1. Darren McFadden, Arkansas Junior
The top back in the class of 2008 is also the best overall prospect. He rushed for 1,830 as a junior and eclipsed the 1,000 yard mark all three years he spent in Fayetteville.
Despite his status as the best overall prospect, it is unlikely that he will be the first pick as the Dolphins already have Ronnie Brown.
The new front office may decide to trade the pick, however and rumors are flying about Arkansas alum Jerry Jones wanting McFadden badly.
If the top three stays set, McFadden will likely land in Atlanta with pick number three.
2. Jonathan Stewart, Oregon Junior
Snoop (as he is known around Oregon) is not quite as fast as McFadden, but has a tremendous combination of power and speed. He set the University of Oregon record rushing for 1,722 yards this season.
An immensely talented back, Stewart may actually be a better pro (where he can run out of the I-formation) than a college player (where he did his damage out of the spread).
The only real knock on Stewart is that he is somewhat injury prone. The fact that Adrian Peterson had similar concerns last year and still won Rookie of the Year should help squash some fears.
Look for his stock to rise when he hits the NFL combine at the end of this month. His measurables are exactly what scouts look for in a running back.
Stewart will likely come off the board somewhere between picks 10 and 20 with the Bears (if they don’t go QB), with Cardinals or Texans also being likely landing places.
You can be sure that the Seahawks would be ecstatic if the Lacey, WA native fell to them at 25, but chances are Stewart will be long gone.
3. Rashard Mendenhall, Illinois Junior
Mendenhall is a powerful runner, who has some speed as well. In his first season as the starter in Champaign he rushed for 1,681 yards to help the Illinois get to the Rose Bowl.
He is less experienced than McFadden and Stewart, but that may be a plus in the eyes of some front office executives. Running backs have the shortest careers in the NFL and Mendenhall has taken fewer hits in college then the two guys ahead of him.
Mendenhall’s stock rose sharply when he rushed for 155 yards and caught five balls for 59 yards against USC in the Rose Bowl.
Mendenhall is also likely to go somewhere between picks 10 and 20. He is rated very similarly to Stewart, so it will be a battle to see who comes off the board first.
4. Jamaal Charles, Texas Junior
Another junior running back with great top-end speed. He is smaller and more elusive than the backs that precede him on this list.
He rushed for 1,619 yards this season, including a 290 yard game against Nebraska. Charles will need to work on his hands and his blitz pick-ups to succeed in the NFL.
1 comments Last one added about 1 year ago — Leave a Comment
scott serles about 1 year ago
I think McFadden is clearly the best, but Stewart, Mendenhall and Jones are going to be good NFL players, Jamal Charles reminds me of Michael Bennett.
Edit Comment Cancel
Leave a Comment
You must register to post a comment.