RB CJ Donaldson (Official Thread)

[MGMT]

Ohio State beat writers on THE Podcast Daily just likened CJ to "a hybrid of Chip Traynum & Miyan Williams", then "add 20 lbs & 1.5"-2" " in height, and you'd have CJ Donaldson

Count me in on that! (skip ahead to 23mins to hear the comparison)

Perfectly fine to add a piece like that to the room. Not someone I’d like to see get a bill of touches by any stretch but can find a niche at 2-5 rushes per game imo.

 

[buchtelgrad04]

Perfectly fine to add a piece like that to the room. Not someone I’d like to see get a bill of touches by any stretch but can find a niche at 2-5 rushes per game imo.

Have you actually seen him play? 2-5 rushes per game would be a fireable offense for all offensive coaches.

 

[ScriptOhio]

https://atozsports.com/college-football/ohio-state-buckeyes-news/under-radar-ohio-state-transfer-addition-cj-donaldson-phyical-transformation-redefines-ceiling/

Under-the-radar Ohio State transfer addition hopes physical transformation redefines his ceiling​

When the Ohio State Buckeyes added senior running back CJ Donaldson from West Virginia in the transfer portal, the coaching staff likely had planned for him to fill a specific role. While running backs coach Carlos Locklyn has been clear that everyone in the Buckeyes' backfield is fighting for touches, Donaldson was a solid power option who thrived as an RB2.

Changing that role seemed impossible, and at worst, would be a sign that one of Ohio State's five young backs emerging into a bigger star.

However, the fallout from Ohio State's first spring practice has forced us to reconsider whether Donaldson's experience will be different than expected. On the latest episode of Talking Stuff from THE Podcast, Ohio State beat writer Jeremy Birmingham was surprised to see Donaldson cut down from his listed 240-pound weight.

Here was my initial analysis on the addition of Donaldson, pointing toward a shift toward a run game that we often saw at Alabama under Nick Saban.

Donaldson doesn't have much finesse. Averaging 4.9 yards per carry and 3.15 yards after contact per carry over his three-year career, Donaldson brings a physical skill set that fits his frame. While he's not a plodder, his value is reliant on getting him beyond the line of scrimmage so he can power through arm tacklers and defensive backs.

Ryan Day and his staff likely won't feed Donaldson even as much as West Virginia has over the last two years. Donaldson has tallied 162 and 169 carries over the last two seasons, respectfully. I'd expect Donaldson to be the lead back but still split time with a bevy of young backs.

The potential wrench in the plan I outlined above would be if Donaldson is now a more lean presence and his play style isn't as linear. No other back on the Buckeyes has his overall size, which is not surprising given he has at least three years of physical maturation as a foundation compared to the first and second-year runners in the backfield.

There's a lot of hope that James Peoples or Bo Jackson will be able to be the 1A for this team. All five young backs have their own strengths and weaknesses to consider, and it might be too easy to overvalue Peoples' 49 carries as the RB3 in 2024. This is a wide open race right now.

Donaldson has the firmest foundation, and the fact he was added means there's no situation he won't be a top-three back. His size and pedigree suggests he'll also be the short-yardage and goal line back. In the winter, I thought the worst cast was an RB2 role but only a decent upside as RB1.

A leaner Donaldson could actually backfire a bit if he doesn't adjust his play style. He's not overly strong beyond his size but his lack of finesse and foot speed might not be fixed by shedding 10-15 pounds. He might simply be less effective at what he was good at.

However, it could swing the opposite way and unearth a drastically more dynamic athlete. The thought of a chiseled 225-pound version of Donaldson who still has the power advantage and a newfound quickness could bury some of these young backs behind him.

We'll eventually see how his movement ability has been effected, but the upside for Donaldson and the Buckeyes is well-worth his effort to shed weight. His previous upside was inherently limited, even if there was value in that role.

 

[pnuts34]