Illinois Running Back Mikel Leshoure: A Potential Problem for Ohio State

It’s hard to overlook a running back who is 6‘1, 230 lbs. of pure muscle and power. Especially when that back has put up three straight 100 yard rushing games to start the season.

Somehow though, it seems Illinois running back Mikel Leshoure has been flying under the radar so far.

Sure, the fact that Ron Zook’s Fighting Illini football team has been somewhat of a disaster for the last two seasons definitely has something to do with it. But still, you can’t deny the type of talent Leshoure possess just because he’s playing for a mediocre squad.

The former three star prospect out of Centennial High School in Illinois may not have been the star-studded recruit coming out of high school like other notable college running backs, but that didn’t stop Mikel from making an impact early on his career.

As a sophomore in 2009, Leshoure led the Big Ten conference with 6.8 yards per carry and finished the season with over 700 yards on just 108 attempts. His seven total touchdowns were a bright spot for an offense that struggled mightily throughout the entire year.

Now a junior, Leshoure has kept up the pace he was on last season, averaging 6.9 yards a carry and 135 yards rushing a game.

It’s true—Missouri, Southern Illinois and Northern Illinois don’t have the caliber of defense that Ohio State will put out on the field this weekend, but Leshoure has still been about as good as possible through the first three games of the season.

He’s the definitive offensive X-factor that the Buckeyes, who rank fifth nationally in rushing defense, will have to focus on tomorrow.

Leshoure only carried the ball four times in last seasons 30-0 shutout but he expects to play a much bigger part in this year’s match up as he teams with fellow junior back Jason Ford.

For those of you wondering how Leshoure rates as an NFL prospect—it still remains to be seen.

Besides Alabama’s Mark Ingram, the junior running back class has no other definitive standout players yet.

Leshoure may lack the true long speed (4.6 40) to be a high draft pick, but he should battle it out with guys like Cal’s Shane Vereen, Mississippi’s Brandon Bolden, Wisconsin’s John Clay, Florida’s Jeff Demps, and Oregon State’s Quizz Rodgers for positioning next year.