Is it smart to draft a running back in the first round?

Is this man worth a first round pick???

I have put a lot of thought into this topic, and I have reached a conclusion; it makes perfect sense to draft running backs in the first round of the NFL draft. People will say that running backs are interchangeable; it’s only the O-line that matters. But I want those people to all consider this:

Look at Steven Jackson. He is one of the best athletes ever to play the game. At 6’2 and 230lbs, he ran a 4.45 40 at the NFL combine. That ratio of size to speed is unbelievable. A player that is over 230lbs and runs a 4.45 40 comes around once every 4 years or so. And, if running backs are interchangeable, what sense does it make to use Steven Jackson at running back!? Why not use him at linebacker? Why does it make any sense at all to use such an amazing athlete at a position where all players are interchangeable? Why not put him at position where players aren’t interchangeable, like linebacker? Imagine how dominant he would be at linebacker. But he is used at running back. And it’s not like he is the only one. All of the best athletes in the game are used at running back or wide receiver. Lendale White, Jonathan Stewart, Rashard Mendenhall, Kevin Jones, Michael Turner, T.J. Duckett, Ladanian Tomlinson, Deuce McAllister, Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams, and Brandon Jacobs were all running backs that were over 230lbs and ran a sub 4.5 40. And, if all of these guys were interchangeable, then they shouldn’t be playing running back. But they aren’t. Because they aren’t interchangeable.

Ultimately, either every coach in the country makes an idiotic decision by putting these amazing athletes at running back, or running backs aren’t interchangeable. And, even if they were interchangeable, they are worth drafting in the first round solely because of the amazing talent you’ll get when drafting a running back.

Bartolis thoughts:

I wrote about this awhile ago, and I think it does make sense to draft a running back in the first round because despite the fact that you can find Gem running backs in later rounds (Arian Foster comes immediately to my mind), many of the top running backs in the league are from the first two rounds.

I believe 7 out of the 10 RB who were first in yards this season were drafted in the first two rounds with the only exceptions being Foster (undrafted) Bradshaw (7th), and Michael Turner (4th)…scratch that Charles was also after the 2nd round (early 3rd round).

But the point is, running backs drafted early can have true impacts.

Now what I do believe in is that Running backs should be drafted by teams that have their team essentially set up for success. I was a big proponet of C.J. Spiller last year, to my favorite team, the NY Giants if he made it to 15th overall, but who ended up drafting him? The Buffalo Bills.

And that was not a great choice by the Bills. They have no franchise QB, they have a suspect offensive line, they really need a pass rusher, and help on defense. They could use another really good WR and a tight end.  Yet, they chose C.J. Spiller a speed running back who needs room to operate on a team that can’t give him the room he needs. That’s a bad move…but if the Giants with a pretty good OL and a big need at KR and a RB who can catch the ball out of the backfield had drafted him he might have had a successful season.

There are many good RB who come out of the first round, and arguably the two best RB come out of the first round (Peterson and Chris Johnson), so drafting a RB  in the first round CAN Be a good idea, but I think it has to be more a final piece of the puzzle rather than a foundation.

Thoughts?