Portis has topped 1500 yards 3 times in his career, Jackson just did it for the first time last year. I think Jackson has a little catching up to do. Just for kicks let's see who Scouts Inc. thinks is the better player:
Steven Jackson
2006 Scouting Report - Scouts Inc.
Grade: 76 |
Key
Alert: None
Comment:
Jackson has a very good combination of size, strength and foot quickness. He is a workhorse back who can wear down a defense over four quarters. He needs touches to get into the flow. He is powerful and elusive for his size. He can lower his pads and run defenders over or jump-cut and make someone miss. He runs with excellent balance and body control, rarely going down on first contact. He flashes a good stiff-arm and regularly falls forward after contact. He has excellent vision and flashes the speed to get the corner. He can drag defensive backs for extra yards when he gets outside. He has very good hands and is an above-average route runner. He is a load to bring down after the catch. But Jackson isn't very sudden or quick. He isn't very shifty and lacks a second gear to run away from a defense in the open field. He isn't quite quick enough to consistently separate in his routes. He could show more patience as a runner. He sometimes runs up the back of his linemen. He had some ball-security issues in 2005. He gets dinged up and misses time.
Clinton Portis
2006 Scouting Report - Scouts Inc.
Grade: 89 |
Key
Alert: None
Comment:
Portis has excellent foot quickness, change-of-direction skills and elusiveness. He shows excellent initial quickness in getting to and through the hole. He consistently makes a defender miss with his lateral quickness and jump-cut once he hits the hole. He is a very good zone runner. He has excellent vision, patience and great anticipation for where the hole will develop. He shows excellent start-stop quickness. He stays in balance when he cuts, has some wiggle and will bounce off tacklers. He flashes the ability to push the pile and make yards after contact. He has good receiving skills: decent hands and dangerous after-the-catch ability on screens and check-downs. He knows his blocking responsibilities and is at his best chipping and releasing into an underneath route. But Portis is undersized and tends to get a little nicked up. He doesn't have outstanding power or elite speed, though he sometimes can find an extra gear. He doesn't run a lot of routes or adjust especially well to bad passes. He is just an average blocker. He won't consistently pick up a blitzing linebacker.