NFL draft positional rankings: Multiple running backs could go Round 1

The days of the first-round running back are … here again?

After two straight NFL drafts with no running back selected until the second round, the 2015 edition could turn back the clock. No, Trent Richardson didn’t ruin it for everyone — there could be a back selected in the first 32 picks. Perhaps even two! (Three and we might just faint.)

Georgia’s Todd Gurley is a special back — perhaps the best prospect we’ve seen in the draft (spare the Richardson jokes) since Adrian Peterson came out. Had Gurley not torn his ACL this past season, he might be considered a no-doubt top-10 pick, even in this age of the passing game, and he still might end up there.

Some say that Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon is the safer choice because of the health factor, and he’s the more electric runner in space, but the negatives against him (history of fumbling, weakness in the passing game) should make him the second back selected behind Gurley.

[Yahoo Sports Radio – Minnesota RB David Cobb on becoming a three down RB in the NFL]

Could Gordon go in Round 1? Yes, and he won’t last too much longer if he doesn’t. After that, there’s a dropoff in talent, but not a steep one at all. In fact, this might be the deepest class of RB talent we’ve seen in several years.

The first two days of the draft (Rounds 1-3) could have as many as a dozen backs drafted, which would be the most since 1999. This class features all different sizes and skill sets, including a handful of good receiving backs as well.

SLEEPER
Allen

This big, light-footed back somehow flew under the radar at USC, a school that has produced a ton of NFL running backs. Allen has good vision, can run with power and finesse, is a factor in the passing game and can be a bellcow back. His fumbling might be a concern, and he’s not an NFL-caliber pass protector at this stage. Allen also doesn’t possess long speed, but he’s an all-around back who could surprise in a talented class of runners.

OVERRATED
Yeldon

His great size and production on a per-carry basis gets undercut by his penchant for fumbling (once every 62 touches) and for being nicked up. He’s tough and really hard to tackle, and Yeldon will entice a team that’s seeking to physically punish people with their ground game. But his limitations in the passing game, his propensity for injury and his lack of foot speed always will limit Yeldon as a pro.

SMALL-SCHOOL WONDER
Zach Zenner, South Dakota State

In performances against Nebraska in 2013 (202 rushing yards, two TDs) and Missouri in 2014 (150 yards from scrimmage, two TDs), Zenner showed he can hang with the big-pond fish just fine. He’s smart, competitive, surprisingly explosive and has good vision to squeeze out maximum real estate. Zenner has three-down capabilities, even if he might never be a full-time starter in the NFL, and could thrive in a zone-blocking scheme and be an impact player on special teams.

COULD RISE IN DRAFT
Johnson

At the Senior Bowl, Johnson opened eyes among bigger-name backs and had a very strong week, save for a fumble in the final practice leading up to the game. He is a great two-way threat in the mold of Matt Forte who could be a terrific receiving option in the right offense. Although Johnson is not the power back that his size would suggest he’d be, he has a second gear, can weave his way through traffic well and has a competitive edge. Even in a deep class, he could go in the first 75 picks.

LATE-ROUND STEAL
Josh Robinson, Mississippi State

You don’t find too many backs his size that thrive, although the Denver Broncos’ C.J. Anderson is one good recent example. Robinson is a mentally and physically tough player who has overcome incredible obstacles to get to this point, and though he’s not blessed with elite RB traits, he has the desire and tackle-breaking force to make it in the league. Robinson won over evaluators in interviews at the NFL scouting combine and his tape suggests he’s a player who will play through the whistle and gut out every last yard. Once he was given a full-time chance as a senior, Robinson thrived. The best might be yet to come for him.

PLAYER WHO WILL GO UNDRAFTED BUT SHOULDN’T
Thomas Rawls, Central Michigan

Character issues have knocked him off some NFL boards, and he’s reminiscent in that way of Ahmad Bradshaw, who had a lot of issues coming out of Marshall but still was talented enough to be drafted late. Rawls started his career at Michigan and pleaded guilty to larceny after stealing a purse before moving on to play for the Chippewas. Rawls is a compact, hard-running, tough, ornery runner who could be an ideal complement to a speed back — if his head is on straight. He might not be special, but Rawls has some skills to stick on a roster.

IDEAL FIT
Ajayi to the Jaguars

The Jaguars want to establish a power run game to complement their burgeoning defense and take some pressure off Blake Bortles. What better way to do that than drafting Marshawn Lynch Lite? Ajayi might not be quite the explosive runner that Lynch has become, but their styles are similar. It’s also worth noting that Ajayi has stood up fairly well as a pass protector, which was a big issue for the Jaguars a year ago, and he made decent strides as a receiver last season.

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Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Eric_Edholm