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Running backs in the NFL draft are always a curious case. In some drafts, we see two or three get drafted in the first round, and in others, we see none get selected.
Last year, the Carolina Panthers were the first team to select a running back, but it didn't happen until midway through the second round. During the 2010 NFL draft, there were a total of three running backs gone before the end of the first round. Sometimes it is a feast of backs, and sometimes it is a famine. This year could be a feast year.
The top names to monitor are Ashton Jeanty of Boise State and Omarian Hampton of North Carolina. Some projections have both coming off the board in the top 15 selections. Beyond the perceived RB1 and RB2, a pair of Ohio State running backs are waiting in the wings. Both Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson are the caliber of backs that could make their mark in the NFL. If it gets crazy on opening night in the 2025 NFL draft, maybe a team will jump back into round one to secure one. That seems a bit farfetched, but we have seen crazier things go down in the draft.
Touchdown Wire looks back at each time since 2010 in which multiple backs were selected on opening night.
The one fans will likely remember most is Spiller. After five years with the Bills, he never stayed in one spot longer than a season from 2015 until his career came to a close in 2017. Matthews carved out a seven-year career between San Diego (now Los Angeles Chargers) and Philadelphia, including two 1,000-yard seasons with six touchdowns. Best's career came to a screeching halt before it ever got started due to the number of concussions he sustained over two seasons in the NFL.
Everyone remembers Trent Richardson, mostly for being a bust. He was great in college under the legendary Nick Saban, but most of that damage came in his junior season. Richardson rushed for 1,679 yards with 21 touchdowns in his junior year. Richardson was out of the NFL by 2016. Doug Martin, the "Muscle Hamster," carved out a seven-year career mostly with Tampa Bay before leaving the league in 2018. He rushed for 5,356 yards with 30 touchdowns during that span. Wilson, much like Best, was out of the NFL after just two seasons due to injuries.
When it comes to two backs being drafted over the last 15 years, the duo of Gurley and Gordon was a good one. They combined for 12,625 yards and 123 rushing touchdowns over 200 games played. Gurley only lasted six seasons, with most of the production coming in the first four years with the Rams. He finished his career with the Falcons in 2020. Gordon played nine seasons with three different teams, his last with Baltimore in 2023.
The 2017 class was the second time we have seen two backs drafted in the first 10 picks, and not something that has happened since. Fournette was a workhorse that many believed would continue at the next level, but we only saw glimpses of it during his seven seasons in the NFL. He didn't play after being released by his third team, Buffalo, in January of 2024.
Christian McCaffrey, on the other hand, is hoping to bounce back in 2025 after playing just four games in an injury-shortened campaign. He dealt with an Achilles issue and then shut down in his return due to a PCL injury. McCaffrey was coming off the best season of his career in 2023. During his eight seasons at the NFL level, McCaffrey has tallied over 10,000 yards from scrimmage with 81 total touchdowns as a dual-threat option out of the backfield.
Of the backs selected in the 2018 NFL draft, Saquon Barkley was the only that played last season. Barkley finally won the rushing title, was named NFL Offensive Player of the Year, and won a Super Bowl in his first season with Philadelphia after six seasons with the Giants. Barkley was a workhorse for the Eagles, rushing for over 2,000 yards and putting on a show while he was doing it.
Sony Michel accomplished a lot in his brief five-year career, including winning two Super Bowl rings. His stats won't blow you away, but he listened to his body when it came time to walk away. Rashaad Penny didn't play last season after appearing in just three games with the Eagles in 2023. Penny never played a full season in his six-year career and was placed on the reserve/retired list on Jul. 30, 2024, by the Panthers.
Harris and Etienne were picked up later in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft. Both played four years at their respective colleges and were very productive. Most of Najee Harris' production came in the final two seasons, where he racked up over 2,600 yards rushing with 39 touchdowns. He added 11 more touchdowns as a receiver out of the backfield. After four productive seasons with the Steelers, where he started every game and rushed for over 1,000 yards in each campaign, his fifth-year option was not picked up, and he signed with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Etienne didn't have the same production in his four seasons as a pro he missed his entire rookie season due to a Lisfranc injury he suffered in a preseason game. After back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2023 and 2023, Etienne would split carries with rookie running back Tank Bigsby. The Jaguars did, however, pick up his fifth-year option.
The two best running backs from the 2023 draft class have put on a show for fans over the past two seasons. After being selected No. 8 overall by the Atlanta Falcons, Robinson has tallied 2,432 yards and 18 rushing touchdowns. He also accumulated 918 receiving yards with 5 additional scores through the air as a receiver. It seems we have only scratched the surface of how good Bijan can be.
Jahmyr Gibbs is a proven runner, but his best attribute might be his ability in the open field as a receiver and runner. In just two short seasons, Gibbs has racked up 3,190 yards from scrimmage with 31 total touchdowns. Most of which has come from running the football.
It remains to be seen whether Ashton Jeanty and Omarian Hampton can put on a show like Robinson and Gibbs have over the last two seasons. But I wouldn't bet against them.
This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: NFL draft: Seven times multiple RBs were selected in round one
Continue reading...
Last year, the Carolina Panthers were the first team to select a running back, but it didn't happen until midway through the second round. During the 2010 NFL draft, there were a total of three running backs gone before the end of the first round. Sometimes it is a feast of backs, and sometimes it is a famine. This year could be a feast year.
The top names to monitor are Ashton Jeanty of Boise State and Omarian Hampton of North Carolina. Some projections have both coming off the board in the top 15 selections. Beyond the perceived RB1 and RB2, a pair of Ohio State running backs are waiting in the wings. Both Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson are the caliber of backs that could make their mark in the NFL. If it gets crazy on opening night in the 2025 NFL draft, maybe a team will jump back into round one to secure one. That seems a bit farfetched, but we have seen crazier things go down in the draft.
