10. Michael Dyer - Louisville
Dyer is going to be one of the more interesting players in the 2014 NFL draft solely because of his off the field problems. Dyer has all the talent in world, he just hasn’t made the best decisions. Dyer spent his first two years at Auburn in the SEC where he ran for 2,335 yards and 15 touchdowns.
9. Carlos Hyde - Ohio State
Hyde is a big running back, a very big running back. At six feet and over 240 pounds, he would immediately become one of the biggest backs in the NFL. Being a big back doesn’t mean he’s incredibly talented though. Hyde is a fairly timid runner, especially for his size, and he needs space to pick up steam. Hyde has benefited from playing a lot of read option with Braxton Miller, without the fear of Miller taking each run the other way, Hyde could struggle.
8. Silas Redd - USC
Redd spent his first two years in college at Penn State, but when he got the opportunity to see if the turf is greener elsewhere he took it. Now in his second year at USC, Redd continues to look average. Redd struggles with pass blocking and simply showing effort in his pass blocking. In four years of football he has hauled in just 28 passes, this coupled with his blocking makes him a liability on third downs which will limit his stock.
7. Damien Williams - Oklahoma
Williams’ numbers have taken a dive from 2012 to 2013 and that can be attributed to the departed Landry Jones. Williams is a speedster who plays faster then he’ll run at the combine. Speed hasn’t helped him enough though as he is a liability in pass blocking. Williams does a good job catching the ball out in space and can make people miss. His career will probably best be served as a change of pace back at the next level.
6. Charles Sims - West Virginia
Sims is yet another transfer player on my list, as he formerly played at Houston. Sims is a dual-threat running back who catches the ball a ton, averaging nearly 50 catches a season. Sims isn’t the best pass blocker in the world but his overall ability is impressive. He has a knack for abusing defenders with his speed and angles and that makes him very fun to watch.
5. Marion Grice - Arizona State
Grice is a different sort of running back. Grice runs a bit upright and isn’t one to drop a shoulder but what he does well is out angle people, much like Sims. Where Grice also shines is that he is a capable pass blocker where most are not. At times Grice won’t show the effort needed to collect a nice paycheck in the NFL. He will need the motivation to try on every down.
4. James Wilder Jr. - Florida State
Wilder Jr. is a bit of a personal favorite. He doesn’t have the lofty numbers the other backs do, which can partially be attributed to the system he plays in, but he just runs so hard on every down. Wilder is a massive back at 6'2" and about 230, and he plays like it. Deceptively fast for someone his size he can easily make defenses pay. He can throw a mean stiff arm and has great balance. Could rise up draft boards similar to how Christine Michael did prior to the 2013 NFL draft.
3. Bishop Sankey - Washington
Sankey has been the life force of the Washington offense for the last two years and for good reason. Sankey is a strong runner with above average straight line speed and good vision as he abuses defenses with his use of angles. What worries me about Sankey is he tends to shoot for the homerun when he could pick up five. This causes him to get caught in the backfield sometimes and if the habit continues, the results would only get worse in the NFL.
2. Lache Seastrunk – Baylor
Lache has prototypical size for a running back and speed. My favorite part about Seastrunk's game is his ability to find cut back lanes. Seastrunk has a juke move that looks like it’s straight out of a video game. He’s a decent blocker but where he loses some value is that he isn’t really a threat to catch the ball out of the backfield. Seastrunk is electric running the ball and most teams would enjoy having him in their backfield.
1. Ka’Deem Carey – Arizona
Carey is an incredibly impressive running back. He’s a strong runner who fights for every yard, and can carry an offense. He’s a skilled pass blocker which is an added bonus. Carey ran for nearly 2,000 yards in 2012 at Arizona by running through and by people. He may lack that homerun speed teams covet, but he’s going to impress people at the next level.