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http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draf...don-todd-gurley-go-first-round-2015-nfl-draft
The 2015 running back class could be the deepest we've seen at the position in the past 10 years. However, overall the group did not run well during Saturday's workouts at the NFL combine. Only three backs clocked sub-4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash, compared to 10 from last season. To be fair, two of the top prospects in the class -- Georgia's Todd Gurley and Indiana's Tevin Coleman -- weren't able to work out due to injury, so that took some of the star power off the field.
Is this the year that we again see a running back drafted in the first round? And which guys could emerge as good midround values? Let's take a look.
Will Gordon and/or Gurley go in the first round?
The top-ranked running back on our board, Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon, turned in solid but not great results. The 6-foot-1, 215-pound back had a 40-yard dash time of 4.52; a broad jump of 10 feet, 6 inches; and a vertical jump of 35 inches. All were either average or above-average. Gordon showed well in terms of agility. While his 7.04 three-cone drill time was adequate, his 4.07 in the short shuttle was well above-average and the second quickest of the entire group. Gordon also displayed good body control and smooth feet through bag and cone drills.
Gordon and Gurley are in the mix to end a two-year drought of not having a running back selected in the first round. However, both come with question marks. Gordon has adequate vision, underrated lateral agility and an explosive short-area burst, but he has just average versatility in the passing game. He caught the ball well during Saturday's drills, but he also appeared to lack ideal body control in adjusting to throws, and he doesn't look to have natural hand-eye coordination bringing the ball in. Teams considering drafting him will have to feel comfortable that he can improve in this area.
The concerns with Gurley have to do with his durability, most recently the torn ACL he suffered in November. He has a bruising, upright running style, which could leave him vulnerable to further punishment, and the information that comes out regarding his knee will play a role in where he is ultimately selected. But based on his tape, he is one of the premier talents in this entire class. At 6-1 and 222 pounds, he has an excellent combination of size, speed and power, and he has rare versatility for a bigger back.
The good news for Gordon and Gurley is that there are multiple teams selecting in the late first round -- including the Ravens (No. 26), Cowboys (27), Colts (29) and Seahawks (31) -- who could potentially be in the market for a running back. Each back has a chance to be drafted in the first round.
Two sleeper prospects emerge in Indy
Nebraska's Ameer Abdullah (5-9, 205) is one of the more elusive and versatile backs in this class. While he had an average 40-yard dash time of 4.60, he turned in outstanding results in the jumps and agility tests, which speaks to his elusiveness and short-area quickness to create yards on his own. He was tops among all running backs in the vertical jump (42.5 inches), broad jump (10 feet, 10 inches), short shuttle (3.95) and three-cone drill (6.79). Abdullah comes with some durability and ball-security issues, but he should land in somewhere in the Day 2 range.
Northern Iowa's David Johnson (6-1, 224) turned in 25 reps on the bench test, a 4.50 40-yard dash, a 41.5-inch vertical jump and a 10-foot-7-inch broad jump -- all of which point to his explosiveness and power for a runner. In addition, his 6.82-second three-cone drill was above-average and one of the more important tests for a bigger back. Johnson also displays very good versatility on tape and continued to catch the ball well during the drill work portion of the workout. He is a great example of a small-school prospect who has taken full advantage of the postseason process by creating a buzz within scouting circles. He could be drafted in the Day 2 range before it's all said and done.
The 2015 running back class could be the deepest we've seen at the position in the past 10 years. However, overall the group did not run well during Saturday's workouts at the NFL combine. Only three backs clocked sub-4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash, compared to 10 from last season. To be fair, two of the top prospects in the class -- Georgia's Todd Gurley and Indiana's Tevin Coleman -- weren't able to work out due to injury, so that took some of the star power off the field.
Is this the year that we again see a running back drafted in the first round? And which guys could emerge as good midround values? Let's take a look.
Will Gordon and/or Gurley go in the first round?
The top-ranked running back on our board, Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon, turned in solid but not great results. The 6-foot-1, 215-pound back had a 40-yard dash time of 4.52; a broad jump of 10 feet, 6 inches; and a vertical jump of 35 inches. All were either average or above-average. Gordon showed well in terms of agility. While his 7.04 three-cone drill time was adequate, his 4.07 in the short shuttle was well above-average and the second quickest of the entire group. Gordon also displayed good body control and smooth feet through bag and cone drills.
Gordon and Gurley are in the mix to end a two-year drought of not having a running back selected in the first round. However, both come with question marks. Gordon has adequate vision, underrated lateral agility and an explosive short-area burst, but he has just average versatility in the passing game. He caught the ball well during Saturday's drills, but he also appeared to lack ideal body control in adjusting to throws, and he doesn't look to have natural hand-eye coordination bringing the ball in. Teams considering drafting him will have to feel comfortable that he can improve in this area.
The concerns with Gurley have to do with his durability, most recently the torn ACL he suffered in November. He has a bruising, upright running style, which could leave him vulnerable to further punishment, and the information that comes out regarding his knee will play a role in where he is ultimately selected. But based on his tape, he is one of the premier talents in this entire class. At 6-1 and 222 pounds, he has an excellent combination of size, speed and power, and he has rare versatility for a bigger back.
The good news for Gordon and Gurley is that there are multiple teams selecting in the late first round -- including the Ravens (No. 26), Cowboys (27), Colts (29) and Seahawks (31) -- who could potentially be in the market for a running back. Each back has a chance to be drafted in the first round.
Two sleeper prospects emerge in Indy
Nebraska's Ameer Abdullah (5-9, 205) is one of the more elusive and versatile backs in this class. While he had an average 40-yard dash time of 4.60, he turned in outstanding results in the jumps and agility tests, which speaks to his elusiveness and short-area quickness to create yards on his own. He was tops among all running backs in the vertical jump (42.5 inches), broad jump (10 feet, 10 inches), short shuttle (3.95) and three-cone drill (6.79). Abdullah comes with some durability and ball-security issues, but he should land in somewhere in the Day 2 range.
Northern Iowa's David Johnson (6-1, 224) turned in 25 reps on the bench test, a 4.50 40-yard dash, a 41.5-inch vertical jump and a 10-foot-7-inch broad jump -- all of which point to his explosiveness and power for a runner. In addition, his 6.82-second three-cone drill was above-average and one of the more important tests for a bigger back. Johnson also displays very good versatility on tape and continued to catch the ball well during the drill work portion of the workout. He is a great example of a small-school prospect who has taken full advantage of the postseason process by creating a buzz within scouting circles. He could be drafted in the Day 2 range before it's all said and done.
