an NFL snap? smh
—————————————————————
I personally have clearly said Cook is a better “prospect coming out of College” than Dunn was. I am quite comfortable and confident in that assessment – have watched both extensively during their FSU playing days. Ask just about any longtime, knowledgeable FSU fan and you will get the same answer over and over. Cook was a better and more productive RB at FSU than Dunn was and he’s a better and more complete NFL prospect than Dunn was the day he was drafted.
Dunn is one of my favorite players from the Bucs golden era and is one heck of a human being. I’m not dissing Dunn at all. Cook is just that good.
And FYI – I am a WAY bigger Bucs fan than I am a Seminole fan. NFL over College anyday for me. But FSU is the 1 College I do root for and watch most of their football games having attended FSU many years ago.
April 14th, 2017 at 7:31 am
Foremans tape is loaded with plays he runs untouched, I mean he has 500 yards without being touched.It appears the Longhorns were shuffling in the Cowboys line on Sat lol .
Can’t really figure out how good the guy really is but he does hit the hole and accelerate .
April 14th, 2017 at 9:29 am
^ Foreman also had over 1000 yards after contact.