After potentially seeing their playoff hopes dashed by running back injuries, the Pittsburgh Steelers learned a lot last season about not having enough depth when it came to the running back game.
Last offseason, the Steelers signed DeAngelo Williams, which paid off when Le’Veon Bell missed the first two games of the season due to a drug-related suspension. It paid off again when Bell suffered an MCL tear in Week 8 against the Cincinnati Bengals and was out for the remainder of the season.
However, Williams fell to an ankle injury in Week 17 against the Cleveland Browns, and the Steelers were forced to rely on Fitzgerald Toussaint and Jordan Todman for the playoffs.
Toussaint and Todman barely saw action in the 2015 season or, in fact, in any season before that. There wasn’t even a clear third-string running back until the playoffs, when head coach Mike Tomlin decided it would be Toussaint.
With that in mind, should the Steelers draft another running back in this year’s NFL Draft? The Steelers drafted Bell in the second round of the 2013 Draft, and if the Steelers did draft a running back, they would likely do so in the middle rounds — or even later.
If they do decide picking up a running back makes sense, the Steelers should take a look at middle-round projections Kenyan Drake and Paul Perkins.
Drake, who played at the University of Alabama, has a history of injuries (a broken leg in 2014 and a fractured right arm at the start of last season), but he’s still known for his explosiveness on offense. Last season, he averaged 5.3 yards a carry, rushed for 408 yards and had just the one touchdown.That touchdown came on special teams in the National Championship game against Clemson in January, when Drake ran a kick return back 95-yards for a touchdown.
According to NFL Draft profile expert Lance Zierlein, Drake, a senior, could be a good pick in the fourth through seventh rounds because of his return ability and his physical traits.
“Drake became the forgotten running back with Derrick Henry’s Heisman-winning season, but he has good size, quick feet and can catch the football,” Zierlein said. “Drake’s draft stock could depend on whether or not teams envision him as a quality backup who could become part of a committee approach.”
Perkins, who attended UCLA, has quick feet. As a sophomore, he lead the Pac-12 Conference in rushing with an average of 121.2 yards per game and 6.3 yards per carry. At the NFL Combine, Perkins (who was measured at 5’ 10” and 208 pounds) had a very good broad jump (10’ 4”) and ran a 4.54 40-yard-dash. Zierlein thinks that Perkins could somewhere around the fifth or sixth round.
“If Perkins had more size and play strength to go with his elusiveness, we would be talking about whether he or Ezekiel Elliott would be the first running back off the board,” Zierlein said. “While Perkins’ tape is full of ankle-breaking cuts, his draft value will also be determined by his ability to protect the quarterback and stay on the field in short-yardage spots. If Perkins finds the right scheme and team fits for his talents, he could become a high-end committee back early on.”
If the Steelers want to pick a running back, one of these two would be the best option. Pittsburgh doesn’t need a star running back in Ezekiel Elliot or Derrick Henry — they already have their stars in Bell and Williams. What the Steelers need is a solid third-string running back who is prepared and equipped to take over if both Bell and Williams ever go down again.
