Eagles looking for running back talent in later rounds...

This is by no means intended to be a clairvoyant article...since every team hopes to find a good RB and/or kick returner in the later rounds of the Draft. But for the Eagles, who have the luxury of the former 2nd round pick of 2008 (LeSean McCoy) already in full blossom, it's even more likely they will wait until very late to spend a pick on a ball-carrier. In fact, for MACH 10 purposes, I'm gambling on their eventually signing a running back/return prospect as an Undrafted Free Agent...

Two guys I like for the Eagles team fit are very different style runners. They may be still available in the later rounds. I'd like to draft 'em both! They are Bernard Pierce of Temple, and the smaller but versatile Chris Rainey of Florida.


Bernard Pierce, RB, 6-0, 218, Temple U., a big-back kind of runner who reminds me of Ricky Williams and who I think would be a great fit in the Eagles system...but Pierce is no longer our Philly "back-yard secret", and will possibly be off the board by the time the Eagles get around to RB picking.


Chris Rainey, RB/KR/WR, 5-8, 180, Florida...I think it's more likely Chris Rainey could fall to the Eagles if they want him. He's a slashing and elusive runner, and brings that kick return and punt return potential with his skill set.

Not wanting to belabor this topic with too much wishful thinking, I do agree the Eagles already have some decent RB prospects in last year's 5th-rounder Dion Lewis and 7th-rounder Stanley Havili.

But it's fun to shop around.

It's rare to see a running back go off the board in the 1st round anymore. Most teams are content to let RB prospects fall to them in the 4th round or later. Chris Johnson is an excellent example of a 1st-round RB pick that was worth it...but even he is getting pounded by too many carries.  The physical abuse of the NFL is simply overwhelming for the best and the most-used of these guys. 

See also the cases of former 1st-round RB picks Adrian Peterson, Rashad Mendenhall, Marshawn Lynch, Jonathan Stewart, Knowshon Moreno, Donald Brown, Beanie Wells, Jahvid Best... these guys have taken a pounding and some are beginning to break down.

I like Bernard Pierce and Chris Rainey not just for their talent but also for their good draft value.

Here's how two impartial scouting services rate the RB's according to pro talent potential... First up is Optimum Scouting---

Name - College - Height - Weight - OS Grade - Proj. Round
1 . Trent Richardson - Alabama - 5'11 - 220 - 1st - Top 20 (Scouting Report)

2 . Chris Polk - Washington - 5'11 - 214 - 2nd - Top 20 (Scouting Report)
3 . Doug Martin - Boise State - 5'9 - 223 - 2nd - 1st-2nd
4 . Bernard Pierce - Temple - 6'0 - 218 - 2nd - 1st-2nd (Scouting Report)
5 . Lamar Miller - Miami (FL) - 5'10 - 212 - 2nd - 1st-2nd

6 . David Wilson - Virginia Tech - 5'9 - 206 - 3rd - 2nd-3rd
7 . Isaiah Pead - Cincinnati - 5'10 - 197 - 3rd - 2nd-3rd
8 . LaMichael James - Oregon - 5'8 - 194 - 3rd - 3rd-5th
9 . Tauren Poole - Tennessee - 5'10 - 215 - 3rd - 3rd-5th
10 . Terrance Ganaway - Baylor - 5'11 - 239 - 3rd - 3rd-5th

11  Ronnie Hillman - San Diego State - 5'8 - 218 - 4th - 4th-6th

12 . Robert Turbin - Utah State - 5'10 - 222 - 5th - 4th-6th
13 . Daniel Herron - Ohio State - 5'9 - 213 - 5th - 4th-6th
14 . Daryl Richardson - Abilene Christian - 5'10 - 195 - 5th - 5th-7th
15 . Cyrus Gray - Texas A&M - 5'10 - 206 - 5th - 5th-7th
16 . Vick Ballard - Mississippi State - 5'10 - 219 - 5th - 4th-6th
17 . Michael Smith - Utah State - 5'8 - 207 - 5th - 5th-7th
18 . Edwin Baker - Michigan State - 5'8 - 204 - 5th - 4th-6th

19 . Lennon Creer - Louisiana Tech - 5'11 - 219 - 6th - 5th-7th

20 . Bobby Rainey - Western Kentucky - 5'8 - 180 - 7th - 5th-7th
21 . Jonathan Grimes - William & Mary - 5'10 - 201 - 7th - 6th-Undrafted

22 . Alfred Morris - Florida Atlantic - 5'9 - 219 - UN - 6th-Undrafted
23 . Darrell Scott - South Florida - 5'10 - 231 - UN - 6th-Undrafted
24 . Derrick Coleman - UCLA - 5'11 - 234 - UN - 6th-Undrafted
25 . Brandon Bolden - Ole Miss - 5'11 - 215 - UN - 6th-Undrafted
26 . Marc Tyler - USC - 5'10 - 219 - UN - 6th-Undrafted
27 . Davin Meggett - Maryland - 5'8 - 211 - UN - 6th-Undrafted
28 . Bryce Brown - Kansas State - 5'9 - 210 - UN - 6th-Undrafted
29 . DJ McNorton - North Dakota State - 5'10 - 205 - UN - 6th-Undrafted
30 . Jewell Hampton - Southern Illinois - 5'9 - 210 - UN - 6th-Undrafted
31 . Mike Harris - Murray State - 5'10 - 198 - UN - 6th-Undrafted
32 . Adonis Thomas - Toledo - 5'11 - 205  UN  6th-Undrafted
33 . Jason Ford - Illinois - 5'10 - 236 - UN - 6th-Undrafted
34 . Ashton Leggett - Illinois State - 6'0 - 210 - UN - 6th-Undrafted
35 . Travaris Cadet - Appalachian State - 6'2 - 215 - UN - 6th-Undrafted
36 . Adrian Moore - Arkansas Pine-Bluff - 5'9 - 199 - UN - 6th-Undrafted
37  Jermaine Thomas - Florida State - 5'11 - 192 - UN - 6th-Undrafted
38 . Fozzy Whittaker - Texas - 5'10 - 198 - UN - 6th-Undrafted
39 . Mike Ball - Nevada - 5'8 - 206 - UN - 6th-Undrafted
40 . Frank Wolf - St Francis - 5'8 - 170 - UN - 6th-Undrafted
41 . Lance Dunbar - North Texas - 5'9 - 203 - UN - 6th-Undrafted
42 . Rodney Stewart - Colorado - 5'6 - 175 - UN - 6th-Undrafted
43 . Victor Anderson - Louisville - 5'10 - 186 - UN - 6th-Undrafted
44 . Ryan Houston - North Carolina - 6'2 - 245 - UN - 6th-Undrafted
45 . Alvester Alexander - Wyoming - 5'11 - 208 - UN - 6th-Undrafted
46 . Jamison Berryhill - Texas - 5'10 - 210 - UN - 6th-Undrafted

As you can see, Optimum Scouting doesn't even have my guy Chris Rainey on the list. Bummer...

Then there's

Wonder's 2012 Draft- Preliminary list for Running Backs.

Wonder likes more than a few RBs in this draft for value.  Names of some are Doug Martin, Robert Turbin, Bernard Pierce, Chris Rainey (yay!!!) and Chris Polk.  He particularly likes mid-rounders Ronnie Hillman and Cyrus Gray...