Ian Allan
There are a few noteworthy running backs in the league right now who weren’t even the first running backs chosen by their own teams. (And here, I’m talking NFL draft).
The Cowboys, for example, selected Tashard Choice in the fourth round only after they selected Felix Jones in the first. Seattle selected Justin Forsett in the seventh (after earlier choosing Owen Schmitt), and Denver selected Peyton Hillis in the seventh after choosing Ryan Torain in the fifth.
It’s something I’ve been meaning to look into for the last few weeks (since I put together a similar list for wide receivers). Namely, who are the best backs in NFL history who were drafted after other players at their own position?
SECOND-CHOICE RUNNING BACKS
The best running backs (since the merger in 1970) who were selected after their team choose another running back.
William Andrews, Falcons (1979)
Atlanta selected James Mayberry in the first round, but it wouldn’t have bothered if it knew what it was getting out of its third-round pick. Andrews ran for 1,023 yards as a rookie, then had back-to-back seasons over 1,300. After the nine-game strike-shortened season in 1982, Andrews ran for 1,567 yards in 1983. Four Pro Bowls. He went over 2,000 total yards twice. His career was essentially over when he suffered a major knee injury in a preseason game in 1984.
Lawrence McCutcheon, Rams (1972)
Los Angeles selected Jim Bertelsen with the 30th pick overall, and McCutcheon (the 70th pick) didn’t even carry the ball as a rookie. But when Chuck Knox took over as the team’s coach, he gave the job to McCutcheon. It was a nice combo, McCutcheon went over 1,000 yards in four of the next five years, as the Rams won the NFC West in each of Knox’s five seasons.
Herschel Walker, Cowboys (1985)
Dallas had the foresight to select Walker when he was still playing in the USFL. It turned out to be a crucial pick for them. He went over 1,500 total yards for them in 1986 and 1987, then ran for 1,514 yards in 1988. When they traded him to Minnesota in 1989, it laid the foundation for their dynasty in the ‘90s.
Terry Allen, Vikings (1990)
Allen had a major knee injury at Clemson, so he lasted until the ninth round, and he didn’t even play as a rookie. But he later had seasons with 1,201 and 1,031 rushing yards, powering Dennis Green’s offense. He was even better with Washington, rushing for over 1,300 yards in each of his first two seasons. He also scored a league-high 21 touchdowns in 1997. Allen also ran for 896 yards for New England in 1999.
Don Woods, Packers (1974)
Green Bay was so unimpressed with Woods, a sixth-round pick out of New Mexico, that it cut him at the end of camp. The Chargers picked him up and he ran for a then rookie-record 1,162 yards in the final 12 games of the season, winning Rookie of the Year honors.
Earnest Jackson, Chargers (1983)
San Diego selected Jackson in the fourth year in 1983 – the same year it selected Gary Anderson in the first. After spending some time in the USFL, Anderson showed that he definitely had some playmaking catch-run ability. Jackson wasn’t nearly as dynamic but was a serviceable tailback. In 1986, he fell 90 yards short of becoming the first back to go over 1,000 yards in three straight seasons with three different teams.
Bo Jackson, Raiders (1987)
Tampa Bay selected Jackson No. 1 the previous year, but he declined to sign with them and seemed contest playing baseball with the Royals. Al Davis wisely used a seventh-round choice to obtain his rights, and Jackson was very productive for them in a part-time role. He ran for 2,782 yards and averaged 5.4 yards per carry in four seasons for them.
Larry Centers and Johnny Johnson, Cardinals (1990)
Arizona (Phoenix back then) used its first-round pick in 1990 on Anthony Thompson out of Indiana, but it got two far better backs in the fifth and seventh rounds. Centers developed into one of the league’s great pass-catching fullbacks. He caught 101 and 99 passes in the 1995 and 1996 seasons and later in his career had years with 80-plus receptions for two other teams (Washington and Buffalo). Johnson never got the benefit of playing for a good NFL team, but he was a serviceable back. He ran for 926 yards in 14 games as a rookie; he later had years with 821 and 931 rushing yards for the Jets. Johnson originally caught my eye when he was playing for San Jose State – he ran for over 200 yards in a game at Washington.
Christian Okoye, Kansas City (1987)
The Nigerian Nightmare, out of tiny Azusa Pacific, wasn’t picked out of left field. He had great workout numbers, and Kansas City selected him in the second round. But the team was uncertain enough about him that they selected Paul Palmer of Temple with their first-round pick. Okoye won the rushing title in 1989.
Dorsey Levens, Packers (1994)
Green Bay was looking for a running back in 1994. It drafted LeShon Johnson in the third round, who was another one of those sleeper-type guys who got some attention in fantasy drafts. But Levens (two rounds later) proved to be a much better fit with their offense. He ran for 1,435 yards and scored 12 TDs in 1997, helping the Packers to a Super Bowl berth. He had another 1,000-yard season two years later, but injuries marred his career.
Rueben Mayes, Saints (1986)
New Orleans selected Dalton Hilliard early in the second round, but Mayes (early in the third) was a better choice. He ran for 1,353 yards as a rookie, then added 917 in 12 games in the shortened 1987 season. New Orleans, oddly, added another decent running back five picks after Mayes -- Barry Word, who later had some good seasons with Kansas City. Unofficially, I believe that makes New Orleans to only team to select three 1,000-yard rushers in the same draft.
Honorable mention: Terdell Middleton (Cardinals 1977), Sammy Winder (Broncos 1982), Kelvin Bryant (Washington 1983), Dave Meggett (Giants 1989), Derrick Fenner (Seahawks 1989).
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