Updated 2012 NFL Draft running back rankings

by Dan Kadar on Nov 15, 2011 12:01 PM EST in 2012 NFL Draft

COLLEGE PARK, MD - SEPTEMBER 24: Running back Bernard Pierce #30 of the Temple Owls outruns the Maryland Terrapins defense for a second-quarter touchdown at Byrd Stadium on September 24, 2011 in College Park, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

It's been almost two months since the site rankings have been updated, so it seemed like a good time to do some tweaking.

There has been not changes at the top with the running backs with Alabama's Trent Richardson and Virginia Tech's David Wilson being the top two. I moved up Temple's Bernard Pierce and Washington's Chris Polk. Both have had impressive seasons and good size for the next level.

Check out the running back rankings after the jump.

1. Trent Richardson | 5'11, 220 pounds | RB | Alabama * - Prospect notes | Profile

2. David Wilson 5'10, 205 pounds | RB | Virginia Tech * - Prospect notes

3. Bernard Pierce | 6'0, 218 pounds | RB | Temple *

4. Chris Polk | 5'11, 222 pounds | RB | Washington *

5. LaMichael James | 5'9, 185 pounds | RB | Oregon *- Prospect notes

6. Isaiah Pead | 5'10, 200 pounds | RB | Cincinnati

7. Christine Michael | 5'11, 215 pounds | RB | Texas A&M *

8. Doug Martin | 5'9, 201 pounds | RB | Boise State

9. Montee Ball | 5'11, 210 pounds | RB | Wisconsin *

10. Cyrus Gray | 5'10, 196 pounds | RB | Texas A&M - Prospect notes

11. Jonathan Franklin | 5'10, 195 pounds | RB | UCLA *

12. Ray Graham | 5'9, 195 pounds | RB | Pittsburgh *

13. Kenjon Barner | 5'11, 180 pounds | RB | Oregon *

14. Vick Ballard | 5'11, 220 pounds | RB | Mississippi State

15. Edwin Baker | 5'9, 210 pounds | RB | Michigan State

16. Brandon Bolden | 5'11, 215 pounds | RB | Mississippi

17. Andre Ellington | 5'10, 190 pounds | RB | Clemson *

18. Montel Harris | 5'10, 200 pounds | RB | Boston College

19. Tauren Poole | 5'11, 213 pounds | RB | Tennessee

20. Jeff Demps | 5'8, 180 pounds | RB | Florida

21. Ryan Houston | 6'2, 245 pounds | RB | North Carolina

22. Victor Anderson | 5'9, 188 pounds | RB | Louisville

23. Dan Herron | 5'10, 205 pounds | RB | Ohio State - Prospect notes | Profile

24. Davin Meggett | 5'8, 215 pounds | RB | Maryland

25. Bobby Rainey | 5'7, 205 pounds | RB | Western Kentucky

26. Marc Tyler | 5'11, 228 pounds | RB | Southern California

* denotes underclassman

QB | RB | FB | WR | TE | OT | G | C | DE | DT | OLB | MLB | CB | FS | SS

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Comments

Where is Lamar Miller???

by COLTS_CR9 on Nov 15, 2011 12:22 PM EST reply actions

I don't think he includes sophomores

by Yankees10 on Nov 15, 2011 12:38 PM EST up reply actions

Correct.

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by Dan Kadar on Nov 15, 2011 2:49 PM EST up reply actions

Gotcha. Thanks!

by COLTS_CR9 on Nov 15, 2011 11:26 PM EST up reply actions

Was gonna ask the same

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by Djax10 on Nov 15, 2011 4:04 PM EST up reply actions

jeez

poor Tauren Poole. If there was a candidate to be the next Arian Foster, its him. Something about Tennessee RBs that they must have production in their final year, not their junior year or else they go undrafted instead of going in the top 3 rounds where they belong.

Also I think Montee Ball is overrated, the UW OLs are just too dominant to take any of those RBs seriously and Lamar Miller should be here somewhere I think. At least #3, probably #2.

Favorite back in the draft is Chris Polk. I think he’s at worst the next Rashard Mendenhall.

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by Rorschach44 on Nov 15, 2011 12:31 PM EST reply actions

Great point on Montee Ball

Pretty much any RB will have success in that running game.

With the 15th pick, the Miami Dolphins select John Stamos....'s brother

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by Souwantmyname on Nov 15, 2011 1:28 PM EST up reply actions

Poole just seems so little impact it’s hard to get excited about him. I’ve really only watched two Tennessee games this season, though, since they’ve had some injuries. I’ll have to look at more.

