LaMichael James

LaMichael James is one of the most accomplished running backs in NCAA football history. Along with setting Oregon records for all-purpose yards with 5,929 and rushing touchdowns with 53, James also holds the FBS record for rushes over 30 yards with 34.

James was praised for forgoing the draft last season and returning to Oregon to try to help the Ducks earn a berth in the BCS National Championship Game for the second straight season. After dealing with off-field troubles in 2010, James has shown tremendous growth in maturity and leadership.

Often credited for his elusive running style; James was clearly the engine that drove the Oregon offensive machine, averaging over 150 rushing yards per game. Despite his impressive statistics, there is serious concern that he may not thrive in a pro-style rushing attack.

His size (5'9", 195) is also an obvious concern, but as illustrated by Chad Reuter of CBS Sports, this is a scout's take on James in general:

Size will be a detriment between the tackles at the next level, but don't underestimate his toughness. Prefers to run north-south, though, feeling his way through traffic with quick cuts and nice vision. Does not try to take every play outside, as you'd expect given his size and speed, but dangerous once on the sideline.Flashes the ability to break a tackle in the backfield and reverse field for a big gain, but he will lose yardage a times and it's much tougher to accomplish that against NFL defenses.

There seems to be no reason why James cannot find success in the NFL on the same level as someone like Darren Sproles. Like Sproles, LaMichael James can make up for a lack of size with agility, speed and elusiveness.

If James can use those attributes to his advantage, he should easily find his way onto the NFL roster after training camp. From there he will have an opportunity to spell the starter and act as the change-of-pace back for the offense.

Pick Analysis

As Brian Billick said on the NFL Network, the success of Darren Sproles has more and more teams in the market for an elusive threat to whom you can use in both the passing and rushing attacks. James fits that bill for the San Francisco 49ers where concerns over his size will be somewhat mitigated by the presence of workhorse Frank Gore. The Niners also have Kendall Hunter, who profiles similarly to James, so the path to PT isn't exactly clear for James. Still, this is pick has a chance to pan out for San Francisco, where coach Jim Harbaugh should be intimately familiar with how to use the Oregon product.

Here's a non-stunner to start your day: stardom in college football is anything but a guarantee of success in the NFL.

A quick glance down the list of Heisman Trophy winners is evidence of as much. For every Cam Newton or Sam Bradford, there seem to be two more Matt Leinarts or Eric Crouchs.

It should come as no surprise then that some of the biggest names in the college game this past year, like these three, will likely have to wait until the third round or later before they hear their names called at the 2012 NFL draft.

LaMichael James

A guy rushes for more than 5,000 yards in three seasons of college ball, and the best he can reasonably hope for is a spot in the third round?

Well, if that guy is LaMichael James, then...yeah. As speedy as he is, the Oregon product is a bit slight for a prospective NFL back, at just 5'9" and 185 pounds. He'll have a solid pro career, so long as whichever team drafts him uses his talents properly.

Darren Sproles' explosion with the New Orleans Saints should serve as a blueprint for James' best-case scenario.

Russell Wilson

James wasn't the only undersized NFL hopeful on the field during the 2012 Rose Bowl. He was joined in that regard by Wisconsin quarterback and one-time Heisman Trophy contender Russell Wilson.

The former North Carolina State signal-caller has a cannon for an arm and can make all the throws, not to mention a pair of wheels that allow him to buy time and pick up yardage in a pinch.

Trouble is, Wilson's only 5'11" and a hair over 200 pounds. That sort of frame doesn't bode well for a guy playing a position prone to frequent beatdowns.

Still, Wilson's a talented kid and certainly worth taking a flier on in the third round, if not later.

Kellen Moore

Want more proof that size matters to NFL scouts? Just follow the draft status of Kellen Moore.

Sure, it's nice that Moore is the winningest quarterback in the history of college football, but that doesn't much matter when you're 6'1" and 191 pounds with iffy mechanics, a supposedly skimpy arm and a subpar pedigree coming out of a mid-major program like Boise State's.

No matter than he completed better than 70 percent of his passes during his four years as a starter for the Broncos or that the kid knows how to win football games.

Moore's measurables figure to put him in jeopardy of falling into the sixth or seventh round, if not out of the draft entirely.

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The NFL draft is clearly an inexact science. Talent evaluators for every team watch countless hours of game film and combine pro day measurables to determine who is the best fit for their roster—the newest faces of their franchise. 

