2014 Rookie Predictions

I want to wish everyone a happy 4th of July and hope you enjoy my predictions for each 1st round draft pick's rookie season.

Texans: Jadeveon Clowney

He is a physical specimen, we have already figured that out, and putting him at LOLB behind J.J. Watt is a recipe for success. I believe he will struggle in pass coverage his rookie season, but ultimately will have 60 total tackles, 1 interception, 3 forced fumbles, and 10 sacks.

Rams: Greg Robinson

Same as Clowney, Robinson is a physical specimen who will dominate at Guard and will push for the starting Right Tackle position by the end of the season.

Jaguars: Blake Bortles

I do not believe he will start at the beginning of the season, but by around Week 8, when the Jaguars have about 2 wins he will be forced into the starting role and struggle. By the end of the season he will have a 52% completion, 1,500 yards, 10 touchdowns with 12 interceptions.

Bills: Sammy Watkins

Watkins is similar to A.J. Green as a rookie, but I don’t think he is as good as Green. I see 70 receptions and 800 yards with 5 touchdowns due to getting most of the defensive attention.

Raiders: Khalil Mack

Mack is a toss-up. I want to believe he will be great, but as a small school guy on a bad team I am skeptical. I see him having 4 sacks, 65 total tackles, 1 interceptions and 1 forced fumble.

Falcons: Jake Mathews

I am not a huge Mathews fan. I think he will be good but never great in his career. I definitely see him struggling at Right Tackle mainly because I think he will have trouble run blocking.

Buccaneers: Mike Evans

I think Evans will benefit from a more consistent pocket passer in Josh McCown or Mike Glennon as opposed to Johnny Manziel. I see him as a huge Red Zone threat with 10 touchdowns, 600 yards and 50 receptions.

Browns: Justin Gilbert

I think Gilbert will be very inconsistent as a corner to start his career. I think in some games he will be a shutdown corner and in others allow big catches for touchdowns. I think he will have 4 interceptions, 1 for a touchdown, 30 total tackles and as a kick returner score 2 touchdowns. As a rookie he will also allow many touchdowns.

Vikings: Anthony Barr

This may be the toughest first round pick to judge because I do not believe he will have a set position in year one. As a pass rusher he will create havoc on o-lines and as he hones his very raw skills he can only go up. I think he will have a lot of QB pressures, 40 total tackles, 8 sacks and 3 forced fumbles.

Lions: Eric Ebron

The Lions now have a pretty impressive receiving core and I am not sure Ebron will get his fair share of looks in year one. He is in an almost identical situation to Tyler Eifert who was a rookie for the Bengals last season. I see him having similar numbers to Eifert with 45 receptions 550 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Titans: Taylor Lewan

I am not sure he will play this year and, if so, it will be sparingly at right tackle. For the game time he will get I think he will play pretty average for a rookie but his bright spot will be his nasty play, perfect for a right tackle of the future.

Giants: Odell Beckham Jr.

I do not see him being very impressive as a rookie simply because he will not get the playing time as the third or fourth wide out on the Giants. He will have around 35 receptions for 400 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Rams: Aaron Donald

Aaron Donald goes to, in my opinion, the best defensive line in the NFL so I would not be surprised for him to have a big year due to the lack of attention spent on him. I think he will have 40 total tackles and 6 sacks.

Bears: Kyle Fuller

Fuller will not get much playing time as rookie and instead learn from two of the best in Charles Tillman and Tim Jennings. He will have 30 tackles and 1 interception.

Steelers: Ryan Shazier

Shazier is, in terms of drafts picks, pretty safe. I think he will have a decent rookie year. He will have 85 total tackles, 1.5 sacks, and 1 interception as a rookie.

Cowboys: Zach Martin

I think Zach Martin will have the second most impressive rookie year of offensive lineman (behind Greg Robinson). He will be another impressive offensive line rookie like Travis Frederick was last year.

Ravens: C.J. Mosley

Mosley and Shazier will be entering the league with similar situations but I think it will take Mosley much longer to figure out how to be a successful pro in the league. I think he will have 50 total tackles,1 sack and no interceptions.

Jets: Calvin Pryor

I really like Pryor. He is fast, physical and not afraid to smack the next guy he sees to the ground.  He also believes he is the best safety in the league and is not afraid to prove it. I see a possible defensive rookie of the year in his future. I see him having 80 tackles, 3 forced fumbles and 3 interceptions.

Dolphins: Ja’Wuan James

James will never be great, but he will easily be an improvement to the horrendous Dolphins o-line last year. He is exactly what the Dolphins need and will exceed all of the Fins very small expectations for him.

Saints: Brandin Cooks

I really like Cooks upside in an offense lead by Drew Brees and Sean Peyton. I expect him to have similar numbers to Kenny Stills rookie year, but with more receptions. My guess is 45 receptions for 600 yards and 6 touchdowns.

Packers: Ha Ha Clinton-Dix

Like Calvin Pryor, I think Clinton-Dix will have a great career. In the end he will have an even better career then Pryor but it will take longer for him to adjust. My prediction is 65 tackles and 4 interceptions.

Browns: Johnny Manziel

While I have said I believe Manziel will be a bust, I do believe he will have a decent rookie year followed by a horrendous sophomore slump. I see him having 3,000 yards passing, 23 touchdowns passing, 55% completion and 16 interceptions. Rushing, he will have 350 yards and 5 touchdowns.

Chiefs: Dee Ford

Ford is a pick for the future. He has the least chance of anyone in the first round to start. He will sub in every once in a while and probably have around 25 tackles and one sack.

Bengals: Darqueze Dennard

Dennard is extremely talented and will be starting by the begging of his second season. While he is going into this season as a backup I think he will be impressive enough to push for the starting job later in his rookie year. I see him having 34 tackles and 2 interceptions

Chargers: Jason Verrett

Verrett is entering a situation with the Chargers where he will start in the slot right away. He is very impressive when healthy, but coming off of shoulder surgery he may struggle a bit. When playing receivers who are shorter he will play fine, but at 5’ 10” he will struggle early with bigger receivers. I think he will have 40 tackles and 3 interceptions.  

Eagles: Marcus Smith

Same as Ford, Smith will probably not start for most of the year and play in rotations of pass rush packages. I think he will have 35 tackles and 3 sacks in his rookie year.

Cardinals: Deone Bucannon

I like Bucannon a lot and think he is an underrated first round pick. In a few years Bucannon and Tyrann Mathieu may be the young Earl Thomas and Cam Chancellor. I see Bucannon having similar numbers to Kenny Vaccaro last year. I see him having 65 tackles, 1 forced fumble and 2 interceptions.

Panthers: Kelvin Benjamin

Considering Benjamin is the only receiver on the Panthers who has starting ability he will be passed to a lot. Based on the sheer number of targets he will receive, I think he will have the best stats of any rookie receiver. I think he will have 1,100 yards, 13 touchdowns and 80 receptions.

Patriots: Dominique Easley

Easley, when healthy, is a beast. But, coming off a torn ACL he will struggle to get back to 100%. In addition to not being a starter coming into the season, he will probably have a quite rookie year overall. He will have around 20 tackles and a sack.

49ers: Jimmie Ward

Unless there is injury to either Antoine Bethea or Eric Reid, the two starters, I do not believe Jimmie will even play this season. Maybe a few tackles for the rookie in the Bay.

Broncos: Bradley Roby

While Roby will mainly play in the slot as a 3^rd corner, I believe he will struggle as a rookie. As a guy who made big plays in college, but also missed many, I don’t expect him to turn into a quality corner until he gets his feet set in the NFL. I see him having 30 tackles and 1 pick his rookie year.

