This is a fairly deep group with a plethora of collective speed, but there is not a lot of size. There is a fairly significant drop between the top 3 and the next 3-4, then another level. Because of the depth and also some attractive free agents on the market (Michael Turner, Jamal Lewis, Julius Jones), don?t expect teams to reach in the draft. 1. Darren McFadden, Arkansas: Outstanding acceleration and vision with great top-end speed; patient enough to wait for the hole to develop, then shows rare burst and agility in hitting the hole; exceptional lateral quickness, can go from east-west to north-south in an instant; great hands and shows good awareness of routes; can return kicks and also play QB in a pinch; good size (6?2?, 215), and his frame can probably handle another 10-15 pounds without losing quickness; smart, likable guy who hasn?t let success change him; operates in space much better than in traffic, might not find enough room to truly stand out in the NFL; runs somewhat upright and doesn?t avoid contact; was much more productive running from the spread and direct-snap than when Arkansas used him in a more traditional setting; has a couple of minor off-field incidents; not a good blocker, poor technique and apathetic; always carries the ball in his left hand; has a lot of mileage despite being an early entrant and sharing the load; doesn?t always hit his top gear and cannot sustain his burst as long as some others. NFL Comparison: Ladanian Tomlinson, Reggie Bush. Surefire top 10 pick, likely in the top 5. Has a chance to make a big immediate impact but is not the lead-pipe lock for stardom that many think he is. 2. Jonathan Stewart, Oregon: Classic power runner who can really move a pile; powerfully compact with tremendous leg strength; keeps his feet moving and always falls forward; cannot be tackled above his waist; good straight-line speed for a guy of his bulk, hard to catch; very good hands as a receiver; freakishly strong athlete who can out-bench most linemen; surprisingly effective KR who builds a head of steam and makes his own wedge; durable, dedicated worker; runs very upright and a little stiff at times; has had fumbling issues and often leaves the ball exposed to the defense; is not the most mature guy off the field; not asked to block much and has rarely run behind a FB or TE; not very elusive and lacks good lateral mobility, needs help to break outside runs; would rather run through the defender than around him, for better and worse. NFL comparison: Marion Barber, going back in time to Jamal Anderson. One scout calls him a ?much shorter Brandon Jacobs?. Top 15 overall and don?t be surprised if he?s more successful than McFadden. 3. Rashard Mendenhall, Illinois: Do-it-all back with a great package of power, speed, and acceleration; runs with great balance, even at top speed; instinctive runner with the ability to squeeze through tight holes; absorbs contact well but is more judicious with his power than Stewart or McFadden; hits his extra gear quickly and can maintain top speed as long as needed; has not taken many hits, still has fresh legs; excellent receiver with soft hands; good blocker, willing to block and uses sound technique; kept improving as his confidence grew--played his two best games late in the year against Ohio State and USC, the two best defenses he faced; only stood out for one year--he had to fight to win the starting job last summer; doesn?t always keep his feet moving in traffic; needs to learn when to cut his losses, that a 1 yard gain is better than a 4 yard loss; comes from an offense that has produced a number of underwhelming NFL RB's despite big college hype and achievement. NFL Comparison: Edgerrin James when he came out, Travis Henry. First rounder who could sneak into the top 10 if he wows in Indy but probably a riskier pick than Stewart or McFadden. 4. Felix Jones, Arkansas: early entrant who chalked up some gaudy yards per carry while sharing the backfield with McFadden; amazing speed and hits top speed immediately; good at making the first guy miss, has a natural slipperiness to him; quick out of his cuts with great balance; fresh legs--has under 400 touches in his 3 years of college; good at setting up his blocks and then exploding off them; has proven KR ability; runs full speed at all times, for better and worse; tends to run upright; doesn?t break many tackles; offers very little between the tackles unless the hole is big; not a natural pass catcher--he?s not bad at it, but he often fights the ball into his possession; slightly built which is not a good trait for a guy who runs so high in his stride; nothing more than a cut blocker; did most of his damage while on the field with McFadden, who commanded more attention from the defense. NFL Comparison: a taller Jerrious Norwood, Willie Parker. Late 1st rounder, probably best served as the ?lightning? in a thunder-and-lightning RB duo. 5. Kevin Smith, Central Florida: Highly productive early entrant who has a great combo of speed/size; natural, instinctive runner with great quick feet; good lateral mobility and breaks out of his cuts quickly; physical runner between the tackles but has enough burst to bounce; excellent vision and patience; great nose for the end zone in the red zone; has not lost a fumble since 10th grade, over 1300 carries; always falls forward, shows good leg drive when he gets hit; adequate but not a great receiver, doesn?t look the ball in well; adequate blocker but goes for the cut block too often, not very physical for a big guy; lacks the top-end speed of some other backs; plays with high emotion and gets frustrated if he gets bottled up or a block is missed; workhorse back with a lot of mileage but has shown good durability; has not faced elite competition but has produced well when tested by BCS schools (see the Texas game). NFL comparison: Kevin Jones, Robert Smith circa 1996. Late 1st-3rd round, depending on how he times. If he clocks a 4.45 or better, he?s in the top 30, but if he can?t best his current 4.55 he?s in the 40-75 range. 