Wisdom of Drafting RBs in the NFL Today

In April, 12 running backs were selected during the 2010 NFL draft.

Six of those players — C.J. Spiller (Buffalo Bills), Ryan Mathews (San Diego Chargers), Jahvid Best (Detroit Lions), Toby Gerhart (Minnesota Vikings), Ben Tate (Houston Texans) and Montario Hardesty (Cleveland Browns) — were selected in the Top 60. Want to take a guess on who is tied with Mathews — the 12th overall pick — for the most yards rushing by a rookie back?

It is Saints undrafted free-agent signee Chris Ivory from Tiffin College in Ohio.

Ivory is tied with Mathews with 382 yards. Mathews has rushed for 382 yards on 87 carries and averaged 4.4 yards per carry. Ivory has rushed for 382 yards on 78 carries and is averaging 4.9 yards per rush.

Every team spends hundreds of thousands of dollars on scouting, but you are just never totally correct on where a player will fit on a team, and how quickly he can adjust to the NFL.

Give the Saints scouting department credit for not only recognizing Ivory's skills as a runner, but how well he could fit into Sean Payton's offensive team.

The Saints took a chance on a running back who had suffered through a series of injuries in college, had an off-the-field issue and had not been a productive college back, but they saw the potential in a runner who combines good size, an aggressive running style and a hard-charging lower-body.

from Detillier

more kudos to Rick Reiprish Director of College Scouting