2011 NFL Draft Profile: RB Mikel Leshoure

Nothing splits up football fans quicker than a good old-fashioned, "who's the better running back" debate.

Fans love to gush and argue over their favorite NFL running backs since it's a position where favorites are clear and definitive.

Luckily, we should have ourselves a great debate over the top two running backs in the upcoming 2011 NFL Draft.

There will be two sides to this battle: the Mark Ingram supporters and the Mikel Leshoure believers.

Ingram, a junior out of Alabama, and Leshoure, a junior out of Illinois, look to be the only two backs worth a first-round grade this year, and it's not clear yet which player will be taken first on draft night.

I'm a firm Leshoure supporter, so I figured I'd choose him to be the first player for a draft profile this year.

Have a look at what Mikel Leshoure has to offer:

 
Background

Height: 5'11"

Weight: 227 pounds

Class: Junior

School: Illinois

Projected Round: Late First Round (25-32)

Hometown: Champaign, Illinois

High School: Centennial

Recruit Rating: 3 Stars

Combine Numbers

40 Yard Dash: 4.59

Bench: 21

Vertical: 38

3-Cone: 6.82

Broad Jump: 10'2"

Career Statistics

2010

282 carries

1,706 rushing yards

6.0 yards per carry

20 touchdowns

17 receptions

2009

108 carries

734 rushing yards

6.8 yards per carry

7 touchdowns

14 receptions

2008

35 carries

126 rushing yards

3.6 yards per carry

1 touchdown

6 receptions

Strengths

• Has the size and bulk to handle a big workload.
• Picks up chunks of yardage every time the ball is in his hands.
• Surprising agility for his size.
• Terrific cutting ability; makes would-be tacklers miss.
• Not afraid to lower his shoulder; doesn't fear contact.
• Patient runner.

Weaknesses

• Not a big threat in the passing game.
• Won't reel off many big gainers in the NFL.
• Pass protection is suspect.

Overall Analysis

Steven Jackson meets Ryan Matthews, meets Laurence Maroney, meets Marshawn Lynch.

Somewhere in there you'll find Mikel Leshoure.

Leshoure has a few different traits that remind you of some current NFL running backs, but he also seems to have a distinct running style that's purely his.

Size? Check.

Athleticism? Check.

Power? Check.

Toughness? Check.

A proven producer? Check.

What more could you want?

If you team up a guy like Leshoure with an Ahmad Bradshaw-type, that two-headed backfield would be deadly.

And remember, it's not like Leshoure was playing behind a big old SEC offensive line in college. Illinois finished 10th in the Big Ten in sacks allowed, so there wasn't exactly a lot of stellar play up front.

The bottom line is Leshoure is both a creator and a worker.

He can be the workhorse and carry an offense down the field run after run, and he can also be the kind of back that creates big plays when the time calls for it.

Leshoure is my pick as the No. 1 running back for the 2011 NFL Draft, and in my opinion, he's good enough to enter the conversation right around the time the Miami Dolphins pick at No. 15.

Five Teams That Could Be Interested

• Miami Dolphins
• New England Patriots
• Green Bay Packers
• New York Giants
• Washington Redskins