It has been more than two decades since a running back went No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft.

Could this be the year that drought ends?

It seems unlikely, but not impossible, that the Browns could select Penn State’s Saquon Barkley No. 1 overall on April 26. He would be the first running back chosen No. 1 since the Bengals took Ki-Jana Carter in 1995, also out of Penn State.

It would be a sign the league is taking a different view on drafting running backs early after the recent success stories of Todd Gurley, Ezekiel Elliott, Leonard Fournette and Christian McCaffrey.

“If he’s a good football player and he plays the running back position, I’d love to have him on my team,” Browns general manager John Dorsey said.

Though it still seems more likely that the Browns will take a quarterback No. 1, Barkley won’t have to wait long. The Giants could take him at No. 2 (no back has gone that high since Reggie Bush in 2006) or the Browns could take him with their second pick, the fourth-overall selection.

There was a time in NFL history when running backs carried as much value as quarterbacks. Between 1977-81, running backs went No. 1 overall four times. But the days of Ricky Bell, Earl Campbell, Billy Sims and George Rogers soon faded. The league became more pass happy, and running backs began to be seen as easy to find in the later rounds.

No team did more to popularize that philosophy than Mike Shanahan’s Broncos. Between 1998-2000, they had three different running backs rush for more than 1,000 yards. Terrell Davis (sixth-round pick), Olandis Gary (fourth round) and Mike Anderson (sixth round) all excelled. That began to make teams question taking a running back at the top of the draft.

Early in this decade, it became rare to see a running back taken early. In 2011, ’13 and ’14, no running backs were selected in the top 10. The Browns’ selection of Trent Richardson at No. 3 overall in 2012 became a cautionary tale about taking a running back too early.

But recently, teams have shown running backs can be worth those premium picks. Gurley has excelled for the Rams. Elliott helped the Cowboys to the playoffs as a rookie. Fournette and McCaffrey each played key roles for playoff teams last year with the Jaguars and Panthers, respectively.

“The bottom line is: Is the guy a football player?” said Giants general manager Dave Gettleman, who took McCaffrey when he was with the Panthers. “This whole myth of devaluing running backs, I find it kind of comical. At the end of the day, if he’s a great player he’s a great player. It doesn’t matter what position it is.”

The new philosophy seems to be that maybe one or two backs are worth taking early, but you can still find value at the position in the middle rounds. Are Fournette or McCaffrey any better than the Saints’ Alvin Kamara (Rookie of the Year) or the Chiefs’ Kareem Hunt (the league’s leading rusher), who were both selected in the third round last year?

“If they’re rated high, they’re going to go high,” ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. said. “They’re not getting forced up. These guys were all highly rated players coming out, so they weren’t any surprises. The surprises were the third-round picks of Kareem Hunt and Alvin Kamara based on where they went. They played like top-10 guys. So, that’s why I always say: Running backs you can find.”

So, Barkley likely will hear his name early this year, but don’t expect a rush on running backs after that.

“You don’t have to get them in the first round, more like you do a tackle or an elite pass rusher,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said. “But still, if there’s a running back there that you think is going to be like some of those guys I mentioned, then that guy is worth the first pick in the draft just like anybody else would be.”

Top five running backs

1. Saquon Barkley*

Penn State, 5-foot-11, 229

Head and shoulders above the rest of this class and will be gone in the top five.

2. Ronald Jones II*

USC, 6-0, 205

Accelerates through the hole and the end zone, scoring a touchdown in 19 of his final 20 games.

3. Derrius Guice*

LSU, 5-11, 218

An angry running style will be a positive for some and a durability concern for others.

4. Sony Michel

Georgia, 5-11, 215

Reminds some of Alvin Kamara, last year’s rookie of the year, with his ability to catch and run.

5. Nick Chubb

Georgia, 5-10, 228

Durability concerns after a bad knee injury three years ago.

Late riser

Rashaad Penny, San Diego State: Led the nation with 2,248 rushing yards and 23 TDs last season in his first season as the featured back.

Dropping fast

Kerryon Johnson, Auburn: Led the SEC in rushing yards (1,391) and rushing TDs (18), but there are durability and quickness concerns.

Small-school wonder

Ito Smith, Southern Miss: At just 5-foot-9, some will be scared to take him, but he can be a change-of-pace back that impressed scouts at the Senior Bowl.

Top five wide receivers

1. Calvin Ridley*

Alabama, 6-foot-1, 190

Dynamic route runner who can be a deep threat. Should be the first receiver off the board.

2. Christian Kirk*

Texas A&M, 5-11, 200

Questions about him as an outside receiver, but should be a weapon in the slot.

3. Courtland Sutton*

SMU, 6-3, 218

Had 31 touchdowns over the past three seasons, but rang up some big numbers against weak competiton.

4. D.J. Moore*

Maryland, 5-10, 215

Viewed as a complementary receiver who also has return skills.

5. James Washington

Oklahoma St., 6-0, 215

Will need time to develop but has good hands and has straight-line speed to get behind the defense.

Late riser

D.J. Chark, LSU: Had a strong showing at the Senior Bowl that answered some questions after an inconsistent college career.

Dropping fast

Deontay Burnett, USC: Was Sam Darnold’s top target for the Trojans, but there are questions about his size and speed that have him dropping.

Small-school wonder

Daurice Fountain, Northern Iowa: Impressed some teams at the East-West Shrine Game.

Top five tight ends

1. Dallas Goedert

South Dakota State, 6-foot-3, 266 pounds

An athletic big man who created mismatches in college and could be a first-round pick.

2. Mark Andrews*

Oklahoma, 6-4, 254

More of an H-back than a traditional tight end, who won the Mackey Award as the nation’s top tight end.

3. Hayden Hurst*

South Carolina, 6-4, 250

Played 2 ½ years in the Pirates’ organization and is 25 years old, but teams may overlook that because of his pass-catching ability.

4. Mike Gesicki

Penn State, 6-5, 242

Natural receiver who teams have blocking questions about.

5. Jordan Akins*

UCF, 6-3, 245

One of the most athletic tight ends in the draft, who had a strong showing at the Senior Bowl.

Late riser

Troy Fumagalli, Wisconsin: Not as proven a pass catcher as others in the draft, but is a complete tight end with the ability to block as well as receive.

Dropping fast

Dalton Schultz, Stanford: Questions about his strength and blocking ability that scare teams.

Small-school wonder

Tyler Conklin, Central Michigan: A former basketball player who impressed during Senior Bowl week.

*underclassman