Out of these running backs, who would you want in his prime? and Why?

Question

Gayle Sayers
Walter Payton
Emmit Smith
L.T.
O.J.
Thurman Thomas
Barry Sanders

Answer 1

Payton because he was the most complete back to ever play.

He did it all, run, catch and block.

Aside from Thurman, the other players you named weren't very good blockers.
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Answer 2

Gayle Sayers. Heres why, its simple acually, he has the highest yards per carry average out of all of them. If you said for a whole career, I would have said Peyton, he was more consistant his whole career, but Sayers was unstoppable in his prime, and had a 5.0 average. This is the same as Barry Sanders, but the reason why I would not choose sanders is because he was inconsistant. If it was 3rd and short I'd be scared to have Barry run, because it would be either a negative gain, and I'd lose posession, or a hudge gain. Either way I'd rather take Sayers, a man with the same yards a carry, and more consistant IN HIS PRIME, than Sayers, or any other back on the list. Sayers also set the record for most TD"s in a season, untill it was broken by Priest holmes, almost 20 years later. I would not say Gayle Sayers is the best runningback of all time, but out of the guys you said, he would be the guy I'd take in his prime

Answer 3

This is an excellent question and I am torn between two of the choices, but in his PRIME, I have never seen anyone who could run like Barry Sanders. He did it all. Blazing speed, he could carry would-be tacklers on his back... and the moves? Are you kidding me??? Barry has got to be responsible for more broken ankles than anyone in the history of football!!!

Walter is a very, very close second. They both had the heart of a lion and never, ever gave up on a play. They were both extremely durable (carrying the ball 30-35 times per game) They both played on absolutely horrible offenses for the majority of their careers. If Barry had played 3-4 more seasons, he would own the all time rushing title.

If Walter and Barry had been given the O-line that Emmitt Smith had, they would both have gained over 25,000 yards.

Answer 4

Assuming the team has an adaquate offensive line, Barry Sanders, no question. I love Walter Payton. I do. He is the second greatest HB in the history of the NFL. But, if we are talking players in their prime, there isn't a HB that has ever played that had more raw ability than Barry Sanders. Perhaps if Bo Jackson hadn't gotten injured so early in his career, it might be different. But, Barry Sanders simply had the divine spark in him.

Answer 5

Oh Snap I dont think that some of the older guys could have done it in this league we know today...also It really depends on how well of a line they got ... personally if icould pick any back i would prolly pick Bo Jackson, but hes not on that list so im going to go with Barry Sanders with a good line or with a bad one becuz if he could do what he did in Detroit god knows what he could have accomplished if he had a line like Preist Holmes did or like some of the other good running backs in todays league...so yeah Barry Sanders is my pick...

Answer 6

These are all very impressive players to pick from, however, b/c I could boil them down to either Walter or Barry Sanders.....I'm going to go with Barry Sanders and here's why:

While Barry and Walter were both very similar in that they could ellude anything....a Lion, a bullet, a linebacker, a safety like Ronnie Lott, and just about any situation most ordinary running backs would go down in without that extra dying inch, first down, or touchdown.....Barry on the other hand just seemed to have a presence of Don't Mess with me! Barry was like a blend of many different attributes from many great running backs we've seen. If he was a automobile, he would be one of them Hybrid cars! He was elusive like Walter but big enough to run you the **** OVER like a Fullback when need be! He was fast as hell and made moves like Reggie Bush made everyone witness in college football the last few years! The man was incredible to me and even though he stepped out of the record race and Emmit Smith later got it....if you really study the record almanac's....Barry was on so much faster of pace to surpass that record years ago when he quit than when Emmit did years after Barry quit and they both entered the league around the same time. Emmit proved himself and got it but Sanders took less seasons to get to that mark and was like, phtt "y'all can have it"!

In my own personal opinion, Barry Sanders is an icon that never truly earned the respect he was so capable of adding to. It still aches my brain to not know just what a monsterous record he would have set had he played as long as Emmit did!!!!

That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it!

Answer 7

Those guys are all awesome ... it's so hard to compare guys from different eras. What would Barry Sanders have been like on a real team? What would Sayers have been like if he'd never hurt his knee.
I'm going to go with LT simply because nobody has dominated the league with yards and TD's like that before and the guys he's playing against are faster, stronger, and bigger than even a few years ago.

Answer 8

I would take Jim Brown even though he isnt on the list. Next I would take Barry Sander, he really did it all, and practically by himself. If he had an O-line or mediocre receiving corps he would have been able to do anything. All the others are greats of course, but those would be my picks.

Answer 9

man, i have got to go with Barry sanders on that one. i don't like the lions, but you can't stop Barry sanders. i mean come on, the man had no blocking whatsoever and he still broke records. if you ask me this question in a few years from now, i might just say L.T., but right now Barry's #1 on my list.

P.S. I think you should have included Jim brown on that list.

Answer 10

Sorry. I know the rest of the world doesn,t realize how good He was yet but, You left out Tiki Barber. that being said, of the backs You listed, I would take Sanders. another back that I think ranks with these guys in His prime is, Eric Dickerson.

Answer 11

I like Barry Sanders, he made his own yardage. He could change directions on a dime and leave defenders scratching there heads. He had one of the worst offensive lines of all the backs listed and he could have easily broken the career rushing record if he wanted to.