Ranking the Top 15 Running Backs in the 2015 NFL Draft

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10. T.J. Yeldon, 6’1, 226, Alabama

Yeldon, who had starred for the Crimson Tide during his first two seasons, struggled a bit during his junior season as he dealt with hamstring and ankle injuries. Perhaps in a bid to make sure that he didn’t end up playing another injury-riddled season for free, Yeldon declared for the draft, and now he’ll try to prove that the running back we saw during his freshman and sophomore years, rather than in 2014, is the one we’ll see moving forward.

Yeldon is a high runner who isn’t exceptionally physical, but is elusive enough to break off big runs. He hasn’t gotten a ton of opportunities as a receiver, but he’s generally done a good job when he’s been given an opportunity in that area. He’s decent enough as a pass protector to be able to survive at the next level.

On the negative side, Yeldon doesn’t have a ton of burst getting out of the backfield, and his overall explosiveness is questionable. He’s too eager to make things happen horizontally rather than vertically, and at times he’s too hesitant in getting to the outside.

Despite his decrease in production during 2014, Yeldon’s value for NFL teams may actually increase because he hasn’t accumulated nearly as many carries as most of the top backs in this draft, as his college career high for carries in a season was a modest 207. There’s been concern with many Alabama players over them being worked so hard that they peak at the college level, but with Yeldon having been either a part-timer or injured for the entirety of his tenure, he won’t have accumulated as much mileage on his body as most Crimson Tide players have under Nick Saban.

Next: 9. Dominique Brown