2017 NFL Draft: How Many Running Backs Could Crash the 1st Round?

The running back position is devalued in today's NFL, they say.

Tell that to last year's 10th overall pick and NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, Todd Gurley. Or this year's fourth overall pick and early favorite to win that same award in 2016, Ezekiel Elliott.

That guy wearing No. 28 up in Minnesota, Adrian Peterson? He's still looking pretty good, even past the dreaded 30-year-old mark.

It's true NFL teams can find value at the position in the later rounds of the draft—David Johnson and Karlos Williams were among last year's examples—but does that mean they should avoid spending a premium pick on a rare talent and potential game-changer?

Next year's crop of runners eligible for the draft is looking like the perfect test for that theory.

There's plenty of hype surrounding the group, but a lot can change over one draft cycle—a full season of college football as well as the always complicated predraft process.

Which of next year's top running back prospects are most likely to live up to the high expectations and come off the board in the first round?

The Locks

Any discussion of this running back class must begin with LSU's Leonard Fournette, who has been a highlight machine since the moment he touched the field in Baton Rouge.

Fournette is a running back coach's dream on paper, with a ridiculous combination of size, speed and power. At 6'1" and 230 pounds, Fournette is big enough to dominate opposing defenders with his physicality between the tackles, but he has the speed and explosiveness to be a legitimate home run threat every time he gets the ball.

2015 SEC defenses may not have been as stout as in previous years, but that doesn't make Fournette's numbers from last season less impressive. The sophomore destroyed LSU's school record with 1,953 yards and 22 touchdowns on the ground, averaging a staggering 162 yards per game. Despite having opposing defenses keying on him every week, Fournette was still able to produce as well as any back in the nation because of his rare skill set.

He may not have Fournette's massive frame, but you won't find a more explosive playmaker in the backfield than Florida State's Dalvin Cook.

Much like Fournette, Cook was the focal point of the Seminoles offense in 2015, but that didn't stop him from embarrassing opposing defenses on a weekly basis. Running with more power than his 206-pound frame might suggest, Cook's combination of explosiveness and lower-body strength makes bringing down a bullet train seem a more desirable assignment for opposing defenders.

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Setting FSU's single-season school records for rushing yards and total yards is no small feat, but Cook did both in 2015.

Then there's the Pac-12's reincarnation of Reggie Bush, Stanford's Christian McCaffrey. Amassing over 2,500 yards of total offense in 2015, the son of former NFL receiver Ed McCaffrey finished as runner-up for the Heisman Trophy.

Similar to Bush, some will contend he doesn't have the size to be a full-time running back in the NFL at 6'1" and just 200 pounds. But Bush's rare explosiveness and playmaking ability made him a high draft pick, and the same should end up being true for McCaffrey when the 2017 draft rolls around.

On the Bubble

There are a handful of backs in the second tier of this class who could easily challenge for first-round consideration with strong performances in 2016.

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Gurley bounced back from a season-ending knee injury, and the fellow Bulldog following in his footsteps, Nick Chubb, hopes to do the same.

An absolute wrecking ball at 5'10" and 220 pounds, Chubb has plenty of speed and quickness to go with his powerful running style. Prior to his season-ending injury, Chubb was averaging nearly 150 rushing yards per game in 2015.

Of the rest of this class, Chubb has the best chance to be taken in the first round.

Dark Horses

There are a handful of others who could work themselves into first-round consideration with strong 2016 seasons.

Clemson's Wayne Gallman was a huge reason why the Tigers had one of the nation's most prolific offensive attacks, giving opposing defenses something to think about before they committed all their attention to star quarterback DeShaun Watson. He could use a little more bulk at 6'1", 205 pounds, but his production in 2015 was impressive, as he racked up 1,527 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground.

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Oklahoma's Samaje Perine is a powerful runner with great patience and vision. As is Tennessee's Jalen Hurd. Oregon's Royce Freeman should be the star of the Ducks' offensive attack this season, while Wisconsin's Corey Clement shouldn't be forgotten after a sports hernia held him back during the 2015 season.

The Bottom Line

Barring injury or any major off-field transgressions, both Fournette and Cook should come off the board in the first round next year—and both going in the top 10 isn't out of the question. Chubb needs to prove he's fully returned from his knee injury, but he's Fournette-lite, and his rare combination of power and explosiveness could easily get him taken in the first round.

Though there's plenty of talent even after those three, don't be surprised if they have to wait until Day 2 to hear their names called. That said, there could be a huge run on them at that point, with between six and eight names in the mix before the third round is over.

This class has star power in buckets at the top and plenty of depth in the following few rounds. Next year's draft class will prove just how much value the NFL still puts on getting a talented runner to feature in the backfield.

Luke Easterling is a Featured Columnist covering the NFL draft for Bleacher Report. He also covers the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for Scout. Follow him on Twitter @LukeEasterling.