It seems every year some great talent falls past the first round, or second round, or third or fourth or fifth rounds, and still manages to become a great NFL player. The fun of the second and third days of the NFL draft is trying to guess­ (because all we can do is guess) which players it might be. 

What about LaMichael James?

James helped lead the Oregon Ducks to three consecutive BCS games, including the 2011 national title game, finishing this past season with 1,807 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns despite missing two games with a dislocated elbow.

James averaged 7.3 yards per carry in 2011, besting his averages of 6.7 as a freshman and 5.9 when he finished third in the Heisman Trophy race as a sophomore. James finished 2011 as one of just four players with more than 2,000 yards from scrimmage (Trent Richardson was another). 

You want countless hours of game film? For three years, the kid was one of the most dynamic college players on the planet. 

Critics can point to the gimmicky offense Oregon ran, which spread defenses and allowed James to find a lot more space running against an expanded front seven. His two toughest games were against LSU (where he still managed over 100 yards from scrimmage) and USC, the two most pro-caliber defenses he faced. 

James wasn't just a speed guy, showing toughness running inside the tackles, especially for a player at his size. 

Right. Right, right, right—he's small. James is listed at 5'8", 194 pounds, which is minuscule by NFL standards. Yet James is an inch taller than Maurice Jones-Drew, who admittedly was heavier coming out of college (listed near 207 pounds). James is the same height as Ray Rice, who was listed at 199 pounds out of Rutgers. Rice is now listed at 212 pounds. 

Coming out of college, there were a few flags on Rice that sound rather similar to James. 

First, people questioned if he was big enough to take the beating in the NFL. People wondered if he could pass protect or catch the ball out of the backfield. Rice caught just 37 balls in his college career, though 25 in his final season. James averaged just 17 receptions per season in Oregon's spread offense.

Rice also had a few fumbles in his final season at Rutgers, leading people to wonder if he would be able to hold onto the ball in the NFL. That may be the biggest flag on James, who had fumbling issues in his college career.

Look, this comparison is not presented to suggest James will be the next Ray Rice, or the next Maurice Jones-Drew. It is, however, introduced to remind fans that both Rice and Jones-Drew were not first-round picks.

Rice and Jones-Drew were selected in second round, the leading members of a deep fraternity of star running backs who were passed over by the entire league at least once before being selected.

There were seven running backs in the top 10 in yards from scrimmage last season and just one (San Diego's Ryan Mathews) was a first-round pick. 

Rice, MJD, Arian Foster (undrafted out of Tennessee), LeSean McCoy (a second-round pick), Michael Turner (a fifth-round pick of the Chargers) and Matt Forte (a second-round pick for the Bears) were the other running backs on the list.

Last season, the top six running backs in rushing yards were drafted in the second round or later.

That's not to suggest there aren't some fantastic running backs who were drafted in the first round. Eight of the next nine backs on the list were first-round selections.

Of course, four of them are no longer playing for the team that drafted them. Only Turner is on his second team of the players in the top six last season. 

There are some fantastic running backs below the top 15 in rushing, too. Players like Darren McFadden, who was fourth in the league in yards per carry last year, was a first-rounder. 

It's amazing that Chris Johnson or Adrian Peterson, both first-rounders, haven't come up yet. Two years ago, they would be in the first paragraph of any running back conversation. 

Mark Ingram was the only first-round running back in last year's draft and looks like he's already on pace to be a promising NFL player. Jahvid Best and Rashard Mendenhall are feature backs that were both taken in the first round.

C.J. Spiller looked like a stretch for Buffalo in 2010, but he did become a productive piece of the Bills offense last year. He could still develop into a top-flight talent worthy of the ninth overall pick. Really, he could. 

I'm actually not even trying to suggest James will be an every-down back in the NFL. In fact, James is most closely compared to Darren Sproles, who has never truly been a featured back in his entire career.

That said, Sproles did lead the NFL in all-purpose yards in 2011. Not a terrible guy for James to be compared to.

The numbers for Sproles were bolstered by more than 1,000 yards in kick returns and nearly 300 yards in punt returns. But the NFL is a field-position league, so having a solid and dependable kick returner is immensely important. 

Let's not ignore that Sproles flourished after moving to New Orleans, rushing for more than 600 yards on 87 carries (6.9 ypr) while catching 86 balls for 710 yards (8.3 ypc) last season. 

When you get dynamic players on the field and give them the ball, good things can happen. When you get a player in the right offensive system, great things can happen. 

