Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott is reportedly a first round draft prospect, and he may be continuing a trend that happened in last year's draft, according to Charlie Campbell of walterfootball.com.
Running backs are rarely taken in the first round because many NFL scouts believe that they can find a talent later in the draft. Last season, the streak of no running backs being taken in the first round ended when both Todd Gurley and Melvin Gordon were taken off the board.
Elliott could make this into a trend if he gets selected in the first round. He is one of the top talents in college football right now and will likely be in the Heisman discussion later in the season. Elliott already has 223 yards and four touchdowns in just two games. One of those games was against Virginia Tech, showing Elliott doesn't just get big numbers on small schools.
Last season on their way to the National Championship, Elliott rushed for 1,878 rushing yards and averaged 6.9 yards per carry. Elliott is 6-foot-1, 225 pounds, and he is durable as well as tough. The issue with taking a running back in the first round is that there is no guarantee that they will succeed, but Elliott seems as close to a sure bet as possible.
As long as Elliott and Ohio State keep rolling, it is likely that he will be a top pick. Elliott is only a junior, but if he continues to put up big numbers, it is likely rare for him to stay in school next year.
