POST-Combine Rookie RB Rankings

[madd futher mucker 36]

I spent the last few nights reviewing the top 20 of the RB class, including taking another long look at Helu, Scott and Mario Fannin. While this ranking is very similar to my pre-combine list (as expected), it is amazing but natural that I get carried away with combine numbers in some cases, and that I do miss things when I review all my pre-combine notes, only to have combine numbers force a review. I guess for me that is the real value of the combine.

That said, here's my new post combine top 20 RBs:

 

Tier 1

Barring injury, these two guys could be studs next year for the right team. From the pre-combine ranking, there were no changes to this tier.

 

1. Mark Ingram Alabama (5‘ 9” 215# 4.62) - Not any holes in his game that I can see. The best surperlative would be just to call him a complete running back.

 

2. Mikel LeShoure Illinois (5’11 1/2’ 227# 4.59) - Amazing combo of power, explosiveness and speed. Soft hands, great in pass protection, ball security and all of the little things that matter.

 

Tier 2

Any of these guys could develop into stud RBs in the NFL. I juggled the pre-combine order, but I have all three ranked very close.

 

3. Ryan Williams Virginia Tech (5‘ 9 ½” 212 # 4.61) - He is a DeAngelo Williams-like runner with excellent vision and patience, but he needs work as a receiver and especially as a pass blocker. Talent? Yes. He’s just not nearly as ‘pro-ready’ as those above him. But he’s young - just give him a year or two.

 

4. DeMarco Murray Oklahoma (5’ 11 ½” 213# 4.41) - I really like this kid - he‘s another potential stud. He has outstanding hands and running skills, and is a willing blocker as well. I think he can be a 3 down back, he just needs to add some more lower body strength.

 

5. Kendall Hunter Oklahoma State (5‘ 7 ¼” 199# 4.53) - His upside is probably Brian Westbrook, his downside is probably Danny Woodhead. I also see a little Ahmad Bradshaw in his running style too. He’s got elite quickness, great hands, and is amazing in pass protection for his size .

 

Tier 3

I believe these RBs could develop into starters at the next level. Despite a fine combine, I moved Helu down based on my total note review. Despite his measurables, I just don't see him in the same tier with these guys.

 

6. Delone Carter Syracuse (5’8 1/2” 222# 4.56) - The first of the “workhorse type’ RBs. Nothing flashy, just a one-cut runner who gives 100% effort on the field. Patience to the hole, burst through it. Think of a younger Marion Barber.

 

7. Dion Lewis Pittsburgh (5’6 1/2” 193# 4.57) - A little back who runs with a big chip on his shoulder, Lewis can bench press over twice his body weight. He has good, but not elite speed, and needs major work on his pass blocking, but he’s been the most productive back in the country in his two years of college, eclipsing LeSean McCoy’s at Pitt numbers by far.

 

8. Daniel Thomas Kansas St (6‘1/4“ 230# 4.6?) - As a runner, he has very good burst and speed and he’s a tackle-breaker - extremely difficult to bring down. He’s also a capable and willing pass blocker with good hands out of the backfield.

 

9. Bilal Powell Louisville (5’11” 207# 4.5?) - Powell is another talent who runs with power and agility and ‘home-run speed in the open field. He’s also got good hands as a receiver. He lacks some patience and he is at this time just a little light, but he has the same upside as the others in this tier.

 

10. Alex Green Hawaii (6’ ¼” 225# 4.53) - Green is a power runner who runs with a very nice pad level, has quick feet with just enough agility, and is a very good receiver out of the backfield.

 

Tier 4

This is a grab bag of ten more RBs that I believe can have an impact in the right situation, but they will need to round out their game. Da'Rel Scott and Mario Fannin made it into my top 20 list. In Scott's case it was based on my note review after the great combine, and Fannin made the list at #20 primarily on measurables.

 

11. Roy Helu Nebraska (6" 216# 4.42) - Helu is the hardest RB for me to rank in this RB class. He could be tier 3 if he runs with more authority in the pros. Maybe it is just his running style or it was the shoulder injury, but he runs soft for his size - he seems to not really want to attack a defender. He will take it up the middle with enough quickness and has the speed to break off some good runs. He‘s a decent pass blocker, but he was in a RBBC and wasn't used enough as a receiver.

 

12. Shane Vereen California (5’10 1/4” 210# 4.50) - Another back who has both the speed and the power but hasn’t put it all together. He just doesn’t break enough tackles for his talent. And he hasn’t been asked to pass block.

 

13. Da’Rel Scott Maryland (5’11” 211# 4.34) Scott has the prototypical speed, strength, balance and low center of gravity required of an NFL RB. Although he usually tries to break everything outside, he is basically a straight line runner, lacking both vision and agility. Despite his size, he struggles in short yardage and has had ball security issues. But after revewing my notes, he did move way up my list from #20 to #13.

 

14. Jordan Todman UConn (5' 9" 203# 4.45) Very productive collegiate runner with great vision, patience and quick feet. But he's definitely not a strong runner between the tackles - he likes to bounce everything outside. Also a poor pass blocker. If he can not add bulk and learn how to run inside effectively, he won't be more than just a situational back or return guy.

 

15. Derrick Locke - Kentucky (5’8 1/4” 188# 4.40) Just a quick, shifty runner who can make that first defender miss or he can catch the ball out of the backfield and he has the speed to take it to the house. I'd say that Darren Sproles is his ceiling.

