Merely putting up big rushing numbers in college isn't necessarily a big deal. Donnel Pumphrey is the NCAA's all-time leading rusher (Division I), and he wasn't even drafted until the fifth round a year ago. Pumphrey rushed for over 2000 yards in his final year of college, just like the back who replaced him at San Diego State, Rashaad Penny.
Penny also rushed for over 2,000 yards in his final college season, but unlike Pumphrey, he was selected in the first round of the draft. There aren't a lot of backs from the last 20 years that fit both of those criteria. The ones that do have mostly turned out pretty well.
Table shows all first-round running backs from the last 20 years, sorted by rushing yards in their final year of college.
FIRST-ROUND RUNNING BACKS, FINAL YEAR OF COLLEGE | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Pk | Player | Run | Rec | Tot | TD |
2015 | 15 | Melvin Gordon, S.D. | 2587 | 153 | 2740 | 32 |
2018 | 27 | Rashaad Penny, Sea. | 2248 | 135 | 2383 | 25 |
2001 | 5 | LaDainian Tomlinson, S.D. | 2158 | 40 | 2198 | 22 |
1999 | 5 | Ricky Williams, N.O. | 2124 | 262 | 2386 | 28 |
2003 | 27 | Larry Johnson, K.C. | 2087 | 349 | 2436 | 23 |
2009 | 27 | Donald Brown, Ind. | 2083 | 125 | 2208 | 18 |
2006 | 27 | DeAngelo Williams, Car. | 1964 | 78 | 2042 | 19 |
2005 | 4 | Cedric Benson, Chi. | 1834 | 179 | 2013 | 20 |
2000 | 11 | Ron Dayne, NYG | 1834 | 9 | 1843 | 19 |
2008 | 4 | Darren McFadden, Oak. | 1830 | 164 | 1994 | 17 |
2016 | 4 | Ezekiel Elliott, Dall. | 1821 | 206 | 2027 | 23 |
2010 | 12 | Ryan Mathews, S.D. | 1808 | 122 | 1930 | 19 |
2000 | 7 | Thomas Jones, Ariz. | 1798 | 239 | 2037 | 17 |
2003 | 23 | Willis McGahee, Buff. | 1753 | 355 | 2108 | 28 |
2006 | 2 | Reggie Bush, N.O. | 1740 | 478 | 2218 | 18 |
2008 | 13 | Jonathan Stewart, Car. | 1722 | 145 | 1867 | 13 |
2012 | 32 | David Wilson, NYG | 1709 | 129 | 1838 | 10 |
2008 | 23 | Rashard Mendenhall, Pitt. | 1681 | 318 | 1999 | 19 |
2012 | 3 | Trent Richardson, Clev. | 1679 | 338 | 2017 | 24 |
2004 | 26 | Chris Perry, Cin. | 1674 | 367 | 2041 | 20 |
2004 | 30 | Kevin Jones, Det. | 1647 | 161 | 1808 | 21 |
2017 | 8 | Christian McCaffrey, Car. | 1603 | 310 | 1913 | 16 |
2000 | 31 | Trung Canidate, St.L. | 1602 | 253 | 1855 | 12 |
2001 | 27 | Michael Bennett, Minn. | 1598 | 23 | 1621 | 10 |
2002 | 16 | William Green, Clev. | 1559 | 260 | 1819 | 17 |
2004 | 24 | Steven Jackson, St.L. | 1545 | 470 | 2015 | 22 |
2006 | 21 | Laurence Maroney, N.E. | 1464 | 170 | 1634 | 11 |
2008 | 24 | Chris Johnson, Tenn. | 1423 | 528 | 1951 | 23 |
1999 | 4 | Edgerrin James, Ind. | 1416 | 255 | 1671 | 19 |
2009 | 12 | Knowshon Moreno, Den. | 1400 | 392 | 1792 | 18 |
2000 | 19 | Shaun Alexander, Sea. | 1383 | 323 | 1706 | 23 |
2007 | 12 | Marshawn Lynch, Buff. | 1356 | 328 | 1684 | 15 |
2012 | 31 | Doug Martin, T.B. | 1299 | 255 | 1554 | 18 |
2018 | 2 | Saquon Barkley, | 1271 | 632 | 1903 | 21 |
2002 | 18 | T.J. Duckett, Atl. | 1236 | 80 | 1316 | 11 |
2010 | 9 | C.J. Spiller, Buff. | 1212 | 503 | 1715 | 16 |
2009 | 31 | Beanie Wells, Ariz. | 1197 | 47 | 1244 | 8 |
2005 | 5 | Cadillac Williams, T.B. | 1165 | 152 | 1317 | 13 |
2008 | 22 | Felix Jones, Dall. | 1162 | 176 | 1338 | 11 |
2007 | 7 | Adrian Peterson, Minn. | 1012 | 136 | 1148 | 13 |
2005 | 2 | Ronnie Brown, Mia. | 913 | 313 | 1226 | 9 |
2015 | 10 | Todd Gurley, St.L. | 911 | 57 | 968 | 9 |
2006 | 30 | Joseph Addai, Ind. | 911 | 180 | 1091 | 10 |
2011 | 28 | Mark Ingram, N.O. | 875 | 282 | 1157 | 14 |
2010 | 30 | Jahvid Best, Det. | 867 | 213 | 1080 | 16 |
2017 | 4 | Leonard Fournette, Jac. | 843 | 146 | 989 | 8 |
2000 | 5 | Jamal Lewis, Balt. | 817 | 193 | 1010 | 8 |
2001 | 23 | Deuce McAllister, N.O. | 767 | 190 | 957 | 16 |
Some of those big final-year producers didn't have great careers. Ron Dayne, most notably. Some of the guys with lesser numbers (like Fournette, who was hurt, or Ingram) have been fine pros. So not necessarily a huge deal either way for Penny.
--Andy Richardson