The Texans' Arian Foster joined Priest Holmes as the second undrafted rookie in NFL history to go on to lead the league in rushing with 1,616 yards in 2010.
Foster, who was scooped up by Houston after the 2009 draft, was followed on the rushing chart last season by the Chiefs' Jamaal Charles (third round, 2008) and the Falcons' Michael Turner (fifth round, Chargers, 2004).
With the short lifespan of featured backs in the NFL and more teams using a tandem approach in their backfield, fewer teams are willing to cash in a first-round pick on a running back.
"History has proven that you can find running backs later in the draft," a high-ranking team official told NFLDraftScout.com Senior Analyst Rob Rang. "Are you really getting the bang for your buck by taking a back in the first round?"
It's possible that for the first time since the common draft began in 1967, a running back won't be selected in the first round. But that's hardly an indictment against a strong class of backfield prospects.
The group is led by Alabama's Mark Ingram, the 2009 Heisman Trophy winner who could well hear his name called in the middle of the first round. What Ingram lacks in breakaway speed, he more than makes up for in balance, patience and vision, and he'll contribute immediately coming out of a run-oriented offense.
Illinois junior Mikel Leshoure is also considered a potential first-round pick by NFLDraftScout.com, and the talent really turns to the eye of the beholder after that. Fifteen running backs are rated among the top 130 overall prospects and should start flying off the board around the middle of the second round.
A closer look at the top running backs in this draft:
1. Mark Ingram Jr., Alabama, 5-9, 215, 1
Ingram has been dogged by questions about his speed since he was rated a three-star recruit by Scout.com despite rushing for 2,546 yards and 38 touchdowns in his final two years at Southwestern Academy in Flint, Mich. An all-state track star, he was still known best for being the son of former Giants wide receiver Mark Ingram. Junior began to emerge from his father's shadow by displaying his bruising running style in amassing 728 yards and 12 touchdowns on 143 carries as a true freshman. That was a prelude to his historic sophomore campaign, when Ingram rushed for a single-season school record 1,658 yards en route to becoming the first Heisman Trophy winner in the Crimson Tide's storied history. He was also the first running back to win the Heisman and a national title in the same year since Tony Dorsett (Pittsburgh) in 1976. Ingram's junior year was dented by a knee injury that kept him out of the first two games and the emergence of Trent Richardson in the backfield. But he still rushed for 875 yards and 13 touchdowns, leaving as Alabama's all-time leader with 42 career rushing touchdowns. Ingram was aided by a talented offensive line and lacks eye-popping athleticism, but he possesses rare vision, balance and burst reminiscent of NFL all-time rushing leader Emmitt Smith.
2. Mikel Leshoure, Illinois, 6-0, 227, 1-2
This Champaign native chose to stay home and play for Illini coach Ron Zook. Part of the draw for Leshoure was the ability to play immediately. He got his feet wet with 126 yards on 35 carries as a true freshman, before starting to assert his presence in the backfield with 911 combined yards and seven touchdowns as a sophomore. But a fight with a teammate in 2008 left Leshoure with a broken jaw, and he was suspended for violating team rules early in 2009. It wasn't until last season that he began to show maturity on and off the field, displaying a tantalizing combination of power, vision and burst in setting the single-season school record with 1,697 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns. Leshoure helped lead the Illini to their first bowl victory in 12 years and was named the Texas Bowl MVP with 187 rushing yards. He might not win a lot of foot races, but Leshoure is a powerful runner who runs compactly between the tackles and has the vision and quick feet of a smaller back to bounce outside.
3. Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech, 5-9, 212, 2
Williams seemed destined for Virginia Tech after playing for former Hokie Loren Johnson at Stonewall Jackson High School in Manassas, Va. After redshirting in 2008, Williams took advantage of a season-ending knee injury to Darren Evans to gain 5.6 yards per carry, and 1,655 yards and 21 touchdowns overall. He capped the effort with 117 yards and a pair of touchdowns, good for MVP honors in the Hokies' Chick-fil-A Bowl victory. However, he was unable to build upon that breakout season. Williams was slowed by a nagging hamstring injury at the beginning of last season and managed 473 yards and nine touchdowns as Evans was once again part of the backfield mix. Williams has the vision, acceleration and power despite a lack of great bulk to be a feature back in the NFL, but he left school with two years of eligibility remaining and is a bit of a gamble with only one standout season under his belt.
4. DeMarco Murray, Oklahoma, 6-0, 213, 2
Bob Stoops plucked this two-way player and two-sport star -- Murray was a top-30 recruit as a basketball player -- out of Las Vegas and had him focus on learning the Sooners' offense during his redshirt year. Murray's big-play ability was evident; he averaged 29.3 yards on kickoff returns in 2007 before suffering a season-ending dislocated kneecap Nov. 11. He returned in 2008 to earn first-team all-conference honors by setting the single-season school record with 2,171 all-purpose yards. But the injury bug popped up again with a hamstring injury on the opening kickoff of the Big 12 championship game that kept Murray out of the BCS championship. After a solid but unspectacular junior season in which he shared the backfield, Murray was again a first-team all-conference pick in 2010 as he set Sooners career records for all-purpose yards (6,626), touchdowns (64), points (384), and receiving yards by a running back (1,572). While Murray is versatile, he lacks elite explosion and the injury history is a significant concern. He is a good north-south runner capable of running hard between the tackles and also ripping off big gains with a breakaway gear in the open field.
5. Daniel Thomas, Kansas State, 6-0, 230, 2
Florida's loss turned out to be Bill Snyder's enormous gain. When the Gators' recruit landed at Northwest Mississippi Community College due to academics, former Wildcats coach Ron Prince kept tabs on the former Hilliard (Fla.) star. Snyder took over the program and plucked Thomas out of the JUCO ranks, where he was an all-purpose quarterback who rushed for more than 1,000 yards and 13 touchdowns in two seasons. Thomas spent a year at Butler Community College and Manhattan Christian College getting his grades in order. When he got on the field for the Wildcats, Thomas was an instant star, named Big 12 offensive newcomer of the year with a conference-high 247 rushing attempts for 1,265 yards and 11 touchdowns to go along with 25 catches. He really exploded onto the national scene with 1,525 yards and 19 touchdowns as a senior. Thomas exposes his body to a high number of hits and he lacks elite speed, but he can gain tough yards between the tackles and his versatility as a former quarterback will allow his next offensive coordinator some creative flexibility.
6. Kendall Hunter, Oklahoma State, 5-7, 199, 2-3
The smallest of the running backs rated as potential second-round picks by NFLDraftScout.com, Hunter will be drafted by a team seeking to find a home-run hitter as a complementary back in the NFL. The finalist for the 2010 Doak Walker Award finished his Cowboys career fourth in school history with 4,181 yards and 37 rushing touchdowns. While undersized, don't discount Hunter's ability to handle his fair share of carries. He had 20 100-yard rushing games at OSU. Hunter is quick through the hole and sets his blocks up well -- he's just not going to bowl over many defenders who get in his way. He also brings versatility as a good receiver out of the backfield and could emerge as a third-down weapon in the NFL.
7. Jordan Todman, Connecticut, 5-9, 195, 3
Three seasons at UConn was enough for Todman to become the third all-time leading rusher in program history with 3,179 yards and tied for third with 31 rushing touchdowns. He's a similar talent to Donald Brown (first round, 2009), who didn't take off immediately with the Colts after dominating the Big East with a 2,083-yard junior season. Todman was conference offensive player of the year in 2010 and finished second in the nation in rushing (1,695 yards in 12 games, 5.07 yards per carry). He has experience as a kickoff returner and might begin his career as a niche back. But don't let Todman's cover fool you -- he's not small but short, runs powerfully and behind his pads. He's not as fast or elusive as Brown but could be a better value, producing similar statistics in the middle rounds.
