Melvin Gordon, Todd Gurley Battle to Be Top RB but Not 1st-Round Worthy

No running back has been selected in the first round of the NFL draft since 2012. The 2013 draft became the first time in 50 years that a running back wasn't chosen in the opening frame. It happened again in 2014. The league's latest trend shouldn't change this April. 

Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon, Georgia's Toddy Gurley and even Boise State's Jay Ajayi are all in the conversation as the top running back prospect, but none of them are slam-dunk first-round talents. 

Before the individuals are discussed, positional value enters the fray. 

The running back position has been devalued in the NFL in recent years. For example, only one former first-round selection, the Seattle Seahawks' Marshawn Lynch, finished among the top 10 rushers in 2014. That number only expands by two when viewing the top 20. 

Player	Team	Yards	Round Selected	Number
DeMarco Murray	Cowboys	1,845	3rd	71st
Le'Veon Bell	Steelers	1,361	2nd	48th
LeSean McCoy	Eagles	1,319	2nd	53rd
Marshawn Lynch	Seahawks	1,306	1st	12th
Justin Forsett	Ravens	1,266	7th	233rd
Arian Foster	Texans	1,246	undrafted	undrafted
Eddie Lacy	Packers	1,139	2nd	61st
Jeremy Hill	Bengals	1,124	2nd	55th
Frank Gore	49ers	1,106	3rd	65th
Lamar Miller	Dolphins	1,099	4th	97th

Of the 13 running backs to run for more than 1,000 yards in 2014, their average draft selection was 75th overall, which equates to a third-round grade. 

Plus, teams are generally leaning toward using a stable of running backs instead of a true workhorse back. As a result, only two running backs in 2014 amassed 300 or more carries. Five years ago, eight different running backs carried the ball 299 times or more. But that number hasn't been reached by more than two backs during the past three seasons. 

Teams simply don't need to spend a first-round pick on a running back and still get a top talent at the position. 

A lot will play out between now and the start of the draft, but very few teams will prioritize the running back position. The Indianapolis Colts and maybe the Seattle Seahawks—depending on what they do with Marshawn Lynch—could be the only teams actively searching for a running back from the start of the draft. Yet each of those teams have other areas of concern that may provide more value in the first round. 

There are always certain players that buck the trend, though.

In recent years, Adrian Peterson, Darren McFadden, C.J. Spiller and Trent Richardson warranted top-10 picks. Yet some of those same selections eventually became an argument against taking top running backs with a high first-round pick. 

And this year's class doesn't feature the level of talent to warrant such a pick.  

It could have, but the collegiate career of the Georgia Bulldogs' Todd Gurley met an unfortunate end. 

John Bazemore/Associated Press

Gurley was really the entire package. 

At 6'1" and 226 pounds, the Tarboro, North Carolina, native fits the prototype for the position. He also lays claim to a rare combination of size, strength and speed. 

Gurley can easily run over a defender or run by him. Over his career, the running back averaged 6.4 yards per carry and developed into a legitimate outlet receiver with 65 receptions. Gurley even served as the team's kick returner.

Those types of players are rare. 

Gurley is basically everything a team would want in a top running back prospect except for a healthy left knee. The running back tore the ACL in said knee on Nov. 15 during a contest against the Auburn Tigers. 

The injury label goes beyond the knee, though. 

Prior to the ACL tear, Gurley dealt with bruised ribs. As a sophomore, the running back missed three games as well. He dealt with a strained quadriceps muscle and a sprained ankle. 

While no one can deny Gurley's natural talent as a runner, his ability to stand up to the rigors of the NFL is definitely a concern. It goes behind one major knee injury that by itself could keep him out of the first round. Will he be able to to truly handle an NFL workload? That will remain in question until he proves otherwise in an 100 percent injury league. 

"A crucial question is whether Gurley will have a chance to work out for teams as he works his way back from the ACL tear," ESPN's Mel Kiper wrote. 

One of those teams late in the first round might pull a "Willis McGahee" and take a chance on Gurley's talent as he recovers from a major knee injury, but the safer bet is that he slides slightly due to his recent history. 

While Gurley would clearly be the No. 1 running prospect if he was fully healthy over his career, Gordon has generally taken over that role after the injury. 

One can't help but be impressed by the statistics the Wisconsin back posted during his junior campaign.

Gordon nearly eclipsed Barry Sanders' 26-year rushing record when he amassed 2,587 yards and even broke LaDainian Tomlinson's single-game rushing record with 408 yards against the Nebraska Cornhuskers (which was broken a week later by Oklahoma's Samaje Perine). 

But top-end production doesn't equal a top prospect. 

Upon closer inspection, three concerns surround Gordon's game. Two of these issues revolve around the back's running style.

First, Gordon is an upright runner. At 6'1" and a listed 207 pounds, the Wisconsin back doesn't play with very good pad level. This is a concern when he tries to slam it between the offensive tackles and takes shots to his thighs and midsection. Gordon is going to take big shots at the NFL level as a result. 

Also, Gordon is the type of running back who likes to pick and choose his way to the hole. He'll stop and stutter instead of just taking what is available. At the collegiate level, running backs, particularly those with very good short-area quickness like Gordon, can get away with it. However, those holes close far more quickly at the NFL level, and those runs generally get shut down before they can develop.

Just ask Trent Richardson. 

Another major question with Gordon's game is how much he can contribute in the passing game. If a team is going to invest in a first-round running back, then he should be an every-down back. Gordon was never that type of player for the Badgers due to scheme. 

In three seasons, Gordon only caught 22 passes, and he isn't considered a capable blocker in the passing game. 

Due to these issues, the Wisconsin product may not even be one of the top two backs in this class, according to Footballguys.com's Sigmund Bloom: 

If Gordon isn't the top running back and Gurley's injuries scare teams away, then who is the top prospect at the position?  

Indiana's Tevin Coleman, Nebraska's Ameer Abdullah and Miami's Duke Johnson are all in the conversation, but a dark-horse candidate should emerge. 

Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

Beware of Boise State's Ajayi.

The junior back is one of the most natural runners in this year's class. Ajayi shows tremendous vision, patience and burst through the hole. He is also a very physical runner at 6'0" and 216 pounds. He simply knows how to finish his runs and rarely goes down easily. 

"If Doug Martin can be a first-round pick, Ajayi is a better prospect than he was," DraftInsider.net's Tony Pauline told Bleacher Report. 

During his three seasons in Boise, Ajayi amassed 3,796 rushing yards and 50 touchdowns. But he brings added value as a complete back. 

The running back caught 50 passes this past season. Plus, he shows the ability to correctly identify pressure and serve as a reliable blocker in the backfield. 

Concerns regarding Ajayi's game stem from ball security, and he appears to lack a top gear. 

Ajayi's all-around game, though, will have him climbing draft rankings as the event nears, and it's easy to project the former Boise State back as an early contributor in the right situation. 

Whether it's Gurley, Gordon, Ajayi or some other prospect who eventually becomes the class' top running back, each of them have enough positives to warrant first-round consideration, but their negatives should cause them to fall short of that designation. 

Teams can always address other positions before finding a running back later in the draft. It doesn't mean those backs can't be successful. Current trends are simply working against them. The NFL is now a passing league, and running backs don't hold the same value as they once did.

Brent Sobleski covers the NFL draft for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter.