Among the ball carriers, there is no Adrian Peterson or LaDainian Tomlinson game changer, but there is depth at the position. General mangers may wait until the third or fourth rounds to select the player who best fits their system. In the current NFL, teams are employing more committees in the backfield and looking for multi-purpose backs. There are four versatile, top-ten candidates who offensive coordinators will press their organizations to draft. And three old-school runners who need to improve their pass catching skills at the next level in order to earn playing time. While a draft observer cannot ignore rushing years and yards from scrimmage, there are other statistics that provide insight into a player’s NFL potential: Yards per Carry, Receptions and Breakaway Speed are crucial indicators to examine a prospect. Listed below are benchmark stats to pinpoint ball carriers at the next level and the top-ten prospects.

Benchmark College Stats for Draft Consideration

Yards per Carry: Over 5 yards per carry.
Receptions: Over 50 career catches.
Breakaway Speed: 4.55 (or less) in the 40-yard dash.

2014 Running Back Prospects



1. Bishop Sankey, Washington

Prototypical three-down back. Displays patience waiting for blockers. Explodes into second level of defense and shakes tacklers in the open field. Nose for the end zone. Tough to tackle with a compact upper body. Quick feet in traffic, bounces ball outside and hits the corner. Runs upright at times, but lowers shoulder when needed. Rushed for a school record 1,870 yards last year. An above-average pass protector and catches the ball naturally. A better overall player than all his individual numbers or skill set indicates. Set Washington mark with 37 career rushing TDs. All-PAC-12 ball carrier and second-team All-American by the Walter Camp Foundation. Easy comparison with Giovani Bernard from last year’s draft. Would excel in an up-tempo, wide-open offense like the Eagles. Slim shoulders and narrow frame raises questions about ability to carry the pigskin 20 times a game. Likes space to run and may have a difficult time in heavy traffic. Tremendous NFL Combine weekend propels the former Huskie to the top of the charts at running back.

Key Career Stats: Sankey
Yards per Carry: 5.4
Receptions: 67
Breakaway Speed: 4.49

Draft Potential: Second-round talent



2. Jeremy Hill, LSU

Oft-troubled young man who needs to mature off the field in order to fulfill his potential on the gridiron. A throwback to the 1980s, the bulldozing ball carrier would fit flawlessly in a Joe Gibbs or Bill Parcells smash-mouth ground game. A mammoth load in the open field. Runs upright and delivers blows to tacklers. Shared time in the LSU backfield and didn’t carry the ball as often as other lead backs (only 317 carries in two seasons). Amazingly, only fumbled once on 371 touches. Gains chunks of yards after initial contact. Decisive runner who attacks the line of scrimmage. Can reach a second gear and hit a home run. Natural receiver who can catch the football despite a lack of opportunities. Earned All-SEC honors last year. Ran behind a traditional full back, and it is unknown if a one-back formation matches his hammering style. Runs upright sometimes and invites big collisions to upper body. Obvious red flags will scare off some NFL general managers, but the risk-reward ratio will compel a team to select the punishing competitor later in the draft.

Key Career Stats: Hill
Yards per Carry: 6.2
Receptions: 26
Breakaway Speed: 4.66

Draft Potential: Second-round talent

3. Tre Mason, Auburn

An intriguing prospect who ran behind a dominant offensive line in an incredibly diverse ground-oriented system. Compact build, low-pad level and powerful lower body. Quick feet with good vision and hides behind blockers. Does not dance in the backfield like many smaller backs. Darts in and out of traffic and avoids direct contact. Historical performance in SEC Championship game with 304 yards rushing on 46 carries. Led SEC in rushing last year. Set Auburn single-season rushing marks with 1,816 yards and 23 touchdowns. Produced back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns. Major questions about pass protection abilities. Fumbled eight times during past two years, which will earn him bench time if ball security doesn’t improve. Compared to Ravens’ Ray Rice and has some Barry Sanders’ DNA. Durability concerns based on smallish body structure. Could be a perfect candidate for a dual backfield role. Failed to catch the ball often in the Tigers’ offense and may need time to develop route-running and pass-blocking skills. Can he perform in a traditional NFL offense?

