Consensus seems to be more elusive than the players themselves as scouts have diverse opinions on the potential in the group of running backs eligible for this year's NFL Draft.
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| Knowshon Moreno's 40-yard dash times have raised questions. (Getty Images) |
An interesting list of running backs should contribute three players to the first round, and as many as seven by the end of the second. The top four running backs rated by NFLDraftScout.com are underclassmen.
That list is topped by Georgia's Knowshon Moreno and Ohio State's Chris "Beanie" Wells, both of whom have spent a lot of time since the end of the season trying to get stop watches to confirm the speed scouts saw on film.
They are followed by Connecticut's Donald Brown, who ran so effortlessly in games that he didn't appear fast, then he smoked through 40 yards at the combine in 4.48 seconds.
Following a trend, talented fullbacks are again few and far between and none are expected to be drafted in the first day. Here is a closer look at the top running backs and fullbacks in this year's draft (players' heights and weights are listed; *denotes underclassmen):
Running backs
1. *Knowshon Moreno, Georgia, 5-11, 217Many scouts think Moreno could be an instant difference-maker in the NFL because he parlays power and elusiveness to consistently move the ball, sometimes in large chunks. His quick, jump-cut moves are sometimes reminiscent of Barry Sanders or LaDainian Tomlinson, but his lack of elite speed will probably keep him out of top 10.
His best 40-yard dash time at the combine was only 4.58 seconds, and during his pro day he was ran even slower (4.60) because he was ill, thereby offsetting whatever improvement he had hoped to gain by working out hard at the Michael Johnson Performance Training Center. He also weighed 210 pounds at his pro day, seven lighter than at the combine, and looked very good as a receiver in positional drills.
But interest remains high as evidenced by the San Diego Chargers (who own the 16th overall pick) making arrangements for a personal workout. In 26 games at Georgia, Moreno started 19 times, rushing for 2,734 yards with 30 touchdowns on 498 carries (5.49 avg.). He caught 53 passes for 645 yards (12.2 avg.) and two scores, adding 30 yards on a pair of punt returns, as he gained 3,409 all-purpose yards, an average of 131.12 yards per game.
2. *Chris Wells, Ohio State, 6-1, 235
"Beanie" is a consistently impressive, north-south runner who attacks the line and explodes through the hole. If he can't use speed to get past a defender he has the strength to run through him and is known to use a devastating stiff-arm when necessary. He shows excellent vision and has the lateral agility to maximize that vision.
Wells' best 40-yard time at the combine was only 4.53 seconds, but he was clocked between 4.39 and 4.42 seconds on a fast track at his pro day.
He said he entered the draft as an underclassman because he needs the money for his family, which includes 10 siblings. Most scouts say Wells would have benefited from more college experience to improve his blocking and receiving. There are also concerns about a long list of injuries, including a concussion in his final game, the Fiesta Bowl. In three injury-filled seasons, Wells carried 585 times for 3,496 yards and 30 touchdowns. He added 15 catches for 84 yards.
3. *Donald Brown, Connecticut, 5-10, 210
He doesn't seem exceptionally fast or strong, but that may be deceptive because he is very efficient and always in control. Brown has a quick short-area burst and does a nice job of shifting his weight and staying low and maneuverable.
While it's difficult to find a really impressive strength, it is also difficult to find a glaring weakness. Brown impressed at the combine with a best 40-yard time of 4.48 seconds and a vertical jump of 41.5 inches. He is a shifty runner who attacks a seam before it opens and seems deceptively fast in the second level.
His early entry into the draft comes after leading the nation with 2,083 rushing yards and scoring 18 touchdowns as a junior, including a huge 261-yard effort as the 2009 International Bowl MVP. Brown started 23 of 37 games at Connecticut, carrying 698 times for 3,800 yards (5.44 avg.) and 33 touchdowns, adding 276 yards and two scores on 48 receptions (5.75 avg.), 210 yards on nine kickoff returns (23.3 avg.) and 4,286 all-purpose yards while scoring 210 points.
4. *LeSean McCoy, Pittsburgh, 5-11, 204
McCoy is an elusive runner with lateral moves that are entertaining for fans and frustrating for defenders. As a receiver he runs great routes and has soft, sure hands. He will need to be strong enough to break initial tackles to be effective in the NFL.