If James can find the right fit in the NFL and be even half as productive as Sproles, Rice or MJD, he will be a great second-day draft selection. If he falls to the third day, someone will have an absolute steal in the fourth round.

There were three running backs selected in the first round of draft this year. The Browns gave up fourth-, fifth- and seventh-round picks to move up one spot to get Trent Richardson. 

I know it's not this simple, but Cleveland potentially traded the fourth overall pick, the next Michael Bush (taken in the fourth round), the next Michael Turner (a fifth-rounder) and a seventh-round pick for Richardson.

He better be worth it.

Tampa Bay, who reportedly coveted Richardson (per the Tampa Bay Times' Rick Stroud), traded back into the first round to pick Boise State's Doug Martin. Tampa admittedly didn't give up much, swapping the 36th pick for the 31st and giving up the 101st pick for the 126th.

Martin now has the pressure of being a first-round running back who will be expected to carry the load for the Buccaneers. The Giants had the luxury of drafting for depth after winning the Super Bowl with very few needs, taking David Wilson of Virginia Tech with the last pick of the first round. 

Will either of them be better than a third-round sleeper or some undrafted stud nobody ever thought would make a team, let alone lead the league in yards? Who knows? 

That's the fun of the NFL draft, where we can say "who knew" and "told you so" at the same exact time and flip-flop the answers in another three years.

For James, where he gets drafted will determine who is saying, "told you so" when. Nobody should be saying, "who knew?"

With the opening of the 2012 NFL draft Thursday, April 26 at 8 p.m. ET, the realization that the football season is closer than we thought is starting to sink in.

This is the next wave of NFL stars we get to watch walk across that stage at Radio City Music Hall, and before we know it, they will be wearing our team’s uniforms. As excited as the players are, the fans feel like this is the Christmas they really wanted.

Where: Radio City Music Hall in New York, N.Y.

When: Thursday-Saturday, April 26, 27 and 28

Television Schedule

Round 1 - Thursday, April 26 at 8 p.m. ET (ESPN and NFL Network)

Rounds 2 and 3 - Friday, April 27 at 7 p.m. ET (ESPN and NFL Network)

Rounds 4 through 7 - Saturday, April 28 at 12 p.m. ET (ESPN and NFL Network)

Day 1 Stud: Quinton Coples, North Carolina, DE

With many questions in the top-ten this season, there is bound to be a few surprises that push everything backwards. When these reaches happen, star players fall lower than they should.

That’s what will happen when UNC defensive end Quinton Coples falls to the Philadelphia Eagles at No. 15 overall. With Coples slated to go as late as No. 9, falling to Philly wouldn’t be a bad scenario for the young star.

There is no doubt that Coples is a great player, but problems off the field and questions about work ethic at the next level may be a blessing in disguise as he falls to a better team with real leadership.

Day 2 Stud: Devon Still, Penn State, DT

With teams falling out of love with the Penn State defensive tackle because of a lower ceiling on his potential, a team picking early in the second round will fall into one of the best college players in 2011.

I can’t believe Still will fall to the second round, but if it happens, a team will trade up and snag him No. 1 overall on Day 2. Still is that good.

He is coming from a pro-style defense where he was the leader on and off the field. Not to mention he was an absolute wrecking machine on the field. Watching how far he falls will be an interesting aspect to keep an eye on.

Day 3 Stud: LaMichael James, Oregon, RB

While Day 3 is the time for the casual college football fans to turn away and the NFL fans to evaluate the big-name talent their teams snagged, this is the time for the real sleepers to come out.

A player like Oregon Ducks running back LaMichael James is sure to go later in the draft, but no one is certain exactly where. I have heard everything from second to sixth round for this kid, but I think he will fall to the third day.

Just like Devon Still, the first pick of Day 3 will be a team trading up to open the day by selecting James. A fitting end to what will be a wild weekend in NFL circles.

Check back for more on the National Football League as it comes, and check out Bleacher Report’s NFL Page to get your fill of all things football.

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The 2012 NFL Draft, like those which preceded it, boasts an abundance of freakishly athletic prospects that will descend down the board due to various concerns. This season's draft contains five that are the black sheep amongst their more traditional peers.  

Every year, these collegiate standouts riddle NFL scouts with astounding numbers and unique gifts, but embody several questions capable of halting productivity when jumping to the pros.

The following athletes will be presented with the task of proving that their abilities transcend above and beyond the collegiate game. 

