It's a tricky year for rookie running backs. Lots of them selected in the second round, where it's definitely hit or miss country.
Giovani Bernard, Le'Veon Bell, Montee Ball, Eddie Lacy. You can make the case for any of these backs to be selected first in a dynasty-type format.
But it's not easy finding Pro Bowlers in the draft. The Bengals are planning on Bernard being another Ray Rice or Maurice Jones-Drew, but there's also the possibility he'll be another J.J. Arrington, Mike Cloud or Joe Montgomery.
In the last 16 years, there have been 36 running backs selected in second round. By my count, only six of those backs turned into big stars.
There are a few others who had some success. Anthony Thomas, LaMont Jordan, LenDale White, Tatum Bell and Julius Jones, I think, all had one 1,000-yard season.
But my count, only six where the scouts are slapping hands and saying, "Yep, I'm glad we drafted that guy."
Those other backs, even with some sporadic success (or, in the case of Kevin Faulk, long-term semi-success) look more like backs who should have been picked in the third, fourth round or later.
RUNNING BACKS SELECTED IN SECOND ROUND
Year Pk
1998 37 Robert Holcombe
1999 39 James Johnson
1999 43 Rob Konrad
1999 46 Kevin Faulk
1999 49 Joe Montgomery
1999 54 Mike Cloud
1999 60 Jermaine Fazande
2001 38 Anthony Thomas
2001 49 LaMont Jordan
2001 58 Travis Henry
2002 34 DeShaun Foster
2002 51 Clinton Portis
2002 54 Maurice Morris
2002 56 Ladell Betts
2004 41 Tatum Bell
2004 43 Julius Jones
2004 55 Greg Jones
2005 44 J.J. Arrington
2005 54 Eric Shelton
2006 45 LenDale White
2006 60 Maurice Jones-Drew
2007 49 Kenny Irons
2007 50 Chris Henry
2007 63 Brandon Jackson
2008 44 Matt Forte
2008 55 Ray Rice
2009 53 LeSean McCoy
2010 51 Toby Gerhart
2010 58 Ben Tate
2010 59 Montario Hardesty
2011 38 Ryan Williams
2011 56 Shane Vereen
2011 57 Mikel Leshoure
2011 62 Daniel Thomas
2012 50 Isaiah Pead
2012 61 LaMichael James
^aEUR"Ian Allan
Factoid
May 12, 2013