Scouts also are concerned that his workouts showed a lack of quickness, speed and explosion. After failing to work out at the combine because of the flu, his pro day was a disaster that included a 40-yard time of only 4.50 and, worse, a vertical jump of only 29 inches.
On the field, he made the most of two seasons with Pitt. He rushed for 2,816 yards and 35 touchdowns and caught 65 passes for another 549 yards and one score. For a dramatic comparison, note that former Heisman Trophy winner and Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Dorsett rushed for 2,690 yards in his first two years at Pitt. McCoy's combined touchdown total of 36 topped the previous NCAA record for freshmen and sophomores of 32 by Pittsburgh's Larry Fitzgerald (2002-03). His 35 rushing touchdowns as a freshman/sophomore surpassed the school mark of 24 set by Dorsett (1973-74) and his rushing yards topped Dorsett's total of 2,690 yards.
5. Andre Brown, North Carolina State, 6-0, 224
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| Andre Brown: Great tools but physical questions. (Getty Images) |
He was one of the most impressive runners in practice before the Senior Bowl. Then he put on a great show with his combine workouts as he blazed through 40 yards in 4.37 seconds, added a 37-inch vertical jump and benched 225 pounds 24 times.
He would probably be rated higher if he was durable, but two surgeries on his left foot to repair fractures are a major concern (2007 and spring 2008). In 44 games, Brown carried 523 times for 2,539 yards (4.85 avg.) and 22 touchdowns, caught 70 passes for 631 yards (9.01 avg.) and two scores and added 341 yards on 17 kickoff returns (20.05 avg.). He might be a steal in the second round if his foot can hold together in the pros.
6. *Shonn Greene, Iowa, 5-11, 227
Greene is a strong runner who follows blockers well, but has a series of issues to consider, including lack of great speed, poor pass blocking ability and questionable hands as a receiver.
He is a tough hombre to get your arms around as a defender and your head around as a scout. He was a backup in 2005 and '06, totaling only 388 yards rushing. He then spent '07 at Kirkwood Community College to regain academic eligibility. Once back at Iowa last year, Greene shocked everybody when he finished second in the country with 1,850 yards rushing and collected 20 touchdowns.
So, after that circuitous college career another statistic of interest is age -- he will be 24 in August.
Although he had a decent 37-inch vertical jump at the combine, his 40-yard time was only 4.62 seconds. At his pro day, Green improved his vertical jump to 39 inches and lowered his 40-yard clocking to 4.50 seconds. In 33 games at Iowa, Greene started 13 contests; he carried 376 times for 2,228 yards (5.93 avg.) and 22 touchdowns, adding 72 yards on 11 receptions (6.55 avg.), 114 yards on six kickoff returns (19.0 avg.)
7. Rashad Jennings, Liberty, 6-1, 231
At the Senior Bowl practices Jennings commanded the attention of scouts with some stunning plays, showing startling bursts of speed on short catches. Based on his performance there against top talent from big schools, it seems apparent he might have starred anywhere. He did begin his career at Pittsburgh, but after the 2005 season he transferred to Liberty to be closer to his father, who battles diabetes.
After Jennings' Senior Bowl show, teams played closer attention to his combine workouts, which including some interesting results: He has big, strong hands that measured 10 3/8 inches, and he benched 225 pounds 29 times. He ran the 40 in 4.58 seconds and had a vertical jump of 34 inches.
Last year Jennings ran 263 times for 1,526 yards and 17 touchdowns, adding 190 yards and two scores on 24 catches, but was still a sleeper until he woke people up at those Senior Bowl practices.
8. Javon Ringer, Michigan State, 5-9, 205
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| Javon Ringer rushed for 1,743 yards and 22 touchdowns in 2008. (US Presswire) |
In January, Ringer had surgery to repair his right knee and was unable to take part in the Senior Bowl, but fulfilled his promise to work out at the combine, where he had a 40-yard time of 4.58 seconds, decent under the circumstances. He improved that time to 4.42 at his pro day workout.
