Kenjon Barner has had a solid preseason for the Eagles, and with Wendell Smallwood hurt, he seems likely to open the season as the No. 2 running back behind Ryan Mathews. If so, he'll continue a recent stretch of serviceable to solid sixth-round picks.
Since 2010, there have been 24 running backs selected in the sixth round of drafts. I tried to remove all the fullbacks and players who went on to play different positions, like linebacker or wide receiver. The number includes two this season, in Dallas and San Francisco.
Of the previous 22, more than a third (8) will be either starters, direct backups, or committee backs this season. Not a huge number, but hey; sixth-round draft picks. The other 14 include 7 deep reserves (third-string or worse) and 7 who are out of the league. Some are young enough that they may yet surface somewhere in the next year or two.
In any case, I actually figured the odds of sixth-round picks amounting to anything in the NFL would be a lot lower. Nobody is going to build a franchise around James Starks or Andre Ellington, but those guys are useful NFL players. Maybe Barner will be one, too.
Running backs drafted in the sixth round since 2010 are shown below. Starters or projected No. 2s/committee backs are in bold.
SIXTH-ROUND RUNNING BACKS, 2010-2016 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Pick | Player | Status |
2010 | 188 | Jonathan Dwyer, Pitt. | Out of league |
2010 | 193 | James Starks, G.B. | Committee back/backup |
2010 | 173 | Anthony Dixon, S.F. | Out of league |
2010 | 180 | Deji Karim, Jac. | Out of league |
2011 | 183 | Jordan Todman, S.D. | Deep reserve |
2011 | 177 | Evan Royster, Wash. | Out of league |
2012 | 202 | Terrance Ganaway, NYJ | Out of league |
2012 | 173 | Alfred Morris, Wash. | Former starter, likely backup |
2012 | 191 | Dan Herron, Cin. | Deep reserve |
2012 | 182 | Cyrus Gray, K.C. | Deep reserve |
2013 | 181 | Latavius Murray, Oak. | Starter |
2013 | 199 | Theo Riddick, Det. | Committee back |
2013 | 187 | Andre Ellington, Ariz. | Committee back |
2013 | 194 | Spencer Ware, Sea. | Backup |
2013 | 182 | Kenjon Barner, Car. | Backup |
2013 | 190 | Rex Burkhead, Cin. | Deep reserve |
2013 | 189 | Mike James, T.B. | Deep reserve |
2014 | 201 | Marion Grice, S.D. | Out of league |
2014 | 181 | Alfred Blue, Hou. | Backup |
2014 | 186 | Lache Seastrunk, Wash. | Deep reserve |
2014 | 204 | Tyler Gaffney, Car. | Deep reserve |
2015 | 205 | Josh Robinson, Ind. | Out of league |
2016 | 211 | Kelvin Taylor, S.F. | ? |
2016 | 216 | Darius Jackson, Dall. | ? |
--Andy Richardson