6. Chris Johnson, East Carolina: a bigger (5?10?, 195) scat-back type who did a little of everything in college; played some WR, returned punts and kicks at a high level; probably the fastest of the RB's in this class (4.32 40 time), and it translates well to pads; hits his extra gear quickly and can sustain it; outstanding receiver, could make the NFL as a slot WR; plays tough for a smaller-framed guy, not afraid to lower his shoulder and fight for yards; very fluid hips and economical movement when he cuts, and he can make cuts at top speed; good vision, understands how to set up blocks; not very big and is not going to get any bigger without impacting his speed, skinny build; not a good blocker, gets tossed aside easily; will dance in the backfield; not much experience playing RB with the big boys although in his defense his coaches rarely offered stability of position and role; doesn?t break many tackles, not as naturally elusive as similar players. NFL Comparison: Brian Westbrook, Kevin Faulk. 2nd round, might slip out of the top 60 if he doesn?t impress in shuttle and strength drills. 7. Mike Hart, Michigan: Very productive 4-year starter who does everything well; great power for his size; adept at bouncing runs outside and getting out of traffic; has an extra gear when being chased in the open field; outstanding hands--almost never fumbles and catches everything near him; very good blocker, uses his leverage well; sets up his runs well and shows great patience and understanding of the field; outstanding character--very intelligent student and charismatic leader who makes those around him better; very small even for small backs (listed at 5?9? but closer to 5?7?); has major tread on the tires as a 4-year workhorse, and he rarely makes it through games without missing time due to minor injuries--he missed at least 2 drives in a string of 17 out of 20 games--although he will play through pain; lacks elite speed but is hard to catch due to his small size in the open field. NFL comparison: not quite Maurice Jones-Drew, a smaller Frank Gore. Solid 2nd round potential, but his size and legit durability concerns might cause him to fall. 8. Steve Slaton, West Virginia: Lightning quick speedster with instant acceleration; almost never gets hit squarely; good balance, and he breaks out of his moves with fluidity; lethal in the open field and offers good PR/KR ability; likable, steady leader with a very positive disposition and demeanor; good receiving skills but will let the ball hit his pads when he catches it; legit home-run speed and has the extra gear; runs very well behind a FB for a guy coming from a spread offense, will need one at the next level too; flat-out awful blocker who gets easily bowled over; can be impatient in waiting for blocks to develop; uses his stop/start move too often and relies too heavily on raw speed to get out of trouble; tries too hard to bounce every run outside and gives up on the hole too quickly; slight of frame and not very strong esp. in upper body; durability and size/strength are legit concerns. NFL comparison: any classic 3rd down back, reminds me most of Eric Metcalf circa 1992. Best used as the ?lightning? in a thunder/lightning duo. Second to 3rd round, but if teams scare of his size he could fall much further. 9. Jamaal Charles, Texas: Early entrant with blazing speed, set the Big 12 freshman 100 meter record; has good size and the lean muscular build of a sprinter; outstanding open field runner who can make subtle cuts at full speed; good student and likable teammate; has improved at absorbing contact and falling forward; good feel for the cutback; still has fresh legs, just over 550 touches in 3 years; rhythm runner; not really tough and not much bulk for a 6?1, 200 pound guy; always runs at full speed; strictly a dancer-type blocker; has not shown great hands but was not asked to do much in the passing game; has had fumblitis bouts throughout his career, holds the Big 12 single-season record for lost fumbles; not a back who can create something out of nothing--will need to run behind (and around) a good OL, moreso than most other RB's. NFL Comparison: a poor man?s Michael Turner, Tatum Bell. Second to 3rd rounder who doesn?t fit everywhere. 10. Matt Forte, Tulane: Bigger back (6?2?, 225) with very quick feet who exploded in his senior season after 3 nondescript years; powerfully built natural athlete; absorbs contact and bounces off quite adeptly; will initiate contact and drive with his strong legs, real trouble for DB's; finds the hole well and doesn?t hesitate once he locates it; good blocker, locates his assignment quickly and initiates the block; great at shoulder fakes and stiff arms; good hands, transitions from receiver to runner well; not very fast (4.60) and does not have any extra gear; often runs like he?s smaller than he is, not as powerful as you would think for a bigger back; only had one season where he thrived, had less than 2100 yards on 4.5 ypc before his breakout season, could be a one-year wonder; limited exposure playing with the big boys although he has been quite impressive in those chances. NFL Comparison: Jamal Lewis, Reuben Droughns. Third or fourth round but has the potential to be one of the 3 best backs in this draft. 