Vikings: Teddy Bridgewater

I am still on the Bridgewater bandwagon. I get his pro day wasn’t impressive, but when he plays, he plays well. With Adrian Peterson and Cordarrelle Patterson already on his offense, Teddy can step in right away and make an impact. I think he will have 3,500 yards passing, 23 touchdowns, 60% completion and 7 interceptions. 

Final Mock Draft of 2014 3.0

Hey guys this is my last mock, I didn't talk about the picks more but I was in a rush to post one more mock before the draft begins. I really hope everyone enjoys the draft as much as I will. Enjoy and happy draft Day!

1. Houston Texans: Jadeveon Clowney                                              DE       South Carolina
I would not be surprised if they picked Khalil Mack, but come on it’s Clowney.

2. St. Louis Rams: Sammy Watkins                                                   WR      Clemson
Jeff Fisher is a smart man and he knows that Sammy Watkins can change this Rams Offense.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars: Khalil Mack                                                  OLB    Buffalo 
Slowly my opinion has changed; I am a Mack fan now. Not only did he have the best suit in Radio City Music Hall, but he may be the best player in the draft.

4. Cleveland Browns: Greg Robinson                                                OT       Auburn
Since Watkins is gone and Greg Robinson is available why not have the best offensive line in the draft.So what if Greg Robinson isn't a top pass protector yet; no problem put him at right tackle because Joe Thomas is already at right.

5. Oakland Raiders: Mike Evans                                                        WR      Texas A&M
Oakland gets a big receiver to help out their offense.

6. Atlanta Falcons: Jake Mathews                                                      OT       Texas A&M
The 100 million dollar man Matt Ryan gets some protection.

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Anthony Barr                                          OLB    UCLA
I really like Barr and I really think Lovie Smith will have a lot of fun with Barr

8. Minnesota Vikings: C.J. Mosley                                                     ILB     Alabama
Mike Zimmer is a defensive guy and while a quarterback would be nice Mosley can be the face of his defense

9. Buffalo Bills: Taylor Lewan                                                           OT       Michigan
Just like the Browns the Bills can have top notch protection for E.J. Manuel

10. Detroit Lions: Justin Gilbert                                                         CB       Oklahoma St.
It is either Gilbert or Clinton-Dix but I am 99% positive that it will be secondary.

11. Tennessee Titans: Teddy Bridgewater                                          QB      Louisville
Can compete with Jake Locker who is starting to get the BUST tag.

12. New York Giants: Eric Ebron                                                      TE       North Carolina
Congrats to Ebron on his proposal to his girlfriend. But if he goes to the Giants Eli will be just as much in love with him as his Fiance.

13. St. Louis Rams: Ha Ha Clinton-Dix                                             FS        Alabama
Offense first, now a great safety to help out the secondary.

14. Chicago Bears: Aaron Donald                                                      DT       Pittsburgh
He fills a big need at DT in a 4-3 defense.

15. Pittsburgh Steelers: Darqueze Dennard                                        CB       Michigan St.
I think he would fill a big need for the Steelers and start day 1.

16. Dallas Cowboys: Calvin Pryor                                                      FS        Louisville 
No Johnny Manziel, only a safety who will add nicely to the defense in the Big D

17. Baltimore Ravens:  Odell Beckham Jr.                                         WR      LSU
A speedy receiver who will match very well with Steve Smith and Torrey Smith

18. New York Jets: Brandin Cooks                                                    WR      Oregon State
Another speedy receiver who will add to the Jets already interesting offense.

19. Miami Dolphins: Zach Martin                                                       OT       Notre Dame
I have no idea how many times I have said this, but Martin to the Dolphins is perfect

20. Arizona Cardinals:  Blake Bortles                                                QB      Central Florida
I want to see this pick happen because I really do think it would be a great pick for the future and I know Arians would have a lot of fun with him

21. Green Bay Packers: Ryan Shazier                                                OLB    Ohio St.
This pick gives the defense some much needed talent.

22. Philadelphia Eagles: Marqise Lee                                                 WR      USC
Another one of my favorite picks in this draft I really think he can be great in this league.