In 45 college games, Ringer started 31 times, carrying the ball 843 times for 4,398 yards and 34 touchdowns. He added 719 yards on 96 receptions and one touchdown and returned 15 kickoffs for 309 yards. In all, he generated 5,426 all-purpose yards, an average of 120.58 yards per game.
9. Cedric Peerman, Virginia, 5-10, 216
Peerman, a well-built athlete for his size, is a shifty runner with good hands as a receiver and speed that impresses the stopwatches. However, the package doesn't equal the sum of its parts and neither do the results. Most noticeable red flag is a hitch coming out of his stance that prevents him from getting an explosive start into the hole.
But when he does get rolling, Peerman shows excellent balance and decent lateral agility -- but no real explosiveness or change of gears with his moves. At the combine he had a dazzling 40-yard time of 4.34 seconds, but that speed isn't apparent in game films, which show only four runs of 20-plus yards last year.
He started 18 of his 41 games at Virginia, gaining 3,349 all-purpose yards. He totaled only 1,749 yards rushing on 382 career carries and that isn't enough production for a back who expects to start in the NFL. But some team will be enamored with his clock speed and explosion that was evident in a 40-inch vertical and he should get a chance to be more productive as a pro.
10. Kory Sheets, Purdue, 5-11, 208
Sheets is a lanky, slinky runner who is quick to the hole, patient and agile through traffic and has an extra gear to outrun a lot of defenders. He is not an effective blocker and lacks leg strength to pound into the line for a couple of tough yards.
He didn't miss a game in four years due to injury and could be helpful immediately as a kick returner, where his vision and explosive speed were evident on his 61-yard return at the Senior Bowl.
At the combine his best 40-yard time was 4.39 seconds and he added a 37-inch vertical jump. NFL teams have noted that Sheets complained to the media about his role in the Purdue offense and the performance of some teammates. Sheets started 36 of 50 games at Purdue, ranking second on the school career record list with 3,341 yards rushing, topped by Mike Alstott (3,635, 1992-95). They are joined by Otis Armstrong (3,315, 1970-72) as the only players in Purdue history to rush for more than 3,000 yards in a career.
11. *Glen Coffee, Alabama, 6-0, 209
Coffee might have benefited from another season in college. He is probably more aggressive than he will want to be at the next level, where the competition won't be intimidated by his penchant for taking on defenders rather than avoiding them.
A weight-room warrior, Coffee has a well-built upper body but has thin hips and it is obvious that he is not especially powerful at his core. He has good quickness but only average speed, as evidenced by a best 40-yard time of 4.52 at the combine.
Coffee had some personal and maturity issues and was suspended for four games in 2007 as part of a textbook scandal. Since then he has become a faith-driven, active community leader. Coffee started 17 of 35 games and gained 2,107 yards with 14 touchdowns on 410 carries. He caught 42 passes for 351 yards and two scores
Fullbacks
1. Tony Fiammetta, Syracuse, 6-0, 245
He is an excellent lead blocker and pass protector who has good quickness for a fullback but plays too upright to be a reliable short-yardage runner.
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| Tony Fiammetta is a high-effort player with limited upside in the NFL. (US Presswire) |
Fiammetta started 18 of his 45 college games. He carried only 16 times in his career for 89 yards, adding 28 catches for 202 yards. He is a high-effort player with limited upside in the NFL.
2. Quinn Johnson, LSU, 6-1, 246
A former linebacker who likes to hit, Johnson was able to enjoy himself as a lead blocker when he was moved to fullback in 2006. Although he appears to play strong, that didn't translate to workout numbers at the combine when he totaled only 16 reps with 225 pounds on the bench, a number some cornerbacks surpassed.
As a runner he has a little burst, but not enough to get him outside and certainly not enough to make him a threat on outlet passes even if he caught the ball in the open. This liability was also evident at the combine, where his best time in 40 yards was 4.82 seconds. He did have a decent vertical jump of 32 inches, which could translate into decent explosion on the field.
He started 14 of his 40 college games and carried only 16 times for 34 yards and two touchdowns. As expected, his best statistics were as a blocker -- where he hit like the frustrated linebacker he is and coaches credited him with 15 touchdown-resulting blocks.
