Prospective No. 42 at No. 54 on Patriot roster

By Os Davis  |   Monday, July 14, 2008  |  Comments( 1 )

New England Patriots
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Oversight admitted. In commenting on the Kevin Faulk sentencing late last week, this writer opined that the New England Patriots simply need their joint-stashing halfback because “After making absolutely zero changes to the running game in the offseason, [Bill] Belichick & Co. are set with a triad of Faulk, Laurence Maroney, and Sammy Morris at halfback.”

All right, so technically that’s not true. Though the starting triumvirate ain't going anywhere, a fourth halfback could in fact someday make his mark in New England (or even elsewhere). Namely, BenJarvus Green-Ellis.

A video clip produced by an outfit over at OnNetworks.com leading up to the 2008 draft is illustrative of the mixed feelings NFL scouts themselves had about a guy who appeared to be durable (averaging right around 230 carries per in two seasons for Indiana University and two at Ole Miss) if slightly smaller (5-foot-11, 215-225 pounds) than desirable.

Though just as our cue card-reading hosts at On Network praise him for his speed and grip on fundamentals, they wonder of Green-Ellis’ consistency. Green-Ellis went through draft weekend without hearing his name called, perhaps thanks solely to a poor performance at the combine; reportedly suffering from the flu, he ran the 40 in 4.6 seconds and turned in a 30.5-inch vertical leap. Because Green-Ellis turned in a 4.55 40-yarder and a 34-inch vertical leap three weeks later, he may ultimately become another testament to the foolishness of placing all eggs in the combine basket.

Maybe Green-Ellis didn't have much chance to prove himself in big games while playing for mediocre programs, but a look through the almanac entry on him shows his propensity to consistently perform in – and often dominate – games throughout his career, week after week. In 2003 for Indiana, Green-Ellis made The Sporting News’ Big Ten All-Freshman Team, carrying the ball 225 times for 938 yards and seven TDs; in Green-Ellis’ first year at Mississippi, he topped 1,000 yards while garnering an All-SEC first-team selection from the Associated Press and a second-team honor by league coaches. For his senior year, 2007, a few folks may have noticed Green-Ellis' amazing campaign with 3-9 Ole Miss, running for 4.9 yards per carry and 1,137 yards.

Remaining in Green-Ellis’ way of cracking New England's roster for 2008 is the Maroney, Morris and Faulk nucleus; not to be forgotten is the three’s injury history throughout their respective tenures with the Pats. Truth is that whoever is penciled at No. 4 in this spot – be he relegated to the practice squad or not – should figure to get playing time this year. By sheer force of will combined with a little team necessity, Green-Ellis may already hold the No. 54 spot on the extend Patriots roster.

Before the draft, Green-Ellis told the Memphis Commercial-Appeal that "I think people like that I'm a tough player, that I can do different things. I can pick up blitzes, those types of things. But I'm also a good-character guy. I don't get into any off-the-field issues or anything like that. And they like that I work hard."

In selling himself like that, Green-Ellis might stick with any team; perhaps someday the Patriots will consider themselves fortunate to have landed him.

Green-Ellis also opined in the above Commercial-Appeal piece that there was nothing to sweat about in a poor combine performance, that everything for him would be up to his minicamp play. Well, minicamp is over and Green-Ellis is still around. He might yet make this New England team, and it would not be surprising in the slightest to see Green-Ellis in a Pats uniform sometime soon.
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About Os Davis

Os Davis has taken a twisted route to get to RealFootball365.com in his nearly 17 years in professional writing, working in any number of capacities in the sportswriting, news reporting and film criticism worlds. In print media, Os has served as editor at a few publications, including Albuquerque's ...
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