The 2015 NFL Draft class is strong at Running Back, with eventual starters likely to be drafted in every round. As luck would have it, the Colts could use Running Back or two. Frank Gore is still good and will be a great bridge to the next starter in Indianapolis, but it does not appear that player is currently on the roster. The three candidates for that role have all shown flashes of above average play, but have looked like depth players the rest of the time. Of the group, Boom Herron is the best player and has shown the best flashes, but struggles with ball security and drops will likely limit his ability to start. Indianapolis would do very well to take advantage of the wealth of talent in this year’s class.

There are typically ranges in each draft class where you can get very good value at specific positions. This year, that value range appears to be day two for Running Backs. In the 2nd and 3rd rounds, there could potentially be seven or eight drafted. In looking at that range, I picked out my favorite five for this piece, and threw in my favorite day three Running Back for fun. All six players are talented enough to step into the role as the 2nd Running Back on the depth chart, with potential to become the eventual starter when the team moves on from Gore.

I admit to not being an expert on whether a player is a better fit in a Zone or Man scheme, but I do have an understanding of the differences and tried to factor that in when I discuss their fit with the Colts. The biggest area I was looking for a fit was in the passing game. In 2014, the Colts had a healthy Ahmad Bradshaw for half of the season and had an offense that was rolling, in large part because Bradshaw was so effective. Given how vertical Pep Hamilton’s offense was in 2014, Bradshaw was able to feast on soft underneath coverage with defenders so occupied by the downfield attack. In addition to the checkdowns, the Colts frequently used Bradshaw on play action passes in the red zone, resulting in six receiving touchdowns in only seven games. There are a lot of chances for production available to any Running Back on the Colts roster, so let’s see some players who just might be taking advantage of those opportunities in the near future.

As always Handsome Rating® is a sacred draft metric.

Ameer Abdullah, Nebraska

Strengths:

Very shifty Running Back, creative in space

Excellent hands catcher, routinely snatching balls out of the air

Incredible hip flexibility, giving him the ability to cut on a dime

Runs well both inside the tackles and on the outside

Off the charts character and intelligence

Electric with the ball in his hands, whether running the ball, catching passes, or returning kickoffs

Weaknesses:

Less than ideal NFL frame

Poor in pass protection, will need to improve to become a true three-down Back

Not a great runner in goal line situations

Fit with the Colts:

Ameer Abdullah is a terrific offensive weapon that should be able to thrive in any scheme. Abdullah is shifty between the tackles and would have no issues running behind Indy’s below average run blocking Offensive Line. The biggest reason I am so enamored with his role in Indy is his pass catching ability. Ameer may be the best pass catching Running Back I’ve watched this year. He is able to be split out as a Wide Receiver and run routes, he is dangerous of the backfield, and he is a great runner, both inside and outside the tackles. As an added bonus, Ameer is a top level kick returner, a role the Colts have been trying to fill for somewhere around 91 years.

Abdullah is one of my favorite players in this draft class and would be a terrific weapon for Pep Hamilton to move around. He could spend a year as a specialized weapon and kick returner while he develops as a runner in Pep’s scheme, then could be unleashed as a full time starter in 2016. As dynamic as Running Backs come, Ameer Abdullah would be a pick worth streaking for.

James’s Value: Mid 2nd

Handsome Rating: 9/10

Good lord

Jay Ajayi, Boise State

Strengths:

Strong, powerful Running Back

Good hands catcher, has shown he can hold onto the ball after big hits

Keeps his pad level low when running through tackles

Plays with a wide base and shows great feet when making cuts

Solid in pass protection

Weaknesses:

Has a tendency to bounce runs outside when there are holes inside

Doesn’t seem to have great vision

Can sometimes run into would be tacklers instead of avoiding them

Fit with the Colts:

A big favorite among Colts fans, Jay Ajayi would be a great fit with the team. Ajayi has the speed and shiftiness to be a very good Running Back in the Colts Power Man scheme. He is also a very effective pass catcher, and should become a true three down Back. Ajayi being British will no doubt be popular with Olly Dawes, and anything that can make the eternally pessimistic Olly Dawes happy is probably wonderful (e.g. The Office, Lucy Watson reaction pics, Andrew Luck). When his Offensive Line allowed a free defender into the backfield at the snap, Jay Ajayi showed the ability to cut and break the unblocked defender’s tackle, a trait that will be useful in Indianapolis.

