More Information than you need about the 2012 NFL Draft: Runningbacks’ Edition

Numbers marked with an (*) are non-NFL Combine numbers. Statistics released by NFL.com have been given precedence in all matters, although there seem to be significant discrepancies still. This is an attempt to sort out a few of the numbers

Runningbacks

NAME, School/University: Height, Weight – Arm, Hand Measure;
(Significant Notes).
Forty yard dash [Ten yard split], Three cone drill, Twenty yard shuttle, Sixty yard shuttle; Vertical jump, Broad jump; Bench press at 225 lbs.

Upper Tier

TRENT RICHARDSON, Alabama: 5’10.1* 227*

• (Doak Walker award, All American,All SEC, SEC Offensive Player of the Year, rushed for 20 TDs [as did Tim Tebow and Cam Newton], 700+ yards after contact, one fumble in 614 carries, Parade All American, rushed for 2,000 yards senior year of high school)
• 4.47*…;..; 25 reps*

I really have a difficult time imagining Richardson isn’t going to break down quickly in the NFL.  He may have a Shaun Alexander year or three, but I have a hard time imagining longevity for his career given his running style (although he does the little things well).  Still, he offers rare value in that he can be expected to immediately contribute at a better level than former teammate Mark Ingram.

Perhaps if he finds himself in a tandem situation it’ll be best for his career (I’m picturing Fred Taylor/Maurice Jones-Drew or DeAngelo Williams/Jonathan Stewart).

LAMAR MILLER, Miami: 5’11 212 – 31.4″, 9.3″;

• (1,272 rushing yards is third best season in the history of ‘the U’)
• 4.40…; 33″..;

DAVID WILSON, Virginia Tech: 5’10 206 – 30.3″, 9.4″;

• (ACC Player of the Year and decorated track star)
• 4.49 [4.40*], 7.09, 4.12, 11.59; 41″, 132″;

Given that both Miller and Wilson play in the ACC, I’m well aware of the damage Miller is capable of inflicting.  I don’t think you can go wrong with either player, really, but if I don’t need a 25 carry back, Miller can provide a dangerous 15-20 touches.

CHRISTOPHER (CHRIS) POLK, Washington: 5’11 215 – 31.5″, 9.8″;

• (All Pac-12, owns #2, #3, and #9 rush yardage seasons in UW history)
• 4.57 (4.48*), 7.13, 4.21..; 31.5″, 111″;

ISAIAH PEAD, Cincinnati (Exploratory): 5’10 197 – 31″, 8.6″;

• 4.47 [4.41*] [1.50*], 6.95 (6.87*), 4.32 (4.28*)..; 33″, 116″;

Pead has had an excellent showing at the Senior Bowl and the Combine.  I don’t know what better to say than I really like his running style: tough but fast.  He has the workmanlike skills that win football games for a team.

LAMICHAEL JAMES, Oregon (Sports Business): 5’8 194 – 30.3″, 9″;

• (ideally suited to a zone-blocking scheme, two time All American, All Pac 12, ranked 2nd in FBS in all purpose yards per game, 5,082 rushing yards in career, Doak Walker winner, All Pac 10 & Academic All Pac 10 in 2010, Pac 10’s Offensive Freshman of the Year, won 100m state track meet at 10.51 seconds in 2006)
• 4.45 (4.42*) [4.41*] [1.60*], 6.88, 4.12..; 35″ (34″*), 123″; 16 reps* [15 reps*]

You can’t really go wrong with any of these in the top tier.  Depending on the style of play, any of these has the potential to become a star.  I still think Richardson’s career will parallel Marion Barber III’s, but that production can help a team win a championship.  Miller and James have great quickness while I prefer Pead (unless I’m picking in the top 20) for overall value.

Middle Tier

RONNIE HILLMAN, San Diego State (Social Science): 5’9 200 – 30″, 8.5″;

• 4.45 [4.41*] [1.57*]…; 37″..; 17 reps

CYRUS GRAY, Texas A&M (Leadership and Development): 5’10 206 – 29.5″, 9.1″;

• (excellent option on screens)
• 4.47 [4.41*] [1.57*], 7.17 (7.33*), 4.33*..; 32.5″, 114″; 21 reps

ROBERT TURBIN, Utah State: 5’10 222 – 31″, 9.8″;

• (the type of back who wears a defense down)
• 4.50, 7.16, 4.31..; 36″, 122″; 28 reps

DOUGLAS (DOUG) MARTIN, Boise State: 5’9 223 – 30.5″, 9″;

• (two year starter at BSU with value on special teams)
• 4.55 [4.47*], 6.79, 4.16, 11.29; 36″, 120″; 28 reps

CHRISTOPHER RAINEY, Florida: 5’8 (5’8.8*) 180 – 30.8″, 9.5″;

• (holds Gators and SEC record for blocked punts with 6, competed for UF track team, All SEC as all purpose performer, 2,478 rush yards as a senior at national champion Lakeland)
• 4.45 (4.38*), [4.35*] 6.50, 3.93 (4.10*), 11.06; 36.5″, 120″; 16 reps

Speed kills and Rainey has it in abundance.  Look for teams to line him up all over the field in hopes of creating mismatches.

DANIEL (DAN) [BOOM] HERRON, Ohio State: 5’10 (5’9.6*) 213 – 32″, 9″;

• (suspended for his role in OSU’s player benefits scandal, team captain, 2010 all Big Ten)
• 4.66 (4.59*) [4.58*] [1.50*], 6.97, 4.04, 11.60; 35″, 117″; 22 reps

Don’t be scared away by the 40 time, those are good numbers all around.  He may not be a burner, but his footwork must be excellent for ‘Boom’ (can’t wait to hear Dierdorf roll that one off the tongue) to register such an excellent cone drill and short shuttle.

