The 2007 Rb draft class does not appear to be as strong as last year 2006 which ended up being perhaps the most exceptional Rb draft class we have seen in recent history.
Addai and Maroney are allready uncontested starters with White potentialy being one as well.
MJD performed exceptionaly in COP role that could increase. We have not seen a small Rb like him pan out in previous draft classes.
Bush and DeAngelo Williams still have compitition but have shown to be promising Rbs.
That is 6 possible starters from 2006 with Norwood possibly panning out as well. Some of these may not live up to expectations but that this many are possible starters at this point is exceptional. Not sure if there has ever been a better draft class than this one looks to be right now.
2005 had 3 Rbs drafted in the 1st 5 picks. That was exceptional as well. However I think it was more a product of lack of talent at other positions more than the talent of those 3 Rbs that caused this. Benson still has not proven capable of being a starting back yet although now he will get his chance. Carnell Williams had a terrible season in 2006 and looks to be still sharing with role players in 2007. Brown has not played up to expectations yet at this point either. Gore has been the best Rb so far from this draft class. Marion Barber and Brandon Jacobs are in the mix to have bigger roles in 2007.
So while I would call the last 2 years Rb crops very strong and 2007 does not look as promising as those were that does not mean that the 2007 group is weak. It just isn't as good as the 2 previous years. And because of the strength of the previous 2 years there are less openings and opportunities for Rbs right now in the league. To be fair however we need to compare this draft class with other previous Rb groups that have not been as good as 2005 and 2006.
2004
1 24 Steven Jackson RB Oregon State
1 26 Chris Perry RB Michigan
1 30 Kevin Jones RB Virginia Tech
2 41 Tatum Bell RB Oklahoma State
2 43 Julius Jones RB Notre Dame
4 119 Mewelde Moore RB Tulane
4 128 Cedric Cobbs RB Arkansas
5 154 Michael Turner RB Northern Illinois
2003
1 23 Willis McGahee RB Miami
1 27 Larry Johnson RB Penn State
3 77 Musa Smith RB Georgia
3 93 Chris Brown RB Colorado
3 96 Justin Fargas RB Southern California
4 99 Artose Pinner RB Kentucky
4 101 Domanick Williams RB Louisiana State
4 105 Onterrio Smith RB Oregon
4 108 Quentin Griffin RB Oklahoma
4 115 Lee Suggs RB Virginia Tech
2002
1 16 William Green RB Boston College
1 18 T.J. Duckett RB Michigan State
2 34 DeShaun Foster RB UCLA
2 51 Clinton Portis RB Miami
2 54 Maurice Morris RB Oregon
2 56 Ladell Betts RB Iowa
3 91 Brian Westbrook RB Villanova
4 99 Jonathan Wells RB Ohio State
4 119 Travis Stephens RB Tennessee
4 135 Najeh Davenport RB Miami
2001
1 5 LaDainian Tomlinson RB Texas Christian
1 23 Deuce McAllister RB Mississippi
1 27 Michael Bennett RB Wisconsin
2 38 Anthony Thomas RB Michigan
2 49 LaMont Jordan RB Maryland
2 58 Travis Henry RB Tennessee
3 65 James Jackson RB Miami
3 80 Kevan Barlow RB Pittsburgh
3 82 Heath Evans RB Auburn
3 85 Travis Minor RB Florida State
4 100 Rudi Johnson RB Auburn
2000
1 5 Jamal Lewis RB Tennessee
1 7 Thomas Jones RB Virginia
1 11 Ron Dayne RB Wisconsin
1 19 Shaun Alexander RB Alabama
1 31 Trung Canidate RB Arizona
3 63 Travis Prentice RB Miami, O.
3 81 Reuben Droughns RB Oregon
3 88 Doug Chapman RB Marshall
4 97 Curtis Keaton RB James Madison
4 115 Frank Moreau RB Louisville
5 144 Michael Wiley RB Ohio State
6 171 Thomas Hamner RB Minnesota
6 189 Mike Anderson RB Utah
Here are some of the 2007 prospects (some may emerge that are not listed yet)
Booker, Lorenzo 5-10 193 Florida State - seems a equal prospect to Tatum Bell, Canidate or Bennett upside could be Westbrook in perfect situation (Eagles might be the only perfect situation for him and its full)
Bush, Michael 6-3 253 Louisville - seems a equal prospect to Jacobs, Dayne or Duckett upside could be Rudi or Jamal/downside could be Shelton
Darby, Kenneth 5-10 213 Alabama - may be a similar prospect to Chester Taylor, Barlow, SOD, Droughns or perhaps worse.
Henry, Chris 6-0 228 Arizona - workout warrior hard to say if he can play or not.
Hunt, Tony 6-0 230 Penn State - similar to Lamont Jordan, Barlow maybe Turner.
Irons, Kenny 5-11 195 Auburn - similar prospect to Julius Jones, Travis Henry or Ladell Betts. Maybe not as good but possibly better.
Lynch, Marshawn 5-11 217 California - seems a equal prospect to Thomas Jones, Kevin Jones, Chris Perry or William Green. Upside could be Edge
Peterson, Adrian 6-2 218 Oklahoma - looks capable of being similar to LJ, Alexander, Deuce McAllister or Steven Jackson
Pittman, Antonio 5-11 195 Ohio State - Julius Jones, Thomas Jones, Bennett, T. Bell. Upside could be Westbrook or Portis/Downside Canidate, Morris or James Jackson.
Russell, Gary 5-11 217 Minnesota - had similar success to Marion Barber. Could have success like Anthony Thomas, Ladell Betts, DeShaun Foster, Chris Brown or possibly Travis Henry.
Wolfe, Garrett 5-7 177 Northern Illinois - most likely more Sproles or Morris than MJD.. MJD is rare.
Wynn, DeShawn 5-10 238 Florida - Mike Anderson, Barlow, Anthony Thomas, Jonathan Wells upside Rudi/downside Davenport.
These are not even all of the Rb prospects. But I see them as being competitive with what the 2000-2004 draft classes had to offer and possibly better than some of those. While the 1st round prospects may not be there as you can see being drafted 1st round does not equal talent or success. The 2000 draft class had 5 1st round picks that produced 1 star 1 decent starter 2 late bloomers and one darkstar Mike Anderson. You also have to consider the talent available at other positions in 2007 at Wr Cb and De that will push the Rbs down. The 2005 and 2006 drafts did not offer as much talent at Wr or De as this draft class does.
We have not seen a Wr group this strong since 2004 and this group may be deeper and more talented than 2004 was. 2004 was so notable because of the name recognition that many of the prospects had such as Eli and Winslow.
Perhaps the majority is right and most of these 2007 Rb prospects will be duds. I am just warning against underestimating them.