James’s Value: Mid 2nd

Handsome Rating®: 6/10

6 pickles out of 10

Duke Johnson, Miami

Strengths:

Makes very quick, decisive cuts, always seems to be running full speed, even around traffic

Great in space, explosive runner with burst

Runs though arm tackles with ease

Strong stiff arm

Dangerous catching passes downfield on wheel routes and up the seam

Weaknesses:

Can look to bounce outside too often

Poor in pass protection

Not a particularly great runner between the tackles

Fit with the Colts:

Sometimes, a Running Back like Duke Johnson is far too talented to worry about scheme fit. A perfect fit for a Zone Blocking Scheme, Duke may not be the best fit with the Colts, at first, but I fully expect him to be able to adapt. Running between the tackles is pretty important in Indy’s scheme, which is an area where Duke is only good, not special. As a pass catcher, he is excellent and would be a great option on the field. If Duke Johnson was the Running Back the Colts decided to pick, they would be getting a very talented Back that may need a little time to adjust, but should be a great player.

James’s Value: Late 2nd

Handsome Rating®: 6/10

“Heh heh”

David Cobb, Minnesota

Strengths:

Big bodied runner than can be hard to take down

Very good running between the tackles and in traffic

Good pass catcher, decent pass protector

Works well with small holes versus stacked boxes

Lacks a homerun gear, but can break off 20+ yards runs if given a crease

Weaknesses:

Average runner in space

Lacks any dynamic traits

Fit with the Colts:

While he isn’t a homerun hitter, David Cobb is the kind of tough runner that will always have a place in the NFL. Cobb is shiftier than you’d expect, given his size and how stiff he can look, and he shows great vision running between the tackles. Cobb is able to keep his pads low and gain yards, keeping the offense on schedule. There’s nothing sexy about a Back that will consistently puts the offense in shorter 2nd and 3rd down situations, but it’s an it’s an important player to have in your toolbox. Cobb is pretty good in the passing game and should be a benefit there. He may end up being best suited as one half of a great Running Back By Committee, but there is clear value in that, and he may be able to become more than that. David Cobb would be a terrific fit with the Colts

James’s Value: Mid 3rd

Handsome Rating®: 7.5/10

Massive amounts of old man handsome going on here

Tevin Coleman, Indiana

Strengths:

Homerun threat every time he touches the ball

Violent runner, initiating contact with defenders

Decent pass catcher, willing blocker in pass protection

Hits the hole hard, gets downhill very quickly

Would be absolutely dynamic behind an offense that opens holes consistently

Weaknesses:

Very linear runner with little wiggle

Lacks patience to allow blocks to develop

Can sometimes run too upright, allowing himself to be tackled more easily

Fit with the Colts:

If the Colts’ Offensive Line could consistently open holes, Tevin Coleman could be a monster for the Colts. The hard part with Coleman is that he is so dynamic, but if the hole is not there, he doesn’t have the wiggle to create something out of nothing. Now, if he gets a lane, he’s gone. Once Coleman gets to the second level of the defense, it’s basically a coin flip whether he’ll take it in for a touchdown. Unfortunately, the Colts don’t currently have the kind of line that will open those lanes often enough. Coleman is still a good player in the passing game and can hit the hole hard, which is what you need to do in Indy’s scheme (see: Brown, Bradshaw, and Herron versus Richardson), but he may be limited to being a good Running Back with the Colts, instead of an all star with another team.

James’s Value: Mid 3rd

Handsome Rating®: 7/10

“I never smile if I can help it. Showing one’s teeth is a submission signal in primates. When someone smiles at me, all I see is a chimpanzee begging for its life.”

Zach Zenner, South Dakota State

Strengths:

Powerful Running Back with speed

Very good vision moving through traffic, patient runner with speed to beat defenders to the edge

Very good hands catcher and good pass protector

Puts his foot in the ground and hits the hole hard

Top 6 SPARQ athlete with Combine measurables nearly identical to Jay Ajayi

Proven workhorse back, averaging 25 rushes per game last two years

Weaknesses:

Not a dynamic creator

Played at a lower level of competition

Ineffective stiff arm

White, so must be converted to Fullback

Fit with the Colts:

Zach Zenner is one of my favorite players in the draft. For some reason, he is listed many places as a Fullback, despite rushing for over 2,000 yards three seasons in a row and being one of the most athletic Backs in the class. Zenner is a strong runner that has done nothing but dominate in college. Even against Power 5 Conference teams, Zenner looked terrific, rushing for over 100 yards at 6.1 Yards Per Carry with two TDs at Missouri, and over 200 yards at 9.6 Yards Per Carry with two TDs at Nebraska. Zenner has all of the traits the Colts would be looking for in a workhorse, three down Running Back role. If there is a hole, Zenner will see it, plant his foot, and hit the hole, and he has the speed to turn any run into a big gain. As a pass catcher, he would be an underrated weapon from day one and would be able to stay in to pass block effectively as well. Zenner may not be drafted until late on day three, if he is drafted at all, but it would be a great value if they drafted him as early as the top 100. I’ve said it before but I love Zach Zenner and will be very saddened when he does not go to the Colts. Maybe if we tell Grigson and Pagano that he’s a Fullback, they’ll draft him.

James’s Value: Late 3rd

Handsome Rating®: 4.5/10

Oh, okay, I get the Fullback thing now.