RANKINGS: RUNNINGBACKS

1. CHRIS WELLS
SCHOOL- OHIO STATE
SIZE- 6'1 237
VIDEO- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_zUl10qMQc&feature=related
GRADE- Mid/Late 1st rd.
ANALYSIS- When it comes to talent, one thing is clear about chris wells; he is one of the most talented backs to come along in years. First, he is powerful, at almost 240 pounds, which allows him to easily bull through the line. He is fast which allows him to quickly get to the second level and punish smaller defenders. He displays good agility, for a man of his size; which leaves defenders constantly guessing whether he is going to run over or around them. He has good patience and vision, both essential qualities to have in order to be a successful back in the NFL. Simply put, he can be as good as he wants to be; the operative words being as he wants to be. The main knock on Wells is that he lacks the drive and work ethic to rank as a truly elite prospect. Detractors feel this could result in him becoming a bust a la Cedric Benson. I cannot speak to his work ethic as I only know what I read and hear off hand. I can only write about what I see, when I watch him; which is that he is an absolute beast in every sense of the words. Negative notes in regards to his ability (such as he runs with a slightly upright style) is mere nitpiking at this point. Ultimatly, character and off-field concerns may cause him to drop out of the top 15. However, players with this talent are rare, and if I was a team with a hole to fill at RB; I would deem him worth the risk.

2. KNOWSHON MORENO
SCHOOL- GEORGIA
SIZE- 5'11 208
VIDEO- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fG4TeNBJWds&feature=related
GRADE- Mid/Later 1st rd.
ANALYSIS- After watching video of Moreno, I can draw similarities between him and former SEC standout Carnell 'Cadallac' Williams. The first thing that jumps out at you, when watching Moreno, is the charismatic style with which he plays the game; similar to that of Cadallac. At about 210 pounds, he is not the biggest running back in the world. However, he looks to finish off runs with power and deliver a blow to the defender. There are not many weaknesses to Moreno's game as he displays quickness, power, and versatility. He can run around, through, or leap over a defender. He is equally adept at making a play in space or running the ball in between the tackles. My one concern with Moreno is long term durability; something that has plagued Cadallac's once promising career. Like Cadallac, I envision Moreno bursting on the seen and having a strong impact his first couple of years in the NFL. However, I see him wearing down, faster than other backs tend to, and being unable to run with the same type of agressive style that has made him unique and successful. For a team, who is a strong RB away from contending for the super bowl, selecting Moreno in the first rd. is probably worth the risk; even if my assumption holds true.

3. DONALD BROWN
SCHOOL- UCONN
SIZE- 5'10 210
VIDEO- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRCKzj0SNDE
GRADE- Late 1st/Early 2nd
ANALYSIS- Brown is a very complete back who I believe is one of the safest bets to enjoy a relatively long and successful career in the NFL. The first thing that stands out, from watching Brown, is his ability to consistently make positive yards from a carry; especially when he intially appears to be bottled up in the backfield. He is patient when setting up his blocks, showing good vision, and displays the quickness to attack a seam and get to the second level. He also displays adequete toughness and should be able to hold as a RB who gets 20-25 rushes a game. He shows versatility in the passing game and the ability to make a play in space off screen passes. He does not have one outstanding attribute. However, Brown can utilize a complete skillset to be very successful as a starter; and possibly become a pro-bowl caliber back.

4. LESEAN MCCOY
SCHOOL- PITTSBURGH
SIZE- 5'11 210
VIDEO- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IvvhjERrV0
Grade: Late 1st/early 2nd
ANALYSIS- When you first watch video on McCoy, you immediately can see similarities between him and Reggie Bush. He does not possess the level of talent and breathtaking ability that Bush possesses. However, seeing the similarities can help to draw a baseline prediction of how he might be utilized and perform in the NFL. McCoy, like Bush, is a very versatile player who is equally adept at both running and catching the football. McCoy is most dangerous when he gets the ball in space because he has excellent vision and quickness to make a defender miss and create a big play. Like Bush, I question McCoy's ability to run between the tackles. He is not an absolute burner, he will probably run around a 4.45 forty, nor does he display the ability to bounce off contact, or even deliver the hit. Due to these issues, it is doubtful he will ever be a back who can consistently carry the ball 20-25 times. However, with a lot of NFL teams utilizing two back systems, pairing McCoy with a bigger back would allow him to come in get 1o-15 rushes and 5-10 passing targets; thus adding an dynamic element to an offense.

5. SHONN GREENE
SCHOOL- IOWA
SIZE- 5'11 235
VIDEO- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrWZwH9VVJU
GRADE- Mid/Late 2nd rd.
ANALYSIS- 5'11 235, Greene runs with a low center of gravity which makes him very effective at running between the tackles. He displays very good vision and the ability to bounce off intial contact or deliver a blow, to the defender, in finishing off a run. He also displays some shiftiness and the ability to make a defender miss in the open field. His main weakness is that he does not offer the type of complete skillset that some of the other backs in this draft display. He is not a great threat in the passing game. Due to this, he should be used in a two back system; where the team that drafts him has a viable third down back that they can use in passing situations. However, Greene was very productive in college and there is no reason to believe he cannot continue to produce in the pro's.

