The big season by Cowboys rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott has led some to conclude that spending a high first-round draft pick on a running back is a good idea. But that’s not necessarily the right conclusion.
In fact, undrafted free agents make it at running back more than at any other position. According to data posted by Jaguars Senior V.P. Tony Khan, undrafted players get on the field at running back far more than at any other position.
About 24 percent of all snaps taken by running backs since 2006 have been taken by undrafted players. That’s far more than any other position; at no other position do undrafted players play more than 17 percent of snaps.
In the NFL this year, undrafted rookies like Rob Kelley in Washington and Jalen Richard in Oakland played very well, and veteran running backs who weren’t drafted including LeGarrette Blount in New England, Isaiah Crowell in Cleveland, Chris Ivory in Jacksonville and C.J. Anderson in Denver had plenty of production as well. Good running backs are still available after the draft ends.
The one position where good players are hard to find after the draft ends is quarterback: Only 10 percent of all snaps taken by quarterbacks since 2006 were taken by undrafted quarterbacks. This season the only undrafted quarterback who started a game for any reason other than an injury to the quarterback ahead of him on the depth chart was Case Keenum, who was benched by the Rams in the middle of the year.
So if your team needs a running back and doesn’t draft one, don’t despair. But if your team needs a quarterback, that’s the highest priority in the draft.