College Football

2017 NFL Draft: Running backs are everywhere

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 6:57 p.m. ET

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Dec 5, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego State Aztecs running back Donnel Pumphrey (19) celebrate after the Aztecs beat the Air Force Falcons 27-24 to win the Mountain West Conference at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Donnel Pumphrey, RB, San Diego State: Stock Up

A name not known to casual college football fans is Donnel Pumphrey. The San Diego State running back has quietly put up an outstanding season, and is a darkhorse to be a Heisman finalist.

Pumphrey currently leads all of college football with 599 rushing yards, and is second among running backs with seven rushing touchdowns.

In back to back games Pumphrey has rushed for three touchdowns and over 200 yards. Last week against Illinois State he rushed for 220 yards after a 281-yard performance the week prior.

In a running back draft class littered with names such as Nick Chubb, Leonard Fournette, James Connor, and Dalvin Cook, Pumphrey will slip through the cracks.

The argument that Pumphrey played against a lack of competition is overrated and thankfully diminishing. Carson Wentz has proved you don’t need to come out of Alabama to succeed in the NFL. It doesn’t matter what color or logo is on the helmet, it’s what’s inside the helmet that counts.

Pumphrey first caught my eye last season as I was scouting in preparation the Penn State/San Diego State game. He’s small and shifty, almost reminding me of LeSean McCoy. He cuts well and will weave his way through the tackles. He’ll find the hole with ease and burst like lightning once he sees daylight.

Sep 10, 2016; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Western Kentucky Hilltoppers offensive lineman Forrest Lamp (76) blocks Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Tim Williams (56) at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

Tim Williams, LB, Alabama: Stock Down

Alabama linebacker Tim Williams is one of my favorite prospects on the field this draft season. Unfortunately, what happens off the field will determine where and when he plays.

AL.com reported Thursday morning that Williams was arrested early Thursday morning when police found him and an acquaintance sitting in a car outside a Publix supermarket.

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The car allegedly smelled of marijuana, which the passenger claimed to be his. Police found a handgun under Williams seat, and arrested him after he claimed to not have a permit.

Williams was arrested for carrying a pistol without a permit, and his bond was set at $300.

Incidents like these will haunt the senior linebacker throughout the NFL Draft process. Every single team will press him on the issue and conduct their own investigations.

We saw what happened to Laremy Tunsil at the draft last year, and similar cases have pushed players back into the middle of the draft.

You can see in the video above when Williams just throws an offensive lineman like a rag-doll. He has good bend, and knows how to get off of blocks.

As a back-up last season, Williams had 10.5 sacks behind future NFL players. This year he has just six tackles, 1.5 sacks, and a forced fumble through four games.

Oct 24, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Florida State Seminoles running back Dalvin Cook (4) runs the ball against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the fourth quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Georgia Tech defeated Florida State 22-16. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State: Stock Up

After three fairly pedestrian weeks in the box scores, Florida State running back Dalvin Cook exploded against South Florida.

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The junior running back scored three touchdowns and accounted for nearly 330 total offensive yards.

A large chunk of those 330 yards came on the ground, as Cook dominated South Florida in every which-way. His 267 rushing yards surpassed his career high by one yard, which also came against South Florida.

Cook scored two touchdowns last week against the Bulls, the longest being a 75-yard run to put Florida State up 14-7 early in the first quarter.

As a receiver Cook will also pose as a threat. Last week he finished with a season-high 15.5 yards per catch with four receptions.

This week Cook will be facing a North Carolina Tarheels teams that has struggled against the run this year. In their season opener against Georgia, Nick Chubb rushed for 222 yards and two touchdowns coming off of a major knee injury. Last week Pitt had 283 rushing yards in a North Carolina win.

Not one player from North Carolina has been drafted in the past two seasons, showing how young and unproven they are up-front. This could be another big game for Dalvin Cook that could push him higher into the first round of the NFL Draft next year.

Sep 10, 2016; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide defensive lineman Jonathan Allen (93) at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

Jonathan Allen, DL, Alabama: Stock Down

We head back to Tuscaloosa for the second “stock down” of the week.

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In his final season for the Crimson Tide, Jonathan Allen is one of the top pass-rushing defensive linemen in the country. He had 12 sacks last year playing alongside Jarran Reed and A’Shawn Robinson, both of whom are in the NFL.

Through four games Allen has just three sacks, off-pace from his career-high 12 from last season. Perhaps not having experienced guys like Reed and Robinson next to him isn’t giving hi enough chances to succeed.

But this is Alabama, and there are five star recruits listed as third-stringers. It’s hard to blame teammates for your own short-comings.

I watched Jonathan Allen’s tape from the Tides games against Kent State and USC from earlier this year.

Allen created very little push against lesser talent, and almost looked effortless on the field. His arms are completely stiff and he fails to use his hands at all on multiple occasions.

Multiple times in that game you can see his arms lock up. He’s attempting to be a straight bull-rusher, but doesn’t have the power to do so. When he prepares for the combine over the offseason, he will build up his upper body strength and improve his upper body technique so he can get around offensive tackles.

Allen will have a chance at redemption against Kentucky in Tuscaloosa this week. The Wildcats offensive line has allowed 13 sacks through four games this season, the sixth most in all of college football.

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