23. Kansas City Chiefs: Jimmy Ward                                                 FS        NIU
Gives Eric Berry a nice running mate.

24. Cincinnati Bengals: Kony Ealy                                                     DE       Missouri
Not a bad replacement for Michael Johnson.

25. San Diego Chargers: Kyle Fuller                                                  CB       Virginia Tech
Fills a huge need for the Chargers and can start day 1 with no issue.

26. Cleveland Browns: Johnny Manziel                                             QB      Texas A&M
Cleveland now has a QB for Greg Robinson to protect.

27. New Orleans Saints: Demarcus Lawrence                                    DE       Boise St.
A bit of a reach but good pick to fill an important need.

28. Carolina Panthers: Kelvin Benjamin                                             WR      Florida St.
Big reciver to fill a big need.

29. New England Patriots: Louis Nix III                                           DT       Notre Dame
I think Nix and Wilfork would be truly scary.

30.  San Francisco 49ers: Bradley Roby                                             CB       Ohio St.
He has a lot of talent and I think the 49ers coaching staff can coach him up.

31. Denver Broncos: Chris Borland                                                    ILB     Ohio St.
ILB is easily the biggest need for the Broncos and Borland can fill that.

32. Seattle Seahawks: Xavier Su'a-Filo                                              OG      UCLA

Best guard in the draft to the best team in the NFL sure, why not. 

Why I am off the Johnny Manziel Bandwagon

When Johnny won the Heisman trophy in his freshman year I thought he would be a good NFL Pro, when he declared for the NFL draft I was still on board the bandwagon, after his “impressive” pro day I was still on board, but after that I decided to dig a little deeper and watch some more tape. After a close look I hurled myself off the bandwagon faster then he leaves the pocket. I am not going to say he is too small or his off the field partying are giant red flags, while they are a piece of the puzzle; I am going to go a little deeper. Johnny plays like no quarterback I have ever seen, in a very bad way. He runs around like a chicken with no head and misses on open receivers all the time in favor of running. He never throws the ball away and instead attempts ridiculous runs with no ball security what so ever. When he does pass it is outside the pocket and he never has his feet set resulting on over reliance of his receivers. He is super reckless and in 2 years at Texas A&M he was sacked 41 times with All American Luke Joeckel for one year and All American Jake Mathews for 2 years.

While people compare his play to Russell Wilson, Brett Farve, Frank Tarkenton, Michael Vick, and Roger Staubach he is nothing like any of them. Wilson, Tarkenton, and Staubach made throws set in the pocket on a regular basis and when they ran it was to buy time to make a pass. When they passed they set their feet and threw and accurate ball and if they ran they slid or ran out of bounds. Farve was a bit more reckless like Manziel but he was bigger and still made most of his throws from the pocket. Lastly in his prime Vick was the fastest man on the field and you can’t say that about Manziel.

While I am very harsh on Manziel I 100% believe Manziel has all the tools to become a success in the NFL. This is if he learns to play more like Russell Wilson, but I don’t think he will. Also his size doesn't help his type of play, especially when every player in the NFL is bigger, stronger, and faster than in college. His party life style doesn't help his chances as a franchise leader who is expected to work hard either. Similar to Tim Tebow he worked extremely well in college, but his style of play is not successful in the pros. He may have a good rookie season because the NFL hasn't seen tape on him but he will not have a good career. Johnny Football, more like Johnny Bust.

NFL Mock Draft 2.0 2014

1. Houston Texans: Jadeveon Clowney                                              DE       South Carolina
Quarterback is still their biggest need. But with some good options in the second round and a rare talent available, I have been convinced by the NFL Network that Clowney is the best choice.