BRANDON BOLDEN, Ole Miss: 5’11 222 – 32.3″, 10″;

• 4.66 (4.49*), 6.96 (6.91*), 4.44 (4.29*)..; 38″, 119″; 21 reps

BERNARD PIERCE, Temple (Communications): 6’0 (6’0.4*) 218 – 31.5″, 9.3″;

• (in high school, ran the 100m in 10.6 seconds)
• 4.49 (4.42*) [1.52*], 7.07 (7.53*), 4.28 (4.70*)..; 36.5″, 123″; 17 reps

One difficulty in evaluating times here is due to the Owls tilted field on which the drills were run.  Pierce’s Pro Day time uphill was 4.50 seconds and downhill was 4.34.  I imagine that may have thrown off his equilibrium for the other drills.  Pro Days naturally introduce unforeseen factors like the wind factor for quarterbacks, or running times on various types of turf versus grasses, etc.  Basically, the numbers never lie, we just take them to mean more than they do.

JEWEL HAMPTON, Southern Illinois: 5’9 218 – 31″, 9.6″;

• (transferred after three years at Iowa)
• ….;..; 26 reps

TERRANCE GANAWAY, Baylor: 6’0 (5’11.6*) 239 – 31.6″, 9.3″;

• 4.67 (4.59*) [4.57*] [1.58*], 7.15, 4.25, 11.65; 37.5″, 119″;

TAUREN POOLE, Tennessee: 5’10 205 – 29.8″, 8″;

• 4.54, 7.36, 4.19..; 34″, 118″; 24 reps

DAVIN MEGGETT, Maryland (Government & Politics): 5’8 211 – 30.1″, 9.5″;

• (father, Dave, played for the Giants, Patriots, and Jets [a true Parcells man], high school honor roll and debate group)
• 4.53, 7.14, 4.32, 11.53; 35″, 118″; 23 reps

Maryland players usually find that their best football is ahead of them upon entering the NFL’s ranks.  Former Terp runningbacks Lance Ball and Da’Rel Scott have managed to find roles on good teams despite being under utilized at Maryland.  So, I’m hoping things work out for Meggett much as they have for Torrey Smith this past year – exceeding a team’s expectations.

MARC TYLER, USC: 5’11 (5’10.1*) 219 – 32″, 9.5″;

• (son of Wendell Tyler)
• 4.76 (4.73*) [4.70*], 7.33*, 4.65*..; 30.5″, 110″ (115″*); 19 reps

FOSWHITT WHITTAKER (FOZZY),Texas:5’9 193 – 30.8″, 9.3″;

• ….;..; 20 reps

LENNON CREER, Louisiana Tech: 5’11 219 – 31.5″, 9.3″;

• (transferred from Tennessee)
• 4.71, 7.26, 4.40..; 33.5″, 110″; 21 reps

VICK BALLARD, Mississippi State: 5’10 219 – 31.8″, 9.5″;

• (his 19 rushing TDs are a Bulldogs record, JuCo All American)
• 4.65 (4.54*) [4.53*] , 7.03 (6.99*), 4.19..; 33″, 115″; 23 reps

It’s difficult not to like any SEC back who manages to find the end zone nearly 20 times in a season.

DARRELL SCOTT, USF: 6’0 231 – 32″, 8.3″;

• (transferred from Colorado)
• 4.73 (4.62*) [4.59*], 7.10*, 4.27*..; 31.5″..; 18 reps*

Lower Tier

EDWIN BAKER, Michigan State (Social Science– Human Capital and Society): 5’8 204 – 29.6″, 8.1″;

• 4.53 (4.40*) [4.43*] [1.59*], 7.27 (7.23*), 4.31..; 35″, 111″ (119″*); 20 reps

I think I’m more intrigued by Baker’s thesis than I am by his numbers.  Still, it never hurts your draft stock to run a 4.4.  Never.

MIKE BALL, Nevada (Communications): 5’9 206 (213*) – 31″, 9.1″;

• (dismissed due to violation of team rules)
• 4.65 (4.54*) [4.52*] [1.59*], 7.10 (6.97*), 4.23 (4.12*), 11.84; 36″, 112″ (118″*); 21 reps

Ball improved on nearly all of his combine numbers at the Pro Day.

ALFRED MORRIS, FAU: 5’10 219 – 31.4″, 10.3″;

• 4.67, 7.01, 4.19, 11.86; 35.5″, 117″; 16 reps

JONAS GRAY, Notre Dame (English and Political Science): 5’10 223 – 31.4″, 10″;

• (Parade All American, 2,614 yards and 32 TDs senior year, cousin of Jeff Webb of San Diego State)
• ….;..; 20 reps

BRYCE BROWN, Kansas State:

LANCE DUNBAR, North Texas:

BRODERICK GREEN, Arkansas: 6’0* 238* [Fullback]

• ….; [34″*]..;

MIKE HARRIS, Murray State:

RYAN HOUSTON, UNC (African American Studies):

TY JONES, Florida State:

RODNEY STEWART, Colorado:

DERRICK COLEMAN, UCLA: 5’11.3* 230*

• (has a hearing impairment, but it apparently doesn’t affect his pass catching)
• 4.59* [4.56*], 7.73*, 4.48*..; 36.5″*, 125″*; 20 reps

MICHAEL SMITH, Utah State: 5’8* 207*

• 4.35* [4.36*]…; 40.5″*, 126″*; 23 reps*

Thanks to great Pro Day numbers, Smith should be the second Utah State runningback taken in this draft.

JOE MARTINEK, Boise State: 6’0* 224*

• [4.50*] [1.50*]…; [32.5″*]..; [26 reps*]