For any NFL team struggling with its ground game and considering a star college running back to draft early next year, the best advice might be not to waste a draft pick on a running back all together.
The NFL this year has more teams relying on undrafted running backs than at any time since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, with six different undrafted players currently leading their teams in rushing. Texans running back Arian Foster, who signed with Houston as a free agent after no team drafted him out of the University of Tennessee last year, leads the entire NFL in rushing, with 1,230 yards. That puts him on pace to break the all-time record for rushing yards in a season by an undrafted player, which is currently owned by Priest Holmes, who gained 1,615 yards for the Chiefs in 2002.
In New England, the 9-2 Patriots traded their former first-round running back Laurence Maroney early this season and have been led by a one-two punch of undrafted running backs, BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead.
In some places, like Tampa Bay, the undrafted rookie (LeGarrette Blount) became the starter simply by out-playing the established veteran (Cadillac Williams). In other cases teams have turned to undrafted running backs after a drafted RB suffered an injury: The Saints have been led by Chris Ivory, who has gained exactly 500 more yards than the highly drafted but injured Reggie Bush.
Talented running backs can be ignored at draft time because of everything from slow 40-yard dash times (Foster), character concerns (Blount) or because they went to little-known schools (Bills' Fred Jackson and Chargers' Mike Tolbert).
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The NFL this year has more teams relying on undrafted running backs than at any time since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, with six different undrafted players currently leading their teams in rushing. Texans running back Arian Foster, who signed with Houston as a free agent after no team drafted him out of the University of Tennessee last year, leads the entire NFL in rushing, with 1,230 yards. That puts him on pace to break the all-time record for rushing yards in a season by an undrafted player, which is currently owned by Priest Holmes, who gained 1,615 yards for the Chiefs in 2002.
In New England, the 9-2 Patriots traded their former first-round running back Laurence Maroney early this season and have been led by a one-two punch of undrafted running backs, BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead.
In some places, like Tampa Bay, the undrafted rookie (LeGarrette Blount) became the starter simply by out-playing the established veteran (Cadillac Williams). In other cases teams have turned to undrafted running backs after a drafted RB suffered an injury: The Saints have been led by Chris Ivory, who has gained exactly 500 more yards than the highly drafted but injured Reggie Bush.
Talented running backs can be ignored at draft time because of everything from slow 40-yard dash times (Foster), character concerns (Blount) or because they went to little-known schools (Bills' Fred Jackson and Chargers' Mike Tolbert).
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703989004575653083793584278.html?mod=WSJ_LifeStyle_Sports_RightTopCarousel_1