Dontari Poe

Dontari Poe is undoubtedly the riskiest pick in the draft. His scouting report is a two-sided tale. 

His combine numbers raised more eyebrows than any other player partaking in the drills. Poe pushed out 44 reps of 225 pounds, showcasing nearly unparalleled power that could be effectively harnessed when bull-rushing—a necessary characteristic for defensive tackles (especially in regards to 3-4 schemes.)

The 346-pounder also demonstrated that he's remarkably fleet of foot, turning in an unofficial 4.98 40-time comparable to much lighter athletes. 

However, for all of his unique attributes, he never dominated Conference USA—a league full of second-tier football schools. 

If a team gambles on Poe in the first round, it will invest more into the stock of numbers than in-game footage. 

Chandler Jones

Jones' genetic DNA is second to none. His bloodline has produced three professional athletes, including himself. 

Arthur, the eldest of three brothers, is entering his third year as a defensive end for the Baltimore Ravens.

Jon Jones is a household name throughout America. Not only is he the only fighter to be sponsored by the Ultimate Fighting Championship, "Bones" is the company's youngest mixed martial artist to capture a UFC championship. 

Then there's Chandler, himself, a freakishly athletic defensive end hailing from Syracuse. 

Jones has a diverse barrage of moves, and an explosive dash off of the line to precede them. However, he lacks the overall speed to consistently threaten offensive tackles.

Stephen Hill

Forty-nine career receptions spanning a three-year career isn't remotely impressive, but Stephen Hill was a simple cog in a rushing machine. Georgia Tech's offense rarely utilized his abilities, so Hill's opportunities to demonstrate his athletic prowess were few and far between. 

The NFL Combine quieted the naysayers, though. 

Hill's fastest 40-time was reportedly 4.28 seconds, and his vertical was half-an-inch short of breaking an even 40". 

However, his aforementioned statistics won't help him on paper. He also shows average acceleration and mediocre route-running. 

Stephen Hill's potential is evident, but he's in the early stages of honing his craft. 

LaMichael James

A perennial Heisman contender in the final two seasons of his collegiate campaign, the name "LaMichael James" reproduces flashbacks of elusive agility and red-line speed. 

James amassed 18 touchdowns, 1805 yards and an eye-popping 7.3 YPC average to conclude his junior season. To put that into perspective, Darren Sproles—a running back of similar stature who broke the NFL's single-season all-purpose yards record—only averaged 5.4 yards per rush during his senior year. 

However, like Sproles, James' frame shrouds his frame of work. His durability tops the list of concerns in making the transition to the NFL. Oregon's favorite rusher will most likely be viewed as a secondary back that complements a larger starter. 

Quinton Coples

A gigantic question mark orbits around Coples in virtually every aspect of his capabilities. 

Is he a defensive tackle or defensive end?

Is his motor running on fumes, or is his heart even into the game?

If it was possible for a scout to create his ideal defensive end's body, the outcome would be Quinton Coples. The North Carolina product stands 6'6", weighs 284 and his arm length measures 33.25". But, he doesn't illustrate the necessary speed to be an elite pass-rusher. 

He possesses the overwhelming power of a dominant tackle, along with sound technique. However, his towering height and athletic frame make it relatively easy for interior lineman to gain leverage and conceal their blocks on the prospect. 

Coples' engine seems to lose horsepower throughout games as well, which always raises concern about a player's character. 

If properly trained and mentored, Coples has the potential to be an effective outside rusher, but it will take a heavy dose of patience.  

In the 2012 NFL draft, there are going to be a lot of GMs and coaches kicking themselves after some of the players they pass on blossom into Pro Bowlers.

Every year there are those diamonds in the rough that slip in the draft but end up making the big difference for their team as they go on to be great players.

Tom Brady is the perfect example of a player who was ignored by every NFL team but is one of the elite quarterbacks today. This year’s draft has some Tom Bradys who will make multiple Pro Bowl appearances and should be drafted as such.

Brandon Weeden

Brandon Weeden is one quarterback who is going to have some great years in the NFL and have multiple Pro Bowl appearances. Weeden is the oldest player in the draft at 28, but that might work in his favor on Sundays.

Whatever team has the chance to draft him  is going to have a very mature quarterback who also has a strong arm. Weeden might not start right away, but he will be a solid backup who will transition to a starter and hopefully carry the load of the team on his back.

