Duke Johnson Comparison

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sounds good to me... this kid has me excited, from the way he speaks to how explosive he is... LOVE IT
 
Okay, I've been thinking this for some time, but...I say BUT I have no real basis for this comparison. It popped in my head at some point and I can't get it out. It must be because both were highly regarded in high school, and while I don't really remember clearly, I seem to think this guy was another 'second coming' type with tons of hype. Plus I believe their frame/size is comparable....anyways...

Lorenzo Booker.

I think I'm just looking for someone to tell me the comparison is way off and no way could Duke ever become so ineffective in college as compared to high school.

Is the comparison off?

I'm conference Duke, while shifty and explosive, may be toonundersized.

But again, I don't truly know much about either guy in h.s., and don't really know what I'm talking about.
 
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Okay, I've been thinking this for some time, but...I say BUT I have no real basis for this comparison. It popped in my head at some point and I can't get it out. It must be because both were highly regarded in high school, and while I don't really remember clearly, I seem to think this guy was another 'second coming' type with tons of hype. Plus I believe their frame/size is comparable....anyways...

Lorenzo Booker.

I think I'm just looking for someone to tell me the comparison is way off and no way could Duke ever become so ineffective in college as compared to high school.

Is the comparison off?

I'm conference Duke, while shifty and explosive, may be toonundersized.

But again, I don't truly know much about either guy in h.s., and don't really know what I'm talking about.

I think it's off. When you compare players, especially RBs, you have to consider their style. Sometimes you have to consider their style more than their size (though relevant). Lorenzo Booker ran with horrible lean, had questionable balance, rarely broke tackles and generally preferred to bounce everything outside.

In a huge playoff game against a talented opponent, take a look at *how* Duke Johnson ran the ball last night (in the video I linked above). He doesn't necessarily bounce plays outside, his balance is uncanny and despite his size, he runs with a forward lean.

I think their styles are opposite.

By the way, LTomlinson got into college as an undersized RB as well. However, if you're deadset on Duke being compared to a "smallish" back, I've also compared him to Warrick Dunn. He's probably somewhere between LTomlinson at TCU and Warrick Dunn at FSU. Duke can be an inside runner at the college level. I don't have any doubt.
 
i hate comparisons unless you are comparing high school to high school, college to college, etc...


Its hard to do that and is hardly ever accurate. Duke will be Duke, it remains to be seen who he runs like in college. Miller runs alot different in College than he did in HS.
 
i hate comparisons unless you are comparing high school to high school, college to college, etc...


Its hard to do that and is hardly ever accurate. Duke will be Duke, it remains to be seen who he runs like in college. Miller runs alot different in College than he did in HS.

I've been doing this for 12 years. It's done to spark a convo on styles and to set some projections. I'm comparing how I project Duke to run in college with players I saw run in college.

Miller runs very similar to how many of us thought he'd run in college. He still is more of an athlete playing RB than a natural runner. It hasn't changed.
 
i hate comparisons unless you are comparing high school to high school, college to college, etc...


Its hard to do that and is hardly ever accurate. Duke will be Duke, it remains to be seen who he runs like in college. Miller runs alot different in College than he did in HS.

I've been doing this for 12 years. It's done to spark a convo on styles and to set some projections. I'm comparing how I project Duke to run in college with players I saw run in college.

Miller runs very similar to how many of us thought he'd run in college. He still is more of an athlete playing RB than a natural runner. It hasn't changed.

If he puts up LT like numbers then Im all for it
 
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Love to hear that kind of comparison. Kid is an unbelievable talent that will step right into some major carries next year.
 
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I dig the LT comp.

The one I always used was Frank Gore meets Marshall Faulk. But that's basically Ladanian Tomlinson. Dynamic all-around player who is a natural between the tackles.
 
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He's not as thick as Ray Rice IMO. Rice has that bowling ball physic, Duke seems a little taller and leaner. I like the Tomlinson comparison a lot.

Ray Rice was similar to Johnson size wise coming from New Rochelle HS in NY. Watch some of Rice's highlights at New Rochelle and then some early Rutgers tape...you'll see the comparison.

I would take a Ray rice talent any day, didn't realize that's the way Rice was built at Rutgers.
 
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