NFL Draft Prospects | Top 10 RB’s

I can’t recall in recent memory, a draft that has been so deep in quality runners. While 2006 produced many solid halfbacks, it is my belief that the players who will chosen in the 3rd, 4th and 5th rounds of this draft are of much better talent and have a better shot of becoming legitimate feature backs.

#1 Darren McFadden, Arkansas

Despite what Mike Mayock says, I have difficulty pushing DMac down enough that Mendenhall or Stewart chases him down. Paternity suits and knocks on character aside withstanding, Darren McFadden is still the number one prospect for halfbacks in this draft. His vision, elusiveness and speed will allow him to be a productive NFL runner. Running a 4.27 forty definitely doesn’t hurt.

#2 Rashard Mendenhall, Illinois

Mendenhall has had his praises sung by many a scout over the past couple of weeks. He is described as “the entire package” and that may indeed be true. Mendenhall is about as fast as a 225 pound back can be. His rare mix of size, speed and agility allow him to run by you, dance around you or run you over if he so chooses.

#3 Jonathan Stewart, Oregon

The proverbial bowling ball runner, Stewart is an old school coaches dream. A guy who can pound the ball inside 30 times a game and tire out a defense. Stewart may have lost a position on Mendenhall due to Mendenhall’s great combine but make no mistake; Stewart is strong and runs a quick dash for a 230 pound guy. He is easily first round talent and will not be far behind Mendenhall.

#4 Ray Rice, Rutgers

Rice is a meat-and-potatoes kind of runner. His speed and agility good but not great. His size isn’t the best but he packs a lot of weight onto a smaller frame. What he does excel at is running the ball early and often and getting production. Many compare Rice to Frank Gore; a stocky, compact guy who is fast and agile enough to make you miss and leave you in the dust but also physical enough to take 25 handoffs a game and bruise your linebackers. His durability is unquestionable after taking nearly 1000 handoffs in three years without major injury. He should be a steal for a team in the early to mid second round.

#5 Felix Jones, Arkansas

I was very high on Jones until the combine. When north-south speed and big play ability are your calling card, you can’t run a 4.47 and expect scouts not to be disappointed. A few months aso, many postulated whether McFadden was even the best runningback on his own team. Jones is still a supreme talent but he has question marks. He hasn’t carried a full load at the collegiate level and may have difficulty transitioning into an NFL feature back. I still believe that Jones can bounce back and will be an impact player in the NFL but for now, Rice leapfrogs Jones into the 4th spot.

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NFL Draft Prospects | Steve Slaton

Name: Steve Slaton
Position: Runningback
School: West Virginia
Year: Junior
Career stats: 3923 rush yds 5.91 ypc 50 rush TDs 65 rec 805 rec yds 5 rec TDs
Ht: 5-10
Wt: 200
40: N/A
Bench: N/A
Expected draft position: RB 5-10 (2nd - 5th round)
YouTube Linkage

Strengths: A legitimate triple threat runningback; effective as a runner, receiver and kick returner. Lightning quick and extremely elusive. A threat in open space.

Concerns: Could use a bit more bulk to become more durable and pass block better.

Comments: Slaton has slipped a bit over the last year. He started as even money with Darren McFadden as the best sophomore runner in the country. But a lackluster season last year paired with many other backs jumping up into the fold, Slaton sees his first round pick status fading away. Don’t sleep on Slaton, he is still every bit the talent he showed in 2006.

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NFL Draft Prospects | Kevin Smith

Name: Kevin Smith
Position: Runningback
School: Central Florida
Year: Junior
Career stats: 4679 rush yds 5.17 ypc 45 rush TDs 55 rec 444 rec yds 1 rec TD
Ht: 6-1
Wt: 211
40: 4.55 (est)
Bench: N/A
Expected draft position: RB 7-10 (3rd - 5th round)
YouTube Linkage

Strengths: Proven that he can carry the load in taking 450 handoffs last year. Good in blitz pick up and passing catching. Uses excellent vision and balance to effectively run the ball between the tackles. Patient and waits for blocks to develop.

Concerns: His forty time will depress his stock. Smith’s measureables are weak. He does not possess breakaway speed and does not have the strength or shiftiness to break tackles regularly.

