2012 NFL Mock Draft: Projecting Mid-Round RBs Who Will Have the Biggest Impact

After Alabama's Trent Richardson gets selected in Round 1 of the 2012 NFL Draft, the running backs will be quiet until the middle rounds begin.

This is where the position runs deep and has a solid amount of talent for franchises to pick that reliable No. 2 ball carrier.

So, here are some of the better mid-rounders this spring and where they'll end up.

(Round 3) Seattle Seahawks: Isaiah Pead, Cincinnati

One of the players who stood out at the Senior Bowl, Cincinnati's Isaiah Pead is the ideal dual-threat No. 2 running back the Seattle Seahawks need.

Make no mistake about it: Marshawn Lynch is a beast and will continue carrying the majority of that workload; however, he does need a reliable complement. Whether it's on third down, for a two-back split formation or just to give Lynch a breather, Pead fits well in The Great Northwest.

For one, he has great size at 5'10" and almost 200 pounds, plus he proved consistency while with the Bearcats.

As a sophomore in 2009, Pead gained 806 rushing and 201 receiving yards while scoring 11 total touchdowns. A year later he gained 1,029 rushing and 190 receiving with seven total touchdowns.

Still, as the Bearcats' sole Brahma Bull, Pead's numbers impressed again in 2011 with 1,259 rushing and 319 receiving yards that included 15 total touchdowns. In short, Pead saved his best for last.

With Seattle, he'll simply add another rushing threat to keep pressure off of the passing game and help out the Seahawks' improving defense.

Perhaps the biggest reason why Pead's addition is so important is that if an unfortunate injury were to happen to Lynch, coach Pete Carroll would need someone reliable to step in.

(Round 3) Cincinnati Bengals: LaMichael James, Oregon

If there's one area the Cincinnati Bengals are lacking on offense, it's explosion.

Yes, wide receiver A.J. Green is explosive, and he can stretch a defense as well as most other No. 1 receivers, but the Bengals also need it on the ground.

For one, Cedric Benson will be 30 years old by the end of the 2012 season, so time is of the essence in replacing him. Although Bernard Scott is a decent No. 2 back, Oregon's LaMichael James is already on another level.

In three seasons with the Ducks, James averaged almost 1,700 rushing yards per season and scored a total of 57 touchdowns (53 rushing).

Now, his size of 5'9", 190 pounds isn't ideal to slam between the tackles, but James provides an outside threat with great vision for cutbacks. It's an area where Benson doesn't provide, and running a two-back set with Green and Simpson out wide will keep a defense honest.

If Benson or James is alone in the backfield, the defense will have a great idea of where the running play is designed. Each complements the other's forte, and James' ability to widen a defense will break open games.

(Round 4) Philadelphia Eagles: Bernard Pierce, Temple

In the hopes of landing a true No. 1 receiver for the 2012 NFL season, the Philadelphia Eagles must also provide a power running back for LeSean McCoy.

Also, at this point in his career, we know that Ronnie Brown isn't going to be the answer as McCoy's legit backup. The Eagles need a guy who can really do some work between the tackles and guards.

So, enter Temple's Bernard Pierce, who comes in at 6'1", 218 pounds and accounted for almost 1,500 rushing yards and scored 27 touchdowns in 2011.

The man, simply put, knows how to find the end zone, get yards after contact and fight for those extra yards to get first-downs. Although McCoy is no doubt Philly's best option in the backfield, much like Marshawn Lynch in Seattle, he needs someone who can really bowl over defenses in the trenches.

McCoy is built for speed, acceleration, agility and quickness. Pierce has brute strength and knows how to get low, remain low through the line and move a pile on his own.

Considering that the Eagles finished No. 5 in rushing offense last season, bolting up to No. 1 with this two-back system will literally run over everyone on the NFC East. In turn, that will give Philly fans more realistic confidence than they felt heading into 2011.

(Round 5) Jacksonville Jaguars: Vick Ballard, Mississippi State

It's the least of the Jacksonville Jaguars' needs, which is why they won't need to address it until later on, but helping Maurice Jones-Drew out is never a bad idea.

MJD is no doubt one of the NFL's better running backs, but given that he's really the Jags' entire offense, drafting a No. 2 back like Mississippi State's Vick Ballard will take some of the pressure off. Last season Ballard gained almost 1,200 rushing yards and scored 10 touchdowns on an average Bulldogs team.

The thing is, Mississippi State competes in the SEC Western Division, so going against defenses like LSU and Alabama each week was basically the norm. Still, Ballard had a solid season and also has good size.

At 5'11", 220 pounds, Ballard can act as the rough and tumble ball carrier in most short yard situations. Therefore, he'll leave Jones-Drew time to breathe and stay fresh, something Jacksonville desperately needs.

In addition, Ballard also gained 968 yards in 2010 while scoring 19 touchdowns, so he does have a knack for finding the end zone. Include his size and strength, and he'll also help for pass protection and a hybrid fullback/halfback to lead the way for MJD.

2012 First-Round NFL Mock Draft

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB (Stanford)	17. Cincinnati Bengals (From OAK): Janoris Jenkins, CB (Northern Alabama)
2. St. Louis Rams: Justin Blackmon, WR (Oklahoma State)	18. San Diego Chargers: Riley Reiff, OT (Iowa)
3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT (USC)	19. Chicago Bears: Dwayne Allen, TE (Clemson)
4. Cleveland Browns: Morris Claiborne, CB (LSU)	20. Tennessee Titans: Alshon Jeffery, WR (South Carolina)
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Trent Richardson, RB (Alabama)	21. Cincinnati Bengals: Cordy Glenn, OG (Georgia)
6. Washington Redskins: Robert Griffin III, QB (Baylor)	22. Cleveland Browns (From ATL): Vontaze Burfict, LB (ASU)
7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Michael Floyd, WR (Notre Dame)	23. Detroit Lions: Zach Brown, LB (UNC)
8. Miami Dolphins: David DeCastro, G (Stanford)	24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Mike Adams, OT (Ohio State)
9. Carolina Panthers: Quinton Coples, DE (UNC)	25. Denver Broncos: Alfonzo Dennard, CB (Nebraska)
10. Buffalo Bills: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB (Alabama)	26. Houston Texans: Jerel Worthy, DT (Michigan State)
11. Kansas City Chiefs: Nick Perry, DE (USC)	27. New England Patriots (From NO): Whitney Mercilus, DE (Illinois)
12. Seattle Seahawks: Devon Still, DT (Penn State)	28. Green Bay Packers: Melvin Ingram, DE (South Carolina)
13. Arizona Cardinals: Jonathan Martin, OT (Stanford)	29. Baltimore Ravens: Dont'a Hightower, LB (Alabama)
14. Dallas Cowboys: Luke Kuechly, LB (Boston College)	30. San Francisco 49ers: Kendall Wright, WR (Baylor)
15. Philadelphia Eagles: Courtney Upshaw, LB (Alabama)	31. New England Patriots: Mark Barron, S (Alabama)
16. New York Jets: Michael Brockers, DT (LSU)	32. New York Giants: Coby Fleener, TE (Stanford)

John Rozum on Twitter.