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RB T.J. Yeldon, Alabama -- Yeldon is in the unfortunate spot of being yet another super talented RB out of Alabama when the two of the three guys immediately before him fitting that exact description have busted terribly in the NFL. Eddie Lacey has a prayer of turning that around, and maybe teams will value Yeldon on his own merits, but that does cause me pause. Yeldon is a bit of a tweener -- he's not quite a speedback, not quite a power back. But he is dynamite in a one-cut zone blocking scheme. Running behind an OL blocking downhill, he can locate the best hole, get really skinny to squeeze through it (no easy task for a 6'2", 220 lb RB), and accelerate quickly to the next level. He doesn't have elite change of direction, but his ability to pick a hole and consistently gain decent yardage will land him on a team somewhere interested in giving him 15-20 touches a game. Yeldon will need considerable work blocking and in the passing game, but he's already plenty NFL-ready in the parts of the game most difficult to teach -- working with blockers, picking the right hole, and burrowing forward for the extra yardage. His long frame means that this 220 lbs aren't anchored in powerful legs, but he does possess a graceful stride which can eat up real estate in a hurry. There are some first-round rumblings with Yeldon, but he seems like a RB-by-committee back who will need refinement if he ever becomes "the guy," and I'd wait until the 2nd day of the draft before considering an investment there.
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