Touchdown Wire looks back at each time since 2010 in which multiple backs were selected on opening night.
2010 NFL draft
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- No. 9 Overall: C.J. Spiller, Buffalo Bills
- No. 10 Overall: Ryan Matthews, San Diego Chargers
- No. 30 Overall: Jahvid Best, Detroit Lions
The one fans will likely remember most is Spiller. After five years with the Bills, he never stayed in one spot longer than a season from 2015 until his career came to a close in 2017. Matthews carved out a seven-year career between San Diego (now Los Angeles Chargers) and Philadelphia, including two 1,000-yard seasons with six touchdowns. Best's career came to a screeching halt before it ever got started due to the number of concussions he sustained over two seasons in the NFL.
2012 NFL draft
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- No. 3 Overall: Trent Richardson, Cleveland Browns
- No. 31 Overall: Doug Martin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- No. 32 Overall: David Wilson, New York Giants
Everyone remembers Trent Richardson, mostly for being a bust. He was great in college under the legendary Nick Saban, but most of that damage came in his junior season. Richardson rushed for 1,679 yards with 21 touchdowns in his junior year. Richardson was out of the NFL by 2016. Doug Martin, the "Muscle Hamster," carved out a seven-year career mostly with Tampa Bay before leaving the league in 2018. He rushed for 5,356 yards with 30 touchdowns during that span. Wilson, much like Best, was out of the NFL after just two seasons due to injuries.
2015 NFL draft
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- No. 10 Overall: Todd Gurley, St. Louis Rams
- No. 15 Overall: Melvin Gordon, San Diego Chargers
When it comes to two backs being drafted over the last 15 years, the duo of Gurley and Gordon was a good one. They combined for 12,625 yards and 123 rushing touchdowns over 200 games played. Gurley only lasted six seasons, with most of the production coming in the first four years with the Rams. He finished his career with the Falcons in 2020. Gordon played nine seasons with three different teams, his last with Baltimore in 2023.
2017 NFL draft
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- No. 4 Overall: Leonard Fournette, Jacksonville Jaguars
- No. 8 Overall: Christian McCaffrey, Carolina Panthers
The 2017 class was the second time we have seen two backs drafted in the first 10 picks, and not something that has happened since. Fournette was a workhorse that many believed would continue at the next level, but we only saw glimpses of it during his seven seasons in the NFL. He didn't play after being released by his third team, Buffalo, in January of 2024.
Christian McCaffrey, on the other hand, is hoping to bounce back in 2025 after playing just four games in an injury-shortened campaign. He dealt with an Achilles issue and then shut down in his return due to a PCL injury. McCaffrey was coming off the best season of his career in 2023. During his eight seasons at the NFL level, McCaffrey has tallied over 10,000 yards from scrimmage with 81 total touchdowns as a dual-threat option out of the backfield.
2018 NFL draft
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- No. 2 Overall: Saquon Barkley, New York Giants
- No. 27 Overall: Rashaad Penny, Seattle Seahawks
- No. 31 Overall: Sony Michel, New England Patriots
Of the backs selected in the 2018 NFL draft, Saquon Barkley was the only that played last season. Barkley finally won the rushing title, was named NFL Offensive Player of the Year, and won a Super Bowl in his first season with Philadelphia after six seasons with the Giants. Barkley was a workhorse for the Eagles, rushing for over 2,000 yards and putting on a show while he was doing it.
Sony Michel accomplished a lot in his brief five-year career, including winning two Super Bowl rings. His stats won't blow you away, but he listened to his body when it came time to walk away. Rashaad Penny didn't play last season after appearing in just three games with the Eagles in 2023. Penny never played a full season in his six-year career and was placed on the reserve/retired list on Jul. 30, 2024, by the Panthers.
2021 NFL draft
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- No. 24 Overall: Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers
- No. 25 Overall: Travis Etienne, Jacksonville Jaguars
Harris and Etienne were picked up later in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft. Both played four years at their respective colleges and were very productive. Most of Najee Harris' production came in the final two seasons, where he racked up over 2,600 yards rushing with 39 touchdowns. He added 11 more touchdowns as a receiver out of the backfield. After four productive seasons with the Steelers, where he started every game and rushed for over 1,000 yards in each campaign, his fifth-year option was not picked up, and he signed with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Etienne didn't have the same production in his four seasons as a pro he missed his entire rookie season due to a Lisfranc injury he suffered in a preseason game. After back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2023 and 2023, Etienne would split carries with rookie running back Tank Bigsby. The Jaguars did, however, pick up his fifth-year option.
2023 NFL draft
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- No. 8 Overall: Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons
- No. 12 Overall: Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions
The two best running backs from the 2023 draft class have put on a show for fans over the past two seasons. After being selected No. 8 overall by the Atlanta Falcons, Robinson has tallied 2,432 yards and 18 rushing touchdowns. He also accumulated 918 receiving yards with 5 additional scores through the air as a receiver. It seems we have only scratched the surface of how good Bijan can be.
Jahmyr Gibbs is a proven runner, but his best attribute might be his ability in the open field as a receiver and runner. In just two short seasons, Gibbs has racked up 3,190 yards from scrimmage with 31 total touchdowns. Most of which has come from running the football.
It remains to be seen whether Ashton Jeanty and Omarian Hampton can put on a show like Robinson and Gibbs have over the last two seasons. But I wouldn't bet against them.
This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: NFL draft: Seven times multiple RBs were selected in round one
Continue reading...
