2012 NFL Draft: Power Ranking Trent Richardson and the Draft's Top Running Backs

Running backs don't carry as much weight in the NFL draft anymore, as the league has shifted away from ground-and-pound running games toward high-powered passing attacks.

So, it takes a really special talent to get selected early.

Let's take a look at the three best ball-carriers available in this year's draft. Despite the lack of hype, they should all still have a major impact in their first season, in one way or another.

1. Trent Richardson

Having talked about the lack of league-wide interest in running backs, it makes Richardson's top-five projection even more impressive. His dynamic abilities will allow him to become an offense's main weapon right away.

He's capable of running between the tackles in short-yardage situation or breaking to the outside for a game-changing play. Equally impressive is his ability to block, which means he won't have to stand on the sidelines for passing downs.

High expectations followed Richardson when he arrived at Alabama as a highly touted recruit, and he met them every step of the way. The same thing will be true after a team drafts him, and the results should be similar.

2. Doug Martin

Martin scored 43 touchdowns in his final three seasons at Boise State to go from afterthought to potential first-round pick. He's a powerful runner that will have no trouble shaking off arm tackles at the next level.

Prospects like Martin are often viewed differently due to the small-school label attached to them, but he possesses all the tools that teams look for in a modern RB. There's no reason to believe he won't succeed just because he didn't play in the SEC.

The most underrated part of his game is catching passes out of the backfield. It's a skill he really developed during his time in college and should continue to improve moving forward.

That would make him the complete package.

3. Lamar Miller

Narrowly beating out David Wilson to make the list, Miller is a different type of runner than the first two players on this list. He's a smaller back that uses his quickness and agility to make defenders miss instead of relying on power.

His terrific speed opens open the possibility for big plays, especially once he becomes more comfortable catching passes. Even though he likes getting to the outside to find space, he's still capable of running inside the tackles when needed.

Injury concerns are the only reason he won't get drafted early. Smaller backs tend to have smaller shelf lives, so teams don't want to invest too heavily.

That said, he should be an extremely valuable contributor in the near future.