(OT) Is Toby Gerhart a load or what?

[tinopuno]

While I had heard a lot about him, I hadn't had the pleasure of seeing this young man before tonight. He lived up to the billing.

Started kinda slowly, as ND was loading up the box and really focusing their defensive efforts on him. That didn't last long...slowing him down, that is. 205 yards on 29 carries, and throw an 18 yd TD pass to boot.

This guy is a sweet combination of awesome power, balance and field vision. No speedster, but his cuts left plenty of Irish holding nothing but air and their jocks. It generally took 3 or 4 guys to bring this kid down.

He HAS to get some genuine Heisman consideration!

Oh yeah, and see you later Charlie.

[andrewaters]

And the thing is he is gonna run like a 4.75 at the combine and get drafted in the fifth or sixth round.

I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE HIM IN GREEN AND SILVER.

He has everything you want in a RB except for straight line speed. Think about it.... toughness, ball security, vision, wiggle, balance, awareness, power. How good would it look with him lining up in short yardage for the Birds next year and he would be great in the short passing game also. He is a smart kid who could pick the playbook up overnight.

My offseason wishlist for the Birds includes: Gerhart, Colt McCoy, and Sean Weatherspoon and Eric Norwood. All those kids are outstanding college players from big time programs who could come in an contribute right away.

[Luzinski's Gut]

Everyone looks great against Notre Dame.

[stocknowledge]

I would love to have Toby Gerhart. He is exactly what the Eagles need - a tough, punishing runner. However, Gerhart could choose baseball over football. Who would blame him? Great money there too, longer career, and the potential for disabling injury is less.

The college player I covet most is Brandon Spikes, LB, Florida. He is a monster, and would fill a real need.

[tinopuno]

I would love to have Toby Gerhart. He is exactly what the Eagles need - a tough, punishing runner. However, Gerhart could choose baseball over football. Who would blame him? Great money there too, longer career, and the potential for disabling injury is less.

I think I saw last night where he only hit in the .270s his senior year. If accurate, that's not at all impressive. But you're absolutely right about relative career longevity and risk of injury, IF he can hit.

I've have always agreed with the position that the single most difficult thing to do in all of professional sports is to hit Major League pitching.

[stocknowledge]

I think I saw last night where he only hit in the .270s his senior year. If accurate, that's not at all impressive. But you're absolutely right about relative career longevity and risk of injury, IF he can hit.

I've have always agreed with the position that the single most difficult thing to do in all of professional sports is to hit Major League pitching.

A runner like Gerhart, who runs straight up and is relatively slow (in the NFL) is going to get killed.

I think Michael Jordan (who may be the best athlete of all time) proved your point - He couldn't hit minor league pitching!

[tinopuno]

A little followup on Gerhart. Just heard him interviewed of the Patrick Show. (DP is one of the very few sports guys I like. Great self-effacing sense of humor and doesn't go for the cheap shot on athletes/teams).

FWIW:

- Gerhart seems a bright, well sppoken (not surprising...Stanford) reasonably modest kid
- Wants very much to play in the NFL vs MLB
- Will NOT be throwing option passes at the next level (my take), as he said he can't throw a football and the lame duck he threw vs Notre Dame was "the best pass I ever threw". (That broke up DP and his crew)
- claims he's faster than he looks (don't they all?) and that he ran a 4.4 forty in high school. That may have been before he added 30 lbs of muscle.

The kid is a horse and I would still like to see him as a Bird!

[IMK]

I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE HIM IN GREEN AND SILVER.

He has everything you want in a RB except for straight line speed. Think about it.... toughness, ball security, vision, wiggle, balance, awareness, power. How good would it look with him lining up in short yardage for the Birds next year and he would be great in the short passing game also. He is a smart kid who could pick the playbook up overnight.

This is exactly what I remember thinking about Tony Hunt.

[andrewaters]

Yeah, what happened there. I thought Tony Hunt was going to be a stud but he was 100% dud. I think about 95 percent of the scouts and coaches in the league whiffed on that kid. The consensus on him was he could play.

[IMK]

Yeah, what happened there. I thought Tony Hunt was going to be a stud but he was 100% dud. I think about 95 percent of the scouts and coaches in the league whiffed on that kid. The consensus on him was he could play.

I thought he would be somewhere between Rudi Johnson and Duce Staley. But he was so painfully slow to the line. It really made me doubt any RB prospect who's lacking in burst.