8. Shane Vereen, California, 5-10, 205, 3-4
The Golden Bears are building a pipeline to the NFL with recent pro-ready running backs who went from featured runners in Berkeley to pro starters, including Marshawn Lynch, Justin Forsett and Jahvid Best. Vereen won't be a first-round pick as Lynch and Best were, but he'll be a player of interest on the third day of the draft. He's a powder keg who flung up 31 reps of 225 pounds -- an elite total at any position -- and timed at 4.49 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the combine. He has very good power, shiftiness and surprising open-field speed as a plus receiver out of the backfield. With a nose for the end zone -- he had 35 total touchdowns and only 19 career starts -- durability and track background, Vereen is a sleeper to know.
9. Taiwan Jones, Eastern Washington, 6-0, 200, 3-4
Jones was the lone FCS player to leave school early, and scouts were mildly surprised to see his name in the draft pool after another injury-shortened season. He might be injury-prone, but no one questions his toughness. Jones came to Eastern as a cornerback and had 54 tackles as a redshirt freshman despite missing four games with a broken leg. After switching to running back, Jones took his first career carry 87 yards for a touchdown. He posted back-to-back seasons with at least 2,300 yards from scrimmage. Jones didn't work out at the combine because of a foot injury, but scouts have pored over film of the big-play threat whose speed, explosiveness and rare open-field agility are being praised in draft rooms around the league. He is scheduled to work out April 14 in California, and more than two-thirds of NFL teams are expected to attend. He rushed for 1,742 yards and 17 touchdowns as a junior before the broken left foot sidelined him for the final two playoff games. His troubling injury history, lack of bulk and level of competition limit Jones' ceiling, but teams won't be afraid to roll the dice in the middle rounds if he shows well at his workout.
10. Delone Carter, Syracuse, 5-9, 222, 3-4
Carter is the rare Mr. Football in Ohio that escaped the grasp of Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State. Carter spent five years at Syracuse, where he had the best of times (2,260 rushing yards combine as a junior and senior) and worst of times (dislocated right hip in 2007). His low center of gravity and soft hands should draw teams needing a third-down back and returner. But he also has the skill set to play an expanded role when healthy. He rushed for 2,788 yards and 48 touchdowns in 2005 as a high school senior in Akron. He turns 24 in June but isn't without upside. He didn't fumble as a senior and wasn't overworked at Syracuse.
11. Jacquizz Rodgers, Oregon State, 5-6, 196, 3-4
Rodgers' height is the obvious detriment for teams wanting a running back capable of playing more than a bit part. He's more make-you-miss than run by you, and could be a return specialist and receiving back. Rodgers isn't as thick or powerful in the lower body as Ray Rice, but he's closer in style to the Rutgers product than he is Darren Sproles, and could handle 10 or 12 touches per game in the right system. Height-challenged backs have contributed regularly in the past -- think Quentin Griffin (fourth round, Broncos, 2003) -- and Rodgers produced consistently with 3,624 rushing yards, 46 rushing touchdowns and 151 receptions in three seasons at Oregon State.
12. Jamie Harper, Clemson, 5-11, 233, 4
If given the opportunity, the former No. 3-ranked running back in the nation as a high school senior might prove he has the skill set to thrive in a pass-first NFL. Harper is a hulking specimen for a running back. But he can also fly, timing at 4.44 in the 40-yard dash at his pro day with an impressive 4.5 short shuttle, 10-foot-3-inch broad jump and 35 1/2-inch vertical. He was the ideal complement to C.J. Spiller and Andre Ellington and some teams consider him an NFL fullback prospect in the mold of former Florida State standout Greg Jones (second round, Jaguars, 2004). Harper has Jones' same strong frame and physical running style -- without the injury history -- to be a West Coast offense fullback and short-yardage plow horse with excellent skills as a receiver. He was also a sprinter and basketball star in high school. A running backs coach will encourage Harper to run less upright to protect his body and the ball, but he has never been a featured back.
