Throughout the pre-2015 NFL Draft process, former Boise State running back Jay Ajayi seemingly gained consistent ground in terms of draft stock on the other rookie ball carriers set to be available in the NFL rookie meat market.
Unfortunately for Ajayi, concerns over a lingering knee issue apparently caused his presumably burgeoning draft stock to plummet and led to his slipping from a possible second-day pick all the way down to the fifth-round.
Luckily for Ajayi, the Miami Dolphins were there to provide a safety net and a potentially bright NFL future.
"Miami needed running back depth and they got a potential steal in the 5th round. Ajayi slipped due to serious knee concerns, but if he stays healthy he can be a 18-25 carry back in the NFL. The Dolphins got a potential replacement for Lamar Miller, who's in a contract year," NFL Network's Mark Dulgerian writes.
With last season's leading Dolphin rusher, Lamar Miller, set to enter the final year of his current contract, the Dolphins could ease Ajayi into the offensive line up early in his rookie season and then allow him to take on a fuller role as the year progresses.
Of course, Dulgerian assumes that Miller isn't in the Dolphins long-term plans and that Ajayi can both beat out Damien Williams and LaMichael James and handle the workload of a feature back.
According to a report from Charlie Campbell of Walter Football, Ajayi's body may simply not be up to that task.
"Sources with teams said they didn't view Ajayi as an every-down back or an explosive threat," writes Campbell. "They said the only three backs they felt were true three-down starters who brought explosion to an offense were Gordon, Gurley and Yeldon. Teams felt that Ajayi would be better in a platoon situation and didn't view him as a potential bell-cow back."
Miller, who rushed for just under 1,100 yards last season, is set to count $1.663 million against the cap for 2015. The Dolphins could easily franchise him after the year if they fail to come to terms on a new extension, keeping him in Miami until such time as a contract can be negotiated or a suitable replacement - perhaps Ajayi - is found.
As has been proven time and again though, running back's with knee issues rarely tend to leave a lasting mark on the NFL - the game is simply too brutal and too demanding for a player tasked with constant cutting and shifting to endure if they're unable to avoid the big hits that come along with toting the rock on a consistent basis.
Still, Ajayi has all the potential in the world.
If the Dolphins can harness that potential and keep him healthy, they will, as Dulgerian suggests, have found themselves a steal and a potential replacement for Miller should he and the team part ways after next season.
