Fantasy Index

Factoid

College running backs: yards per carry

How much does yards per carry in college matter for running backs? If a back manages a high yards per carry number in his final year of college, does this mean he'll be a good pro? Or was he just the beneficiary of a great offensive line in a great system.

Ohio State running back Carlos Hyde is one of the top prospects at the position this year, with an outside chance of being selected in the first round. (It's also possible that no back will be selected in the first for the second straight year; there's no perceived Adrian Peterson, or, uh, Trent Richardson in the draft class.) And Hyde put up strong numbers last season, carrying 208 times for 1,521 yards -- a whopping 7.3 yards per carry.

But that number might not mean much, even if he does wind up being a first-round pick. Over the last 20 years, there have been 58 running backs selected in the first round. Only five of those backs managed a higher yards per carry in their final season than Hyde did, but of those five, only Larry Johnson went on to have an outstanding pro career. (Reggie Bush has been pretty good, but not great.)

Injuries and off-field issues have factored into the struggles of some of these backs, but note that some of the truly elite performers -- like Peterson, and Marshall Faulk -- come in near the bottom of the list in terms of yards per carry. At the very bottom are Jamal Lewis and Steven Jackson, two guys who had pretty fair NFL careers. Probably best, then, not to place too much stock in college yards per carry.

FIRST-ROUND RBs, YPC FINAL COLLEGE SEASON, 1994-PRESENT
YearPkPlayer, TeamYPCAttRun
200822Felix Jones, Dall.8.71331162
20062Reggie Bush, N.O.8.72001740
19951Ki-Jana Carter, Cin.7.81981539
200327Larry Johnson, K.C.7.72712087
19966Lawrence Phillips, St.L.7.496712
199521Rashaan Salaam, Chi.6.92982055
19933Garrison Hearst, Ariz.6.82281547
201012Ryan Mathews, S.D.6.62761808
200823Rashard Mendenhall, Pitt.6.42621681
200627DeAngelo Williams, Car.6.33101964
200031Trung Canidate, St.L.6.32531602
199712Warrick Dunn, T.B.6.21891179
200323Willis McGahee, Buff.6.22821753
19968Tim Biakabutuka, Car.6.22791724
200813Jonathan Stewart, Car.6.22801722
201030Jahvid Best, Det.6.1141867
199723Antowain Smith, Buff.6.12021239
200712Marshawn Lynch, Buff.6.12231356
200011Ron Dayne, NYG6.13031834
199519James Stewart, Jac.6.01701028
19989Fred Taylor, Jac.6.02141292
200824Chris Johnson, Tenn.6.02361423
199614Eddie George, Hou.6.03031826
19985Curtis Enis, Chi.6.02281363
20052Ronnie Brown, Mia.6.0153913
20123Trent Richardson, Cle.5.92831679
19995Ricky Williams, N.O.5.93612124
200216William Green, Cle.5.92651559
200430Kevin Jones, Det.5.92811647
19994Edgerrin James, Ind.5.92421416
20015LaDainian Tomlinson, S.D.5.83692158
200931Beanie Wells, Ariz.5.82071197
199425Greg Hill, K.C.5.7124707
200927Donald Brown, Ind.5.73672083
20084Darren McFadden, Oak.5.63251830
20054Cedric Benson, Chi.5.63261834
20109C.J. Spiller, Buff.5.62161212
200912Knowshon Moreno, Den.5.62501400
201128Mark Ingram, N.O.5.5158875
199818Robert Edwards, N.E.5.5165908
199518Napoleon Kaufman, Oak.5.52531390
199517Tyrone Wheatley, NYG5.51941064
200127Michael Bennett, Minn.5.42941598
20007Thomas Jones, Ariz.5.43341798
20077Adrian Peterson, Minn.5.41881012
199310Jerome Bettis, St.L.5.3156825
200218T.J. Duckett, Atl.5.22361236
200621Laurence Maroney, N.E.5.22811464
199829John Avery, Mia.5.2166862
19942Marshall Faulk, Ind.5.13001530
199428William Floyd, S.F.5.163321
200426Chris Perry, Cin.5.03381674
20055Cadillac Williams, T.B.4.92391165
200630Joseph Addai, Ind.4.9187911
200123Deuce McAllister, N.O.4.8159767
200019Shaun Alexander, Sea.4.63021383
20005Jamal Lewis, Balt.4.5182817
200424Steven Jackson, St.L.4.43501545

--Andy Richardson

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