Here are the top 10 running back prospects (with projected round) for the 2022 NFL draft, which is set for April 28-30:
1. Kenneth Walker III, Michigan State, 5-foot-9, 211 pounds (second round): Some believe he’s only a first- and second-down player because of the lack of receptions out of the backfield. Walker won the Walter Camp Player of the Year and Doak Walker (nation’s top running back) awards. He was also a first-team AP All-American and the Big Ten running back of the year after rushing for 1,636 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2021.
2. Breece Hall, Iowa State, 5-11, 217 (second round): The first unanimous first-team All-American in school history. Rushed for 3,044 yards in last two seasons. Had five touchdown runs of 75 yards or more and is a cousin of San Francisco 49ers great Roger Craig.
3. Isaiah Spiller, Texas A&M, 6-0, 217 (third round): Runs with authority and can make defenders miss. Blocking and pass catching will need to improve. “I feel like I can do it in any scheme,” Spiller said. “It doesn’t matter to me. Gap, outside zone or inside zone. I’ve done it all.”
4. Dameon Pierce, Florida, 5-10, 218 (third round): Played in 13 games and rushed 100 times for 574 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2021. Also caught 19 passes for 216 yards and three TDs. He played at Bainbridge High and was an AJC Super 11 selection in 2017.
5. Kyren Williams, Notre Dame, 5-9, 194 (fourth round): Rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each of his past two seasons and displayed pass-catching ability with 78 career catches. Ran some routes out of the slot.
6. Zamir White, Georgia, 6-0, 214 (fourth round): Played in all 15 games for last season’s national champions, finishing with 856 yards rushing on 160 carries. A bruising runner nicknamed “Zeus,” White finished his career with 2,043 yards.
7. Jashaun Corbin, Florida State, 5-11, 202 (fourth round): Made the SEC All-Freshman Team at Texas A&M in 2018 but spent the last two seasons in the ACC at Florida State. He led the Seminoles with 887 yards rushing and caught 25 passes last season.
8. Tyler Allgeier, Brigham Young, 5-11, 224 (fourth round): He started his career as a running back, switched to linebacker and spent last two seasons back on offense. Rushed for 1,130 yards in 2020 and 1,630 yards in 2021.
9. Jerome Ford, Cincinnati, 5-10, 210, (fifth round): Began his career at Alabama before transferring. Rushed for 1,802 yards in two seasons with the Bearcats and tied a school record with 19 rushing TDs in 2021. Flashed speed with a time of 4.46 seconds at the NFL scouting combine.
10. James Cook, Georgia, 5-11, 190 (sixth round): Rushed for 728 yards and seven TDs in 2021. Displayed big-play ability with a career-high 112 yards receiving in the Orange Bowl against Michigan and had a career-long run of 67 yards in the College Football Playoff Championship game against Alabama. Older brother is three-time Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook of the Minnesota Vikings.
Best of the rest: Oklahoma’s Kennedy Brooks, Arizona State’s Rachaad White, N.C. State’s Zonovan Knight, Baylor’s Abram Smith and Ole Miss’ Jerrion Ealy.
Teams in need: Texans, Dolphins, Steelers, Raiders and Jets.
Need area for Falcons: Yes. The Falcons finished 31st in the league in rushing at 85.4 yards per game, which was down from 95.8 yards per game (27th) in 2020. Wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson led the Falcons in rushing with 618 yards on 153 carries (4.0 per carry) and six TDs.
AJC’S 2022 POSITION-BY-POSITION SERIES
WIDE RECEIVERS – Falcons need to upgrade weapons | Top 10 WRs
RUNNING BACKS – Position has become devalued in draft | Top 10 RBs
TIGHT ENDS – Friday
OFFENSIVE LINE – Saturday
QUARTERBACKS – Sunday
DEFENSIVE LINE – Monday
LINEBACKERS – Tuesday
CORNERBACKS – Wednesday, April 20
SAFETIES – Thursday, April 21
SPECIAL TEAMS – Friday, April 22
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