Comments: Smith’s production will buy him a likely first day pick but an inevitable bad combine spells a 3rd or 4th round selection for him. But make no mistake, Kevin Smith can run the ball effectively early and often and has proven he can do so. He just won’t wow you while he does it.

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NFL Draft Prospects: Raymell (Ray) Rice

Name: Raymell (Ray) Rice
Position: Runningback
School: Rutgers
Year: Junior
Career stats: 4926 rush yds 5.4 ypc 49 rush TDs 37 rec 334 rec yds 1 rec TD
Ht: 5-9
Wt: 205
40: N/A
Bench: N/A
Expected draft position: RB 4-7 (1st - 2nd round)
YouTube Linkage
Strengths: Shifty, compact runner who possesses breakaway speed and big play ability. Despite the small package, he runs very physical and has not broken down despite almost getting 1000 touches over 3 years. Shown that he has talent in the passing game in his senior year by catching 25 balls for 239 yards.

Concerns: Many feel that he needs to bulk up a bit in order to not be a liability in pass blocking situations.

Comments: I compare Rice in stature to that of Frank Gore. Gore is a thick but compact runner who depsite being very short, is an extremely physical runner. Rice has shown the ability to pound the ball despite his size. I think Rice will do well in the NFL if given the opportunity to tote the rock despite not garnering the attention of the McFaddens and Stewarts of the world.

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NFL Draft Prospects: Rashard Mendenhall

Name: Rashard Mendenhall
Position: Runningback
School: Illinois
Year: Junior
Career stats: 2539 rush yds 6.5 ypc 22 rush TD 59 rec 564 rec yds 5 rec TD
Ht: 5-11
Wt: 225
40: N/A
Bench: N/A
Expected draft position: RB 2-5 (1st - 2nd round)
YouTube Linkage

Strengths: Big, strong and versatile. Good pass protection skills for a junior back. Able to catch the ball well out of the backfield. Can grind out yards between the tackles.

Concerns: Weak freshman and sophomore campaigns. May have a slight fumbling problem.

Comments: A rare blue chip prospect RB out of Illinois, Mendenhall burst onto the scene this year with a huge campaign for the Illini. He piled up big game after big game. Even when Illinois was losing and needed to pass the ball, Mendenhall stayed incorporated into the offense by catching the ball and pass protection. A surefire first round pick, Mendenhall brings an all-around game for a big runner that is matched by very few. He has officially declared for the 08 draft.

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NFL Draft Prospects: Felix Jones

Name: Felix Jones
Position: Runningback
School: Arkansas
Year: Junior
Career stats: 2956 rush yds 7.66 ypc 20 rush TD 39 rec 383 rec yds 3 rec TD
Ht: 6-0
Wt: 200
40: N/A
Bench: N/A
Expected draft position: RB 3-6 (1st - 2nd round)
YouTube Linkage

Strengths: His homerun play ability is likely better than any other back in the draft. Shifty, slippery and deceptively strong. His YPC is amazing. Possesses good breakaway speed. Has NFL quality kick return abilities.

Concerns: Never saw over 20 touches in a game this year. He will have to be used in the right situation to show his true potential. Smallish, size may be a concern.

Comments: Felix Jones figures to be the Carnell Williams to Darren McFadden’s Ronnie Brown. The talented reserve piled up a 1000 rush season despite only getting 133 handoffs this year. While it is unlikely that Jones will go as high as Cadillac did, he is currently expected to be a first day pick if he declares. Compared in body type and playing ability to Brian Westbrook, Jones’ penchant for big plays will make him a hot commodity come draft day.

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NFL Draft Prospects: Chris Johnson

Name: Chris Johnson
Position: Runningback
School: East Carolina
Year: Senior
Career stats: 2982 rush yds 4.78 ypc 32 rush TD 125 rec 1296 rec yds 10 rec TD (2007: 36 KO returns 1009 ret yds 1 TD)
Ht: 5-11
Wt: 195
40: 4.2 (est)
Bench: N/A
Expected draft position: RB 4-8 2nd-4th round
Youtube Linkage

Strengths: Lightning quick, has run a 4.2 forty and will easily be the fastest RB at the combine if he can come close to that mark. Possesses great versatility, can return kicks well, is comfortable splitting out or catching passes out of the backfield as well as run the ball between the tackles.

