The Next Great Singletary?
February 5th, 2019
FAU RB Devin Singletary.
If the Bucs are not looking for a running back high in the draft, then that tells Joe either they have their eyes set on signing a free agent running back or someone down at One Buc Palace needs a wakeup call.
The Bucs have had a lousy running game (except for a hiccup four years ago) for far too long. And unless Bucco Bruce Arians thinks he can change Ronald Jones’ world, the Bucs need a running back in the worst way.
Last night Joe was doing a bit of research and this Delvin Singletary out of Florida Atlantic intrigues Joe.
The dude is quick, he’s compact, doesn’t fumble much (five fumbles in the past two seasons). Singletary ran for 4,287 yards the past three years with a whopping 66 touchdowns. That’s crazy.
Joe was reading a writeup on running backs from Dane Brugler of The Athletic and per Brugler’s research, Singletary broke 113 tackles last season alone. Again, per Brugler, Singletary led the nation with 69.8 percent of his rushing yards coming after contact.
The only thing stats-related that spooks Joe about Singletary is the past two seasons playing for Lane Kiffin, who is a pass-happy kind of coach. Singletary had only six catches last season.
Just for comparison sake, the Owls last year were rolled by Oklahoma to open the season. Singletary ran for 3.8 yards a carry. Oklahoma’s last game of the season was in the Orange Bowl when the Sooners played Alabama. There, against the same defense, highly-touted Alabama running back Damien Harris had 3.7 yards a carry.
February 5th, 2019 at 12:30 am
Could the fans emotionally stand for yet another “whiff” at RB??? I’d rather they go for en established RB in FA. Fix the trenches in the draft.
February 5th, 2019 at 1:40 am
Singletary looks good Joe, what I like about his run style is he really seems to understand the art of the RB. He is patient and shows great vision and burst through the hole. He also seems to have that elite type of body control to avoid tackles and keep moving.
Watching Rojo, I’m not sure if it was bad coaching or rookie jitters but when he wasn’t getting hit in the backfield, he seemed to lack vision and would just run right into the designated hole. I watched on all 22 and on 2 or 3 occasions he missed cutback opportunities for huge gains. I think these are coachable mistakes and he can definitely improve immensely once he learns to read the free runner.
I say sign a FA and draft a mid round guy. In FA we could get Ameer Abdullah, Jay Ajayi , Jalen Richard, Latavius Murray, or Tevin Coleman. Or we could sign a vet like Gore or Sproles who have shown they can still be effective in a part time role.
February 5th, 2019 at 1:45 am
You can find a guy in the draft but most of these guys unless they have speed and power above average they just need time to adjust to going against grown men playing to feed their families which is one reason I haven’t given up on Rojo, it’s stupid to write him off before training camp with a new coach especially after allowing dirk and warhop to coach him. I’m sure dude is traumatized
Not being able to catch that’s all on him but only licht and dirk would be dumb enough to draft a one trick pony to do the very thing he had not proven he could do and was not asked to do. This coach with get him squared away, you don’t give up on a second round runner after one year especially after the coach got fired, I’m sure he’s looking for redemption which will be a great motivator
February 5th, 2019 at 1:49 am
Joe, great read on Singletary. Daniel Jeremiah has him in his top 50. If you are goinf to do more profiles on RBs have a look at Ryquell Armstead from Temple. He was also very productive, did well at the senior bowl and has Zero Fumbles. It seems like we have a lot of connections to Temple and it could be a fit.
February 5th, 2019 at 2:07 am
His video reminds me of Kareem Hunt’s college video….hopefully without the baggage.
February 5th, 2019 at 2:22 am
If you watch the video vs ucf or Oklahoma, both good defenses, he’s legit.
February 5th, 2019 at 5:12 am
4 years ago wasnt a fluke!
We had Logan Mankins and Ali Marpet at guard!!
We need TWO, great guards to be successful!!!
I have been saying it since Logan Mankins retired!!!
February 5th, 2019 at 5:47 am
Joes. I was hoping for another article on DJax 😜 but I’m loving these draft player profiles. Keep them coming.
Good points on the importantace of two solid Gs and Mankins making the difference 4 years ago.
I also agree this looks a lot like Hunts college tape.
February 5th, 2019 at 6:10 am
I dunno. Maybe for a third stringer or PS but we already got RoJo and Wilson. Stats are amazing but I really didn’t like his footing. Looks like he spends way too much time in the back field trying to decide where to go with the ball. Might work in Conference USA but not the NFL but it’s not like I’m not gonna wish him luck.
February 5th, 2019 at 6:13 am
Tell ya what, L.J Scott looks like a FRIEKING STUD! He played hurt last year but his size and talent are dangerous. Best part about him is he is a forst round talent going outside of the first round. I woukd go for him
February 5th, 2019 at 6:26 am
Not there yet
“I haven’t given up on Rojo”
Me neither. And I hope with this great new coaching squad it’s giving him the incentive to go work real hard on his techniques and flaws from last year in the offseason. But you run another 1.9 yrd avg again next year, you’re getting the Das Boot.
February 5th, 2019 at 6:31 am
He is good but the highlights only show the redzone touchdowns, we need a homerun hitter that can break a long one
February 5th, 2019 at 6:47 am
He looks slow
February 5th, 2019 at 6:51 am
Great highlights. Dude’s a stud. Florida weather won’t phase him, either.
February 5th, 2019 at 7:13 am
I would love to take him in the top of the 3rd
. I think he will be a stud RB.
February 5th, 2019 at 7:13 am
Qadree Ollison
February 5th, 2019 at 7:29 am
@Walter is right…the kid looks slow, or slower. All the competition he’s facing is a joke in that highlight reel. And no @Mesh, Oklahoma is not a “good” defense. They were ranked #89 in yards allowed per game in 2018, according to CBS and ESPN in the lead up to the game against Bama.
