Running back might not be a pressing need anymore for the Indianapolis Colts after the acquisition of veteran Frank Gore but behind him the depth chart doesn’t look very good: Zurlon Tipton and Dan Herron aren’t bad players but the Colts need to upgrade the position through the draft.

Unless either Georgia’s Todd Gurley or Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon fall to #29 (which seems to be highly unlikely as of now) the Colts will look for a tailback in day 2 or day 3 of the NFL draft.

Nebraska running back Ameer Abdullah (5’9″, 205) is one of the draft prospects expected to be drafted in the 2nd-3rd round but that is not due to the fact that he lacks talent. Should the Indianapolis Colts target him as a possible future starter? Absolutely, and here’s why.

COLLEGE YEARS

After playing high school football in Homewood, Alabama Abdullah joined the Nebraska Cornhuskers and played in every game as a true freshman in 2011. Although he wasn’t used a lot in the backfield he made a name for himself as kickoff/punt returner averaging 29.3 yards on 26 kickoff returns and setting a school record for returning yards in a single game (211) against Fresno State.

In 2012, after an injury to current Cincinnati Bengals’ running back Rex Burkhead, Abdullah became a starter and made the most of this opportunity. He started 7 games (played in 14 total games) and racked up 1137 rushing yards and 8 touchdowns.

As a junior in 2013 and as a senior in 2014 Abdullah started all 26 games Nebraska has played and has been extremely productive:

2013: 281 attempts, 1690 rushing yards (130.0 yards/game), 9 touchdowns.

2014: 264 attempts, 1611 rushing yards (123.0 yards/game), 19 touchdowns.

Last season he was nominated Second-Team All-American and Second-Team All-Big Ten: he literally dominated against inferior teams (watch the game against Illinois, for example) but he was a bit less effective against stout defenses, like the Spartans’ defense. The game against Michigan State was probably Abdullah’s worst performance of the 2014 season; yet he still finished with 115 all-purpose yards (45 rushing, 22 receiving, 48 on kickoff returns) and two touchdowns.

PROS

Speed

Even if Abdullah doesn’t posses blazing speed and did not record mind-blowing “40” times at the combine (he ran a 4.60 at the combine, a 4.53 and 4.54 at his pro day) he plays fast on tape. He’s a good runner inside the tackles but even better when he bounces outside and makes defenders miss with sudden changes of direction. The initial burst is great and he can maintain balance and good speed after a cutback.

Good receiver

He’s also a great athlete for the screen game and the passing game. In the 2014 Holiday Bowl against USC he took a middle screen pass 32 yards on a 3rd-and-5 before he got tackled, showing how dangerous he is in the open field. In an Andrew Luck-led offense having a running back with good hands is extremely important.

Open-field nightmare

When Abdullah gets the ball in space there’s no way he can be stopped with just one defender. His footwork isn’t elite but he’s elusive and has the ability to break tackles with a quick spin move or a stiff arm. He often bounces off of defenders and keeps going forward thanks to his smaller frame that allows him to keep his balance.

CONS

Size

Abdullah lacks the ideal size to play running back in the NFL but even though this will hurt his draft stock NFL.com draft expert Daniel Jeremiah said during a Senior Bowl telecast that this won’t be an issue for him: “He’s short, but he’s not small. […] He’s a very well-rounded back.”

Pass protection

This is what concerns me the most about Abdullah. He struggles big time when he’s asked to protect the quarterback and pick up blitzing defenders. Of course he has time to learn how to do it properly but he better do it fast if he wants to play in the NFL.

Formations

Nebraska doesn’t run a pro-style offense so Abdullah played mostly from the pistol and the shotgun formations. He saw a few snaps from the I-formation and the single-back too but those weren’t used consistently. How well can he adapt to a new scheme?

Jan 24, 2015; Mobile, AL, USA; North squad running back Ameer Abdullah of Nebraska (28) runs past the tackle attempt of South squad defensive end Trey Flowers of Arkansas (86) in the first quarter of the Senior Bowl at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Glenn Andrews-USA TODAY Sports

FINAL THOUGHTS

NFL.com’s draft expert Lance Zierlein compared Abdullah to Cardinals’ back Andre Ellington and wrote this:

Despite having first-round talent, Abdullah’s lack of preferred NFL size and issues with ball security might cause some teams to shy away from him in the opening round. Abdullah has explosive potential as a runner and ball-catcher and is a natural zone-scheme fit. His high character will make him a hit during interview process.

Abdullah will be limited among the pros but he’s talented enough to earn a roster spot. He kind of reminds of Darren Sproles as an undersized athlete who uses that at his advantage, making quick cuts to make opponents miss the tackle. He also absorbs hits and is capable of bouncing back without falling after the first contact. Potentially he can be a very dangerous 3rd-down back thanks to his versatility and his good hands.

Even if the Colts already have a kick/punt returner in Josh Cribbs the addition of Abdullah would create some competition there too.

He might not be a three-down running back but if used in the correct way he is a weapon every offense needs to have and in a passing-first offense like Pep Hamilton’s he could have a lot of opportunities. Drafting him in the second round would probably be a reach but if Abdullah is still on the board when Colts will be picking in the third round there’s a good chance he might share the backfield with Frank Gore next season.