In today’s NFL, you need to be a really special running back to get considered at the top of the draft.
That type of back isn’t in this year’s class. Alabama running back Mark Ingram comes closest, but he’s seen more as a safe, rugged selection rather than a Adrian Peterson-like standout.
That’s not the only reason why Ingram could “fall” on draft to the end of the first round or possibly the second round. A general manager asked NFL.com’s Steve Wyche a great question: How many teams really need a running back right now?
Wyche’s list: Miami, Washington, and Seattle. In all three cases, the teams still have bigger needs. We might add New England, Indianapolis, and Cincinnati to that list, but again those teams don’t need one early in the draft.
Ingram should be a solid Pro, but is he a better prospect than Steven Jackson was coming out of school? Jackson fell to No. 24 in 2004, and it wouldn’t be a shock if Ingram fell further because so few teams are desperately seeking running backs.