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Your opinions on Steve Slaton...

B

Bigbots_02

Waterboy
Just trying to figure out what everyone thinks of our new rookie runningback steve slaton. Im expecting big thinks out of him... maybe not right away because of us having money invested in A.G and we have to give him time to become comfortable and learn the playbook. However, I feel like once he gets familiar with it and is ready he has alot of upside. We can only hope for hime to play like a certain someone that plays in philly now.
 
Cjeremy635

Cjeremy635

Overtraining
Bigbots_02 said:
Just trying to figure out what everyone thinks of our new rookie runningback steve slaton. Im expecting big thinks out of him... maybe not right away because of us having money invested in A.G and we have to give him time to become comfortable and learn the playbook. However, I feel like once he gets familiar with it and is ready he has alot of upside. We can only hope for hime to play like a certain someone that plays in philly now.
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Are you him? :spy:
 
Brando

Brando

Hall of Fame
Bigbots_02 said:
Just trying to figure out what everyone thinks of our new rookie runningback steve slaton. Im expecting big thinks out of him... maybe not right away because of us having money invested in A.G and we have to give him time to become comfortable and learn the playbook. However, I feel like once he gets familiar with it and is ready he has alot of upside. We can only hope for hime to play like a certain someone that plays in philly now.
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He was my favorite draft pick. Since our first year(2002) I have wanted a RB that can take it in for a TD everytime he touches the ball and Slaton fills that void.
 
beerlover

beerlover

Hall of Fame
Westbrook is a good comp. he adds a playmaker to the offense, at least a 3rd down situational option for Schaub & Co.
 
N

NBT

Waterboy
Slaton is what he is right now, a good 3rd down back/receiver type. Because of his slight size, he needs to get in the weight room and put on some muscle to even be thought of in the same breath with Westbrook.
 
Vinny

Vinny

shiny happy fan
upside is a Clinton Portis/Westbrook type back. Downside is a 3rd down slot player that can't run between the tackles.
 
infantrycak

infantrycak

Hall of Fame
NBT said:
Because of his slight size, he needs to get in the weight room and put on some muscle to even be thought of in the same breath with Westbrook.
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Westbrook is an inch taller and 6 lbs heavier. Not much difference there and one likely to be eclipsed over the next 18 months.
 
B

Bigbots_02

Waterboy
NBT said:
Slaton is what he is right now, a good 3rd down back/receiver type. Because of his slight size, he needs to get in the weight room and put on some muscle to even be thought of in the same breath with Westbrook.
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As long as he has a work ethic of a runningback who wants to start, the strength will come in time. Im not to concerned about his size because all good things dont come in big packages... ( although it wouldnt hurt) What he NEEDS to do is learn the playbook and prove his durability.
 
Vinny

Vinny

shiny happy fan
TexansFanatic said:
But isn't Gibbs' ZBS renowned for opening up gaping holes between the tackles?
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Draft busts Chris Henry or JJ Arrington may be able to run between the tackles in a Gibbs system but that doesn't mean they wouldn't be replaced by a real running back.
 
badboy

badboy

Hall of Fame
Pre draft many had Super Slick going in first round and he dropped as time went by. Many voice apprehension over his size and how it will project in NFL over the pre and regular season. I had too many backs rated ahead of him and my focus was on Forte in 3rd or maybe a second if we got a 2 in a trade. Slaton was not on my list. I saw Jamaal Charles as same type but bigger if we were going RB in lower first due to trade down or a 2nd. JC would have been perfect in ZBS but I really wanted a LT so the first round pick of Brown really suited me. Then I was surprised that Sage did not go for a two. After the trade we got Molden and two of the spots of need were addressed and we got Mr. Slaton as 2nd pick in the third and I can not believe our luck! I think he is perfect for what Gibbs wants and the acquisition of a very fast Duane Brown (5.09) + our even better WR group should eat up yardage. IMO Slaton will not be busting between the tackles straight up the field. The ZBS and Super Slick were made for each other.
 