This kid had no action catching the ball, and you don’t just learn that immediately in the NFL at a much harder level of competition. Then there’s the learning curve on pass pro/blitz pickup that Conference USA doesn’t really polish a guy up for transition to the pros, and Kiffin’s scheme, etc.
Hard pass on the dude, and the 5’9″ height… not great.
Now if we want to start showing draft candidates at the RB position who are at least 5’11″+, 210lbs +, that are also all semi-proven dual threat pass receivers and runners….then we have something to chew on there for sure..
February 5th, 2019 at 7:30 am
Darnell Henderson out of Memphis. He’s gonna be a stud!
February 5th, 2019 at 7:34 am
Interesting and all, but I do not understand the infatuation with drafting a running back after we have pretty much all agreed over the past several failed years that it makes no sense for Lichtweight to build a team BACKWARDS! ACGK!
Our run game will always suck until we get our line fixed, no matter who totes the rock. Drug Martin’s stats this year didn’t teach Joe anything? A good line = a competitive run game. THEN you go looking for an elite back! ACGK!
February 5th, 2019 at 7:38 am
Not There Yet and SOE,
Agreed on not giving up on RoJo yet. Remember how many fans were ready to label Vita Vea as a bust? Arians might have the creativity to bring RoJo out of his shell.
Great article JOE on Singletary. Very intriguing. Any concern that he has alot of tread on the tires with that level of usage in college?
February 5th, 2019 at 7:44 am
Runs like Kareem hint out of Toledo
February 5th, 2019 at 7:45 am
HUNT*
February 5th, 2019 at 8:20 am
Imo if they are to draft a rb it should be day 3 unless they trade back and get extra picks.
And i might be in the minority on this but taking a gamble on injury prone Rodney Anderson on day 3 is worth it. I would rather see them take a guy who could be a stud instead of a role player or special teamer.
Upgrade the OL and rb isnt that big of a need
February 5th, 2019 at 9:36 am
U should take a look at Bennie Snell Jr
February 5th, 2019 at 9:57 am
Joes, good stat on broken tackles.
Whoever ends up being the starting RB needs to have enough explosion and power to be able to stay upright and ESCAPE through first contact.
Peyton Barber is good at falling forward, but he’s just not explosive enough (IMO) and it shows on the field.
Big Play RB opportunities rarely occur on semi truck open lanes. All of the greatest runs from the greatest RBs, show them breaking through the first touch and/or tackle attempt.
Does anybody at One Buc still have tape on those Dunn and Alstott fellers? Maybe even that guy Pittman? Cadillac?
It’s been a minute.
February 5th, 2019 at 10:00 am
LongSufferingBucsFan Says:
February 5th, 2019 at 7:30 am
Darnell Henderson out of Memphis. He’s gonna be a stud!
—————————————————————–
I have watched UCF play Memphis two years in a row and D. Henderson looks like the truth out on the field.
Guy can run AND catch (doesn’t have the dreaded short-arm syndrome that the Bucs love in their RBs). Wouldn’t mind seeing him in a Bucs jersey.
February 5th, 2019 at 10:07 am
We need a back that makes his own holes, until we can fix our o-line’s run blocking.
February 5th, 2019 at 10:26 am
I’m all for giving ROJO a chance, I really am. HOWEVER, can someone please point to ONE SINGLE PLAY, pre or regular season, where you go “hot dang!”
I don’t need to wait because there wasn’t one. That’s a HUGE red flag. Keep in mind Barber ran behind the same line and Rojo’s supposed to be “faster and shiftier”.
Improving the line will certainly help but premiere RBs shouldn’t need craters to run through on every play.
February 5th, 2019 at 10:42 am
d.herderson….d.singletary…..they’ll be there in the mid rounds….benny snell is nice too….
#REALISTKNOWSNOTHING!!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!
February 5th, 2019 at 12:18 pm
He’s a 4th rd pick at best. Just sign Hunt.
February 5th, 2019 at 1:40 pm
Singletary is a nice talent…But Trayveon Williams (TxAM) seems like the perfect RB for today’s NFL…If the Bucs either resign RFA Barber or sign FA Kareem Hunt…He’s a guy I’d love to see fill Rodgers roster spot, with a day 3 pick.
If the Bucs don’t resign Barber or sign Hunt…Benny Snell Jr or David Montgomery should be targeted early in the 3rd Rd, to give the Bucs a feature back that can handle the inside run game/get tough yds.
February 5th, 2019 at 2:20 pm
yall tripping…too focused on the measurables and not what the kid does best….
look at his vision…pad level…quick feet….agility…
tons of great RB’s that played in the league that werent the fastest or biggest…everybody cant be AP….
he reminds me of frank gore….
#REALISTKNOWSNOTHING!!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!
February 5th, 2019 at 3:02 pm
Yeah it does!
February 5th, 2019 at 5:46 pm
KAREEM HUNT
Tampa has plenty of therapists.
February 5th, 2019 at 6:25 pm
Not sure about the level of competition but his vision and jump cut are deadly. Definitely something we haven’t had in our backfield for years. I can see the Hunt comparison.
February 5th, 2019 at 7:26 pm
This is the problem. Light keeps whiffing on picks. You’re talking about drafting another rb when a second was used last yr on one. How many corners has licht drafted? 1 in the first and 2 in the second? Spent a second on asj and a first on Howard. Now they might not resign smith and that’s a wasted second rd pick. Where does it end? Fix the offensive line, watch that side of the ball take off!
February 5th, 2019 at 11:36 pm
Don’t put the carriage (carrier) before the horse (O line)
Run blocking skills on the line must improve before any semblance of a run game can return, regardless of who our RB is