Concerns: Needs to bulk up to be an every down back in the NFL, at 195 lbs, he will likely not be able to withstand 20+ touches a game.

Comments: His Hawaii bowl performance will certainly give his stock a shot in the arm. A bowl record 408 all purpose yards (223 rush 32 rec 153 ret) against Boise State will make scouts take notice. A solid effort at the combine will further cement this kid as a first day pick. He will likely be drafted for his kickoff return ability, an aftershock of the Devin Hester effect but I think he will be able to succeed if given a role similar to Brian Westbrook in Philadelphia. Versatility is Johnson’s 2nd greatest asset, the team that drafts him would be wise to know this. Obviously, being able to run a 4.2 forty is his best. After all, you can’t coach speed.

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NFL Draft Prospects: Tashard Choice

Name: Tashard Choice
Position: Runningback
School: Georgia Tech
Year: Senior
Career stats: 3396 rush yds 28 rush TDs 39 rec 282 rec yds
Ht: 6-1
Wt: 205
40: N/A
Bench: N/A
Expected draft position: RB 6-10 3rd-6th round
Youtube Linkage
Strengths: Decisive when choosing where to run, does not dance around behind the line. A good workhorse of a back, setting school records for carries, regularly asked to carry the ball 25-35 times a game.

Concerns: A straight line type of runner, Choice will not usually make any kind of cutback type runs. A minor surgery on his knee late in the season may hurt his stock.

Comments: Many people has Choice as the #5 or 6 senior back behind the likes of Allen Patrick, Dantrell Savage and Chris Johnson. Personally, I believe that he is the clearcut #2 senior back in the draft and his style would definitely fit in with the likes of Atlanta, Green Bay or Denver with successful zone-blocking schemes which allow for strong one-cut runners to be successful. He has proven to be a workhorse, carrying the ball 546 times in the last two years. He is also been productive over those two years as the starter in Georgia Tech, one season with Calvin Johnson drawing extra defenders, and one season without. I think this kid is the real deal and if the right team picks him up, he could have a big impact.

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NFL Draft Prospects: Mike Hart

Name: Mike Hart
Position: Runningback
School: Michigan
Year: Senior
Career stats: 4911 rush yds 39 rush TDs 5.0 ypc 66 rec 559 rec yds 2 rec TDs
Ht: 5-9
Wt: 202
40: N/A
Bench: N/A
Expected draft position: RB 6-9 3rd-6th round
YouTube Linkage
Strengths: Sure handed, does not fumble the ball. Good production over 4 years. Excellent balance and vision.

Concerns: Durability and size are a big concern. Has been nicked up over the past couple years. Not the fastest back for his size.

Comments: Although clearly the best senior back in the draft, Hart will likely not become a feature back in the NFL. He does not have the size to be a power runner and does not have the speed to be a big play guy for the team that drafts him. That being said, Hart does possess enough talent to be on an NFL roster in the next few years. He will likely have a home as a backup or change-of-pace back. Expect a number of juniors to be chosen before Hart.

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NFL Draft Prospects: Jonathan Stewart

Name: Jonathan Stewart
Position: Runningback
School: Oregon
Year: Junior
Career stats: 2891 rush yds 5.6 ypc 27 rush TD 49 rec 334 rec yds 4 rec TD
Ht: 5-11
Wt: 230
40: N/A
Bench: N/A
Expected draft position: RB 2-4 (1st round)
YouTube Linkage

Strengths: Extremely powerful lower body. Compact strength and shiftiness makes his a difficult tackle target. Has enough speed to kick into another gear to breakaway, a huge plus for a big runner.

Concerns: Nagging injuries to his ankle and neck have hampered him in his college career in his freshman and sophomore year.
Comments: Stewart is the prototypical NFL big back. He pounds the ball up the middle, driving with his legs and always pushing hard for extra yardage. He also brings decent speed that few big backs seem to have. His quickness, agility and ever-churning legs make him difficult to tackle. Stewart will be a great fit to a smashmouth running style type of NFL team.

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