Quote:Of course our running game would have been much better with a much better Oline. I agree Ivory+Yeldon ain't anything special and can be fairly easily upgraded, my issue is simply that a running back in the 2nd/3rd/4th is far better value than any at pick #4. When you add in how deep this class is it makes it a no brainer. Lets take a look at the top 20 rushers in the league and where they were taken in the draft

 

Running backs taken after round 1                        Running backs taken in the first round

 

Leveon Bell - Round 2                                               Zeke Elliot - Pick 4

Lesean McCoy- Round 2                                          Mark Ingram- Pick 28

Jordan Howard- Round 5                                         Todd Gurley- Pick 10      

Jay Ajayi - Round 5                                                   Melvin Gordon- Pick 15

Demarco Murray - Round 3                                      Johnathen Stewart- Pick 13

David Johnson - Round 3

Lamar Miller - Round 4

Devonta Freeman - Round 4

Legarette Blount - Undrafted

Frank Gore - Round 3

Carlos Hyde- Round 2

Spencer Ware- Round 6

Isiah Crowell - Undrafted

Jeremy Hill- Round 2

Latavious Murray- Round 6

Matt Forte- Round 2

 

A good amount of those guys on the left aren't game changers or have only had one good season.  I'd argue that there hasn't been top-end talent at the RB position like this for a while.  Most would say that aside from Zeke (who may be around the same tier), Fournette and Cook are better college prospects than all those guys.

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