Miami Football: Why Duke Johnson Should Declare for the 2015 NFL Draft

Duke Johnson is one of the premier running backs in college football, competing with the likes of Todd Gurley, Melvin Gordon and Tevin Coleman as the top prospect for the 2015 NFL draft.

Bleacher Report's Matt Miller recently ranked Duke the No. 40 overall prospect and No. 3 at his position, both of which have risen substantially during the 2014 season.

Soon, the Miami Hurricanes' best player will be faced with the decision of returning for his senior campaign or declaring for the draft.

But purely from a football perspective, Johnson should make the latter his next move.

Dane Brugler of CBS Sports told B/R that though he never says underclassmen should forgo their senior campaign due to personal circumstances of which we are unaware, "it wouldn't be surprising to see [Duke] declare, and I'm not sure anyone could blame him.

"The biggest strength for Duke is his dynamic athleticism as a ball-carrier. He has tremendous balance, explosive feet and impressive acceleration. He's tough and controlled with his movements and has been a reliable receiving option."

According to Matt Porter of The Palm Beach Post, Duke's mother, Cassandra Mitchell, noted a couple of factors that will affect the decision.

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Johnson is loyal to UM's recruiting class of 2012 that includes Herb Waters, Tracy Howard, Malcolm Lewis and his Norland High teammate Ereck Flowers. 'They came together, and they said they were going to leave together. I know he looks at that too,' Mitchell said. Johnson said Monday he's also considering UM's potential with rising star quarterback Brad Kaaya running the offense.

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While Brad Kaaya's ceiling is remarkably high, Johnson clearly has a close relationship with the others mentioned. Last weekend when Herb Waters sustained a scary neck injury, the camera showed Duke shedding a tear for his teammate.

Johnson exemplified what Ray Lewis and Lamar Miller both said within the past three years, that playing football at Miami is like a brotherhood.

Additionally, Manny Navarro of The Miami Herald wrote Johnson said he and his mother will discuss whether leaving school without a degree is an acceptable decision.

Attaining his college degree is something Johnson has repeatedly stressed as an important priority. However, Johnson has nothing more to prove between the white lines. And per Porter, the talented runner knows it.

"I don't think there's much more I need to prove on the field, if anything. Not saying that there's no room to get better—there's always room to get better in aspects of the game—but as far as stats and things of that sort, there's not much more to prove."

Ultimately, Duke's list of collegiate accomplishments is nothing short of astonishing.

The local product is a mere 34 yards away from setting the career rushing record at Miami, which would pass future Super Bowl MVP Ottis Anderson.

He has an outside shot at setting the single-season mark, trailing Willis McGahee's 2002 campaign by 322 yards with two games remaining. Regardless, Duke has already compiled the second-most prolific season in program history.

A pair of 100-plus yard outputs against Pitt and in a bowl would give Johnson the most such games, passing Clinton Portis' 14. Duke also tied McGahee and Edgerrin James with six straight 100-plus yard performances earlier this year.

For good measure, the 90-yard scamper against North Carolina tied Jack Losch (1955) for the longest run.

But Duke's consistency is incredible, too, considering he's tallied at least 83 yards in 16 straight appearances and scored 12 touchdowns—just on the ground—during that span.

His current pace of 7.2 yards per attempt would be the best season average for any Hurricanes running back who carried the ball more than 100 times. Though the 16.2-yard average he compiled opposite Cincinnati tied Eddie Dunn (1937) for seventh best, it was the best clip for a player who logged at least 10 attempts.

Before Virginia kept him out of the end zone last weekend, Duke had scored a rushing touchdown in nine consecutive contests—the second-longest streak by a Miami back.

One more touchdown will move into sole possession of fifth place with 27 career scores, while two more would be the third-most career points by a non-kicker in school history.

Duke has shattered the record for career all-purpose yards, rocketing past Santana Moss and eclipsing the 5,000-yard barrier—something never before accomplished by a Hurricane. Johnson is 323 yards away from setting the single-season all-purpose clip, though he already holds the second- and third-best years.

With just two more receiving yards this year, Duke would have the best receiving season by a Miami back since Cleveland Gary in 1988.

The most impressive part of this, though, is how Johnson collected these feats while constantly battling through injuries. Exiting the game early hasn't been a rare occurrence during his college career.

Date	Opponent	Injury	Time Missed
Oct. 2012	UNC, ND, FSU	Turf Toe	None; Limited Carries
Aug. 2013	Florida Atlantic	Concussion	Pulled in 3rd Quarter
Oct. 2013	North Carolina	Concussion	Pulled in 1st Quarter
Nov. 2013	Florida State	Broken Ankle	4-plus Games
Oct. 2014	Virginia Tech	Sprained Ankle	Pulled in 4th Quarter

The injury history can mostly be attributed to his stature, since Duke only stands 5'9" yet runs with an aggressive nature.

"His top weaknesses relate mostly to his size," Brugler said. "He'll likely weigh in at the Combine around 205 pounds and has a very lean build. Duke isn't the type of back who will pick up consistent yards in the NFL after initial contact and his vision can run hot/cold at times.

"He has the athletic traits that compensate for most of his shortcomings. Although they have different run styles, he and LeSean McCoy have similar size and durability questions, but like McCoy, Duke has special athleticism that should allow him to be productive."

One skill that will help him with yards after contact is his stiff arm, however. Duke's ability to flatten college defenders is absolutely fantastic, though that prowess must translate to overpowering bigger and stronger opponents.

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

While Miami fans cannot thank the running back enough, there's nothing left for him to realistically accomplish. Sure, officially bringing a Coastal Division championship to South Florida would be great, but the Hurricanes won't be contending for a national title.

Johnson's loyalty to classmates may keep him at Miami. The desire to win at his hometown school might lure Duke to stay at "The U." Finishing his degree could delay the runner's move toward the pros.

But he should declare for the 2015 NFL draft, because a potential injury simply isn't worth the risk.

"I feel I want him to stay another year," Mitchell told Porter. "But you know what? To be honest, it's hard watching him play football right now. I'm nervous. I'm scared. I'm excited. I have so many emotions."

The potential All-American never knows what might happen on the next outside zone. Johnson may as well be getting paid for the beating he takes and extraordinary effort he gives.

He carried the burden of a school fighting through an NCAA investigation. He shattered school records despite missing a handful of games due to injury.

Selfishly, college football wants Johnson back. But it's time for the Duke of Miami to be monetarily rewarded for his contributions.

Stats courtesy of CFBStats.com, hurricanesports.com and B/R research. All quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

Follow Bleacher Report college football writer David Kenyon on Twitter: @Kenyon19_BR.