Which CFB Conference Produces the Best First Round Runningbacks?

Through a series of blog post, I’m going to examine which college football conferences are producing the best first round talent and the most busts to the NFL. I will break it down by position of each player drafted in the first round between 2001 to 2011.

Here is my take on the Quarterbacks.

RUNNINGBACKS

Best: NON-AQ – When a NFL franchise selects a running back with a top ten pick, LaDanain Tomlinson’s hall of fame career is exactly what they envision. Appropriately decorated with numerous awards, broken records, and Pro Bowl appearances, the only thing missing in his storied career is a Super Bowl ring. However, he is, by far, one of the best running backs in NFL history and the clear prize in the NON-AQ draft class in the 1^st Round.

Not far behind Tomlinson is three time Pro Bowler Chris Johnson. Johnson joined the ranks of some of the NFL’s all-time greats in O.J. Simpson, Eric Dickerson, Barry Sanders, Terrell Davis, and Jamal Lewis by rushing for over 2,000 yards in the 2009 season. By his standards, CJ2K is coming off a disappointing 2011 campaign, only rushing for 1,047 yards and 4 touchdowns, after becoming the highest paid RB this offseason.  While questions arise whether or not the Titans should part ways with Johnson this off season, there is no doubt, at 26 he already has impressive accomplishments majority of RB’s will never sniff their entire career.

Complete Draft Class: Ryan Mathews (2010), Chris Johnson (2008), DeAngelo Williams (2006), LaDanian Tomlinson (2001)

Worst: ACC – Ten years, one draft pick, and 844 rushing yards later, it’s safe to say the ACC has been the worst at producing quality first round talent. CJ Spiller has been unable to translate his electrifying talent he displayed at Clemson to the NFl and has been labeled as a potential bust going into his 3^rd year. Spiller will be 25 years old, so he still has plenty of time to turn things around.

Boston College, Miami, and Virginia Tech did not join the conference in full until 2005. Had they been in the ACC the entire past decade, the award for worst running back class would’ve gone to the Big East. H

Complete Draft Class: CJ Spiller (2009)

Best Overall Pick: NON-AQ – LaDanian Tomlinson, 5^th Overall, 2001 – (See Above)

Worst Overall Pick: Big East – William Green, 16^th Overall, 2004 – It’s not that Green didn’t have the chops to make it in the NFL from a talent stand point, but that he couldn’t get out of his own way to let himself shine. Green had numerous failed drugs test in college and the NFL, as well as an arrest for drunk driving and possession of marijuana before, eventually, finding himself out of the league.

Other Draft Classes:

Big East: Donald Brown (2009), Kevin Jones (2004), Willis McGahee (2003), Williams Green (2002)

Big 10: Beanie Wells (2009), Rashard Mendenhall (2008), Laurence Maroney (2006), Chris Perry (2004), Larry Johnson (2003), TJ Duckett (2002), Michael Bennett (2001)

Big 12: Adrian Peterson (2007), Cedric Benson (2005)

Pac 10: Jahvid Best (2010), Jonathan Stewart (2008), Marshawn Lynch (2007), Reggie Bush (2006), Steven Jackson (2004)

SEC: Mark Ingram (2011), Knowshon Moreno (2009), Darren McFadden (2008), Felix Jones (2008), Jospeh Addai (2006), Ronnie Brown (2005), Cadillac Williams (2005), Deuce McAllister (2001)

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