B

Bigbots_02

Waterboy
badboy said:
Pre draft many had Super Slick going in first round and he dropped as time went by. Many voice apprehension over his size and how it will project in NFL over the pre and regular season. I had too many backs rated ahead of him and my focus was on Forte in 3rd or maybe a second if we got a 2 in a trade. Slaton was not on my list. I saw Jamaal Charles as same type but bigger if we were going RB in lower first due to trade down or a 2nd. JC would have been perfect in ZBS but I really wanted a LT so the first round pick of Brown really suited me. Then I was surprised that Sage did not go for a two. After the trade we got Molden and two of the spots of need were addressed and we got Mr. Slaton as 2nd pick in the third and I can not believe our luck! I think he is perfect for what Gibbs wants and the acquisition of a very fast Duane Brown (5.09) + our even better WR group should eat up yardage. IMO Slaton will not be busting between the tackles straight up the field. The ZBS and Super Slick were made for each other.
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I was Pro JC myself... I almost thought we would get him in the third but we all saw what happened on pick 73.
 
badboy

badboy

Hall of Fame
Bigbots_02 said:
I was Pro JC myself... I almost thought we would get him in the third but we all saw what happened on pick 73.
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I was really hoping Charles would be a Texan. It would have brought a lot of attention to Houston nationwide with comparisons between Charles and Young. Pre game chatter prior to Tennessee games twice a year would be huge. Hopefully Slaton will help me to forget what might have been.
 
O

ocd

Noob
185 - 190lb tailback.

Eat red meat twice per day, take 20 grams of creatine daily, and two protein shakes daily...oh, and hit the weight room three times per week.
 
S

Spike

Waterboy
badboy said:
I was really hoping Charles would be a Texan. It would have brought a lot of attention to Houston nationwide with comparisons between Charles and Young. Pre game chatter prior to Tennessee games twice a year would be huge. Hopefully Slaton will help me to forget what might have been.
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I am a UT fan and always liked Charles. I would have been happy to see him as a Texan, but in all honesty his tendancy to put the ball on the ground really scared me. He was much better in the second part of last season, but he was the one player that made me hold my breath every time he touched the ball. I don't know how Slaton compares...but Charles literally has world-class speed.
 
ATXtexanfan

ATXtexanfan

Hall of Fame
i didn't think charles was that much faster than slaton, loved the pick after addressing cb and LT. i'm just glad we finally got a gamebreaker in the backfield. charles would have been nice for all the heartbroken UT fans (VY) but i really think okam will give you guys a player to hang your hat on.
 
The Pencil Neck

The Pencil Neck

Hall of Fame
ocd said:
185 - 190lb tailback.

Eat red meat twice per day, take 20 grams of creatine daily, and two protein shakes daily...oh, and hit the weight room three times per week.
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Hell, 4x. 2 max effort days and 2 dynamic effort days. Then GPP on 2 of the off days: sled dragging, tire flipping, parachute work, etc.
 
b0ng

b0ng

Bad Hombre
I wasn't very big on Steve Slaton before the draft because I thought we would miss out on him. I figured he would go late second early 3rd and we would be SOL.

Once we've drafted, I did a little looking, and he's a homerun threat, but he does not look as big or menacing as I would like. People keep talking about him contributing to the PR/KR game, but I wonder how, as JJ has the punts and it seems as though Ninja Davis has the kicks.

I think that if he's able to line up in the slot, or in the backfield and be productive in either, then he's a very good pickup. '

I'm keeping my fingers crossed, but, I don't think that he's going to break into the "featureback" role that we are all hoping for.
 
T

threetoedpete

Hall of Fame
Well if I see the guy on special teams, and I don't mean touching the ball, but tackling and blocking, fighting for PT...then my opinion of him will elevate. Not question of size with him. It's a question of heart. I mean I wanna know if the guy who out weighs him by eighty pounds is one step away from turning MS into hamburger meat, does this guy have the will to stick his nose in there and stop it. Or will he conveniently drop his head and miss. Can't measure heart.
 
O

ocd

Noob
The Pencil Neck said:
Hell, 4x. 2 max effort days and 2 dynamic effort days. Then GPP on 2 of the off days: sled dragging, tire flipping, parachute work, etc.
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I get the impression you're no "pencil neck"!

I was just trying to get him to gain 15 to 20lbs...you're looking to turn him into a fullback with 600 bench, no shirt!
 
B

BigBull17

Hall of Fame
ocd said:
I get the impression you're no "pencil neck"!

I was just trying to get him to gain 15 to 20lbs...you're looking to turn him into a fullback with 600 bench, no shirt!
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All I care about is durability. I dont want him to bulk up too much and lose a step. He is what he is, a guy who is gonna run the ball 6-8 times, and catch 4-6 passes a game. Maybe. This is the day of RB by committee. You need a average RB, a big pounder back, and a speed RB/slot WR/3rd down back. Its the way of the game now.
 
MojoMan

MojoMan

Hall of Fame
BigBull17 said:
All I care about is durability. I dont want him to bulk up too much and lose a step. He is what he is, a guy who is gonna run the ball 6-8 times, and catch 4-6 passes a game. Maybe. This is the day of RB by committee. You need a average RB, a big pounder back, and a speed RB/slot WR/3rd down back. Its the way of the game now.
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Excellent post on running backs.

