Take Your Pick: Best Running Back Prospects

This is a multiple-part series that encourages readers to participate in the draft discussion. Don’t agree with my top prospects at a respective position? Tell me who should be or shouldn’t be included and why, I want to hear your opinions!

The running back position for the 2011 NFL Draft is not as deep as it has been in years past. While there will most likely be at least one prospect drafted in the first round in late April, there is a not a player at this position that has the physical ability that an Adrian Peterson or LaDainian Tomlinson did when they came into the pros. None the less, there are a couple of good backs that have the capability to be solid starters in the NFL. The 2009 Heisman Trophy winner, Mark Ingram, out of Alabama tops my list for the best three 2010 running back prospects.  Here is a breakdown of Ingram and my No. 2 and No. 3 running prospects. As always in this series, I want to hear your opinions on who you think should or shouldn’t be on this list and why.

1. Mark Ingram, Alabama

As mentioned, Ingram was the most outstanding player in college football for the 2009 season, winning the Heisman Trophy. That season, he amassed 1,658 yards on 271 attempts along with 17 touchdowns. That year Alabama also won the national championship, making Ingram the first running back to win the Heisman and the national championship in the same season since Tony Dorsett did it at Pittsburgh in 1976. Last season, Ingram had a bit of a drop off in numbers with 875 yards rushing on only 158 attempts with 13 touchdowns. This is due in part to a knee injury that kept him out of the first two regular season games.

Ingram is a very physical back at 5’9”, 215 lbs. that runs downhill and welcomes contact. Defenders have no chance of arm tackling him and must attack him low; tackle him up high and he will drag them for extra yardage down the field. He also shows good patience, waiting for holes to develop and accelerating through them when he see the hole open up for him. For as big as he is, he is very successful at making defenders miss him in space. Durability is one of the few concerns with him after that knee injury but has proved that he can stay healthy other than that one instance.

2. Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech

Williams is a versatile back that can be effective rushing the football as well as receiving out of the backfield. He only has two seasons of experience at the college level, putting up solid numbers in his freshman season with 1,655 yards on 293 attempts with 21 touchdowns. Like Ingram coming off his most successful season, Williams also had a drop off in statistics in 2010 due to a hamstring injury that forced him to miss four games in the middle of the season. He finished last season with 477 yards and nine touchdowns on only 110 carries.

Williams is a shorter back (5’9”) but has the weight (212 lbs.) to withstand taking a number of hits in a game. He shows good explosion through the hole and is a very aggressive runner, not shying away from contact. He has the ability to make the first man miss and is dangerous when he gets into the secondary with the ball. Williams can also catch the ball if a team needs him to. He had a total of 26 receptions for 289 yards and two touchdowns receiving over his 2-year career at Virginia Tech. He needs to add more strengths in his legs in order to be more effective in short-yardage situations.

3. Mikel Leshoure, Illinois

The former Illinois running back put up tremendous stats in 2010, rushing for 1,697 yards (Illinois all-time record) on 281 attempts along with 17 touchdowns (Illinois all-time record). He also caught 17 passes for 196 yards and another three touchdowns.  He was named first-team All-Big 10 and AP second-team All-American for that season. He was named the Texas Bowl MVP in 2010 after rushing for 187 yards and three touchdowns against Baylor in a 38-15 win for the Illini.

Leshoure is capable of being an every down back in the NFL. He has good size (6’0”, 227 lbs.) and speed and is capable of getting outside and turning the corner on outside runs. He also has good mobility, making many defenders miss one-on-one in the open field. He isn’t a back to be brought down by arm tackles and shows good form when picking up blitzers when pass blocking.  He does not have the straight line speed to run away from the defense when he gets behind the third level and needs to work on catching the ball with his hands instead of letting it into his body in the receiving game.

This is my list of the top three running back prospects for this year’s draft. While I do not believe many will argue with Ingram being in the top spot, I am sure readers will have a few thoughts and opinions that differ from mine overall. Let your thoughts be heard below in the discussion area and take your pick on who the best running back prospects are heading into the 2011 NFL Draft.