- Trent Richardson • 5-9• 228 • Alabama
Richardson is the top Running Back in this NFL Draft class by far. He is a top 10 talent due to his size and ability to stay on the field for all 3 downs. He should be selected in the top 10 but may fall to devaluation of the Running Back Position in recent years: Top 20
2. Doug Martin • 5-9 • 223 • Boise State
Martin is a very good running back. He may not have the top end speed that Lamar Miller and David Wilson have but he is a more complete back. He has the size to run between the tackles and he has the hands to stay in on 3rd down. All in all I think he is the only other 3 down back in this NFL draft class: Late 1st– Early 2nd
3.Lamar Miller • 5-11 • 212 • University of Miami
Unlike my top 2 backs Miller is not as much of a 3 down back. He has the size to do so but he is not a great receiver and he really needs to work on his blocking. With that being said he is very fast and has a 2nd gear to burn defenders: Late 1st –Early 2nd
4. David Wilson • 5-10 • 206 • Virginia Tech
A lot of people have David Wilson and Lamar Miller as almost interchangeable backs. The reason for this is that they are similar backs. Wilson also is a fast RB who can burn the defenders at the next level. However, he also needs to work on blocking to be an every down back: Late 1st –Early 2nd
5. Chris Polk • 5-11 • 215• Washington
Polk is pretty good at everything he does. He on the other hand is not great and doing any particular thing. He has good speed and vision but not great speed as he tends to get caught from behind at times. Altogether he is a good RB and should play right away in a rotational system: 2nd Round
6. Isaiah Pead • 5-10• 197 • Cincinnati
Pead was a big play threat at the college level. He lined up both in the back field as well as in the slot showing he has good hands. Additionally he is a pretty good blocker which should help right away at the next level. At times he tries to make go horizontal rather than vertical which could hurt him at the next level: 2nd Round
7. LaMichael James • 5-8 • 194 • Oregon
James is going to be a game changer at the next level much like he was in college. He has top end speed and is very shifty. He has the lateral agility to line up both in the back field as well as in the slot. All in all he is a 2nd round talent because of his versatility which is Sproles like: Late 2nd Round – Early 3rd Round
8. Robert Turbin • 5-9 • 222 • Utah State
At 5’9” and 222lbs Turbin is one of the thicker Rb’s in this 2012 NFL Draft. He flashes big time ability but can struggle as well. He runs very upright and at times goes down with first contact. If he works in a rotation early he could find his niche and carry the load later on: 3rd Round
9. Bernard Pierce • 6-0 • 218 • Temple
Pierce is a good running back in space with big holes. That said he lacks the top end speed that a lot of backs have in this draft. Also in running up the middle if he doesn’t have a distinct hole he will make bad decisions at times. Has the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield but has only shown flashes of it. 3rd Round
10. Chris Rainey • 5-8 • 180 • Florida
Rainey is a burner in all definitions of the word. Like James he has the ability to line up in the backfield as well as in the slot. At the next level they are going to have to decide where he best fits. 3rd Round
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