There are still a lot of people who want to spend a high first round pick on a running back. But I agree with what you said above, which means we need several running backs who can play every game.

And you are spot-on regarding the durability. The unfortunate truth is that playing running back in the NFL is hazardous to your health. Running back, on the average, have very short NFL careers.

I hope Steve Slaton plays well for the Texan's for many years to come. If he does, it is probably because the coaches have used him in approximately the manner you have recommended.
 
M

maddogmrb

Rookie
Seems to have upside potential if used correctly in the pros. I think he slid in the draft because of his size and he seemed to be injured fairly often in college. We have enough injury-prone RBs in our history and I hope he can overcome it.

:texflag:
 
Vinny

Vinny

shiny happy fan
BigBull17 said:
All I care about is durability. I dont want him to bulk up too much and lose a step. He is what he is, a guy who is gonna run the ball 6-8 times, and catch 4-6 passes a game. Maybe. This is the day of RB by committee. You need a average RB, a big pounder back, and a speed RB/slot WR/3rd down back. Its the way of the game now.
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one reason Portis slipped in the draft was his lack of prototype bulk but he was a beast in Denver and every fan on every team besides Denver all lambasted their teams for passing on him once he broke out big in Denver...but he wasn't 200 pounds when drafted either. Westbrook had the same story...hopefully we have a player closer to them and further away from recent smallish draft busts JJ Arrington (Cardinals 2nd round pick) and Chris Henry (Titans 2nd round pick)
 
badboy

badboy

Hall of Fame
I'm hopeful the Texans are starting to have a team that does not have to throw a player at a "main guy" role such as Dommanick Davis/Williams. DDW did well as we all know but came back too soon from injury IMO. In regards to RB, WR and Oline where we have had significant injuries in past, we will have better options now. Love em or hate em, Dallas back in the day, had 2nd teamers that could step into starter role and do very well.
 
T

Toro59

Noob
I would like to see him be are version of Maurice Jones-Drew. Does anyone know how the compare height and weight wise?
 
Honoring Earl 34

Honoring Earl 34

Something Witty !
I think Slade was kinda like a bling pick . You really don't need any bling but it makes you look better . He's a change of pace back with great excelleration and vision .

If we were a 4-12 team , I'm not sure we take him cause if you have a ratty suit ... you don't need the bling .
 
H

Hooston Texan

Rookie
Agreed on the short lifespan of top RBs. If Slaton can be productive with getting 10-12 touches a game in the offense, then this was a very useful pick. Now, he could follow the Tiki Barber career path and add sufficient bulk to become an every-down back, but that's a tough trick to pull off.

Frankly, I'm not sure I want an elite, every-down RB. They are too expensive and break down too quickly. Since the end of the Steeler dynasty 30 years ago, only seven teams featuring an in-their-prime superstar RB won Superbowls: 3 by Emmitt Smith, 2 by Terrell Davis and one each by Marshall Faulk (not your typical RB by any stretch, but certainly a star) and Marcus Allen. Jerome Bettis and Walter Payton were far past their primes when they got their rings. Of those 7 wins, only Allen's and Faulk's came without the benefit of a first-ballot Hall of Famer at QB.

If Slaton manages to become a star every-down RB, I say we immediately trade him to a team dumb enough to pay dearly for such a player. Otherwise, if he can fit well into a productive RB ensemble without putting up huge individual numbers, the pick will be an unqualified success in my opinion.
 
MojoMan

MojoMan

Hall of Fame
Hooston Texan said:
If Slaton manages to become a star every-down RB, I say we immediately trade him to a team dumb enough to pay dearly for such a player. Otherwise, if he can fit well into a productive RB ensemble without putting up huge individual numbers, the pick will be an unqualified success in my opinion.
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Really clever thinking. Positive rep for you.
 
N

nunusguy

Hall of Fame
Hooston Texan said:
Frankly, I'm not sure I want an elite, every-down RB. They are too expensive and break down too quickly.
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Bingo ! And as one of my favorite posters on this Board said awhile back -
"backs are a dime a dozen" anyway.
But really there's so many talented young athletes coming out of college
football every year who have the ability and desire to run the ball in the NFL, there's no need to use a real high pick on one of them when other positions like CB, DLine, and OTackle are so much more difficult to fill with capable players.
 
badboy

badboy

Hall of Fame
Honoring Earl 34 said:
I think Slade was kinda like a bling pick . You really don't need any bling but it makes you look better . He's a change of pace back with great excelleration and vision .

