NFL Draft 2017: Ranking the top 10 running backs
By Jordan Luth
After having a very impressive combine, McCaffrey’s draft stock rose heavily. To me, Christian McCaffrey should have won the Heisman in 2015, but that is for another day.
In 2015 McCaffrey ran for over 2,000 yards and eight touchdowns. He followed that up in 2016 with 1,603 yards and 13 touchdowns. Once he finally scored his first road touchdown he rushed for at 135 yards in each of his last five games. He really found his form.
McCaffrey is also a huge threat as a receiver. He had over 300 receiving yards in 2016 with three touchdowns. In 2015 he had over 600 receiving yards and five touchdowns.
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McCaffrey has great speed out of the back field, but that isn’t his best ability. He has a great talent for making people miss in open space. With his amazing explosiveness and ability to weave around defenders, McCaffrey is a huge threat to score every time that he touches the ball. In 2015 he also had over 1,000 kick return yards. He did everything for Stanford and he did it all so well.
It is hard to find many faults with his game. One would be that he isn’t really a power back. He won’t be able to go through the trenches like a Leonard Fournette and pick up some tough yards. That hasn’t stopped McCaffrey from becoming a very good running back though.
It was a little bit unknown where McCaffrey would land come draft day. As of right now I think it is safe to say that he is a first round talent and should be taken by the first round and no later than early in the second round.