Key Career Stats: Mason
Yards per Carry: 5.8
Receptions: 19
Breakaway Speed: 4.50

Draft Potential: Second-round talent

4. Carlos Hyde, Ohio State

Most talent evaluators rank the former Buckeye at the top of the RB class. However, negligible concerns need to be addressed. Suspended for first three games last season after a bar altercation in July. Took advantage of wide splits and open lanes in coach Meyers’ spread attack. A Big 10 pile driver with shifty moves and quick feet. Gained over 1,500 yards rushing and scored 15 TDs as a senior. Delivers blows and does not shy away from contact. A north-south runner who gains yardage after initial contact and runs through arm tackles at the line of scrimmage. Tough to bring down by a single defender. At times, can pop plays to the outside and shakes off tacklers in the open field. A punishing old-school runner, who scored 37 career touchdowns and totaled nearly 3,200 yards on the ground with the Buckeyes. Looks like a young Frank Gore or Marshawn Lynch. At Ohio State’s pro day, impressed observers with innate catching skills. Could really excel in an offense dedicated to a ground-and-pound run game. Possibly, the first ball carrier selected on May 8. Would the Jets or Ravens be wiling to pull the trigger on draft day?

Key Career Stats: Hyde
Yards per Carry: 6.1
Receptions: 34
Breakaway Speed: 4.66

Draft Potential: Second-round talent



5. Charles Sims, West Virginia

Transferred from Houston to West Virginia before 2013 season. Graduated with a degree in Health Education and reunited with coach Dana Holgorsen, who was his offensive coordinator with the Cougars. During his college tenure, scored 51 touchdowns, rushed for nearly 3,500 yards and grabbed a remarkable 203 passes. First-team All-Big 12 Conference last year. A three-down back with good vision and reaches the corner rapidly. Gets downfield in a hurry and can weave through traffic. One-cut ball carrier who could excel in a zone-blocking scheme. Quick-footed runner with short-area explosion: A nose for the end zone. Terrific hand-eye coordination and soft hands. Used on screens and passes in the flat. Courageous pass blocker and engages pass rushers one-on-one. Runs upright and needs to lower shoulders upon contact. Durability a concern with thin lower body. At times, gets caught from behind by tacklers and does not possess a second gear in the open field. Lots of mileage on body after 795 touches in college. Average field awareness and runs upright with tightness. An all-around talent who can stay on the field all three downs and provide a healthy dividend.

Key Career Stats: Sims
Yards per Carry: 5.9
Receptions: 203
Breakaway Speed: 4.48

Draft Potential: Second-round talent

6. Andre Williams, Boston College

Classic North-South bulldozer. Enjoys running between the tackles and body contact. Lowers shoulder through defenders. Sufficient quickness to zigzag through the hole. Lacks elite speed and a bit slow hitting the line of scrimmage. A four-year player who eclipsed the 2,000-yard barrier as a senior. School record 2,177 yards rushing: Fifth all-time mark in college football history. Rushed for over 200 yards five times with a high of 339 against NCST last year. Heavy workload with 704 carries in college and scored 28 career TDs. Does not make defenders miss. Scarcity of natural route running skills and poor hands limit receiving abilities; failed to catch the pigskin at the Combine. Below average pass-protection abilities. Will likely need volume to succeed in the NFL. Is not a modern-day multi-purpose back but can assist a club in a two-back system.

