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Eli Gillman on why he stayed

Zirg said:
I can't imagine a scenario where Gillman gets drafted. He's great for FCS. Let's just enjoy that. Every top 25 FBS team has a RB (and often 2 or 3) that are better than Eli. He'll go to an NFL camp, but 25 RBS were drafted last year (2 from Ohio State) and none were from FCS. Only 6 FCS players were drafted last year total (including Bergen and Mellott) and only 3 actually played in a game-all O-lineman. Just reality.
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He will definitely be drafted. Not true on what you said about other FBS teams and their RB’s. A year ago when he wasn’t even in Portal, he was being offered $750,000 by playoff teams, including SEC and Big
10.

"Approximately 20 to 25 running backs are typically drafted in a standard NFL Draft, though this number fluctuates based on the year's talent depth. For instance, 25 running backs were selected in the 2025 draft, a high count that highlighted a strong talent class." AI.

Draftscout.com 2027 rates him no. 10 in the draft. https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1097850&DraftYear=2027






 
Zirg said:
I can't imagine a scenario where Gillman gets drafted. He's great for FCS. Let's just enjoy that. Every top 25 FBS team has a RB (and often 2 or 3) that are better than Eli. He'll go to an NFL camp, but 25 RBS were drafted last year (2 from Ohio State) and none were from FCS. Only 6 FCS players were drafted last year total (including Bergen and Mellott) and only 3 actually played in a game-all O-lineman. Just reality.
Click to expand...
He will definitely be drafted if healthy. Not true on what you said about other FBS teams and their RB’s. A year ago when he wasn’t even in Portal, he was being offered $750,000 by playoff teams, including SEC and B10.
 
Zirg said:
I can't imagine a scenario where Gillman gets drafted. He's great for FCS. Let's just enjoy that. Every top 25 FBS team has a RB (and often 2 or 3) that are better than Eli. He'll go to an NFL camp, but 25 RBS were drafted last year (2 from Ohio State) and none were from FCS. Only 6 FCS players were drafted last year total (including Bergen and Mellott) and only 3 actually played in a game-all O-lineman. Just reality.
Click to expand...
Yeah, it’s absolutely impossible for a Big Sky RB to ever end up getting drafted again. Hasn’t happened in ages, just ask Skattebo. When was that, 2025, yeah ages. Yes he took the option to go FBS, and it worked out under KD better than he probably could have hoped for ending up getting drafted in the fourth round after a good postseason run. Let’s not pretend like there wasn’t the same level or interest or more for Eli from similar level programs.
 
Zirg said:
I can't imagine a scenario where Gillman gets drafted. He's great for FCS. Let's just enjoy that. Every top 25 FBS team has a RB (and often 2 or 3) that are better than Eli. He'll go to an NFL camp, but 25 RBS were drafted last year (2 from Ohio State) and none were from FCS. Only 6 FCS players were drafted last year total (including Bergen and Mellott) and only 3 actually played in a game-all O-lineman. Just reality.
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Especially from Montana. Just ask Justin Green and Lex Hilliard.
 
Zirg is one of the biggest neggies on the board. I am not saying his take is always wrong, but everything he posts is from a critically negative viewpoint. The guy never posts anything with a positive perspective.
 
Wolf777 said:
Yeah, it’s absolutely impossible for a Big Sky RB to ever end up getting drafted again. Hasn’t happened in ages, just ask Skattebo. When was that, 2025, yeah ages. Yes he took the option to go FBS, and it worked out under KD better than he probably could have hoped for ending up getting drafted in the fourth round after a good postseason run. Let’s not pretend like there wasn’t the same level or interest or more for Eli from similar level programs.
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Skattebo played at Arizona State before being drafted, so I don't understand your logic. He impressed scouts because he could do what he did at the top level not what he did at Sac.
 
mthoopsfan said:
Or Taiwan Jones of EWU, who was drafted in 4th round.
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In 2011 and Taiwan Jones had 1 career NFL TD on 53 career carries. He was in the league for a quite a few years but he never made an impact and was never a legit NFL RB. He played special teams only basically. I think NFL scouts have learned since these wasted picks on FCS RBS.
 
Zirg said:
In 2011 and Taiwan Jones had 1 career NFL TD on 53 career carries. He was in the league for a quite a few years but he never made an impact and was never a legit NFL RB. He played special teams only basically. I think NFL scouts have learned since these wasted picks on FCS RBS.
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i think taiwan jones utilized his skills and became a long time, roster worthy special teams player. kinda like colt anderson. i doubt many question whether he proved to be an nfl caliber player.
 
Zirg said:
I can't imagine a scenario where Gillman gets drafted. He's great for FCS. Let's just enjoy that. Every top 25 FBS team has a RB (and often 2 or 3) that are better than Eli. He'll go to an NFL camp, but 25 RBS were drafted last year (2 from Ohio State) and none were from FCS. Only 6 FCS players were drafted last year total (including Bergen and Mellott) and only 3 actually played in a game-all O-lineman. Just reali
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Efton Chism III, for one, is on the New England Patriots roster and got on the field last year.