2. St. Louis Rams: Sammy Watkins                                                   WR      Clemson
I know that they need a tackle, but the Rams can solidify their receiving core and finally have a true number one. Watkins is going to make their offense more explosive then they would with any tackle in this draft and they can still get a solid tackle next round.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars: Teddy Bridgewater                                       QB      Louisville
 He is my favorite QB in the draft and apparently the Jags agree because he has visited them twice. With Toby Gerhart, Justin Blackmon, Cecil Shorts III, and defensive guru Gus Bradley I think Bridgewater may be the missing piece to a Jacksonville team that didn’t look half bad in the second half of the season.

4. Cleveland Browns: Greg Robinson                                                OT       Auburn
They will get their franchise quarterback with their second pick but right now they need to protect him. Greg Robinson is a beast and you can plug and play him at right tackle with Joe Thomas on the other side. The Quarterback they grab will be well protected.

5. Oakland Raiders:  Jake Mathews                                                   OT       Texas A&M
The Jared Veldheer replacement will lock down the left side for many years to come.

6. Atlanta Falcons: Khalil Mack                                                         OLB    Buffalo 
Atlanta is in serious need of a pass rusher, Clowney is off the board so the next best option is Khalil Mack who can fill the biggest need in the draft.

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Mike Evans                                              WR      Texas A&M
Besides Vincent Jackson their best receiver is Louis Murphy. So If Evans is available I would sprint to the podium and give the starting quarterback of this team a new weapon.

8. Minnesota Vikings: C.J. Mosley                                                     ILB     Alabama
Mike Zimmer loves his defense and why not draft an impact leader and face of his new defense.

9. Buffalo Bills: Taylor Lewan                                                           OT       Michigan
If the Bills move Cordy Glenn over to the right side and put Lewan, who I think is just as good as last year’s Lane Johnson, on the right side they will allow E.J. Manuel to play at his full potential.

10. Detroit Lions: Ha Ha Clinton-Dix                                                FS        Alabama
An Instant upgrade to their secondary and is an absolute machine. Safety is also a bigger need then cornerback so why not take the best safety in the draft.

11. Tennessee Titans: Anthony Barr                                                   OLB    UCLA
Barr is hard hitting and explosive, something the Titans need. While he has never played in a 4-3 I actually think he may be a better DE in the pros then OLB. I think he has the skill set to be a edge rushing DE who can also stop the run. He is one of my favorite players in this draft.

12. New York Giants: Eric Ebron                                                      TE       North Carolina
How many interceptions did Eli Manning throw last season, 27. That is nine more than touchdowns. Enter Eric Ebron a check down tight end who Eli can pass short to instead of those downfield picks. With Ebron on the field he can make more plays instead of Eli.

13. St. Louis Rams: Justin Gilbert                                                      CB       Oklahoma St.
First Watkins, now a lockdown cornerback who will practice against Watkins every day. Everyday they will make each other better. Gilbert and Watkins will make the Rams an explosive team.

14. Chicago Bears: Aaron Donald                                                      DT       Pittsburgh
Aaron Donald is an athletic defensive tackle who can play all over the defensive line and restore a big need for the Bears.

15. Pittsburgh Steelers: Darqueze Dennard                                        CB       Michigan St.
He just looks like a Steeler, a press coverage monster who has drawn comparisons to Darrelle Revis. 

16. Dallas Cowboys:  Johnny Manziel                                                QB      Texas A&M
Manziel is available and I am not sure Jerry can resist. I don’t like this pick, but I think it will be a blockbuster decision that will keep Johnny Football in Texas and make Dallas the most talked about team once again.

17. Baltimore Ravens:  Calvin Pryor                                                  FS        Louisville
With this pick the Ravens might start looking like the Ravens of old with two talented safeties, Matt Elam and Calvin Pryor.

18. New York Jets: Odell Beckham Jr.                                              WR      LSU
Odell Beckham, Eric Decker, Chris Johnson and either Mike Vick or Geno Smith could be a scary offense if you think about it.

19. Miami Dolphins: Zach Martin                                                       OT       Notre Dame
The Dolphins need offensive linemen and ones without baggage. Zach Martin is a talented, baggage free lineman who can play any position on the line.

