cowboyjoe
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http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2011-04-17-sw-running-backs_N.htm
Running backs
1. *Mark Ingram, Alabama, 5-9, 215, 1: He has been dogged by questions about his speed since he was rated a three-star recruit by Scout.com despite rushing for 2,546 yards and 38 touchdowns in his final two years at Southwestern Academy in Flint, Mich. An All-State track star, Ingram was best known for being the son of former New York Giants wide receiver and Super Bowl XXV hero Mark Ingram. The younger Ingram began to emerge from his father's shadow by displaying his bruising running style in amassing 728 yards and 12 touchdowns on 143 carries as a true freshman for the Crimson Tide. That was a prelude to his historic sophomore campaign, when Ingram rushed for a single-season school record 1,658 yards en route to becoming the first Heisman Trophy winner in Alabama's storied history. Ingram also became the first running back to win the Heisman and a national title in the same year since Tony Dorsett (Pittsburgh) in 1976. Ingram's junior season was slowed by a knee injury that kept him out of the first two games, and the emergence of Trent Richardson in Alabama's backfield meant Ingram didn't get all the touches when he was healthy. But he rushed for 875 yards and 13 touchdowns, leaving as Alabama's career leader with 42 career rushing touchdowns. He was aided by a sterling offensive line and lacks eye-popping athleticism, but Ingram possesses rare vision, balance and burst reminiscent of NFL all-time rushing leader Emmitt Smith.
2. *Mikel Leshoure, Illinois, 6-0, 227, 1-2: The Champaign, Ill., native chose to stay home and play for the Illini. Part of the draw for Leshoure seemed to be the opportunity to play immediately. He got his feet wet with 126 yards on 35 carries as a true freshman before starting to assert his presence in the backfield with 911 combined yards and seven touchdowns as a sophomore. But a fight with a teammate in 2008 left Leshoure with a broken jaw, and he was suspended for violating team rules early in 2009. It wasn't until last season that he began to show maturity on and off the field, displaying a tantalizing combination of power, vision and burst in setting the single-season school record with 1,697 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns. Leshoure helped lead the Illini to their first bowl victory in 12 years, and he was named the Texas Bowl MVP with 187 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He might not win a lot of foot races among the NFL's speedier tailbacks, but Leshoure is a powerful man who runs compactly between the tackles and has the vision and quick feet of a smaller back, enabling him to effectively bounce outside.
3. *Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech, 5-9, 212, 2: He seemed predestined for Virginia Tech while playing for former Hokie Loren Johnson at Stonewall Jackson High School in Manassas, Va. After redshirting in 2008, Williams took advantage of a season-ending knee injury to Darren Evans in 2009 to average 5.6 yards a carry while rushing for 1,655 yards and 21 touchdowns. He capped the effort with 117 yards and a pair of touchdowns, good for MVP honors in the Hokies' Chick-fil-A bowl victory vs. Tennessee. But he was unable to build upon that breakout season. Williams was slowed by a nagging hamstring injury to start last season and managed 477 yards and nine touchdowns as Evans was again part of the backfield mix. Williams has the vision, acceleration and power — despite a lack of great bulk — to be a featured back in the NFL. But he left school with two years of eligibility remaining and is a bit of a gamble with one standout season under his belt.
Running backs
1. *Mark Ingram, Alabama, 5-9, 215, 1: He has been dogged by questions about his speed since he was rated a three-star recruit by Scout.com despite rushing for 2,546 yards and 38 touchdowns in his final two years at Southwestern Academy in Flint, Mich. An All-State track star, Ingram was best known for being the son of former New York Giants wide receiver and Super Bowl XXV hero Mark Ingram. The younger Ingram began to emerge from his father's shadow by displaying his bruising running style in amassing 728 yards and 12 touchdowns on 143 carries as a true freshman for the Crimson Tide. That was a prelude to his historic sophomore campaign, when Ingram rushed for a single-season school record 1,658 yards en route to becoming the first Heisman Trophy winner in Alabama's storied history. Ingram also became the first running back to win the Heisman and a national title in the same year since Tony Dorsett (Pittsburgh) in 1976. Ingram's junior season was slowed by a knee injury that kept him out of the first two games, and the emergence of Trent Richardson in Alabama's backfield meant Ingram didn't get all the touches when he was healthy. But he rushed for 875 yards and 13 touchdowns, leaving as Alabama's career leader with 42 career rushing touchdowns. He was aided by a sterling offensive line and lacks eye-popping athleticism, but Ingram possesses rare vision, balance and burst reminiscent of NFL all-time rushing leader Emmitt Smith.
2. *Mikel Leshoure, Illinois, 6-0, 227, 1-2: The Champaign, Ill., native chose to stay home and play for the Illini. Part of the draw for Leshoure seemed to be the opportunity to play immediately. He got his feet wet with 126 yards on 35 carries as a true freshman before starting to assert his presence in the backfield with 911 combined yards and seven touchdowns as a sophomore. But a fight with a teammate in 2008 left Leshoure with a broken jaw, and he was suspended for violating team rules early in 2009. It wasn't until last season that he began to show maturity on and off the field, displaying a tantalizing combination of power, vision and burst in setting the single-season school record with 1,697 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns. Leshoure helped lead the Illini to their first bowl victory in 12 years, and he was named the Texas Bowl MVP with 187 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He might not win a lot of foot races among the NFL's speedier tailbacks, but Leshoure is a powerful man who runs compactly between the tackles and has the vision and quick feet of a smaller back, enabling him to effectively bounce outside.
3. *Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech, 5-9, 212, 2: He seemed predestined for Virginia Tech while playing for former Hokie Loren Johnson at Stonewall Jackson High School in Manassas, Va. After redshirting in 2008, Williams took advantage of a season-ending knee injury to Darren Evans in 2009 to average 5.6 yards a carry while rushing for 1,655 yards and 21 touchdowns. He capped the effort with 117 yards and a pair of touchdowns, good for MVP honors in the Hokies' Chick-fil-A bowl victory vs. Tennessee. But he was unable to build upon that breakout season. Williams was slowed by a nagging hamstring injury to start last season and managed 477 yards and nine touchdowns as Evans was again part of the backfield mix. Williams has the vision, acceleration and power — despite a lack of great bulk — to be a featured back in the NFL. But he left school with two years of eligibility remaining and is a bit of a gamble with one standout season under his belt.
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