25 best NFL running backs of the 21st century
After an All-American collegiate career at UCLA, the Jacksonville Jaguars selected Maurice Jones-Drew in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft. Standing only 5-foot-7, Jones-Drew would have to prove that he could replicate his collegiate success at the NFL level, and he certainly did all of that and more.
For a bad Jaguars team, Jones-Drew became an NFL star, finding the end zone at least nine times in each of his first four seasons. A two-time first-team All-Pro, he led the NFL in rushing yards during the 2011 NFL season, a capper to a three-year run that saw him rush for over 4,300 yards, rewriting the Jaguars record book.
A three-time Pro Bowler during his time with the Jaguars, Jones-Drew was not only an incredible running back, but he was also a real threat in the return game. In fact, he had a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown during his illustrious career, a career in which he had over 8,000 rushing yards to go along with nearly 70 total touchdowns.
Sure, there may have been bigger backs than Jones-Drew during his time in the NFL, but for three years, he may have been the most productive back in football.