I don’t disagree about Ball being a system kind of a guy, but there’s some talent there. I also think it’s a little bit of an indictment of the players I have behind him.

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by Dan Kadar on Nov 15, 2011 2:56 PM EST up reply actions

Dunno if you guys have seen any

film on dominque whaley, but i would be interested to see what you guys think of his pro-potiental

by endercpl on Nov 15, 2011 12:44 PM EST reply actions

Where is Chris Rainey?

Vic Ballard needs to be higher as well imo

With the 15th pick, the Miami Dolphins select John Stamos....'s brother

I probably know Judo! How many of you can make the same boast?

by Souwantmyname on Nov 15, 2011 1:27 PM EST reply actions

I have Rainey as a WR.

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by Dan Kadar on Nov 15, 2011 2:51 PM EST up reply actions

RABBLE! RABBLE! RABBLE!

With the 15th pick, the Miami Dolphins select John Stamos....'s brother

I probably know Judo! How many of you can make the same boast?

by Souwantmyname on Nov 15, 2011 1:32 PM EST reply actions

Go on.

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by Dan Kadar on Nov 15, 2011 2:52 PM EST up reply actions

Lamar Miller IMO

Is in the same group as Wilson and Polk.

by ValdezY on Nov 15, 2011 1:37 PM EST reply actions

Don’t include rSophs.

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by Dan Kadar on Nov 15, 2011 2:52 PM EST up reply actions

Gotcha

by ValdezY on Nov 15, 2011 5:08 PM EST up reply actions

Meggett will be a steal for someone, IMHO

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by John Stephens on Nov 15, 2011 1:42 PM EST reply actions

I'd really like to see LaMichael James be dominant in the NFL

but he just looks small… not sure if that’s the best recipe for success

by vitzeng on Nov 15, 2011 2:37 PM EST reply actions

And so is Jones-Drew...

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by Fabio Broncos on Nov 15, 2011 5:55 PM EST up reply actions

MJD is huge

When looking at a height/weight ratio. James is short but the problem is that he’s way too light

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by DBroncs1414 on Nov 15, 2011 6:29 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

It's all about balance

James weighs less than MJD, but he has good balance and a low center of gravity. I have seen him bounce off a lot of defenders. In some ways he is similar to his former cross-state rival Jacquizz Rodgers, who was also very small, but not a guy that went down on first contact.

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by ct17 on Nov 15, 2011 7:36 PM EST up reply actions

Also

It’s not difficult to add some weight to a player. The easy part is if he needed a few skills, speed, vision, decisions, and etc… But he already has it.

I can see a succeed for him in the NFL, just not like A.Peterson, CJ2K, S.Jackson, etc.

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by Fabio Broncos on Nov 15, 2011 7:40 PM EST up reply actions

I was actually going to say I hoped he'd be like MJD

but comeon he is obviously the exception lol

by vitzeng on Nov 16, 2011 12:22 AM EST up reply actions

Crazy how Christine Michael overtakes Cyrus Gray

but can’t disagree.

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by BigBlueIntervention on Nov 15, 2011 3:04 PM EST reply actions

I'm wondering if Michael's recent injury is being taken into account.

Michael > Gray this year easily. Don’t know what happened to Gray. He was better last year.

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by ct17 on Nov 15, 2011 7:31 PM EST up reply actions

He also got all the opportunities while Michael was hurt.

Michael has apparently outplayed Gray whenever he’s been healthy.

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by Omaha Sun on Nov 16, 2011 2:19 PM EST up reply actions

You are really high on Bernard Pierce, aren’t you? Personally I don’t think Polk and Pierce are that close, Polk is just dominant this year.

I also think you’re too high on Pead and Barner while being too low on Ballard and Bolden.

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by d-jackfan10 on Nov 15, 2011 3:34 PM EST reply actions

But as prospects, where do you see Polk being better? I think Pierce is a little better coming out of the hole.

Pead is just so shifty that I like him quite a bit. Ballard just OK at everything. Bolden is hard to judge because of the ankle injury earlier in the year. He has three games left to show otherwise, though. These aren’t final.

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by Dan Kadar on Nov 15, 2011 7:28 PM EST up reply actions

Not including sophomores, I'd have the top 8 exactly how you have it

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by ICEICETHATGUY13 on Nov 15, 2011 4:51 PM EST reply actions