Key Career Stats: Williams
Yards per Carry: 5.3
Receptions: 10
Breakaway Speed: 4.56

Draft Potential: Third-round talent

7. Marion Grice, Arizona State

Spent two years at the JUCO level. Utilizes cut back lanes and makes tacklers whiff. An excellent route runner who can race down the seam and run a variety of patterns out of the backfield. Soft hands and exceptional grasp of the passing game. When plays break down, remains alive for his quarterback in the passing attack. Uses his blocks well at the line of scrimmage and in the secondary. On 91 catches, scored 14 receiving touchdowns at Arizona State. Rushed for 1,675 yards and scored 25 times on the ground during the past two seasons. Suffered a broken left fibula during 2013 campaign, played despite the pain, and eventually, missed final three games of the year. Could not work out during post-season exhibitions or at the Combine. In early May, respectable pro day numbers on various drills place him in the middle-of-the-pack among prospects. Lean frame with an upright running style. May need to bulk up in order to withstand the pounding at the next level. Leg injury may scare off some teams. A fine change of pace and third-down back in today’s game, who can remain on the field in a fast-break offense like Philadelphia and New England.



Key Career Stats: Grice
Yards per Carry: 5.7
Receptions: 91
Breakaway Speed: 4.65e

Draft Potential: Third-day talent

8. Ka’Deem Carey, Arizona

Underclassman who forgoes college eligibility to enter draft. Runs with power and balance between the tackles. Locates holes with excellent vision. Cuts well on the run, setting up defenders to miss. Exceptional receiver who is an effective screen option with instinctive ball skills. Led nation in rushing yards with 1,929 in 2012. PAC-12 Offensive Player of the Year and Doak Walker Finalist in 2013. All-time leading rusher at Arizona with 4,232 yards. Eclipsed the 100-yard barrier in 15 consecutive games and accumulated 42 TDs past two seasons. Draft grade limited by dearth of breakaway speed. Does not explode through first contact and fails to pickup pass rushers. A between-the-tackles runner who lacks NFL girth. A beneficiary of coach Rich Rodriquez’s spread offense. Problems with authorities and maturity a concern. A few off-the-field issues litter his resume: Disorderly conduct and an assault charge against ex-girlfriend.

Key Career Stats: Carey
Yards per Carry: 5.7
Receptions: 77
Breakaway Speed: 4.70

Draft Potential: Third-day talent



9. Terrance West, Towson

Played at the FCS level. A highly productive runner who declared for the draft after his junior season. Accumulated an outstanding 2,509 yards and scored 40 TDs on the ground last year. Against Eastern Illinois on a snow-covered field in the FCS quarter-finals, romped for a playoff record 354 yards while crossing the finish line five times. Very good size with quickness but lacks the top-end speed many teams covet. Can twist and spin against defenders and runs with good balance. Reads blocks and played in both a spread and pro-set formations at Towson. A one-cut back who runs low and explodes into tacklers. At the Combine, exhibited skills that place the Towson product on the radar of astute general managers. A useful commodity in the right system that utilizes his abilities.

Key Career Stats: West
Yards per Carry: 6.1
Receptions: 36
Breakaway Speed: 4.54

Draft Potential: Third-day talent

10. Lache Seastrunk, Baylor

A home run hitter who dips and darts through traffic. Cuts on a dime and changes direction in an instant. Very elusive with quick feet. Runs low to the ground with agility and burst. Explosive in the open field. Average vision and doesn’t always erupt through the designed hole. Weaves through defenders and immediately reaches a second gear when in the secondary. Against Kansas in 2012, raced 68 yards for a touchdown after running a wonderful go-route and making an over-the-shoulder catch. 2013 All-Big-12 runner with back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns. At times, runs east-west seeking a north-south route downfield and labors when changing direction. Did not catch many passes in Baylor’s offense and endured hamstring and groin problems. As a pass protector, a clear liability on the field. Would be a nice fit in an up-tempo NFL offense.

Key Career Stats: Seastrunk
Yards per Carry: 7.6
Receptions: 9
Breakaway Speed: 4.51

Draft Potential: Third-day talent

Late Round Gems:

11. Devonta Freeman, Florida State
12. De’Anthony Thomas, Oregon
13. Storm Johnson, UCF
14. James White, Wisconsin
15. Dri Archer, Kent State
16. Kapri Bibbs, Colorado St.
17. Antonio Andrews, Western Kentucky
18. Alfred Blue, LSU
19. Taylor Gaffney, Stanford
20. Damien Williams, Oklahoma