Ranking the AFC North RBs, Pre-NFL Draft Edition

The upcoming NFL draft is going to change the landscape of all four AFC North teams' running games, especially for the Cleveland Browns, who don't currently have a No. 1 back on the roster.

However, we can take a look at all the backs presently part of each squad and rank them according to their production and talent.

For brevity's sake, I am ranking just the top nine backs who saw action in 2011; each team has backs on the bench who have gotten a touch or two, but we haven't seen enough of them to rank them properly.

1. Ray Rice, Baltimore Ravens

Ray Rice is easily the best running back in the entirety of the AFC North, and it's not even close. He led the league in total yards from scrimmage last season and came in second in total rushing yards and was the top receiver for the team.

Rice is threatening to hold out after receiving the franchise tag this offseason; the Ravens are likely going to do all they can to get him a long-term deal that meets his needs, lest they end up losing his services for an indeterminate amount of time.

2. BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals made an upgrade at running back after letting free agent Cedric Benson go without a new deal by bringing on BenJarvus Green-Ellis, most recently of the New England Patriots.

Green-Ellis simply does not fumble the ball—he has yet to lose one as a professional—and his nine receptions for 159 yards last year makes him good for 17.7 yards per catch. His versatility is something the Bengals lacked with Benson, and he should make a huge difference for a Bengals team trying to re-ignite their run this year.

3. Rashard Mendenhall, Pittsburgh Steelers

If Green-Ellis hadn't come into the division, then the Steelers' Rashard Mendenhall would easily be the No. 2 ranked running back in the AFC North. If Mendenhall's 2011 more closely resembled his 2010 performance, then even with Green-Ellis around, he'd still hold that spot.

Behind the Steelers' struggling offensive line, Mendenhall had trouble producing, especially in the early part of the season. He's an elusive runner but his strength has dropped off slightly, making him unable to plow through defenders when protection breaks down.

Mendenhall will likely miss most, if not all, of the 2012 season after tearing his ACL in January, so it's unclear both what his future will be with the Steelers and how well he will recover.

4. Isaac Redman, Pittsburgh Steelers

Luckily, the Steelers have a solid running back who can start this season in Isaac Redman. In 2011, Redman averaged 4.4 yards per carry, and 4.8 the season before that.

He's similar in style to Mendenhall, with elusiveness and speed balanced by power, but Redman's willing to take more risks, which makes that power pay off in ways Mendenhall couldn't manage this past season. 

This all makes it seem as though Redman should be ranked above Mendenhall, but with Mendenhall's career production and overall body of work superior to that of Redman's, he falls just below.

5. Bernard Scott, Cincinnati Bengals

Bernard Scott saw a drop off in his yards per carry in 2011—he had just 3.4 the past season, compared to 4.3 in 2009 and 4.9 in 2010. However, his talent extends beyond those stats and is a major reason why Cedric Benson's services are no longer needed in Cincy.

Scott is projected to share carries with Green-Ellis this year (and perhaps with a third back they bring on in the draft) because he's not thought to be able to carry a starter's workload, but he provides solid situational help and is too good to simply be thought of as a backup.

6. Montario Hardesty, Cleveland Browns

Montario Hardesty struggled with knee and calf injuries in 2011 that held him to just three yards per carry and he missed his entire rookie season with an ACL tear, but the Browns want to keep him in the running mix this year as long as he can remain healthy.

He was extremely talented in college, but those nagging health issues might prevent him from reaching those heights on the professional level. If Cleveland drafts Trent Richardson this year, then we likely won't be seeing too much of Hardesty.

7. Brian Leonard, Cincinnati Bengals

The 28-year-old Brian Leonard is the Cincinnati Bengals' third-down back and as such, didn't have many carries in 2011. Though he averaged five yards per carry, he rushed just 17 times for 85 yards and proved more valuable in the passing game, catching 22 passes for 210 yards.

Leonard will still see some third-down work this season, but with Green-Ellis on board, he's almost guaranteed even fewer touches than he got last year. The Bengals will again get more passing production out of him than yards on the ground.

8. Chris Ogbonnaya, Cleveland Browns

Chris Ogbonnaya was the darling of the Houston Texans' preseason last year before being shipped to the Cleveland Browns, where he served as a reserve back at times and their third-down specialist at others.

Ogbonnaya saw more snaps as a pass protector than a running back in 2011, which bodes well for him still having a role on their offense in 2012, but his 4.5 yards per carry isn't something worth ignoring either. He rushed 76 times for 240 yards and a score and also caught 23 passes for 165 yards.

9. Jonathan Dwyer, Pittsburgh Steelers

Jonathan Dwyer was the Pittsburgh Steelers' No. 3 running back in 2011 but saw time on the field in Week 5 when Rashard Mendenhall missed time with injury, rushing 11 times for 107 yards against the Tennessee Titans.

With Mendenhall sidelined this year and Mewelde Moore still an unrestricted free agent, Dwyer could find himself with increased playing time. He will likely be competing with Baron Batch and John Clay to be the No. 2 back behind Isaac Redman unless the Steelers bring on someone else in the draft.

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