2015 NFL Draft: Top 10 Running Backs
By Daniel Tran
6. T.J. Yeldon, Alabama
If you ever took a trip to a candy factory as a child, you remember seeing all the boilers and conveyor belts that took all these ingredients to make them into sweet goodies that you would take home at the end of day. I imagine that is how the NFL teams feel when they send scouts to Alabama to observe potential prospects.
Alabama has been a virtual factory for the NFL in recent years, producing quality, talented players that have had an immediate impact in the league. T.J. Yeldon will be looking to add to the tradition of Eddie Lacey and Mark Ingram, becoming another productive Alabama running back for an NFL team.
Looking at him, he does not strike scouts as a fast runner with his 6-foot-2, 221-pound frame, but on film, he has deceptive speed and is very patient back who can wait for plays to develop before exploding through the line. His vision allows him to see cut back lanes easily and he can reach top end speed quickly in space.
Unfortunately, he is a little taller than a prototypical running back and runs upright, frequently exposing the ball. However, if he can prove that he can take care of the ball and catch passes out of the backfield, the team that picks him up in the second or even third round will be happy with what they get.
Projected Pick: low second round
Next: The multi-faceted weapon from Boise State