The 2018 NFL Draft has seen a surprising number of running backs come off the board. It appears as though the position is making a strong comeback.
The New York Giants selected Penn State Nittany Lions running back Saquon Barkley at No. 2 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft. It was viewed by some as too early for a player at the position to come off the board, but New York made the decision with confidence.
Shortly thereafter, both the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots shocked the masses by drafting running backs in Round 1.
New England, New York, and Seattle have combined for four Super Bowl wins and seven appearances over the past seven seasons. With four of the past seven Super Bowl champions drafting a running back in the first round, the floodgates seemed to open.
Per Adam Schefter of ESPN, eight running backs have now been selected through three rounds—tied for the most in the past 10 years.
Return of the value of the RB: There were 5 RBs selected on Day 2, bringing the total up to 8 so far — tied for the most RBs taken in the first 3 rounds in the past 10 years.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 28, 2018
In other words: The running back position is making a strong comeback during the 2018 NFL Draft.
Following the Giants’ selection of Barkley at No. 2 overall, the Seahawks took Rashaad Penny at No. 27. The Patriots soon followed by picking Georgia Bulldogs running back Sony Michel at No. 31—when most expected the organization to find Tom Brady’s heir apparent at quarterback.
Shortly thereafter, the Cleveland Browns selected Nick Chubb at No. 35 overall and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers chose Ronald Jones II at No. 38.
Within the first 38 picks of the 2018 NFL Draft, five running backs had been selected—and a sixth, Kerryon Johnson, soon followed at No. 43 to the Detroit Lions.
There was a bit of a lull after Johnson, but Derrius Guice was selected at No. 59 overall by the Washington Redskins. Early in Round 3, the eighth running back of the first two days of the 2018 NFL Draft was picked when the Denver Broncos took Royce Freeman at No. 71.
It completed what became a stunning trio of rounds, during which teams abandoned conventional wisdom and perhaps embraced the resurgence of the running back.
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The question is: What will this trend lead to come the 2018 NFL season and beyond? It appears to be a return of a once prominent position.