2010 NFL Preview: AFC Teams Strengthen Running Game With Younger RBs

The 2010 NFL Draft brought many surprises as the NFL Draft does year in and year out, but one thing to note is that five AFC teams went with running backs to either add depth, fill a void, or to just get younger for this upcoming season and beyond.

In 2009, 10 AFC teams ranked in the top half of the NFL in rushing, and that number looks to be even greater with the additions of younger backs to AFC teams who will make the conference a run-heavy one over the NFC.

The Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans, and San Diego Chargers may all see a rookie as their starting running back come opening day of the 2010 regular season.

Add the Kansas City Chiefs into the mix with the versatile and explosive Dexter McCluster and the AFC is seeing 31 percent of its teams moving to a younger runner.

Yes, the Chiefs have break out runner Jamaal Charles and newly acquired ageless veteran Thomas Jones, but McCluster will also be a factor both running, catching, and in the return game too.

Getting back to the other four teams, the Bills picked C.J. Spiller as the top back in this year's class, the Browns maneuvered back into the second round to grab Montario Hardesty, the Texans went with Ben Tate, and the Chargers traded up to get Ryan Mathews.

Mathews will see the most pressure out off all four of these backs since he is stepping in for LaDainian Tomlinson, which are huge shoes to fill.

Tomlinson was a former NFL MVP, five-time Pro Bowler, and three-time All-Pro with the Chargers before getting released and resigning with the New York Jets for this new season.

Standing at 6'0” and 218 pounds, Mathews is a big back who will help compliment the smaller and quicker Darren Sproles. Mathews is already being pencilled in as the Chargers' starter even before the pads are on and the hitting starts.

Spiller was taken No. 9 overall in the first round and he was the first running back off the board, three spots ahead of Mathews.

In a surprising move, the Bills added another back to a stable that already included Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson. Many now think Lynch will be on his way to another team, but only rumors have been surrounding the possibilities of Lynch trade.

Highly explosive and fast, Spiller will bring a whole new dynamic to the Bills' offense that fans have not seen since perhaps the days of Thurman Thomas.

Spiller will help produce both as a runner, receiver, and returner for the Bills for years to come.

Tate is a welcome addition to a highly potent passing offense in Houston, that mainly relies on receiver Andre Johnson.

With running back Steve Slaton hitting the sophomore slump hard in 2009, the Texans needed to add depth to their backfield and Tate is a bigger back at 5'11” and 220 pounds, compared to Slaton's 5'9" and 199 pound frame.

With less pressure on Slaton to preform in 2010, Tate can step into the offense and add a power running attack to the Texans already high-flying aerial attack.

Hardesty was some what of a surprise pick for the Browns, when they traded back into the second round to take him.

After running back Jerome Harrison broke onto the scene in the last three games of the 2009 season, running for 561 yards, the Browns seemed set with Harrison as their new starter going into 2010.

New President Mike Holmgren and new General Manager Tom Heckert must have though otherwise since Harrison is quite small to take the pounding of being a featured back standing only 5'9” and 205 pounds. (Though that statement remains to be seen since there have been backs Harrison's size who have excelled in the NFL.)

Enter Hardesty who stands at 6'0” and 225 pounds and is a big and powerful back who can run with both speed, power, and has soft hands to catch passes too.

Seemingly never falling backwards when tackled (as seen in various YouTube videos), Hardesty could very well claim the starter spot over Harrison if he has a solid training camp and preseason.

Both will be a great compliment of each other regardless and the Browns look to be a run-heavy team in 2010 anyway so each will get a good share of the carries anyway.

It remains to be seen if these rookie backs will indeed be the starter for their respective team in 2010, but the AFC is looking to be a powerhouse in the running department will all these young backs getting plenty of reps and touches early on in their rookie seasons.

(Also posted on Dawg Scooper: THE Cleveland Browns Blog)