Running Back Prospects
The potential class of 2012 is pretty top heavy when it comes to the running back position. Trent Richardson, Lamar Miller, and David Wilson are seen as solid first round prospects but after there is not a ton to be excited about.
Trent Richardson, Alabama – Richardson entered the fall as the top rushing prospect for the ’12 draft and he has not disappointed. He is a Heisman finalist and many have always seen him as a better pro prospect than former teammate Mark Ingram. He is built similarly to Ingram only he has an extra gear that Ingram does not possess.
Potential Destinations – His ultimate landing place will depend largely on which teams near the top of the draft decide not go after a QB. Even though Steven Jackson has stayed relatively healthy this year the Rams could grab Richardson as his potential successor. Jackson is still a good player but his career peaked a couple of years ago and he will turn 29 this summer which is typically the beginning of the end for most NFL backs. The Browns are a possibility as well, provided they decide to give Colt McCoy another year and not go after one of the QBs in the draft. The Dolphins could have an interest as Reggie Bush really is not an every down back and he would compliment Richardson fairly well, but the Dolphins also have a need for a franchise QB. I hesitate to put the Redskins down here as Mike Shanahan typically likes to wait until the middle rounds to pick up RBs and they have a bigger need at QB as well. It is hard to imagine him being there, but it seems unlikely the Jets or Giants would let him slip by. LaDanian Tomlinson’s time in NY appears to be drawing to an end and Shonn Greene has yet to really establish himself as the lead dog there. The Giants have been a mess at RB this year with Ahmad Bradshaw struggling to stay healthy and this will likely be Brandon Jacobs’ last season with the Giants.
Lamar Miller, Miami (FL) – Miller caught some attention last season while sharing carries in his first season with the Hurricanes. He has a NFL build and good speed to match. He can catch the ball out of the backfield and has some experience returning kicks. Miller is currently considered by many to be a mid-first round prospect.
Potential Destinations – His landing place will depend on where Richardson lands. It is hard to imagine him going any higher than the Jets or Giants pick right now. Several teams could be in play for him in the mid-to-late first round. The Lions desperately need an every down back. Jahvid Best has elite talent, but he is too injury prone to expect him to handle more than 10 to 15 touches per game and is ultimately better when the Lions can give him the ball out in space. The Broncos could cut their losses with Knowshon Moreno and opt to bring in some fresh legs. Depending on how the Matt Forte situation plays out in Chicago the Bears could be in play for a RB as well. There is increasing speculation that the Bengals could cut ties with Cedric Benson this spring putting them in play as well.
David Wilson, Virginia Tech – Wilson is one of the fastest, most explosive backs in the draft. He has big play speed and shown a knack for big plays catching passes out of the backfield. Has some experience returning kicks. The biggest knock on him is likely going to be his injury history. This year was his first year out of three college seasons where he did not miss time due to injury. He is currently seen as a late first round prospect.
Possible Destinations – Depending on how the Ray Rice situation plays out in Baltimore that could be a potential spot for him. He is too similar a player to Rice for them to have an interest otherwise though. Frank Gore has a long history of injuries and one wonders how many years his surgically repaired knees have left in them. The Niners also do not have a great Plan B if Gore goes down again. James Starks has not had the breakout year in Green Bay everyone thought he would have and the Packers have been looking for a reason to get rid of Ryan Grant for a couple of years now. If he were to drop to the second teams like the Rams and Dolphins could have an interest in the second. He and Miller are virtually interchangeable as far as their draft status so either could go to any of the teams mentioned as being in the market for backs towards the middle to the end of the first round.
Chris Polk, Washington – Polk is a redshirt junior who has already graduated so odds are he will probably turn pro. He has all the tools teams are looking for but has had some injury issues and does not have elite speed, but has enough speed to be successful at the next level. He also catches the ball fairly well out of the backfield.
Possible Destinations: He is currently grading out as a solid second round pick. The Rams could have an interest in Polk as Steven Jackson’s eventual successor. The Redskins could use some stability in the backfield as it has largely been running back-by-committee in D. C. this season. The Browns in Lions will also have an interest if they do not grab a back in the first round. The Giants could be looking at bringing in some fresh legs for their rushing attack this spring as well.
LaMichael James, Oregon – The biggest knock on James, is going to be his size. He is an estimated 5′ 9″/190 lbs. and some wonder whether he will be durable enough to be an every down player in the league. To James’ credit he has shown himself to be a very tough player. He has shown an ability to take passes out of the backfield and turn them into big plays. His draft position will depend largely upon how well he runs during the workouts. It is expected that he will post a time in the low 4.4s, but if he can run a sub 4.4 40 then he could end up as a first round pick. He kind of reminds me a bit of Warrick Dunn.
Possible Destinations – With questions about his size limiting his ability to be an every down back it seems more likely he end up gooing to a team where he can initially be a complimentary back. A reunion with former teammate LaGarrette in Tampa could be in the making. Seattle needs a compliment to Marshawn Lynch and teams like Detroit or Cleveland could have an interest if they do not land one of the higher ranked backs.
