Waiting To Select Backs' Seem to Have a Better Outcome In The NFL Draft

Nobody can predict which teams did best in the NFL Draft. We all try, but we are never correct.

Honestly though, who could predict something like that?

Who would have ever thought Rod Smith would eventually be one of the best players to play for the Denver Broncos? Kurt Warner would eventually win  Super Bowl rings? Warren Moon would end up in the Hall of Fame? Priest Holmes would go down as one of the best backs ever to play the game?

Nobody. 

That's just how the NFL Draft goes. Some teams get lucky, some teams don't. Some players pan out to be the player they were predicted to be, like Peyton Manning, and some never live up to expectations, like Ryan Leaf. 

During the NFL Draft, certain positions get overrated. The quarterback and running back are two great examples. That's why you see so many busts from these two positions.

But, I would like to focus on running backs. 

Teams like to take running backs early. But, lets take a look at the list of running backs that were taken in the top 12 in the past decade.

Marshawn Lynch, Ronnie Brown, Thomas Jones, Cedric Benson, LaDainian Tomlinson, Jamal Lewis, Reggie Bush, Carnell Williams, Edgerrin James, Ricky Williams, Ron Dayne, Adrian Peterson, Darren McFadden, and Knowshon Moreno. 

None of these backs have had bad careers.

I would have easily taken Tomlinson, Peterson, Lewis and Ricky Williams as my first overall pick in the year that they were drafted.

But, guys like Lynch, Brown, Carnell Williams and Bush have yet to prove they are worth that top 12 pick.

Then you have guys like Cedric Benson and Ron Dayne. Although neither of them have had terrible careers, they haven't had good ones either. 

Now, let's take a look at backs' that were taken later in the first round in the past decade.

Shaun Alexander, Trung Candidate, Deuce McCalister, Michael Bennett, William Green, TJ Duckett, Willis McGahee, Larry Johnson, Steven Jackson, Chris Perry, Kevin Jones, Laurence Maroney, DeAngelo Williams, Joseph Addai, Jonathan Stewart, Felix Jones, Rashard Mendenhall, Chris Johnson and Chris Wells.

Don't get me wrong, there are many busts here.

But, look at guys like Alexander, McCalister, McGahee, Larry Johnson, Jackson, Williams, and Chris Johnson. They have all put together dominant stats in there careers. 

Guys like Bennett, Maroney, Duckett, and Addai are the middle of the bunch, having inconsistent careers.

Then you have the busts. Candidate, Green, Perry and Jones have all had dissapointing careers.

Now, lets take a look at some running backs taken threw round two and seven in the past ten years.

Mike Anderson(round 6), Dante Hall(round 5), Sammy Morris (round 5), Reuben Droughns, Correll Buckhalter (round 4), Rudi Johnson (round 4), Travis Henry (round 2), LaMont Jordan (round 2), Chester Taylor (round 6), Brian Westbrook (round 3), Clinton Portis (round 2), DeShaun Foster (round 2), Justin Fargas (round 3), Michael Turner (round 5), Derrick Ward (round 7), Julius Jones (round 2), Darren Sproles (round 4), Marion Barber (round 4), Brandon Jacobs (round 4), Frank Gore (round 3), Leon Washington (round 4), Maurice Jones-Drew (round 2), LenDale White (round 2), Ahmad Bradshaw (round 7), Le'ron McClain (round 4), Peyton Hillis (round 7), Tim Hightower (round 5), Tashard Choice (round 4), Steve Slaton (round 3), Matt Forte (round 2) and Ray Rice (round 2). 

Although I listed backs that have made some noise in the NFL, there are also many backs taken that haven't even been able to make a team.

But guys like Jones-Drew, Henry, Taylor, Westbrook, Rudi Johnson, Portis, Turner, Jacobs, Gore, Slaton, and Forte have all had 1,000 yard season and impressed many around the NFL.

Then you have Barber, White, Jordan, Ward, Julius Jones, and Rice, guys that haven't been great, but they have been very impressive during there careers.

There are guys out there like LaDainian Tomlinson and Adrian Peterson that I have no doubt are worth that top pick.

But, players like DeAngelo Williams or Stephen Jackson that are taken in the late rounds have turned out to play like top five picks. 

Guys like Matt Forte or Clinton Portis that are taken in the second round are worth first round picks too.

Like I said, nobody can predict how players will play when they get into the NFL, but teams should stop looking at players from top colleges, and look at the guys who have set records and made big plays at there low-name schools, the players usually taken in later rounds. 

Maybe its just my opinion, but i'd rather trade down and select a guy like DeAngelo Williams other then taking Reggie Bush with my top five pick.

We all have our own opinion, and there are players out there that haven't made it in the NFL that were taken later in the NFL Draft, but there has also been a lot of talent by later-round picks and undrafted free agents.