Around the NFL
There's an interesting little chart that was posted by Frank Tadych of the NFL Network yesterday. He put together a blurb showing how more teams are relying on the running back by committee approach.
Tadych posts a chart showing the last ten starting running backs for Super Bowl champions.
In the chart, I noticed that three of the running backs drafted in the first or second round (Antowain Smith twice and Corey Dillon) were actually picked by other teams -- they wound up at New England later.
So of the last 10 teams to win Super Bowls, only one -- the Indianapolis Colts in 2006 (Joseph Addai)-- used a running back that they picked in the first, second or third round.
Teams need not, clearly, draft running backs in the first round.
If you go back and look at teams that won the Super Bowl in the '90s, you'll see a higher batting average for highly-regarded runners, but still plenty of exceptions.
1989 Roger Craig, S.F. (2nd round)
1990 Ottis Anderson, NYG (veteran free agent)
1991 Earnest Byner, Wash. (veteran free agent)
1992 Emmitt Smith, Dall. (1st round)
1993 Emmitt Smith, Dall. (1st round)
1994 Ricky Watters, S.F. (2nd round)
1995 Emmitt Smith, Dall. (1st round)
1996 Edgar Bennett, G.B. (4th round)
1997 Terrell Davis, Den. (6th round)
1998 Terrell Davis, Den. (6th round)
1999 Marshall Faulk, St.L. (trade / former 1st rd)
2000 Jamal Lewis, Balt. (1st round)
—Ian Allan
- Comments [0]
Readers' Comments
Add a Comment
Already a registered user? Please sign in to add comments.
To add comments, you must become a registered user of our site. To register, please click here.