Oops, not drafted, sorry
 
Zirg said:
Skattebo played at Arizona State before being drafted, so I don't understand your logic. He impressed scouts because he could do what he did at the top level not what he did at Sac.
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Ignoring the fact that he was discovered and developed by sac for 3 years definitely played a part in his opportunities to getting to the league. Pretending it didn’t happen and was all because of only what he did at ASU is asinine. The new NIL world has changed logistics, but pretending that just because a power 4 conference school pays for the services for a kid for a year or two after they were developed by a smaller program doesn’t disqualify their role.

Now there can be another discussion on if Eli could improve his stock by moving up due to exposure and playing on a more talented overall team. Even if it did that instead of staying, would that discount where he was recruited to and developed at here at Montana? Saying you see no path where he gets drafted seems like a very assured statement. People should compare the last 10 years and see how FCS draft pre COVID and pre NIL to then during that prolonged period to now is shaping up. We are past the glut and the FCS is getting more opportunities, and conferences are getting smarter about advertising the opportunities guys have gotten by playing say at the Big Sky or MVFC.
 
Wolf777 said:
Ignoring the fact that he was discovered and developed by sac for 3 years definitely played a part in his opportunities to getting to the league. Pretending it didn’t happen and was all because of only what he did at ASU is asinine. The new NIL world has changed logistics, but pretending that just because a power 4 conference school pays for the services for a kid for a year or two after they were developed by a smaller program doesn’t disqualify their role.

Now there can be another discussion on if Eli could improve his stock by moving up due to exposure and playing on a more talented overall team. Even if it did that instead of staying, would that discount where he was recruited to and developed at here at Montana? Saying you see no path where he gets drafted seems like a very assured statement. People should compare the last 10 years and see how FCS draft pre COVID and pre NIL to then during that prolonged period to now is shaping up. We are past the glut and the FCS is getting more opportunities, and conferences are getting smarter about advertising the opportunities guys have gotten by playing say at the Big Sky or MVFC.
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Zirg is and always been a football idiot.
 
Zirg said:
Skattebo played at Arizona State before being drafted, so I don't understand your logic. He impressed scouts because he could do what he did at the top level not what he did at Sac.
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That’s literally the arguement. That he had to go to the fbs to get more looks.
 
mthoopsfan said:
He will definitely be drafted if healthy. Not true on what you said about other FBS teams and their RB’s. A year ago when he wasn’t even in Portal, he was being offered $750,000 by playoff teams, including SEC and B10.
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I have a legitimate question on his wear and tear. 5 Years as a back getting a pretty decent amount of carries is a lot. Maybe Haucks lower volume usage of him in years past will have saved his legs. I hope they don’t run him into the dirt just because it’s his last season, but i also don’t think we have a super great ‘spell’ for him. Hashim Jones seems like a viable no. 2 but would’ve loved to have Fonoti for another season to keep Elis’ legs fresh.
 
grizjumps45 said:
I have a legitimate question on his wear and tear. 5 Years as a back getting a pretty decent amount of carries is a lot. Maybe Haucks lower volume usage of him in years past will have saved his legs. I hope they don’t run him into the dirt just because it’s his last season, but i also don’t think we have a super great ‘spell’ for him. Hashim Jones seems like a viable no. 2 but would’ve loved to have Fonoti for another season to keep Elis’ legs fresh.
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The lower volume will always help. Also, by playing at the FCS he is still taking hits but he is not taking hits from guys at SEC level size and speed. There will be less wear and tear for sure by staying at Montana.

As for the number 2 guy, I know this is an unpopular opinion, but I have thought since he got here that Jones had more potential than Fonoti. I thought Fonoti was great, but I personally think Jones is just of a much higher caliber at the position, and he will be special teamed up with Eli.
 
grizjumps45 said:
I have a legitimate question on his wear and tear. 5 Years as a back getting a pretty decent amount of carries is a lot. Maybe Haucks lower volume usage of him in years past will have saved his legs. I hope they don’t run him into the dirt just because it’s his last season, but i also don’t think we have a super great ‘spell’ for him. Hashim Jones seems like a viable no. 2 but would’ve loved to have Fonoti for another season to keep Elis’ legs fresh.
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Hashim Jones is a better running back than Fonoti, in my opinion.
 
Ursus Horriblis said:
Hashim Jones is a better running back than Fonoti, in my opinion.
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He sure seemed to be making his way up the depth chart by the end of the year last year. He can do what Fonoti is built to do and some things that Eli is built to do. I’ll miss Fonoti, but we have a capable tandem and it opens the door for younger guys like TRR.
 
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