Running back has become a devalued position in today's NFL, and that's why Georgia running back prospect Todd Gurley's draft stock is one of the most intriguing aspects of the upcoming NFL Draft. Gurley has shown tremendous athletic potential during his time with the Bulldogs, but he has also battled injuries and suspension. He also does not have the raw production that others in the class can boast of.
Despite that, he's widely expected to be the first running back off the board, and go in Round 1. These are the top five likeliest teams to go for him, in order from No. 5 to No. 1.
Detroit Lions (No. 23)
After losing Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley to free agency, defensive line help should be their No. 1 priority. They were smart to trade for Haloti Ngata to control the interior, but he's not enough to be their whole line. That said, the Lions often go for the flashy pick over the boring one. They just lost Reggie Bush in free agency, and while Joique Bell is a capable rusher and solid pass catcher, he's not very explosive.
The Lions are all about explosion, and a dominant running game would help the stagnating Matthew Stafford. Picking 23rd may also work against selecting Gurley-he may not be around by then.
Arizona Cardinals (No. 24)
The Cardinals have apparently been ruled out of the Adrian Peterson sweepstakes, with Yahoo Sports reporting that they are not interested in giving up a first-round pick to acquire him. They're well-stocked all over the roster these days, but last season's Andre Ellington experiment didn't go quite as well as planned. Ellington spent a lot of time banged up, and he only managed 660 yards in 12 starts. His yards per carry dropped from 5.5 yards per rush to 3.3, and his longest scamper of the year was 22 yards.
The Cardinals may be looking to add a thunder to Ellington's lightning, and Gurley could be just the kind of workhorse they need to complement the passing game. That is, if he makes it this far.
Dallas Cowboys (No. 27)
The Cowboys have possibly the best offensive line in the business, and those hogs paved the way for DeMarco Murray to lead the NFL in rushing last season. Murray's gone though, and while his primary backup in 2014, Joseph Randle, showed a lot of promise he's also been prone to off-field mishaps. They've been linked all offseason to a possible Adrian Peterson trade, but their salary cap situation makes that a risky proposition.
It makes all the sense in the world for Dallas to snag Gurley at No. 27 and make a run at having the league's best offense.
Atlanta Falcons (No. 8)
The Falcons have two young running backs in camp this year-2014 4th-round pick Devonta Freeman and undrafted free agent Antone Smith-but neither has the upside of Gurley. The issue here is that No. 8 overall might be too high a pick to invest in a rusher, especially when there are so many holes on defense to plug.
Miami Dolphins (No. 14)
The Dolphins are said to "covet" Gurley, even though they appear to have a very competent back already in Lamar Miller. Last season Miller received the biggest workload of his career (216 carries) and responded with 1,099 yards rushing and eight touchdowns.
Dolphins executives have been talking up Gurley ahead of the draft though, mentioning the growing success rate of ACL surgeries, his past as a college hurdler, and his immense talent. Cornerback might be a good area to target, but Miami could be looking for a home run threat in their offense. Since Ryan Tannehill struggles with the deep ball, they may see Gurley as someone who can rip off big plays on the ground.
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