Coaches are going to regret passing on Weeden when he is torching their secondary.

 Luke Kuechly

Luke Kuechly is one of the most underrated defensive players in the draft right now. Kuechly was the cornerstone for the Boston College defense at linebacker with his ball-hawking skills.

Linebackers like Kuechly don’t come around a lot, so when one does, you have to take the risk and draft them. Kuechly can do it all from pass coverage to stopping the run.

With the NFL becoming more pass-happy, a solid linebacker who can drop in pass coverage is always a plus. The ceiling for Kuechly is very high, so with some coaching, he will be a top linebacker for years to come.

LaMichael James

The hardest position to grade is the running back position, and that is the main reason LaMichael James draft stock has dropped.

There are so many components to scouting a running back from speed, agility, size and vision. James has all of this. The only thing hurting him is his size, which isn’t prototypical for a running back.

James is more like a Darren Sproles who can change the pace of a game instantly and also make a huge impact on the game. This is going to get James far in a league that eats running backs up.

Janoris Jenkins

You can’t deny that Janoris Jenkins is a lockdown corner with a tremendous skill set. The only thing that is crippling Jenkins is his character issues.

A lot of teams are going to stay away from him for the simple fact that he screams Pacman Jones all over again.

Only teams in good situations, where character issues matter less, will think they can take on this task and draft him. Expect for Jenkins to give a lot of receivers the blues this season.

The running back position has been decreasing in value in NFL executive offices for quite some time. After the last few seasons, with the proliferation of the passing game, they're going to fall even further down the list.

Outside of Trent Richardson, I wouldn't be surprised if the second back didn't come off the board until the 40s. This has nothing to do with the quality of the backs in this draft, but just the evolution of the offensive game plan.

Simply put, Richardson is the best all-around back to come into the league since Adrian Peterson. While he's not the athlete Peterson is, he's better in the passing game, both blocking and catching the ball out of the backfield. In short, he's a true three-down back. Coupled with Peterson's injury issues and fumbling problem, I would be tempted to take Richardson over him if I had to draft one of them.

David Wilson of Virginia Tech and Doug Martin of Boise State are also three-down backs. I like both of them, but I give the edge to Wilson, because I think he has a much higher upside.

On a side note, he really impressed scouts at the combine by showing up to all of his interviews in a suit. Supposedly, he did the same thing when attending classes. It may sound silly, but that's the kind of statement that tells you he's serious about impressing and that he's mature.

Here are my rankings:

1. Trent Richardson, Alabama
2. David Wilson, Virginia Tech
3. Doug Martin, Boise St.
4. Isaiah Pead, Cincinnati
5. LaMichael James, Oregon
6. Lamar Miller, Miami, Fla.
7. Christopher Polk, Washington
8. Cyrus Gray, Texas A&M
9. Tauren Poole, Tennessee
10. Ryan Turbin, Utah St.

There are a couple of guys that I think are being overrated by the analysts I've heard. First off, Chris Polk, who's in most people's top five, might be steady, but he doesn't possess any qualities or show anything that made me think he will be an above-average NFL back. He's not a quick-twitch athlete with burst.

Next, Lamar Miller has great burst, lateral movement, and from all I've heard, he's a good citizen whose coaches and teammates love him. However, Miller's shoulder problems worry me. I don't care how fast you are, there will always be a time in the NFL when you have to drop the shoulder and truck someone.

Even after the shoulder surgeries, we're still really not sure he can do that. In addition, I don't see him breaking many tackles. That is an absolute must in the league.

On the other hand, there's one guy I think can make a splash at the next level and another that I'm simply rooting for. LaMichael James did nothing but produce at Oregon and showed that he has great burst and explosiveness. He shows good vision and the ability to be a one-cut-and-go back.

The only concern I have is his size. He'll either have to get in a situation where he only handles the ball 50 percent of the time or put on 10 to 15 pounds and keep his quickness.

Lastly, Robert Turbin of Utah State has all the tools to be a good back. He looks much bigger than the 222 pounds he weighed at the combine, and it's chiseled. At first, I thought I was looking at a linebacker. He plays with explosion and power, quick feet, and for someone as tightly built as he is, he displays good flexibility.

Because of injuries, he has lost two full seasons while in college. But through it all, his coaches couldn't be more complimentary, and there's no way you can question his drive, will and character.

If I had a late-round pick and was simply looking for a good football player who I wouldn't have to worry about off the field, Turbin would be at the top of the list.