2012 NFL Draft: 3 Reasons LaMichael James Has Major Bust Potential

If there’s one thing that is a constant in every NFL draft, it’s that there’s no such thing as a sure thing.

Year after year, relatively unknown prospects come in and make big differences on NFL rosters, and year after year great college players become the next class of great NFL busts.

LaMichael James could really go either way.

Regardless of where he gets drafted, James will have a tough road ahead of him at the next level, and there are a few reasons he could end up disappointing in the NFL following one of the great careers in Oregon Ducks history. 

LaMichael James isn’t the best example of a Boom or Bust draft pick because he’s not projected by many—if any—to be an undisputed superstar in the NFL.

But while the phrase usually directly affects highly anticipated first-round picks, James has earned the right to have some expectations thrown his way.

At the University of Oregon, James rushed for 5,082 yards and 53 touchdowns throughout his three-year career. Despite missing two games last season, and receiving limited carries in blowout and injury situations, James placed second in the nation behind Monte Ball with 1,805 yards.

There’s no way to tell what level James will play at in the NFL until he suits up and takes the field, but numbers like these should typically warrant a high draft pick, and James has a few things going against him when it comes to living up to his prolific college career.

Fair or not, this is an easy target for all of James’ critics.

At 5’9”, 185 pounds, James’ future as a feature back is not a promising one. His career at Oregon was made by getting open in space and creating plays on the outside.

While he did show at times that he could run between the tackles and keep his feet moving for extra yards, the Pac-12 doesn’t exactly feature the largest size when it comes to the competition.

Although James had a great final showing against a massive Wisconsin defense in the 2012 Rose Bowl, he historically struggled against bigger non-conference opponents, coming up with only 54 yards against LSU and 49 yards against Auburn in the BCS National Championship in 2011.

Being vertically challenged doesn’t instantly make you an NFL scrub—just ask Ray Rice and Maurice Jones-Drew. But at 5’8” and 5’7”, those two players have the girth to make up for their height, and the power to fit into a league of bigger backs.

If James is smart, he’ll begin taking pages out of the playbook of Darren Sproles, who has made a living from his quick speed and screen plays at just 5’6” and 190 pounds.

The key for James is going to be about getting bigger while remaining just as fast.

If you sacrifice his speed for size, you’re taking away a weapon that will be his greatest asset in the NFL; but you need him to get bigger because at his size, durability could very well become an issue throughout his career. 

Oregon played at the fastest pace in all of college football last season, and a faster pace means more possessions.

James’ talent shouldn’t be in question, as he’s excelled since his high school days. What should be asked, however, is whether or not a player’s statistics can appear more impressive due to the system he plays in.

The numbers James put up were unheard of at the University of Oregon, but he wasn’t the only player to succeed in such a highly potent offense.

Quarterback Darron Thomas, who also has declared for the NFL draft, set a school record with 66 touchdown passes in 31 games as a Duck. He also ranks sixth on the school’s list with 6,629 yards of total offense during his career.

Even the team’s backup running back, Kenjon Barner, ran for more than 900 yards and scored 11 touchdowns on the ground this season.

In James’ defense, the team did average the nation's most yards per carry this season—by a long shot—proving that it wasn’t just the amount of rushing attempts the team had, which ranked sixth in the nation.

LeGarrette Blount, after all, has found a level of success with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers despite coming from Chip Kelly’s inflated offense.

Then again, Blount is a 6’0”, 247-pound wrecking ball.

Nobody is knocking the talent of James; but the question is fair to ask: Who deserves more credit, the talent of the running back or the offensive system of head coach Chip Kelly?

If James is drafted into the wrong system, it could spell trouble for his pro career.

Known as a speed-back, James was a home-run threat waiting to happen at Oregon, and in order to retain that explosiveness, he needs to enter a system that will allow him to get to the outside and make plays.

Quite frankly, there’s no system in the NFL that’s quite like the one in place at Oregon.

The Ducks ran mostly out of read-options, leaving improvisation essential for a limited playbook.

James had many great games at Oregon, including a school-record 288-yard rushing performance against Arizona last season. But having been a part of an offense that is about as opposite of pro-style as it comes, the adjustment period could prevent him from having an impact on any team for the immediate future.

He could very well prove to be a solid third-down, receiving back, but if that’s the case, he’ll have to prove he can be more dangerous catching the ball, as he was never a huge threat in the receiving game at Oregon.

In today’s NFL, where running back committees appear to be popping up more and more, James could fit in as the third option in a talented trio.

Anything else could be placing too much on him too early, which could put his durability in check very quickly.