20. Arizona Cardinals:  Blake Bortles                                                QB      Central Florida

I was never a big Bortles fan because I feel he is very raw and won’t be a successful starter right away. But, Arizona would be perfect for him, he can sit until Carson Palmer retires and learn from him. Also QB guru Bruce Arians, who I believe is the best QB developer coaching right now, can mold him like he did with similar athlete Ben Roethlisberger.

21. Green Bay Packers: Dee Ford                                                      DE       Auburn
With the addition of Julius Peppers the packers instantly have a better pass rush, but it can get better. Dee Ford can fill that need at 3-4 outside linebacker and mesh well alongside Clay Mathews.

22. Philadelphia Eagles: Brandin Cooks                                             WR      Oregon State
Cooks himself has said he would be a great replacement for Jackson, I completely agree. I really like Cooks and think Chip Kelly will find many uses for the former Beaver who caught 10 passes for 130 yards and a touchdown in 2 games against Kelly in college.

23. Kansas City Chiefs: Marqise Lee                                                 WR      USC
I have said this before and I will say it again. I have personally seen Marqise Lee live and he is amazing. Lee is the fastest and most athletic player on the field. Sadly he has had some durability issues, but I think he can be very successful at the next level.

24. Cincinnati Bengals: Kony Ealy                                                     DE       Missouri
Pass rushers are considered the weak point of this draft and Kony Ealy is really the last of the top tier so if given the chance the Bengals should take him to replace now Tampa Bay Buccaneer Michael Johnson.

25. San Diego Chargers: Bradley Roby                                              CB       Ohio St.
I had a difficult time picking between Bradley Roby and Kyle Fuller, but after comparing I decided Roby would be a better fit because of his physical advantage. I think Roby has the capability to be a number 1 corner fill the Chargers biggest need by far. He has some off the field issues and if this current alleged DUI is in fact as bad as it seems he may slip.

25. Cleveland Browns: Derrick Carr                                                  QB      Fresno St.
They locked down their offensive line and now they can grab the quarterback who will have some nice protection. I really like Derrick and think he will have a far better career then his older brother. I am no Costner but I think I have drafted a nice 1^st round for Cleveland, and maybe even a playoff season.

27. New Orleans Saints: Kyle Fuller                                                  CB       Virginia Tech
While the Chargers decided Roby over Fuller does not mean he is a bad player. Fuller is a very good corner who is 2^nd on Mike Moyock’s top corner list. He can learn from maybe the best ever, Champ Bailey and become a starting corner for the next 10 years.

28. Carolina Panthers: Kelvin Benjamin                                             WR      Florida St.
Cam Newton has a big arm right? Don’t the Panthers also have a HUGE need at receiver, and Kelvin Benjamin is what, like 6-5 and falling down the draft boards. This pick is literally a no brainer Benjamin would fit perfectly in the Panthers offense.

29. New England Patriots: Louis Nix III                                           DT       Notre Dame
Imagine Nix and Vince Wilfork together on the same line. That is a nightmare for every Quarterback in the NFL and will turn a weakness into strength. Tight End can wait.

30.  San Francisco 49ers: Jason Verrett                                              CB       TCU
Quality player and filling a big need. This pick has 49ers all over it and I think Verrett can be a top notch slot corner or a quality outside corner.

31. Denver Broncos: Chris Borland                                                    ILB     Ohio St.
Inside Linebacker is the biggest need for the Broncos and Borland who is a second round talent slips into the first round because of need. I see him as a solid starter who is just another addition to the Broncos Improving Defense.

32. Seattle Seahawks: Timmy Jernigan                                               DT       Florida St.
The 49ers took a quality player to add to their defense so why can’t the Hawks. When your defense is amazing, why not add slipping defensive tackle Jernigan, who knows a thing or two about winning championships like his new team does. The Hawks defense can be even more unstoppable.

