Matt Waldman’s RSP Cast continues a new podcast and film series devoted to scouting reports of past NFL players and what made them great. This month, Matt reviews the film and explains why RB James Brooks is an underrated great. 

James Brooks Was Tiki Barber and Austin Ekeler In the NFL's Weaponized Era

The 1980-90s were the weaponized era of the NFL. Athletes were reaching the peak of their size and speed at the position. Steroid use became more notable. And players realized that better equipment allowed them to maximize the intensity of contact behind their enhanced athletic ability.

It was an era where concussions remained an injury to shake off, clear the cobwebs, and keep it moving if you could. The league and the mass media, who signed lucrative deals to cover the game promoted the human missile mentality of the game.

You Got Jacked-Up!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ELj-79jbqA

In the middle of this era where running the football with a feature back remained a central focus of many offenses, James Brooks excelled. Selected 24th overall in the 1981 NFL Draft, Brooks was an all-purpose player: tailback, receiver, and return specialist for the Air Coryell Chargers.

Paired with Chuck Muncie in the backfield, Brooks bloomed early as a kick returner and earned the change-of-pace role in the backfield. After three years, the Chargers traded Books for fullback Pete Johnson, a bruiser who compiled 64 rushing touchdowns during his first seven years in the league, including two 14-score seasons and a 12-score campaign that earned him Pro Bowl honors during an era of runners of more renown.

In hindsight, the Chargers gave away a player at age 26 who offered far more to an offense than his former team estimated. Brooks' peak years of his career came between the ages of 30-33.

Barber, another late statistical bloomer, actually began his run of excellence between 27-31.

Barber was more prolific than Brooks during his peak and while Barber also played at the tail end of the weaponized era, he had one more compelling advantage over Brooks that actually makes Brooks' feats all the more impressive.

The 205-pound Barber was 25 pounds heavier than Brooks.

What Makes Brooks Great

The stats are compelling:

41st overall in history in All-Purpose Yards with 2 top-ranked seasons during his career.

73rd overall in Yards from Scrimmage with 3 seasons in the top 10 of all-time.

20th in NFL history with 4.7 yards per rush attempt.

52nd in history with career touches in the weaponized era at 5-10, 180 pounds.

That's right, Brooks was 5-10 and 180 pounds. You don't earn his stats and simply run draws and play in space. Brooks could accelerate and attack at the collision point. He had top-end acceleration and speed — the juice to ward off the Rod Woodson's of the era in the open field  — but he could also get the better end of a collision with Junior Seau because he knew how to finish.

If you’ve been reading the Rookie Scouting Portfolio’s running back evaluations for any length of time, you know that much of what people say is intangible can be defined and graded. You have to go to the film.

This week, I studied the tape on Brooks — past games as well as career highlights and retrospectives on YouTube — and it was easy to see why Bill Walsh remarked on a national broadcast that he couldn't believe San Diego traded Brooks away.

In this week’s podcast, I share the insights I gained from Brooks' game as a technician, a decision-maker, an athlete, and a receiver.

Listen to the pod and/or watch some of the videos below, and you’ll get a glimpse at why Brooks was the precursor to Barber, Alvin Kamara, Christian McCaffrey, and Austin Ekeler.

Links to the videos (the NFL may block them from viewing outside of YouTube):

https://youtu.be/q8sMGYxS8Do

 

https://youtu.be/E8JmBDvR1sE

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzLISy_4Lsk&t=340s

And of course,