Expectations were high when Darren McFadden came out of Arkansas. The dynamic running back was a two-time Heisman Trophy runner-up. He rushed for 4,590 yards and 41 touchdowns in his three-year career with the Razorbacks and helped popularize the Wildcat offense, which was even replicated in the NFL. And the Oakland Raiders selected the versatile back with the fourth pick in the 2008 NFL Draft.
But McFadden was stuck in a loaded backfield with an awful quarterback in Oakland. Just one year before selecting McFadden, the Raiders chose quarterback JaMarcus Russell with the first overall pick in 2007.
McFadden’s rookie season was Russell’s first year as a full-time starter. Russell had the second-worst completion percentage (53.8) in the league and McFadden had to split carries with Justin Fargas and Michael Bush.
Year two wasn’t much better for McFadden. Russell’s completion percentage actually went down, defenses were loading the box and the backfield was still splitting carries three ways.
It took three years, but the Raiders finally put their top-five pick in a position to be successful in 2010. Gone was Russell, one of the biggest quarterback busts of all time, and Fargas, who led the team in carries the previous four seasons.
Last year, McFadden started to show signs of the guy who ran all over the SEC. He set career-highs in carries (223), rushing yards (1,157), receiving yards (507), yards per carry (5.2) and touchdowns (10).
And with McFadden as the feature back, the Raiders finished 8-8 — their best season since they reached the Super Bowl in 2002.
Well, McFadden is not slowing down. He leads the NFL in rushing (393 yards) after the first three weeks and is averaging 6.4 yards a carry.
And last week he showed that he’s not just a serviceable NFL running back; McFadden is special. Against the usually stingy New York Jets rush defense, McFadden ran for 171 yards and two scores Sunday.
It has taken a little longer than expected, but in his fourth year in the league, McFadden is living up to those high expectations.
– Jeffrey Tomik
