I still don’t get the NFL mindset that there’s this one little white guy in the whole world that can be the primary ball carrier. Does he look different then other similarly in shape white players? I mean do GM’s and scouts look at him as a pure freak of nature and not wonder if there are others like him?
How do you rationalize not ever giving a promising HS star or a solid college runner with the same skill set a chance?
You would hope at some level McCaffrey's ability and production would change people's perspectives. I think what makes it even more absurd is that McCaffrey is not just a serviceable running back, but a true generational talent.
While he is an excellent athlete, he isn't a "freak" (relative to the NFL), and what separates him from other running backs (in my opinion) is his vision, technical skills, and spatial awareness. Logically, you would conclude if McCaffrey represents the top 1% of NFL running back talent, there should be dozens of white running backs - who might not quite have the athleticism/football nouse - in the second and third tiers in the NFL.
Although the way Max Borghi has been treated so far is discouraging, I'm hoping McCaffrey can provide a template for white running backs coming into the league, the same way Wes Welker did for receivers. Pre-McCaffrey it seemed to me the popular archetype of a white running back was very much in the Peyton Hillis/Mike Alstott/John Riggins mould - a big 220-pound+ bulldozer. From a historical perspective, McCaffrey is a bit of a throwback to someone like Frank Gifford - a smaller, more versatile back that seemed to fairly common back in the 1950s and 1960s.