Senior Bowl MVP Ameer Abdullah Flashes as Versatile Weapon, Raises Draft Stock

Among all of the players who managed to excel on Saturday in the Reese's Senior Bowl, former Nebraska running back Ameer Abdullah probably stood out the most.

Not that Abdullah really needed the extra exposure.

A three-year starter at Nebraska, Abdullah rushed for more than 1,600 yards in each of the past two seasons and averaged more than 5.0 yards per carry in each of the past three. He set the school single-game all-purpose record in 2014 with 341 yards against Rutgers and owns the school career record with 6,605 all-purpose yards in four seasons. 

	Att	Yds	Avg	TD
2011	42	150	3.6	3
2012	226	1,137	5.0	8
2013	281	1,690	6.0	9
2014	264	1,611	6.1	19

Abdullah isn't expected to be a top draft pick, however, due to questions about his size (5'8", 198 lbs) and ball security (17 lost fumbles in four seasons). He is currently projected as a second-round pick by NFLDraftScout.com. 

If Abdullah can ease concerns about his ability to hold onto the football, he could very well go at the top of the second round due to his versatility and productivity. 

"He's short, but he's not small." NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah said of Abdullah earlier this week (h/t NFL.com's Mike Huguenin). "He's a very well-rounded back,"

Abdullah showed on Saturday exactly why he has earned a reputation as an all-around running back. He finished the Senior Bowl with 73 yards on seven carries for an impressive average of 10.4 yards per rush. He also led the North team with four receptions that netted 40 yards.

Because of his efforts, Abdullah was named as the Senior Bowl's Most Valuable Player, as SiriusXM NFL Radio noted: 

During the game he flashed quickness, vision and strength—three of the most important traits of a successful NFL running back. He also showed good hands and solid route-running ability in the passing game. His vision and patience with the football allowed Abdullah to operate extremely well in traffic, and he turned on the speed several times at the edge and in space. 

He certainly played a large role in the North team's 34-13 victory. The impressive part is that he was playing with a minor hamstring injury, as Charles Davis of NFL on Fox pointed out: 

This combination of desirable characteristics makes Abdullah a perfect candidate to be a third-down or change-of-pace back early in his pro career. With a little seasoning (and some tighter ball security), he may even jump into a more significant role.

He also could find a role as a return specialist. At the very least, Abdullah is drawing some very favorable early pro comparisons. NFL.com's Chase Goodbread likens him to 10-year NFL veteran Leon Washington, while Abdullah's NFL.com draft profile draws comparison with Arizona Cardinals back Andre Ellington:

By performing well in a pro-style offense at the Senior Bowl, Abdullah has given NFL decision-makers an idea of what they can likely expect on Sundays.

At this point Abdullah looks like he should be the third running back drafted in 2015, behind Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon and Georgia's Todd Gurley. He was definitely the most explosive back on the field on Saturday (though he wasn't the only talented one, to be sure).

There is still a chance that Abdullah's tremendous Senior Bowl performance can kick-start a predraft rise that puts him ahead of current projections. Don't be too surprised if he even winds up with a starting job at the beginning of the 2015 NFL season.