Confirming what everyone already believed to be true, Reggie Bush announced Thursday that he will turn pro.
Most people think he’s a lock for the first pick. I just don’t see it. I know he’s explosive, I know he can beat you in so many different ways, but I also know that he’s listed at 6-0 and 200 pounds, and I’m pretty sure those numbers are a tad liberal. Can he withstand the pounding that an everyday NFL back takes? Can he give you 20-25 carries a game? That’s highly doubtful.
The best comparisons I’ve heard so far are to Philly back Brian Westbrook. Westbrook is a very good player and, in the right situations, he’s also very dangerous. But remember all the talk about the Eagles’ lack of a running game? Donovan McNabb threw the ball so much because Westbrook just isn’t an every-down back. So what makes people think Bush can be? Granted, he’s a better player than Westbrook but they’re still the same type of player, and Westbrook’s struggles offer a sobering preview of what may await Bush in the NFL.
Whoever drafts Bush will figure out ways to best utilize his talent in the NFL, but that comment alone should raise the question: Is Bush really the best player available in the draft? Seems to me if you’re taking someone with the first overall pick, you shouldn’t then have to devise some sort of plan to make him effective.
