Breaking Down the Tape
Reviewing Top Tier RBs Eligible for the 2008 NFL Draft

I'd like to break down the tape of one top tier running back per week each of the next 12 weeks. I'll do this by watching one of their games and commenting on their play in that game, including fakes and blocking assignments, as well as their NFL prospects. My schedule for this feature is as follows:

Remaining Features:

Felix Jones, Arkansas
Ray Rice, Rutgers
Chris Johnson, East Carolina
Tashard Choice, Georgia Tech

Obviously all of the defenses these players play will not be equal, but I still think we can get a good approximation of the skill sets that each of these running backs will bring to the NFL. This list also could be affected by injuries to the players and I will try to juggle it to fit everyone in if that occurs.

Rashard Mendenhall - Jr. - Illinois
Jersey #: 5
Wt: 205
Age on 9/1/2008: 21.22
My Pre-Season Rank: Not Ranked
My Current Rank: #2

Tony Nowak's Take:
Mendenhall has the talent to emerge as one of the best RBs in the country this year, but has a lot to do to prove it. A blue chip 2005 recruit, he stayed in-state with a struggling Illinois program to play with his older brother (Walter, a reserve FB). Rashard has been behind Pierre Thomas and E.B. Halsey the last two years, but both are gone now and he should be the feature attraction this season. Second on the team in rushing with 640 yards last year, he averaged 8.2 ypc thanks to his big play ability (two runs over 75 yards, as well as one catch). While he was featured in a few games and clearly more talented than any other RB on the roster, he was unable to hang on to the role due to ball security. He had four fumbles on just 78 carries. Mendenhall got off to a slow start while other junior runners raced out of the blocks and have risen to prominence to create a buzz about the underclassmen potential in this RB class. However, he should catch them this year and be among the crowd with the credentials to declare early.

2008 Running Back Draft Class

Stats (from ESPN):

YEAR	ATT	YDS	AVG	LNG	TD	REC	YDS	AVG	LNG	TD
2005	48	218	4.5	18	0	13	82	6.3	16	2
2006	78	640	8.2	86	5	12	164	13.7	76	1
2006	262	1681	6.4	79	17	34	318	9.4	55	2

Break Down the Tape:

1st Play - 1st Quarter - 14:52 - Run Middle
Mendenhall takes the handoff and goes up the middle; there's a decent hole and he gets there pretty quickly; looks to have a shorter stride than the average back; the hole closes and a defender gets him around the ankles; he fights forward and manages to break the tackle, but loses his balance and goes down a couple yards further downfield; shows good determination here

2nd Play - 1st Quarter - 14:12 - Run Fake
Mendenhall fakes the handoff and heads toward a hole in the line; the defense bites on the fake and the QB passes deep downfield for a touchdown

3rd Play - 1st Quarter - 10:55 - Run Right
Mendenhall takes the handoff and goes right; heads outside, but a blocked defender is coming up field so he cuts back in pretty smoothly, although with a couple of extra steps; waiting in the hole is a defender, Mendenhall puts a nice quick juke on him and cuts inside; defender barely gets an arm on him as he turns sideways to avoid it, but he gets tackled from behind by a free defender

4th Play - 1st Quarter - 9:10 - Pass Route
Mendenhall goes into a short middle curl route at the snap; QB is sacked

5th Play - 1st Quarter - 7:02 - Run Middle
Mendenhall takes the handoff and goes up the middle; no hole where he is headed so he cuts back to the right; cut is a little slow and sloppy and the hole he saw closes up quickly; he gets minimal gain

6th Play - 1st Quarter - 6:24 - Run Middle
Mendenhall heads up the middle; sees a hole to the right and is heading toward it when a defender appears there; cuts it back to the middle with a pretty smooth cut and rams up into the back of some blockers; shows nice leg drive and determination to gain some extra yards; the cutback decision is interesting, he probably didn't have room in the hole to completely juke the defender, but he certainly would have gained more yards had he rammed his way into that defender