Why I like the Chris Johnson Signing

I really like the Chris Johnson signing and I think that he can return to 1,300 plus yards and 12 touchdowns next season. First off his production never dropped, in his 6 seasons he has rushed for over 1,000 yards each of them, and his lowest rushing average in a season was 3.9.  He is a former 2,000 yard rusher and I believe offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg will use him successfully like he has with Garrison Hearst, Brian Westbrook, and LeSean McCoy. I also believe that his speed will blend well with either Michael Vick or Geno Smith, who both have speed, in some special option packages. I also believe that Vick or Smith can be successful in the right system, with a good run game. I think this is the best signing of the three offensive signings, Eric Decker and Breno Giacomini. I think overall there will be an improvement in the Jets’ offense and it will be based around Chris Johnson.

My Top 10 Running Backs of All-Time

Hey, I apologize for not posting lately and thought it was time to come out with a new top ten list. I hope you enjoy My Top 10 Running Backs of All-Time.

1. Walter Peyton

Walter is Amazing. In my opinion he is the most influential and greatest NFL Player of all-time. While all of his main records have been broken he was the undisputed greatest Running back when he played and broke decade old records. He was a superstar on and off the field. He was finesse but hardnosed at the same time never running out of bounds and always taking the defender head on. His craziest season was in 1977 he rushed for 1,852 yards and 14 touchdowns along with 2 receiving, but only in 14 games.  26 years after retiring he is number two all-time in rushing yards and number five in all-time rushing touchdowns. Proving he could do it all, in his career he passed for 331 yards and eight touchdowns (Most all-time by a running back). Walter Peyton is a true NFL hero.

2. Barry Sanders

He ran for 15,269 yards (3^rd all-time), 99 touchdowns (9^th all-time), never run for under 1,100 yards in any season during his career, ran for 2,053 yards in a season (4^th all-time), was a Pro Bowler every year of his career and a six time all pro, all with only 4 other offensive teammates in his career who had been to at least one Pro Bowl. Barry Sanders no doubt on an average team would still hold every major rushing record, but because he was on one of the worst in NFL history he second on my list. If you have never seen a Barry Sanders Run click the link and watch it. The defense knew he was coming because he had no passing game and still was a monster. In the post Super Bowl era the lions have made the playoffs 10 times, five of those time were when Barry was on the team. He was such a waste of talent and if he had not retired in his prime and had been on Emmitt Smith’s Dallas Cowboys or Walter Peyton’s Bears his records would be so great they would never be broken.

3. Jim Brown

Why is Brown not number one or even two, don’t get me wrong he is a legend but he played against a lack of completion when there were the great players (which Brown was the best of the best) then there was everyone else. Walter and Barry played against better competition. Barry if on a better team would own every rushing record known to man and would be the best player of all-time. And Walter beat Brown stat wise, and they both have one championship. Lastly when Walter played he was the NFL, when you thought of the NFL you thought of Walter and before him Jim was the standard but then it became Walter. This guy was pretty amazing of all the guys on this list of astounding talent only him and Adrian Peterson (who is not done with his career yet) and him averaged 5.0 yards or over in his career. In an age where there where two or three players a year had thousand yard seasons (there were 16 this year), Jim Brown only rushed for under 1,000 yards twice in his nine year career, and both seasons he rushed for over 900 yards. If you averaged his career rushing yards and touchdowns he would have 1,368 yards (7^th most if he played in the NFL this season) and 12 TDs (tied for 3^rd ). This is pretty amazing considering that he retired 47 years before, only played 12 and 14 game seasons, and he would still be in the top 10 in the two major rushing categories. This guy was truly dominant.

4. Emmitt Smith

While I said that, although Emmitt Smith has better stats then Barry Sanders, Sanders would own all of his records if he was on a better team and didn’t retire so fast, Emmitt was still amazing. His best season came in 1995 when he rushed for 1,773 yards and 25 touchdowns (a record at the time and 3^rd all-time currently). He was the NFL MVP in 1993 and that same year won Super Bowl MVP. He was an eight time Pro Bowl selection and a four time first team all pro with four rushing titles and 11 straight 1,000 yard seasons. He is the all-time leader in career rushing yards and touchdowns.

