Even though he's going to a team with a bad offense, Arkansas running back Darren McFadden is my very early favorite to be the 2008 NFL Rookie of the Year. The combination of the production he showed in college and the raw talent he showed in post-season workouts makes clear that this is a special talent.
And yet there are questions. Some analysts think he's not the best running back in this draft in terms of on-field ability; others say he's going to be an off-field headache.
But the former is more a result of this being a good year for running backs than of any serious knocks on McFadden. And as for the latter, McFadden has faced a lot of criticism for his off-field conduct -- some of it valid, much of it not. Perhaps the strangest thing was when NFL scouts started to wonder if maybe they didn't want him because he'd had children out of wedlock. I seem to remember another out-of-wedlock father winning the league MVP last season.
Anyway, Raiders owner Al Davis has never been afraid to draft players with character concerns. McFadden will look good in silver and black.
Previously on FanHouse:
Fantasy Spin: Darren McFadden to the Raiders
It's One Thing to Speculate, but Would Al Davis Actually Draft Darren McFadden?
Oakland Writer Makes the Case for Raiders Drafting Darren McFadden
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)
1. Yes!! God is Good..Go Raiders!!! Silver & Black until the day I die....
Posted at 8:22AM on Apr 28th 2008 by Derek