Since the Suck4Luck campaign is all but over for the 4-3 Kansas City Chiefs, we, as fans, have the opportunity to look at the upcoming draft at our own leisure and not as the only good thing that can conclude an abysmal season.
Looking at our current roster, there are some needs the team can address in the upcoming draft that doesn't require the number one overall pick. One of those needs is running back.
With Jamaal Charles going down in the second game with a season ending ACL tear, the Chiefs running game has been a "by committee" operation. Although Jackie Battle has emerged as our number one back with a few fine games running the football, he is not, what some may call, a game changer. Thomas Jones is running like the crypt keeper, and Dexter McCluster couldn't break an arm tackle if the arm was a broken.
With Jones clearly being at the end of his career and Battle probably nothing more than a decent backup, I can't see the Chiefs not addressing the position in the upcoming draft, whether it be in the first or seventh round.
I talked about quarterbacks drafted in the first round since 2001 and how they fared in the NFL. The result was showing everyone that drafting a quarterback in the first round, especially number one overall, is a risky business with little to no guarantee that that draft selection will actually pay the dividends that the team is expecting.
How do running backs fare?
- 2001 - #5 Overall, Ladainian Tomlinson, TCU to San Diego Chargers
- 5x Pro Bowl selection (2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007); 4x First Team All Pro (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007); NFL MVP (2006).
- 2001 - #23 Overall, Deuce McAllister, Mississippi to New Orleans Saints
- 2x Pro Bowl selection (2002, 2003); 2x All Pro (2002, 2003); Super Bowl Champion (XLIV)
- 2001 - #27 Overall, Michael Bennett, Wisconsin to Miami Dolphins
- 2002 Pro Bowl selection
- 2002 - #18 Overall, T.J. Duckett, Michigan State to Atlanta Falcons
- No significant achievements
- 2003 - #23 Overall, Willis McGahee, Miami to Buffalo Bills
- 2007 Pro Bowl selection; 2004 Comeback Player of the Year
- 2003 - #27 Overall, Larry Johnson, Penn State to Kansas City Chiefs
- 2x Pro Bowl selection (2004, 2005); 2x All Pro selection (2004, 2005); 2005 AFC Rushing Champion
- 2004 - #24 Overall, Steven Jackson, Oregon State to St. Louis Rams
- 3x Pro Bowl selection (2006, 2009, 2010); 2x All Pro (2006, 2009); 2009 NFC Rushing Champion
- 2004 - #26 Overall, Chris Perry, Michigan to Cincinnati Bengals
- No significant achievements
- 2004 - #30 Overall, Kevin Jones, Virginia Tech to Detroit Lions
- No significant achievements
- 2005 - #2 Overall, Ronnie Brown, Auburn to Miami Dolphins
- 2008 Pro Bowl selection
- 2005 - #4 Overall, Cedric Benson, Texas to Chicago Bears
- No significant achievements
- 2005 - #5 Overall, Cadillac Williams, Auburn to Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- AP Offensive Rookie of the Year
- 2006 - #2 Overall, Reggie Bush, USC to New Orleans Saints
- 2008 All Pro Selection; Super Bowl Champion (XLIV)
- 2006 - #21 Overall, Laurence Maroney, Minnesota to New England Patriots
- No significant achievements
- 2006 - #27 Overall, DeAngelo Williams, Memphis to Carolina Panthers
- 2009 Pro Bowl selection; 2008 All Pro selection
- 2006 - #30 Overall, Joseph Addai, Louisiana State to Indianapolis Colts
- 2007 Pro Bowl selection; Super Bowl Champion (XLI)
- 2007 - #7 Overall, Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma to Minnesota Vikings
- 4x Pro Bowl selection (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010); 4x All Pro Selection (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010); AP Offensive Rookie of the Year; 2007 NFC Rushing Champion; 2008 NFL Rushing Title; 2008 Pro Bowl MVP; 2008 FedEx Ground Player of the Year
- 2007 - #12 Overall, Marshawn Lynch, California to Buffalo Bills
- 2008 Pro Bowl selection
- 2008 - #4 Overall, Darren McFadden, Arkansas to Oakland Raiders
- No significant achievements
- 2008 - #13 Overall, Jonathan Stewart, Oregon to Carolina Panthers
- No significant achievements
- 2008 - #22 Overall, Felix Jones, Arkansas to Dallas Cowboys
- No significant achievements
- 2008 - #23 Overall, Rashard Mendenhall, Illinois to Pittsburgh Steelers
- Super Bowl Champion (XLIII)
- 2008 - #24 Overall, Chris Johnson, East Carolina to Tennessee Titans
- 3x Pro Bowl selection (2008, 2009, 2010); 2009 All Pro selection; 2009 AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year; 2009 NFL Rushing Champion
- 2009 - #12 Overall, Knowshon Moreno, Georgia to Denver Broncos
- No significant achievements
- 2009 - #27 Overall, Donald Brown, UConn to Indianapolis Colts
- No significant achievements
- 2009 - #31 Overall, Beanie Wells, Ohio State to Arizona Cardinals
- No significant achievements
- 2010 - #9 Overall, C.J. Spiller, Clemson to Buffalo Bills
- No significant achievements
- 2010 - #12 Overall, Ryan Matthews, Fresno State to San Diego Chargers
- No significant achievements
- 2010 - #30 Overall, Jahvid Best, California to Detroit Lions
- No significant achievements
This is a long list, so thanks for sticking around and reading.
As you can see, in the last ten years, 29 running backs have been taken in the first round. Of these players, 14 have achieved no significant achievements; this is nearly half. Granted, the last few on the list haven't had the ability to prove themselves yet in the league, but there are many on this list that haven't resulted in anything worth noting.
An interesting thing worth nothing, however, is the decrease in effective running backs over the last few years. Sure, there are some that have blown the lids off everyone, but since 2007, besides Adrian Peterson, and Chris Johnson until this season, none of these backs have really lived up to the pre-draft hype.
So, drafting a running back isn't any safer than drafting a quarterback. And, in fact, good running backs are so numerous that great talent can be found all throughout the draft. Since the 2001 season, 71 running back positions have been available for the Pro Bowl for either a starting role or injury replacement role. Of those 71 slots, 37 of those slots have been filled by first round picks. Also, 20 players have appeared multiple times.
That means 52% of all Pro Bowl running backs are first round draft picks. That also means that 48% of Pro Bowl running backs were not first round draft picks. In fact, in that 48%, 3 of those players were undrafted free agents (Arian Foster, Willie Parker and Priest Holmes). This just shows you the depth that the draft produces at the running back position.
So, to prepare for the upcoming draft, here are some college players that you should keep an eye on that are draft eligible:
Trent Richardson - Alabama: 149 attempts, 989 yards (6.6 ypc), 17 TDs
Lamar Miller - Miami: 153 attempts, 869 yards (5.7 ypc), 6 TDs
Chris Polk - Washington: 183 attempts, 1,016 yards (5.6 ypc), 9 TDs
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