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Factoid

Eddie Lacy: yards per carry

Alabama's Eddie Lacy is widely viewed as the upcoming draft's top running back prospect, perhaps the only one likely to be selected with a first-round pick. He comes off an impressive final season that saw him rush for 1,322 yards while averaging 6.5 yards per carry.

Does that lofty yards per carry mean much for his NFL future? At a glance, it doesn't look like it. Of the 61 running backs selected in the first round of the draft over the last 20 years, 23 of them have averaged more than 6.0 yards per carry in their final college season. Looking at the list, there are some good backs, but only a couple of NFL difference-makers -- and far more busts.

This is not to say Lacy won't be a good pro; far from it. But don't let that 6.5 figure sway your thinking.

The rushing numbers in the final year of college for those 61 backs, sorted by yards per carry, are presented below. Note that among the top 10, four of the five that are still active are expected to be available in free agency this offseason.

Final college season, 1st-round RBs, 1993-2012

YPC    Att    Yds   
8.7    133    1162    Felix Jones
8.7    200    1740    Reggie Bush
7.8    198    1539    Ki-Jana Carter
7.7    271    2087    Larry Johnson
7.4     96      712     Lawrence Phillips
6.9    298    2055    Rashaan Salaam
6.8    228    1547    Garrison Hearst
6.6    276    1808    Ryan Mathews
6.4    262    1681    Rashard Mendenhall
6.3    310    1964    DeAngelo Williams
6.3    253    1602    Trung Canidate
6.2    189    1179    Warrick Dunn
6.2    282    1753    Willis McGahee
6.2    279    1724    Tim Biakabutuka
6.2    280    1722    Jonathan Stewart
6.1    141     867    Jahvid Best
6.1    202    1239    Antowain Smith
6.1    223    1356    Marshawn Lynch
6.1    303    1834    Ron Dayne
6.0    170    1028    James Stewart
6.0    214    1292    Fred Taylor
6.0    236    1423    Chris Johnson
6.0    303    1826    Eddie George
6.0    228    1363    Curtis Enis
6.0    153     913    Ronnie Brown
5.9    283    1679    Trent Richardson
5.9    290    1709    David Wilson
5.9    361    2124    Ricky Williams
5.9    265    1559    William Green
5.9    281    1647    Kevin Jones
5.9    242    1416    Edgerrin James
5.8    369    2158    LaDainian Tomlinson
5.8    207    1197    Beanie Wells
5.7    124     707    Greg Hill
5.7    367    2083    Donald Brown
5.6    325    1830    Darren McFadden
5.6    326    1834    Cedric Benson
5.6    216    1212    C.J. Spiller
5.6    250    1400    Knowshon Moreno
5.6    147     819    Robert Smith
5.5    158     875    Mark Ingram
5.5    165     908    Robert Edwards
5.5    253    1390    Napoleon Kaufman
5.5    194    1064    Tyrone Wheatley
5.4    294    1598    Michael Bennett
5.4    334    1798    Thomas Jones
5.4    188    1012    Adrian Peterson
5.3    156     825    Jerome Bettis
5.2    236    1236    T.J. Duckett
5.2    281    1464    Laurence Maroney
5.2    166    862    John Avery
5.1    300    1530    Marshall Faulk
5.1     63     321     William Floyd
5.0    338    1674    Chris Perry
4.9    263    1299    Doug Martin
4.9    239    1165    Cadillac Williams
4.9    187    911    Joseph Addai
4.8    159    767    Deuce McAllister
4.6    302    1383    Shaun Alexander
4.5    182     817    Jamal Lewis
4.4    350   1545    Steven Jackson

--Andy Richardson

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