6. ANDRE BROWN
SCHOOL- NORTH CAROLINA STATE
SIZE- 6'0 228
VIDEO- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9kYqvdEl_Q
GRADE- Mid/Late 2nd rd.
ANALYSIS- Physically, Brown is one of the most impressive backs in this draft. The first thing that stands out is his ability to fight for extra yards by displaying excellent power. Brown does not shy away from contact and can wear down second level defenders throughout the course of a game. He displays decent vision and some shiftiness, to make a defender miss, when he gets the ball in space. He also shows a solid ability, for a man of his size, to catch the ball out of the backfield; as evidenced by 305 receiving yards his senior year. On the negative side, he runs with a bit of an upright style. His production was not great, only 805 rushing yrds & 8 tds., when compared to some of the other top backs in this draft. However, scouts were very impressed with Brown at the senior bowl, and I believe he can become a solid starting RB. Due to the depth at RB, in the draft, he could be a great value pick; especially if he were to slip to the 3rd round.

7. RASHAD JENNINGS
SCHOOL- LIBERTY
SIZE- 6'1 230
VIDEO-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohP5XBCu_ws
GRADE- Late 2nd/ Early 3rd
ANALYSIS- Jennings is very similar to Andre Brown in regards to his build and running style. He is powerful in between the tackles and shows good straight-line speed, for his size. He shows good patience and vision in setting up his blocks. In space, he is not overly shifty. However, he can make defenders misses and displays reliable hands on screen passes which will allow him the opportunity to be an every down back in the NFL. He also seemed to answer a big question during senior bowl week; when he proved he can play against and even dominate higher level competition. His stock continues to soar and he is a high-upside prospect who could be a steal for an NFL team in the third round.

8. JEREMIAH JOHNSON
SCHOOL- OREGON
SIZE- 5'10 205
VIDEO- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZBOlykUVJ0
GRADE- 3rd-4th rd.
ANALYSIS- Johnson's main assets are his burst and vision which allow him to easily bounce plays outside. He is shifty in the open field which help him create runs for long yards. He also has the ability to run between the tackles, using patience to set up his blocks; and seems to be good at not making it easy for defenders to bottle him up in the backfield by trying to be too shifty behind the line of scrimmage. He also is a reliable receiver who can be trusted in the pasing game as a safety valve for the QB. As with Jonathan Stewart, it will remain to be seen how he transitions from a spread offense to a more traditional offense. He may never be an everydown back in the NFL. However, there is a place in the NFL for backs, like Jeremiah, who can get 10-15 touches a game and rip off a few long runs in the process.

9. CEDRIC PEERMAN
SCHOOL- VIRGINIA
SIZE- 5'10 208
VIDEO- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uExLaKck2OI&feature=related
GRADE- 4th rd.
ANALYSIS- Cedric Peerman offers a very workable skillset for NFL teams to employ him in a number of roles. He has good vision and patience, decent power, and adequete straight-line speed to run in between the tackles or bounce plays to the outside. He also displays good receiving skills out of the backfield. It is relatively safe to say that he will, at least, find a role as a successful 3rd down back in the NFL. He also seems to have good charater; as evidenced by the video I have posted above. In short, he is a safe pick, in the 4th round or beyond, for any NFL team; and who knows, he could develop into an everydown back in the NFL. After senior bowl week, I can assure you NFL teams have similar feelings about Peerman's ability; and maybe they even see the potential for more.

10. JAVON RINGER
SCHOOL- MICHIGAN STATE
SIZE- 5'9 202
VIDEO- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHVPSmxjoSU
GRADE- 4th/ 5th rd.
ANALYSIS- Javon Ringer's best asset is that he is an absolute workhorse. In college, he was as safe a bet as any, to give you 25-30 rushes of hard consistent running while constantly winning the battle of wearing down defenses before he wears down. He is at his best running between the tackles and consistently gaining positive yardage; something that is not generally characteristic of a back who barely tips the scales at 200 pounds. The problem, however, is that ultimately he is barely 200 pounds. Due to this, it is unrealistic to expect him to enjoy similar success in the NFL where linebackers are much bigger and faster. Further, he has a great amount of 'tread on his tires' which means that his shelflife as an effective runner in the NFL is limited. This does not mean that Javon Ringer cannot find success in the NFL; and I believe he will find some. Rather, it means that he does not offer the same kind of upside that the other 9 RB's on this list do; and that could cause NFL teams some pause before pulling the trigger too early on drafting a player like Javon Ringer.