11. Tashard Choice-Georgia Tech: Smart one-cut back with great patience and vision; good straight line speed but not elite speed; very good at setting up and following blocks; good receiving skills but has not been asked to used them often; has some power but excels at using his stiff arm; not real shifty and does not break many tackles; not really big and has maxed out his frame already; can be a bit of a backfield dancer; ultra-competitive, fiery guy who fights for every yard he gets; has had some injury issues throughout his career, including severe damage to his left knee which he made worse by playing with a torn ligament. Note to you kids out there: Don?t drive on a flat tire, it screws up the rest of your car! NFL comparison: a smaller Michael Pittman without his great hands. 3rd-4th round. 12. Ray Rice, Rutgers: elusive, shifty runner with great balance; very small (5?8?) but has good power and can take a hit; naturally slippery runner who can make the first guy miss; durable, with a good nose for the end zone; needs a lead blocker but follows his blocks very well and makes strong cuts off them; doesn?t have blazing speed (4.52) or instant acceleration typical of smaller backs who make it although he does have an extra gear when being chased; not used much as a receiver, had more dropped passes (11) than catches (9) his first two seasons; stops/starts far too often in traffic and does not always keep his feet moving; lousy blocker who too often lets blitzers run right past him. NFL Comparison: the Bears? Adrian Peterson minus the receiving skills, Jerome Harrison. Great college back who must learn to keep his feet moving and contribute in the passing game, or else his NFL career will be shorter than he is. Overvalued as a 3rd rounder until he proves me otherwise. Could be one of the first 6 backs selected, as high as the 30-45 range. 13. Allen Patrick, Oklahoma: Instinctive downhill runner with good burst; former CB who adapted his footwork and lateral mobility well; runs with good power and finishes his carries between the tackles; keeps his feet moving after the hit well, good leg drive; explodes through the hole with a long stride; has an extra gear and changes his speed well; great physique but not a really strong guy; not very fluid, runs upright and looks stiff; doesn?t always locate the hole well; offers little as a receiver, iffy hands and looks uncomfortable flaring out; hit-and-miss blocker, good technique when he knows his assignment; only started one season; has had numerous minor injury issues. Third to fifth round who could blossom in a zone blocking scheme. He could just as easily not make it out of the preseason. 14. Xavier Omon, NW Missouri State: powerfully built, dynamic small-school runner; epitomizes the term ?power back?--between the tackles, strong legs, loves to lower the shoulder, runs through arm tackles, definite trouble for DB's; has good vision and has flashed ability to bounce it outside; good receiver who thrived on screens; loves to block although his technique is marginal; not real quick and not very fast (upper 4.5s); bad case of fumblitis; short (5?11?) for a power back; played on a great D-II team, but the level of competition is an issue. Could be an effective short-yardage back in the manner of Chris Fuamatu-Ma?afala a few years back although he?s not that big, or perhaps a useful H-back. Might not get drafted but is worth a late-round flier if he can prove he?s fast enough. Others who may hear their names called: Cory Boyd, South Carolina: nondescript runner with great hands and innate receiving skills; decent package of size, quickness and power; has had off-field issues and his coaches and teammates won?t miss him one bit. Might have a brighter future as a WR in a Martz-style offense. Probably will be drafted in the 5th-6th rounds. Caveat draftor! Thomas Brown, Georgia: got lost in the Knowshon Moreno show, but before his injury issues was one of the top backs in the SEC. Undersized change-of-pace back who could make a nice 3rd down scat-back. A poor man?s Darren Sproles although minus the dynamic KR ability. Good late-round sleeper, well worth the 6th-7th round risk. Anthony Aldridge, Houston: extremely undersized (5?9?, 165) flier with good hands and almost inhuman quickness. If he added 20 pounds without sacrificing much quickness he?d be a top 10 back, but similarly sized Garrett Wolfe was a much better college back and did little as a rookie last year. Best shot is as a return specialist. Dantrelle Savage, Oklahoma State: basically interchangeable with Brown although not as good a receiver, but he?s been much healthier. Did not look good in Mobile but has some upside. Chauncey Washington, USC: speedy back with some nice moves and good burst; never stood out in college but has most of the tools needed to succeed. Another good late-round sleeper who could pan out into a quality NFL starter. Rafael Little, Kentucky: productive back in the tough SEC; good quickness, decent hands, smart decisions; not exactly tough or creative; he reminds me of Aveion Cason, who has stuck in the league for awhile now despite not being great at anything. Tony Temple, Missouri: yet another undersized scat-back with extreme quickness and speed but very little mass or ability to do much anywhere but in space. His work ethic and receiving skills should keep him in the league.