Running Back

Illinois

6-0 232

Draft board overall prospect rank: #23

Draft board overall running back rank: #2

Overall rating: 84 (late 1st)

40 time: 4.56

4/23/11: Mark Ingram is the best running back in this class. I think that’s the general consensus. However, Mikel Leshoure is the reason he could slip in the first round. A lot of people think that you can get better value with Leshoure in the 2^nd round than you can with Ingram in the first, especially in the wake of the concerns over Ingram’s here. I would have to agree with that and given the devaluation of the running back position in recent years, that could hurt Ingram’s stock.

But enough about Ingram, let’s move onto Leshoure and what makes him a dynamic running back. He burst onto the scene this year with 281 carries for 1697 yards and 17 touchdowns. Now, burst onto the scene should give you some pause. He’s basically a one yard wonder. He rushed for just 734 yards on just 108 carries in 2009.

However, one year wonders at running backs are less of a concern that one year wonders at other positions because of how short a running back’s shelf life is. Running backs seem to have a total amount of career carries where they just hit the wall and fall off the face of the Earth and carries in college factor into that. Look at Kevin Smith. He was a great college back, but he was overworked and now he can’t stay healthy in the NFL. So, while his lack of experience is a bad thing, it’s also a bit of a good thing. He only has 424 career college carries on his tires. That’s not a lot.

Plus, given that he rushed for an average of 6.8 yards per carry in 2009, I think it’s safe to say that he didn’t lack talent. He just needed an opportunity. Look at a guy like former Illinois running back Rashard Mendenhall. He was a bit of a one year wonder in college, but he was so impressive in that one year that he went in the first and now he’s one of the ten best running backs in the league. Leshoure is similar to Mendenhall in that way.

Leshoure is a big, explosive running back who runs with great pad level and doesn’t go down easily. He’s tough and well rounded and could be a feature back at the next level. He wasn’t a huge part of the passing attack at Illinois, but he’s shown good hands in drills so he can be a factor on 3^rd down in the NFL. He also hasn’t fumbled once in his college career on 424 carries. That’s pretty impressive.

He has great vision and he’s elusive, but he isn’t overly fast. He’s not an outside the tackles runner. He’s a north/south runner that’s going to fit best in a cold weather city, much like where he played his college ball. Character concerns are minor with him, but present. He got into a fight with a teammate in 2008 and in 2009 he was suspended for violating a team rule. There have also been some concerns that he’s got attitude problems and he’s not a great locker room guy. It is worth noting that he has been praised for getting his act together before this season, improving his attitude and his work ethic, and that’s shown on the field this year.

NFL Comparison: Larry Johnson