The 2015 NFL draft is coming up in over a month and the RB class is looking deep, as players like Todd Gurley, Melvin Gordon, TJ Yeldon, Ameer Abdullah, Duke Johnson, Tevin Coleman, David Johnson, Jay Ajayi, David Cobb, Karlos Williams and Jeremy Langford are entering and teams like the Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns, Seattle Seahawks, Dallas Cowboys and Jacksonville Jaguars could be interested.
The running back position used to be a primary target for teams in the first round of the draft, but in recent years the first RBs taken have slipped into the second round. This year could be more of the same, but there also is potential for some players to go in the first round. Gordon had a massive season for Wisconsin and could be a late selection, while Gurley is coming in after dealing with an injury, but many consider him to be the best player of the group.
TJ Yeldon has a winning pedigree from his career at Alabama, but after the way Trent Richardson turned out, some teams may not jump in on him early. Ameer Abdullah showed his versatility this season for Nebraska, while some consider Johnson to be a sleeper after coming out of Miami. Gurley is the most intriguing player to watch, as he dealt with a torn ACL last year but could be drafted simply based on his potential.
According to Pro Football Talk and ESPN.com, Gurley is visiting with the Lions for a pre-draft meeting and it comes over a month before the draft. The team website released the news about Gurley and teams likely will be meeting with him more than other running backs so they can see if he is fully recovered from his injury. Gurley dealt with NCAA issues last season regarding autographs and he also tore his ACL in November and that came after he served a suspension.
The Lions have the number 23 pick in the draft and while running backs have not been taken that high recently, the team could look at Gurley at the pick. The team released Reggie bush this offseason and while they really like both Joique Bell and Theo Riddick at the top of the depth chart, Gurley or another back could come in behind and ahead of George Winn.
Gurley is 6-1, 222 pounds and is a strong runner up the middle and he also is a solid receiver out of the backfield. Last season Gurley had 911 yards and nine touchdowns and that came two years after he had 1385 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2012. Gurley scored over 30 touchdowns in three seasons with Georgia and he averaged at least six yards per carry in each season. Gordon was the most impressive back stats-wise this season, as he had 2587 yards and 29 touchdowns this year for Wisconsin. Gordon rushed for nearly 5000 yards in his career and he could be another player that goes high.
Coleman is a name to keep an eye on along with Johnson, as both players were very productive in college and are coming in under the radar. Johnson is small, but he was very impressive last year with over 1600 yards and 10 touchdowns for Miami. Coleman has rushed for a school-record 2,036 yards and 15 touchdowns and he could be a sleeper pick. The Dallas Cowboys are also expected to look at running backs after losing DeMarco Murray to the Eagles.