Since the move to the eight-division format in 2002, 30 running backs have selected in the second round (including four this year). Only three of those players have been big successes in their first year.
LeVeon Bell should be a full-time running back right away. Montee Ball and Eddie Lacy go to teams with good offenses. And Giovani Bernard was selected earlier than all of those guys.
Everyone has their favorite second-round running backs.
Nowadays, teams don't like using first-round picks on running backs, but the same guys are still being drafted. Those guys who used to go in the first are just now last until the second.
But will any of these guys be any good?
Since the move to 32 teams in 2002, 30 running backs have been selected in the second round. Only three of those guys have put up notable numbers in their first year -- that's using the scoring system of 1 point for every 10 yards and 6 points for touchdowns. Clinton Portis, Maurice Jones-Drew and Matt Forte.
That's it. Maybe you can toss in Julius Jones as a halfsie guy -- he came on late as a rookie with Dallas.
But the success hasn't been high.
On the chart below, yards includes both rushing and receiving. Touchdowns includes all scorers -- run, rec and kick returns.
SECOND-ROUND RUNNING BACKS SINCE 2002 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Yds | TD | Pts | |
2002 | DeShaun Foster | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
2002 | Clinton Portis | 1872 | 17 | 289.2 |
2002 | Maurice Morris | 178 | 1 | 23.8 |
2002 | Ladell Betts | 461 | 1 | 52.1 |
2004 | Tatum Bell | 476 | 3 | 65.6 |
2004 | Julius Jones | 926 | 7 | 134.6 |
2004 | Greg Jones | 175 | 3 | 35.5 |
2005 | J.J. Arrington | 509 | 2 | 62.9 |
2005 | Eric Shelton | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
2006 | LenDale White | 304 | 0 | 30.4 |
2006 | Maurice Jones-Drew | 1377 | 16 | 233.7 |
2007 | Kenny Irons | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
2007 | Chris Henry | 172 | 2 | 29.2 |
2007 | Brandon Jackson | 397 | 1 | 45.7 |
2008 | Matt Forte | 1715 | 12 | 243.5 |
2008 | Ray Rice | 727 | 0 | 72.7 |
2009 | LeSean McCoy | 945 | 4 | 118.5 |
2010 | Toby Gerhart | 489 | 1 | 54.9 |
2010 | Ben Tate | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
2010 | Montario Hardesty | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
2011 | Ryan Williams | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
2011 | Shane Vereen | 57 | 1 | 11.7 |
2011 | Mikel Leshoure | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
2011 | Daniel Thomas | 653 | 1 | 71.3 |
2012 | Isaiah Pead | 70 | 0 | 7.0 |
2012 | LaMichael James | 154 | 0 | 15.4 |
2013 | Giovani Bernard | ? | ? | ? |
2013 | LeVeon Bell | ? | ? | ? |
2013 | Montee Ball | ? | ? | ? |
2013 | Eddie Lacy | ? | ? | ? |
--Ian Allan