Interesting Zach Line comparison

[PonyPride]

Did anyone catch the comparison made by Corey Chavous on the broadcast last night? The former Arizona Cardinals DB-turned-announcer always has seen himself as something of a draftnik or talent evaluator (ESPN used to bring him on all the time to share his thoughts).

During last night's broadcast, he said he thought Zach Line could play in the NFL and compared him to Washington Redskins rookie Alfred Morris. I don't see it.

Line is listed at 6-1 and 235, while Morris is listed at 5-9, 218. Line can put his shoulder down and run through someone or pick his way through traffic, while Morris is the kind of guy who makes one cut and then tries to blast through the hole. Line can block, and looks like a better receiver, too. Hard to say who has better pure speed.

I just don't see Line and Morris as a great comparison. But who would Line compare to? I'm thinking of bigger backs who can block, run, catch, maybe play special teams ... and I come up with names like Jackie Battle (San Diego), Michael Bush (Chicago), Isaac Redman (Pittsburgh), etc.

Better ideas?

[RGV Pony]

Peyton Hillis
Mike Alstott
Larry Centers
Alex Green

we did what we did

[OR-See-Nee]

John Riggins, without all the negative baggage, like telling a US Supreme Court Justice to "lighten up."

Riggins was 6' 2", 230 lbs.

[PonyPride]

Nobody in Washington will ever admit Riggins had "negative baggage." He was colorful, or eccentric, but absolutely walks on water up there. The Robert Griffin love is nothing compared to the city's affection for Riggins.

Chavous actually mentioned Alstott as another comparison, and that's not bad. I don't see the Hillis comparison (isn't he 250-plus?), though, and Centers wasn't nearly as physical as the others.

[OR-See-Nee]

Nobody in Washington will ever admit Riggins had "negative baggage." He was colorful, or eccentric, but absolutely walks on water up there. The Robert Griffin love is nothing compared to the city's affection for Riggins.

Chavous actually mentioned Alstott as another comparison, and that's not bad. I don't see the Hillis comparison (isn't he 250-plus?), though, and Centers wasn't nearly as physical as the others.

Don't know what folks in DC think--but he had a DUI and was drunk at a charity event, insulted a Supreme Court justice, and then passed out under the table....He was a great running back, no doubt.

[mrydel]

In DC that is considered initiation.

[Junior]

In DC that is considered initiation.

and will get you on most ballots.

[JasonB]

I think he has better feet than Alstot, but isn't as brutally powerful as Riggins was. Somewhere in the middle, which is still a darn good football player. I kind of liked the Rathman comparison.

[smitty329]

Larry Csonka - 6'3" 235

[Rayburn]

Larry Csonka - 6'3" 235

That's not a bad comparison. Line has some Joe Don Looney in him as well, not as fast, though. Think Stanford backs: Brad Muster, Tommy Vardell and Toby Gerhart. Also, the Witherspoon kid that played in UH's Run N Shoot and Hoyle Granger.

Think of Zach as an H-back/tight end/blocking fullback in the NFL.

[EastStang]

In those days hard drinking was part of the culture. In Alexandria there is a statue in the middle of Washington Street in honor of the Confederate dead, lore has it that Sonny Jurgensen ran into it and spun him north. Don Meredith probably hoisted a few in his time, certainly according to SMU lore, he did. So, Riggs was a bit of a wild man. He was a solid runner behind probably the best offensive line in NFL history, the Hogs. The Redskins won the Super Bowl three times in the Gibbs era with three different running backs, three different QB's and pretty much the same O line.

[smitty329]

In those days hard drinking was part of the culture. In Alexandria there is a statue in the middle of Washington Street in honor of the Confederate dead, lore has it that Sonny Jurgensen ran into it and spun him north. Don Meredith probably hoisted a few in his time, certainly according to SMU lore, he did. So, Riggs was a bit of a wild man. He was a solid runner behind probably the best offensive line in NFL history, the Hogs. The Redskins won the Super Bowl three times in the Gibbs era with three different running backs, three different QB's and pretty much the same O line.

Good point (the o line piece) that is support by the aforementioned Larry Csonka talking about the 5 seconds in football that he misses the most.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-films-ame ... rry-Csonka