5. Marshall Faulk

The leader of the “Greatest Show on Turf” Marshall Faulk was a playmaker. He was an intense runner with the possibility of breaking off a long touchdown on any play or a deadly receiver who could catch in the backfield, slot or 30 yards down field. During his career he rushed for 12,279 yards (10^th all-time) and 100 touchdowns (tied for 7^th all-time). As a receiver he caught 767 passes (more than Micheal Irvin), 6,875 yards (only 1,115 yards less than Don Hudson) and 36 touchdowns (more receiving touchdowns than Jim Brown and Walter Peyton combined). In 1999 he had an amazing season where he rushed for 1,381 yards and caught 87 passes for 1,048 yards and had a total of 12 touchdowns. He won the NFL MVP in 2000 and was the greatest all around running back of all-time.

6. LaDainian Tomlinson

This guy is pretty underrated. The only thing he hasn’t done (the reason why Marshall Faulk was rated ahead of him) was win a Super Bowl. When he got into the playoffs his stats dropped. But in the regular season he was unstoppable. In 2006 he had one of the greatest seasons a rusher could have with 31 total touchdowns (an NFL record for a running back), 28 rushing touchdowns (NFL record), 1,815 yards (19^th all-time), averaging 5.2 yards per carry, and catching 56 passes for 508 yards. In his career he had 13,684 rushing yards (5^th all-time), rushed for 145 touchdowns in his career (second all-time), and had total 162 touchdowns in his career (3^rd all-time). Just to prove he could do it all passed for 143 yards and 7 touchdowns (Most all-time by a running back) in his amazing career.

7. Eric Dickerson

Dickerson was a monster, boasting one of the best seasons by a player all-time period. In 1984 he rushed for 2,105 yards (1^st all-time), averaged 5.6 yards per carry and 14 touchdowns. Over his career he rushed for 13,259 yards (7^th all-time) and had 90 touchdowns (12^th all-time). In seasons where he had 200 or more carries he averaged 1,564 yards and 11 touchdowns. He was the truly an amazing runner, who could make even the best miss.

8. Curtis Martin

Until his hall of fame induction I had never even heard of him. He is no doubt one of the most underrated football players of all-time. He had 14,101 rushing yards over his career (4^th all-time) and 90 touchdowns (12^th all-time), which is tied with Eric Dickerson. He was the pinnacle of consistency. In the 11 seasons he played in he rushed for 1,000 yards 10 times and never played less than 12 games throughout his entire career. He went to 5 Pro Bowls and is one of two men in NFL history, the other being Barry Sanders, to rush for more than 1,000 yards each of their first 10 seasons. This man defined the term “Bell Cow” for running backs.

9. Tony Dorsett

A 4 time Pro Bowler who played in 5 NFC Championships, and 2 Super Bowls. That is a great career for a running back to say the least. He rushed for 12,739 yards (8^th all-time) and 77 total rushing touchdowns (21^st all-time). He had 4.3 yards per carry over his career. He did all this with an average of 17 carries a game which is less then Jim Brown, Eric Dickerson, Emmitt Smith, Barry Sanders and Walter Peyton.

10. Jerome Bettis

I had a really tough time deciding between him and O.J. Simpson, my 11^th all-time runner. But, after careful consideration I decided that Jerome had more longevity, better career stats and a Super Bowl ring. Nothing against O.J. who had a great career, on the field. Jerome had 13,662 yards in his career (6^th all-time) and 91 touchdowns (tied 10^th all-time) vs. O.J.’s 11,236 yards (18^th all-time) and 61 touchdowns (tied 43^rd all-time). And, as a definitive factor Jerome had a longer career on the field O.J. and had a longer one in jail.