NFL Draft Preview: Chris “Beanie” Wells

Following up an NFL Rookie class that featured Matt Forte, Steve Slaton, Jonathan Stewart, and Kevin Smith is going to make most Draft Classes look bad.  One of the Running Backs that could hold his own is Ohio State’s Chris “Beanie” Wells. 
 
Wells is a big back (6′1″, 235 lbs) with decent speed.  He was clocked at a 4.59 forty time at the combine, but improved his stock during his Pro Day, according to Rob Rang, The SportsXchange, NFLDraftScout.com, when he showcased 4.38 straight-line speed.

Beanie is a physical back that gets better throughout the course of the game, wearing down his opponents.  The drawback to his physical style though are the nagging injuries he was plagued by at the collegiate level.  He was able to play through most of those injuries, but it still is a cause for concern.  However, his size, speed, vision, and ability to shed tackles make him an ideal candidate to make the jump to the next level.

Beanie ran for 3,382 yards on 585 carries (5.8 ypc) with 30 TDs.  He wasn’t much of a factor in the passing game (just 15 career receptions), but he did have a tendency to step up for big games.

2006 vs. Michigan - 5 carries for 56 yards, TD
2007 vs. Michigan State - 31 carries for 221 yards, TD
2007 vs. Penn State  - 25 carries for 133 yards
2007 vs. Wisconsin - 21 carries for 169 yards, 3 TDs
2007 vs. Michigan - 39 carries for 222 yards, 2 TDs
2007 National Championship vs. LSU - 20 carries for 146 yards, TD
2008 vs. Wisconsin - 22 carries for 168 yards, TD
2008 vs. Michigan State - 31 carries for 140 yards, 2 TDs
2008 vs. Michigan - 15 carries for 134 yards, TD
2008 Fiesta Bowl vs. Texas - 16 carries for 106 yards

Penn State did hold him to 55 yards on 22 carries last year.

Here’s a look at where some of the experts have him pegged:

Scott Wright’s Draft Countdown:  #28 to the Philadelphia Eagles

WalterFootball.com:  #17 to the New York Jets

Draft King:  #31 to the Arizona Cardinals

Consensus Draft Services:  #14 to the New Orleans Saints

The Football Expert:  #21 to the Philadelphia Eagles

War Room Report:  #28 to the Philadelphia Eagles

Originally posted at LestersLegends.com.