Dave commented on the latest draft that “NO WAY Richardson fall to 17.” I had no choice but to disagree. There is a very good chance that you could see Trent Richardson fall a bit even though he is a top talent in the draft.

I want to talk about the falling value of running backs. Especially “can’t miss” first round talents like Trent Richardson. There are two main reasons why I don’t see the value of selecting a runner in the top 10 picks of the first round of the NFL Draft. And this is taking nothing away from Trent, because he is an awesome talent no doubt.

The first thing is the one you always hear about. The pounding that players take at that position is like NONE other in the league. The thing with running backs, is that even if a runner is an All-Pro ANY carry could be the end of his run. Take a look at Adrian Peterson. He went down with one of the most horrific knee injuries I’ve seen in a while. And guess how much money the Vikings have invested in him? A cold $100 million over the next 7 years. Sure there is the chance he comes back.. but what if he becomes a Terrell Davis who NEVER fully recovers? It’s such a gamble.

Guys like Chris Johnson and De’Angelo Williams didn’t even officially go down with injuries but their production at the position dropped like a rock after signing guaranteed $30 million dollar deals. I believe it was Robert Littal who first tweeted “We may have seen the end of the guaranteed $30 million running back days.” I tend to agree with that sentiment.

Do you really think the Bears are trying to break Matt Forte off a guaranteed $30 million after his knee injury? There is a reason he’s already announced that he is playing in the Pro Bowl.

The second reason behind me not seeing Trent Richardson and running backs in the future going in the top 10 anymore is because of the fact that lower round running backs are consistently out producing their 1st round counterparts.

Fred Jackson went undrafted in 2003 and has amassed 3,794 professional rushing yards in five years. He is one of the few running backs from that draft class that are even still playing.

To further make my point, all I have to do is remind you Knowshon Moreno was drafted 12th overall in 2009 (1,906 career yards, 12 touhdowns), and Arian Foster (3,097 career yards, 29 touchdowns) went undrafted the same year. When you throw in the fact that the most successful teams in the league aren’t even running the ball anymore, it spells a bleak picture for the future of drafting “franchise” running backs.

Do I think the days of the first round runner are over? Of course not. There is a place to add an explosive scoring threat to any team in the lower part of the first round and all throughout the second and third rounds. But I think the days of drafting a “cant miss” running back over a pass rush specialist like an Aldon Smith or Von Miller are gone. Teams have to invest their money where it is best used. Drafting a guy who can bring you consistent defensive pressure and double-digit sacks is more important in today’s NFL than a guy who can get you 1,000 yards and 8 touchdowns.

It’s just the way things are. The game is shifting away from running backs, and the few that do get the carries and big money are at an extremely high “risk of injury to guaranteed money” rate. Teams like the Patriots and Packers are leading the way in stocking their teams with late round running backs and no longer drafting Lawrence Maroney’s in the first round.

I believe we see a continued trend away from the big money backs.

A lot of people are shocked that a 23 year old NFL running back would up and retire without injury. But in the case of Glen Coffee it does not matter. The former Alabama star will be taking his talents to a ministry near you this fall.

Some people have a higher calling than just playing sports. You can’t get mad at this kid.

Months after wrapping up his career best season and reviving what little career he had left, Cedric Benson is back in hot water. After the boating DUI you’d think he’d lay off the drinks some (allegedly). I guess he can blame it on the al-al-al-alcohol!

Cedric Benson has been arrested and charged with assault for an altercation at a bar on May 30, according to the Austin American-Statesman.

Officials say that Benson got into a fight around 1:50 a.m. with an unknown person inside a bar in Austin, Texas. He allegedly was being escorted out of the bar when he punched a bar employee in the face and then the affidavit says Benson spit blood from his injured lip at an employee. This surely won’t help Benson get that new contract that he’s looking for, and you can be certain he’ll be hearing from the league office. He faces up to a year in jail if convicted of the Class A misdemeanor.

Source: Austin American-Statesman

According to multiple sources, the Seattle Seahawks have let go of RB Lendale White. It seemed like he was primed to be a success after losing weight and going to the same system he played in college with coach Pete Carroll. Maybe it wasn’t meant to be.

There are also some tweets going around saying that drugs may be involved:

LenDale White likely facing 4-game drug suspension, according to sources. Reasons for his release beyond that. More @ NFL.com and on NFLN
@JasonLacanfora

It was just a few years ago he was tearing up the Pac 10 and I was telling people that the New York Jets should pick him #4 overall SMH. (They did the smart thing and went with D’Brichashaw Ferguson)

Knowshon Moreno and Matt Stafford made it official today: They’re headed to the league.

This is after Georgia’s disaster season which culminated in an anti-climatic win over a Michigan State team that was way over matched. The Bulldogs were ranked #1 at the beginning of the season and touted presumably the best QB/RB combo this side of Beanie and Terelle.

Are they ready for the NFL game? Yes. There is not much either could do at this point to boost their draft stock any further. Knowshon is the #1 or #2 RB depending on who you ask, and Matt Stafford is in the running to be the top pick to Detroit.

The Denver Broncos traded a third round pick and more to the Minnesota in order to acquire the pick that turned out to be Marcus Thomas. Hindsight is 20/20, so a review would be unfair, but that pick could have been used to pick up West Virginia’s Steve Slaton. Slaton, who finished sixth in the league in rushing yards also found the endzone ten times and added almost four hundred yards receiving. This, despite a sometimes shaky quarterback situation in Houston. From a Broncos’ perspective, Slaton finished the season, a feat that has eluded Broncos’ running backs in 2008.

To add insult to injury (or in Denver’s case, injuries), the Houston Bron…Texans finished with the same record as Denver at eight and eight despite playing in a division which featured the AFC leading Tennessee Titans and the playoff bound Indianapolis Colts. Houston should have finished nine and seven were it not for two costly mistakes by Sage Rosenfels in a game against the Colts.

In the end, the Houston Texans have a thousand yard running back, the Chiefs ended up with Minnesota’s pick from Denver and turned it into Jamaal Charles, and Denver is left a with defensive tackle with no sacks and a defense that has analysts proclaiming the team, the enver Broncos.

Ian Johnson just scored his 58th career touchdown against TCU to make him the WAC’s all-time touchdown leader. The guy he passed? Marshall Faulk. Impressive.

Is it possible that the runningback and quarterback from the #1 ranked Georgia Bulldogs could be drafted #1 and #2 overall next year? It’s very possible.

Moreno has proven himself to be in the top tier of underclassman runners. He is ahead of the likes of Noel Devine, Percy Harvin, and Joe McKnight in my opinion. Between him and LeSean McCoy it’s a toss up for first back taken if they both happen to come out.

Stafford is one of college football’s best. He doesn’t have the resume’ of Tim Tebow or Rudy Carpenter but he projects to a better pro at this point. Tebow comes from the Uber Meyer misdirection offense which produces statistical monsters, and Carpenter has been solid but not great at Arizona state.

If Georgia can escape the SEC and win a title this year these two young players may make noise in the next NFL Draft.

Kevin Smith working out for the scouts at UCF’s Pro Day.