Quote: 

  If I were an NFL GM I wouldn't draft a RB before the 4th round unless I was drafting for a contender with a deep roster or had just acquired multiple early round picks in a trade. 

 

I remembered posting on this topic in a Gurley thread months ago.  Re-reading it makes me want to change the above to 3rd round instead of fourth.  Some good backs came out of the third round.  (second too - but I'd still reserve that round for other positions unless the roster was already deep)

 Still - I think it's possible to find very good RBs later and I think we have a GM capable of doing so. 

 

Here's the old post - thought it might be interesting  here because I listed where most of the best backs (at the time) were drafted: 

 

Quote: In 2013 the first RB taken was Bernard at 37th.

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<p style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">In 2014 the first RB taken was Sankey at 54th.

 

I expect this trend will continue with the exception of AP/Lynch type players.  And I think the RB selected inside the top ten is becoming extinct quickly. 

 

Here are the current top RB who are starting in the NFL currently and their draft rounds:

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<p style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">1st round RBs

 

AP

Lynch

Ryan Matthews

Doug Martin (31st pick)

CJ Spiller

Mark Ingram

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2nd rd.

 

McCoy

Lacy 

Forte

LeVeon Bell

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3rd round

 

DeMarco Murray

Jamaal Charles

Frank Gore

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6th rd  

 

Morris

Andre Ellington

 

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UDFA  - 

 

Foster

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<p style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">One could argue that only 3, maybe 4 of those guys taken in the first round have lived up to their draft position. I think the second or third round is the place to draft a (highly touted)  RB unless he's something really special.  

 

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