More Blessings For Jeremy McNichols
May 3rd, 2017
Polished
According to the nation’s premier stats nerds, the PFF tribe, new Bucs rookie running back Jeremy McNichols was the best pass blocking running back in the draft who didn’t break a woman’s face.
That’s right, McNichols was the second best pass-blocking running back in college last year, per the tribe. Their No. 1 overall was Joe Mixon, who is now a member of the Bengals.
McNichols was ranked one slot ahead of University of South Florida back Marlon Mack.
Leonard Fournette, Jamaal Williams, Kareem Hunt, Samaje Perine, Christian McCaffery, Alvin Kamara and Dalvin Cook (in order) finished off the top 10.
So what does this all mean? Well, nothing. Joe has no faith in PFF unless their just counting snaps or men on the field, and maybe a few other tasks well-trained orangutans could perform in a pinch.
Now Bucs general manager Jason Licht loudly made it clear Saturday that McNichols has “rare” hands and may have been the best pass-blocking back in the draft. Joe will take the film analysis any day of the week.
McNichols has so much to prove. But if he can run the ball, then he’s going to be hard to take off the field. What a huge preseason lies ahead for McNichols.
May 3rd, 2017 at 10:56 am
And we’ll get to see all these battles on HBO. Gonna be a great year for us bucs fans!
May 3rd, 2017 at 10:56 am
I think we got 3 steals on the offensive side of the ball this draft.
May 3rd, 2017 at 11:03 am
So he’s a natural receiving RB that the Bucs also claim can block. Assuming he makes the team it looks like his floor is replacing Sims and his ceiling is a starting RB. Of course, like Sims, that’s dependent on how he does getting through the line of scrimmage in the NFL, but he’s got production, he’s got workout numbers, and Dirk has the Boise connections.
Kids got a shot to be the 5th starter to come out of this draft! What’s after grand slam?
May 3rd, 2017 at 11:05 am
Watch out for another Boise State player to possibly make the roster.
Undrafted Thomas Sperbeck is the all time leading receiver in Boise State history and will probably remind Bucs fans of Adam Humphries.
The guy has very good hands and is quick but does not have good straight line speed.
May 3rd, 2017 at 11:17 am
Nice to know the guy can block at the collegiate level.
The thing that encourages me most is that he’s a three down back. Kind of like a bigger version of Quizz. I hate telegraphing the play with specialty personnel.
May 3rd, 2017 at 11:17 am
McNichols, in all likelyhood, will send Druggie packing.
As he was intented to.
I think the Candian TE makes the Practice squad, then has a real chance to make the team
May 3rd, 2017 at 11:20 am
I have a theory about the RB situation that I want to float out there to see what anybody thinks.
Jason Licht mentioned during OJ Howard’s introductory press conference that they started scouting Howard during the 2015 season thinking he would come out last year.
What if Licht had eyes on a RB that didn’t come out this year? What if the plan is to restructure Doug Martin for 1 year to give him a 2nd chance and then move on from him to target one of the rookies next year?
Which leads me to McNichols. Going off his skill set on paper, he appears to be an ideal 3rd down RB. Great pass protector and an effective receiver.
In 2015 when we had a Top 5 running game we had that type of dynamic. Sims was effective and dangerous and Martin was a workhorse. Martin has his problems and after this year and Sims is a UFA after this season.
What if McNichols takes over Sims role and we draft a workhorse. Maybe Nick Chubb?
Just food for thought I guess.
May 3rd, 2017 at 11:21 am
McNichols is our new Franchise RB.
Mark it down. He can do everything better than our other RB’s.
May 3rd, 2017 at 11:27 am
Can’t help be at least a little excited about the Buc’s draft…..even the NFL “geniuses” rated them an A-…that’s pretty cool…Maybe the Bucs think the best defense is a great offense!! Should be exciting….Tough schedule, eh?
Don’t forget…………….the other teams probably are improving also.
May 3rd, 2017 at 11:32 am
I suspect that Licht knows what he’s doing. I trust him – even the recruiting of the UDFAs.
May 3rd, 2017 at 11:37 am
Most nfl teams are improving. Then there is the bears and whatever they are doing.
May 3rd, 2017 at 11:41 am
can’t resist, of course Mixon is the best at blocking and has good hand, not a fan of what he did, but I would not have been upset if he was wearing pewter. But I’m ready to ride with our Boise Backfield, paint the grass red (not really) as long as they paint the endzones red, fire them cannons
May 3rd, 2017 at 11:41 am
this is now what I’m most excited for in hard knocks / pre season -How these RBs actually all look on the field.
No point debating it really till then imo
May 3rd, 2017 at 11:44 am
Agenda driven media outlets are all the rage these days! Facts be damned.
Anyone else reminded of the Dalvin Cook agenda driven article blitz pre-draft?
May 3rd, 2017 at 11:55 am
I am usually MEH when it comes to Pre-Season games but I am actually looking forward to them this season with Hard Knocks as well as some good position battles, it is going to be much more dramatic than usual.
May 3rd, 2017 at 12:15 pm
This kid looks to have potential. I see him more of a replacement for Sims though and not a “workhorse” type back. It’d be great though if he does blossom into an every-down back.
I think you’re on to something Joeypoppems!
