Oh how times have changed.  Trends have come,  gone,  and come back again in the National Football League many times over.  But the current running-back-by-committee theme is unprecedented.  In 1941 the Bears alone took three,  yes three,  running backs in the first round of the NFL Draft,  yet,  in 2014,  the question is whether a ball carrier will be taken in either of the first two rounds by any of the 32 franchises.

With three backs taken in the first round of the 2012 draft it has only recently became an issue for tail backs to prove they are worthy of a top-32 selection.  Over the last decade 29 runners have stepped up to the podium to hug it out with the Commissioner.

So,  what is the problem?  Quite simply,  it is value.  While the need a feature-back not quite as necessary as it once was – after all this is a passing league now – the brave players pounding the rock are still just as good.

General Managers and Head Coaches are simply not willing to take the risk of using an early draft pick on somebody who may only be with the team for five years – running backs are journeymen now and it could be that way for some time.  How can you believe in value when you can take a number of other players and shore up said position for a decade?

Delving a little deeper into the 2008 Draft onwards and injuries is clearly a common theme.  Of the 15 backs selected in the first round over that time period,  13 (Darren McFadden,  Jonathan Stewart,  Felix Jones,  Rashard Mendenhall,  Knowshon Moreno,  Donald Brown,  Beanie Wells,  C.J. Spiller,  Ryan Matthews,  Jahvid Best,  Mark Ingram,  Doug Martin and David Wilson) have missed significant playing time through injury with Best and Wells both already out the league largely due to long-term problems.

Having two backs,  sometimes three,   to complement each other is favoured over a lone ball carrier – players like Adrian Peterson come around once in a decade.  One man goes down injured and the next simply steps right in without fuss.  Alfred Morris,  Demarco Murray,  Stevan Ridley and Jamaal Charles amongst others were all selected in the third round or later and are more than capable of carrying their teams running game if and when required.

Now we know why tailbacks are dropping into the lower rounds it is time to answer the original question,  Will a running back be taken in the first two rounds of the 2014 NFL Draft?  In short,  I think the answer is yes.

Tre Mason,  Bishop Sankey,  Carlos Hyde and Charles Sims all have huge potential and the quality they possess cannot be overlooked.  We may hear all four names in the second round or we may just hear one.  Nevertheless,  I believe we will be waiting until at least pick 50 before the first comes off the board.

Follow Richard on Twitter @Richard_Gatenby