Harkins: David Johnson, not Todd Gurley, Might be NFL's Next Great Back

[blackbart]

Bulletin board material for Gurley.

I don't think he needs extra motivation and he is a humble guy so he isn't going to tell anyone what an idiot this guy is to write a piece like this. I'm just glad he is in horns and hopefully will stay that way while he destroys the league for the next decade.

 

[DaveFan'51]

LOL!!:rolllaugh::mrburnsevil:

 

[OldSchool]

Unlike the Rams with Gurley, the Cardinals took their time bringing Johnson along.

Wait this guy really made this statement?

Todd Gurley was in 457 of 957 Rams offensive snaps for 47.8%
David Johnson was in 412 of 1011 Cards offensive snaps. He was also in 114 special teams snaps. He saw as the field as much if not more than Gurley. Gurley just had more carries.

I like Johnsons game and think he'll be a good back, but this article is really bad.

 

[Mojo Ram]

David Johnson was thrust in there when Chris Johnson's body gave out after a fast start. Ellington simply lost the job.

 

[NateDawg122]

Johnson was a great pick for Arians' offense and he's versatile and smart, but he doesn't run nearly as violently as Gurley does...and for a back his size, Johnson isn't one of the more physical runners in the league. It remains to be seen(once Gurley is a full year removed from the ACL), but i also think Gurley has(will have) better in-game breakaway speed. IIRC Gurley was a 4.4 guy and Johnson a 4.5 guy.

Bottom line for me is that i REALLY do like David Johnson's game, but come on...Gurley possesses EVERYTHING you want in a RB and he's shown it despite not being completely 100% yet.

Before his ACL tear Gurley was easily a sub-4.4 guy. He beat his former teammate Chris Conley in a 40 yard dash at practice and Conley ran a 4.35 at the Combine. Todd doesn't quite have the speed he used to yet but I'm hoping by the start of next season he'll have that speed back.

 

[Legatron4]

Before his ACL tear Gurley was easily a sub-4.4 guy. He beat his former teammate Chris Conley in a 40 yard dash at practice and Conley ran a 4.35 at the Combine. Todd doesn't quite have the speed he used to yet but I'm hoping by the start of next season he'll have that speed back.

Nice to have someone with so much insight on his college days and pre injury. Are you a Rams fan because of Gurley?

 

[den-the-coach]

Todd Gurley = Eric Dickerson

David Johnson = James Wilder, Sr.

 

[WvuIN02]

This guy and Cards fans are the only ones who share this opinion. Not even close

 

[HeiseNBerg]

Consider the source -- this is just a fan site with content submitted by everyday fans.

Then again: it's on the interwebs, so it must be true. Damn! We drafted the wrong guy....we're screwed!!!

 

[BigRamFan]

Can you imagine Todd Gurley playing for the Cardinals? Not only would they have led the league in passing, like they did, but they would have led the league in rushing too! And they might have won the super bowl! That's how much better Todd Gurley is than David Johnson. And I'm a big Johnson fan![/QUOTE]
Do you maybe want to reword that @RamDino ? illowfight:

 

[NateDawg122]

Nice to have someone with so much insight on his college days and pre injury. Are you a Rams fan because of Gurley?

The Rams were one of my preferred NFL teams for a while but I didn't become a serious fan until Gurley was drafted. He is just too much fun to watch. And I've got a lot of stories from him in his college days so I'm glad I can share!

 

[LesBaker]

He's an excellent back and that cannot be denied, the kid can flat out play. But if Gurley played on the Cardinals with that OL and that QB and passing attack he'd have every single talking head raving about him and ROTY would have been nearly unanimous.

Gurley is better, that's for sure. That said Johnson looks like he is going to have a great career ahead of him.

 

[Psycho_X]

Before his ACL tear Gurley was easily a sub-4.4 guy. He beat his former teammate Chris Conley in a 40 yard dash at practice and Conley ran a 4.35 at the Combine. Todd doesn't quite have the speed he used to yet but I'm hoping by the start of next season he'll have that speed back.

This. I think Gurley is going to make people's jaws drop this year with a full offseason of nothing but regular strength and speed training unimpeded by serious rehab. Just got to pray to the football gods for a healthy future.

 

[shaunpinney]

David Johnson (and the Arizona RBs) benefit from being their secondary attacking threat, most defences are going to be watching Fitz et all, or trying to knock out Palmer before targeting the RBs which gives the RB more space, unfortunately for Gurley he had to make his yards being a marked man last season - give the reams a legit QB and an OK air game, I'm not talking a good one, just a solid OK - and you'll see Gurley's numbers skyrocket - I mean SKYROCKET!!!!!!

 

[NateDawg122]

David Johnson (and the Arizona RBs) benefit from being their secondary attacking threat, most defences are going to be watching Fitz et all, or trying to knock out Palmer before targeting the RBs which gives the RB more space, unfortunately for Gurley he had to make his yards being a marked man last season - give the reams a legit QB and an OK air game, I'm not talking a good one, just a solid OK - and you'll see Gurley's numbers skyrocket - I mean SKYROCKET!!!!!!

I agree. I really hope the Rams can sort the passing game out. It would help Todd out a lot. Fortunately for him he had plenty of practice against stacked boxes in college. If any of y'all want to kill some time go watch Georgia vs Tennessee in 2014. Tennessee did everything outside of putting 12 men on the field and it didn't matter. Gurley put on one hell of a show. One of the best games I've ever been to.

 

[NateDawg122]

Also, adding to my above post, if you really want to see the burst and speed Gurley had before his ACL that Tennessee game is a good one to watch. It's scary how fast that big man is when he is 100%.

 

[FrantikRam]

Can you imagine Todd Gurley playing for the Cardinals? Not only would they have led the league in passing, like they did, but they would have led the league in rushing too! And they might have won the super bowl! That's how much better Todd Gurley is than David Johnson. And I'm a big Johnson fan!

This this this this this.

It's just like retarded Seahawk fans too...they want to say that they have the best roster, and that Wilson is an elite QB, and that Rawls could be as good as Gurley.

If all that were true, the Seahawks would have blown us out both times....but yet we swept them.

Put Gurley on Arizona last year and YIKES.

 

[thirteen28]

Summary of the article for those of you who don't want to read it:

Hi. My name is Bob Harkins. I write things that are very contrarian. Please pay attention to me.

Please.

 

[Sleepy1711]

I'm pretty sure if you asked the coaching staff of any NFL team who is a better back they'd say Gurley.

And as everyone here mentioned, he was our part 1/2 of our offense, Tavon the other.

David Johnson, he did well in the few games I've watched him but he doesn't jump off the screen and punches you in the face saying that he's one of the best backs in the league. Also, he has so much talent around him that its not even fair to compare the two.