If we were a 4-12 team , I'm not sure we take him cause if you have a ratty suit ... you don't need the bling .
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If the bling can get you a nice date to the prom (play offs) the bling will be worth it.
 
7

76Texan

Hall of Fame
Well, when I think of Steve Slaton, I think of Tony Dorsett. (Not saying that I expect he can mirror the NFL career of Dorsett.)

It's good that the fans don't put too much expectation on the young man. That way he can slowly learn the pro game, as he's an underclassman.

I think the questions about his ability to run between tackles, his blocking skill, his heart, his injuries will be answered.
He's a good fit for the Texans, IMO.
And he should become a contributor sometimes this year, depending upon his progress.

I thought the Mountaineers line didn't look so hot last year. And I did not particularly agree with how the Mountaineers conduct their running game, there just wasn't enough carries to go around among White, Slaton, Divine, and Schmitt.

Haven't got time to review many games yet, but I will. For the moment, I just found this today (I'm sure many have seen this, but it was new to me):

http://www.battleredblog.com/2008/5/6/476812/steve-slaton-an-insider-s
 
ObsiWan

ObsiWan

Hall of Fame
Contributor's Club
NBT said:
Slaton is what he is right now, a good 3rd down back/receiver type. Because of his slight size, he needs to get in the weight room and put on some muscle to even be thought of in the same breath with Westbrook.
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QFT

to get anything beyond 3rd dn/pass catching capabilities will definitely be "gravy".

he was not drafted to be a workhorse. What he brings is speed. The "between the tackles" work will be handled by two of the four other RBs currently in camp.
 
Specnatz

Specnatz

Hall of Fame
Hooston Texan said:
Agreed on the short lifespan of top RBs. If Slaton can be productive with getting 10-12 touches a game in the offense, then this was a very useful pick. Now, he could follow the Tiki Barber career path and add sufficient bulk to become an every-down back, but that's a tough trick to pull off.

Frankly, I'm not sure I want an elite, every-down RB. They are too expensive and break down too quickly. Since the end of the Steeler dynasty 30 years ago, only seven teams featuring an in-their-prime superstar RB won Superbowls: 3 by Emmitt Smith, 2 by Terrell Davis and one each by Marshall Faulk (not your typical RB by any stretch, but certainly a star) and Marcus Allen. Jerome Bettis and Walter Payton were far past their primes when they got their rings. Of those 7 wins, only Allen's and Faulk's came without the benefit of a first-ballot Hall of Famer at QB.

If Slaton manages to become a star every-down RB, I say we immediately trade him to a team dumb enough to pay dearly for such a player. Otherwise, if he can fit well into a productive RB ensemble without putting up huge individual numbers, the pick will be an unqualified success in my opinion.
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While I agree with most of what you said, Payton still was a very good back, granted the defense was more responsible for the SB but Jim McMahon was no superstar QB that is for sure.

OK now back to the RB, I recall heading into the draft people taking sides on whom they wanted with many liking either Mendenhall or Stewart. I was one who really does not want a RB in the first round unless it is at the end of the first because of the team having so many needs and the ability to find very good quality backs in rounds 2 and 3. Granted we have not had many 2nd round picks but that is not with standing. Look at the production of the backs in the league now compared to where drafted and beginning salary of there first contract which is usually 5 years in drafted in the first 3 rounds.

Contract size + production = worth. Everyone mentions bush in regards to his huge contract and how it is not worth it for a change of pace back. Look at Benson in Chicago and Williams in Tampa, both top 5 picks and neither one is living upto the contracts they got with the production. It is just not finacialy responsible to draft a RB in the top 20. Sure you may get a Peterson but the jury is still out on him as far as durability goes. McFadden split time at Ark with Jones so who knows how that will translate. A lot of colleges are going to multiple backs now as well to keep guys fresher and more productive, especially if the have the horses to do so.
 
C

Carr Bombed

Hall of Fame
Hooston Texan said:
Frankly, I'm not sure I want an elite, every-down RB. They are too expensive and break down too quickly. Since the end of the Steeler dynasty 30 years ago, only seven teams featuring an in-their-prime superstar RB won Superbowls: 3 by Emmitt Smith, 2 by Terrell Davis and one each by Marshall Faulk (not your typical RB by any stretch, but certainly a star) and Marcus Allen. Jerome Bettis and Walter Payton were far past their primes when they got their rings. Of those 7 wins, only Allen's and Faulk's came without the benefit of a first-ballot Hall of Famer at QB.
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What about Jamal Lewis......the guy only toted the rock over 300 times and put up 1300+ rushing yards during his rookie season, with Trent Dilfer as QB he was pretty much the main cog on offense and was the force that made that offense go.
 
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