 

16. Anthony Allen Georgia Tech (6’ ¾” 228# 4.59) - A power runner who lacks vision and quick feet to get you much more than what is there to be gotten. He does, however, have the ability to catch the ball as an outlet receiver out of the backfield.

 

17. Jamie Harper Clemson (5‘ 11 1/4” 233# 4.59) - The measurable are there - speed, size, power. He has decent receiving and pass blocking skill as well. He dances too much, and just hasn’t figured out how to run yet.

 

18. Darren Evans Virginia Tech (6’ 227# 4.58) - He runs well between the tackles with a good pad level. A good pass blocker and North/South runner who could have an early impact. But lack of pass catching ability and a 'second-gear' will limit his upside some.

 

19. Jacquizz Rodgers Oregon St (5‘6“ 196# 4.45 4.64) - Quizz is one of those little guys who could line up in the backfield or catch the ball out of the slot. He’s just a slightly bigger version of Dexter McCluster, but he lacks both McCluster's quickness and his speed.

 

20. Mario Fannin Auburn (5'10 1/2" 231# 4.38) Great measurables, but very little college productivity. Fannin is a powerful runner who has nifty feet and balance for his size, but is not instinctive. As a receiver, he is a good route runner with soft hands and he's a willing blocker. He put the ball on the ground far too often and he was been nicked up quit a bit in college.

 

Chime in with comments.

[Queso Viejo 0]

Thanks for this ranking, it was a great read.

 

I've watched a lot of Big 12 (now Big 10?) football and Demarco Murray is a bit of an enigma. I think he has the chance to be a better pro than collegian because the spread offense that OU ran didn't seem to fit what he did as a runner and that O-line wasn't very good. When Peterson was there, he was a centerpiece of that offense. This past year Murray was an afterthought. There were several games when I didn't think that Murray was very good, but upon reflection I realize he actually made more of his opportunities then what was there for him to work with. A good quality for a professional RB. Probably not as bullish as you are, but he's defnitely worth a late 1st round dynasty pick.

 

I'm a big fan of Bilal Powell. Not sure what it is, but something about him jumps out.

 

How do you compare Fannin with another Auburn alum, Ben Tate?

[madd futher mucker 36]

Thanks for this ranking, it was a great read.

 

I've watched a lot of Big 12 (now Big 10?) football and Demarco Murray is a bit of an enigma. I think he has the chance to be a better pro than collegian because the spread offense that OU ran didn't seem to fit what he did as a runner and that O-line wasn't very good. When Peterson was there, he was a centerpiece of that offense. This past year Murray was an afterthought. There were several games when I didn't think that Murray was very good, but upon reflection I realize he actually made more of his opportunities then what was there for him to work with. A good quality for a professional RB. Probably not as bullish as you are, but he's defnitely worth a late 1st round dynasty pick.

 

I'm a big fan of Bilal Powell. Not sure what it is, but something about him jumps out.

 

How do you compare Fannin with another Auburn alum, Ben Tate?

 

DeMarco Murray - This last year, I became more and more impressed with Murray from a maturity standpoint as a runner. He did everything better and as you say, without a lot of opportunity. But when Oklahoma really needed a play, they often went to him. As his college career progressed, he got bigger, ran inside more and ran tougher. He also showed patience, which very few college runners have. He is a willing blocker. He has good hands out of the backfield, and can be used as a return guy. So he is a much more complete back than he was earlier in his college career. He has refined his talent, and I expect him to get even better.

 

Bilol Powell - I agree, and I have ranked him higher than most. He had an outstanding Senior Bowl.

 

Fannin v Ben Tate: What they have in common: They are both work-out warriors that got elevated by the combine. I remember that Tate's lack of running instincts and vision left me cold in college, so I never got carried away with him, but I did think that Houston's one cut zone blocking scheme suited his talents - then he got hurt! Tate did have very good productivity at Auburn.

 

On the other hand, Fannin is an interesting guy. Fannin had almost no college productivity. And IMO, Fannin is even less an instinctive runner than Tate was. He was nicked up a lot with seemingly minor injuries.

 

But Fannin is not without some talent. I see Fannin as perhaps a guy who could be better in the NFL than in college (and he'd almost have to be). I see a role for him as a 3rd down/goal line or short yardage back. I think he could develop into a very good blocker, and the guy has soft hands and actually can run some routes rather than just catch outlet passes and curls out of the backfield. He's big, and can run straight ahead well enough to push the pile at the goal line. I just don't see him ever having the natural instincts or talent to be a three down back, except in emergencies.

[Smileseers 54]

Nice work!

 

I like Taiwan Jones and was curious why he did not make your top 20?

[madd futher mucker 36]

Good question! Frankly I didn't do a very good job with Taiwan Jones. Right now he's just outside the top 20 and probably should have made the list. He's among 3 RBs that I think I have too low and am going to review again, hopefully before the draft. The others are Shane Vereen and Jordan Todman.

 

Prospects that declare for the draft before their senior year are very tough to do. They haven't had as many reps and are still developing their game, they often bulk up rapidly (Todman went from a scrawny 189# to 203# in one year on his 5'9" frame - big difference in his pro potential right there). It is just harder to gauge if they are capable of taking their game to the next level. Another significant factor is that since they are not invited to the all-star games, you can't get comparatives with their peers in practices and drills. This is especially important in gauging a RB's blocking abilities. You almost never see them block in a YouTube video.

[remote controller 133]

Excellant work! This is as good as anything out right now!

[420allstars 13]

Excellant work! This is as good as anything out right now!

 

 

I'LL 2ND THAT !! Great work !!