May 3rd, 2017 at 12:26 pm
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. McNichols has a style very similar to Tiki Barber…. but also another Barber as well, Marion. His nifty short area moves, ability to fall forward, and ability to break what look like sure tackles reminds me of Tiki… as well as his proficiency catching the ball and blocking. When he puts his head down… or hand on the ground, he reminds me of Marion Barber… the human crab. McNichols is more powerful than he looks and when he puts his head down, he looks awkward but becomes powerful and slips out of gang tackles… he also had that crazy play from his own 1 yard line where he fell down and put his hand on the ground and ran, while taking steps with his hand, for 10 yards until he returned to upright running and finished another 35 yards downfield. I like this guy. He might not be a stud today… nor even this year. But he has talent and should really be able to help this team.
May 3rd, 2017 at 12:33 pm
“Is it true our new practice facility field will be blue”
Kobe Faker
May 3rd, 2017 at 12:35 pm
Call me crazy but I’m rooting for Peyton Barber.
May 3rd, 2017 at 12:43 pm
Crazy – me too.
May 3rd, 2017 at 12:45 pm
Seems like the offense is going to be a pass first one and why not with all the receivers Winston now has at his availability. Drafting OJ Howard, who blocks well and a top notch pass blocking RB in McNichols. It now makes sense why a big name RB was not on the Bucs radar. Building on offense to keep Winston upright and give him enough time for plays to develop was the goal.
May 3rd, 2017 at 12:56 pm
“DallasBuc Says:
May 3rd, 2017 at 11:44 am
Agenda driven media outlets are all the rage these days! Facts be damned.
Anyone else reminded of the Dalvin Cook agenda driven article blitz pre-draft?”
Wtf are you talking about dude? Who gives a sh1t if Joe wanted dalvin and wrote about it? Go to another site or take a break because this has to be really unhealthy.
You accuse fans of being homers over liking draft picks that were universally and objectively considered solid by pretty much every national outlet (i listed this all out in a reply to your sh1t talking of Justin Evans to show how he was actually projected as a R2 prospect by most everyone); then you yourself form opinions about guys like Martin that sound homer as all f*ck and act like you’re the only person who knows anything. you = huge hypocrite
Fact is Martin at his very best is not even a top 10 back. 9 100 yard rushing games out of 32 in his 2 best seasons or one good game every 4 basically. 50% of his games in that span under 4 YPC. No career year with a 5+ YPC average. 4.1 YPC his rookie year when you take out the ridiculous Oakland game which would have been worse than Rodgers last year. Those are facts about his BEST years but I guess I’m just some weird delusional homer with a different opinion and you are the only singular fan voice of reason and objectivity because you were in doug martin’s body & mind and knew why everything ever happened at every point in his career
May 3rd, 2017 at 1:14 pm
Didn’t we already know this? Nothing new to report on?
May 3rd, 2017 at 1:45 pm
The facts are:
McNichols was a better RB in college than Doug Martin was and he has better measurables to help him be a better NFL RB as well.
Dallassbuc is wrong again. (surprising to noone)
May 3rd, 2017 at 3:11 pm
Sorry Nick Chubb is no better than Payton Barber. Theory is fine just have the wrong guy
May 3rd, 2017 at 3:16 pm
I hear you Peyton Barber guys. If he can master blocking he could become interesting. At 225 he is our only power back.
May 3rd, 2017 at 3:18 pm
Hey here is an interesting challenge for the information freaks here and you know how you are.
How about some research that shows the RB situation of the teams that draft an RB in the top 4 rounds. It’s possible that there is a borderline, salvageable RB who becomes available as a cap casualty when the new kid works out.
May 3rd, 2017 at 3:53 pm
@Stpete
I havent looked anything up but off the top of my head Matt Jones from the Redskins will probly get cut after they drafted Perine. The Packers already cut Christine Michael
@Issic Haggins
I dont know much about Chubb honestly. I just remember that it was a bit of a surprise to some people when he announced he was going back for his senior year. So he fit the “expected to come out but didnt” bill.
May 3rd, 2017 at 3:53 pm
Joe says – “if he can run the ball”
SMH – 3000+ yards and 43 TDs rushing the ball in his last 25 games…
May 3rd, 2017 at 4:00 pm
Nick Chubb and Sony Michel decided to return to the Georgia Bulldogs. Royce Freeman decided to return to Oregon. I hope we can draft LSU RB Derrius Guice next season. He tore up the SEC filling in for Leonard Fournette.
May 3rd, 2017 at 4:02 pm
2018 RB class will probably be better than the 2017 class.
May 3rd, 2017 at 4:04 pm
Yea Guice, Chubb, and Saquan Barkley are the 3 guys that I keep reading/hearing about. Could be next years version of Cook, Fournette, and McCaffrey.
That means if Doug Martin doesnt work out we get to argue with each other for months before the draft again lol
May 3rd, 2017 at 4:09 pm
That’s what I am saying Lakeland. I honestly think the plan is to draft Sims replacement this year (McNichols) and keep Martin for 1 year cheap then draft his replacement in another potentially loaded class next year.
May 3rd, 2017 at 4:26 pm
Joeypop….then you have Alabama RB Bo Scarborough . He could be a workhorse back.
May 4th, 2017 at 2:21 am
Good thing plenty of other people, organizations do give them credence.
May 4th, 2017 at 2:21 am
And the Bucs don’t claim he can block, he proved last season he can block. Watch the tape.
May 4th, 2017 at 4:58 am
PFF sucks, they rank McNichols as the 2nd best pass blocking RB.
Jason Licht is great, he says McNichols might be the best pass blocking RB in the draft.
Seems like equal evaluations to me.