Oct 24, 2015; Piscataway, NJ, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes running back Ezekiel Elliott (15) handles the ball during the second quarter against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at High Points Solutions Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim O
Ohio State Buckeys running back Ezekiel Elliott is heading toward the first round of te 2016 NFL Draft. He and Alabama Crimson Tide running back Derrick Henry should be there as well. Henry has come on lately to maybe raise questions about which running back will be first off the board in 2016.
He did carry his team to victory over the Tennessee Volunteers with 143 yards on 28 carries on the day. But just a couple of hours later, as if he saw Henry’s game, he erased any doubt bout who the best running back of his draft class is. Elliott did it old-school style by warming him with the first few carries and getting stronger as the game goes on.
His performance on Saturday took him past Eddie George for second in Ohio State history with 13-straight games of at least 100 yards rushing. Archie Griffin had 31 so there’s no way Elliot is going to end up in first. But he has drawn a comparison of sorts to George from defensive coordinator, Luke Fickell, a former teammate of George.
Fickell actually compared him favorably to George, telling the AP, “Elliott’s much different than Eddie, a little more dynamic than even Eddie was. The combination of speed and power, the ability to get to the second level and not be tackled, the ability to drop his pads — he’s different.”
He just might take the same path from Ohio State to the Tennessee Titans George took.
The Dallas Cowboys could use such a running back two.
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