These RBs will be taken within the 1st 3 Rounds....

[The Prowler]

C.J. Spiller (Clemson)

Ryan Matthews (Fresno St)

Jahvid Best (Cal)

Toby Gerhart (Stanford)

Ben Tate (Auburn)

Montario Hardesty (UT)

Jonathan Dwyer (GT)

They've got McCluster listed as a RB...but at 165 or so pounds, I'm not listing him as a RB.  But, he'll go within 3 rounds.

[Pell City Tiger]

Toby Gerhart may be the 1st RB drafted. Spiller is a good back, but Gerhart is a freaking hoss!

[The Prowler]

Toby Gerhart may be the 1st RB drafted. Spiller is a good back, but Gerhart is a freaking hoss!

IMO, CJ is the Adrian Pederson of this year's draft.  He'll, more than likely, go in the Top 10.  Followed by Gerhart or Matthews then Best, Tate or Hardesty.

[CCTAU]

C.J. Spiller (Clemson)

Ryan Matthews (Fresno St)

Jahvid Best (Cal)

Toby Gerhart (Stanford)

Ben Tate (Auburn)

Montario Hardesty (UT)

Jonathan Dwyer (GT)

They've got McCluster listed as a RB...but at 165 or so pounds, I'm not listing him as a RB.  But, he'll go within 3 rounds.

I think Spiller will go first. He will enjoy the success of Chris Johnson.
Best and Gerhart have been hurt. Not sure how this will affect their position.

Out of all of those, Tate seems to have the best upside at a lower pick. I think a few teams will pass on him in order to try and get him cheaper. But I do think his pick will be a surprise. Durability weighs heavily on these team's minds.

Dwyer, I am just not sure about. GT's offense is a strange one. He may just be great in the NFL, or not. (holding true to TigersX nature)

Matthews...?

Hardesty, showed some awesome flashes but I'm not sure he got stronger as the game went on.

It will be interesting to watch all of these develop. But the biggest factor on their success will be who they go to. A lot of success is based on just being in the right situation at the right time in the NFL.

Would Terrell Davis have been great at any other team?

[Jumbo]

Toby Gerhart is a freak of nature, no one should be that big and be able to run that fast. CCTAU, I think Terrel Davis could have been successful if he stayed healthy in anyone's offense.

[CCTAU]

Toby Gerhart is a freak of nature, no one should be that big and be able to run that fast. CCTAU, I think Terrel Davis could have been successful if he stayed healthy in anyone's offense.

But would he have gotten the chance? It is all about the right place at the right time. He was like a 6th round draft pick. They usually do not get a fair shot.

[Jumbo]

But would he have gotten the chance? It is all about the right place at the right time. He was like a 6th round draft pick. They usually do not get a fair shot.

True.

[jadennis]

Here is CFN's post-combine running back evaluations...

1. Ryan Mathews, Fresno State  6-0, 218
Post-Combine Skinny: The big question mark was whether or not the football speed translated to workout speed, or vice versa, and if he's really as fast as he appeared. One 4.45 later, the 218 pounder has made himself one of the top three running backs in the mix and could be the first one off the board if someone wants a bigger back than C.J. Spiller or Jahvid Best.
Pre-Combine Rank: 3
Positives: A home run hitter who’s gone with a lane to blow through. … Give him a cut-back lane and it’s a sure-thing five yards. … Ultra-productive when on the field. Was the best of a great lot of recent Fresno State backs.
Negatives: Durability. Forget about having him for a full season. … Needs technique work and will take way too many big shots. … More fast than quick and isn’t much of a blocker for his size.

2. C.J. Spiller, Clemson 5-11, 196
Post-Combine Skinny: He gave everyone exactly what they were looking for showing explosion, quickness, and raw speed with a 4.37 40 that more than proved he could be the game-breaker to be on the top of most draft boards. His workout doesn't have anything to do with his durability questions, but he helped himself and ensured a spot in the top 15, if not much higher.
Pre-Combine Rank: 2
Positives: Ultra-productive all-around playmaker. A game-changer who took the Tigers on his shoulders. … An elite kick returner and a strong receiver. … A home-run hitter. If he’s not a No. 1 back, he’ll be a devastating No. 2.
Negatives: Durability. He won’t last 16 games. He won’t even be close. … While he warmed up to Clemson, he was close to bailing early on when things got tough. … Not a power runner at an NFL level.

3. Jahvid Best, California 5-10, 199
Post-Combine Skinny: Everyone knew he was going to be fast, but a 4.35 proved that he's the home-run bolt of lightning that could be a game-changer. He was tremendously quick in the agility drills, and most importantly considering his bad neck injury, was was strong with 18 reps on the bench. Someone will be ecstatic to get him in the first round.
Pre-Combine Rank: 4
Positives: Electrifying with an extra gear when he has a sniff of the goal line. … A home-run hitter who can strike from anywhere on the field. … An excellent running back with NFL-ready skills. He doesn’t need a lot of work.
Negatives: Durability. He can’t take a pounding for long stretches and will have to be a part of a rushing tandem. … No power whatsoever at the NFL level. … Forget about pass protection. Minimal blocking ability.

4. Montario Hardesty, Tennessee 6-0, 225
Post-Combine Skinny: There will be more than a few teams ticked off that the sleeper of the RB class did such a great job in Indy. Considering his size, a 4.49 40 is fantastic and he was as quick as anyone in the shuttle and cone drills. The 10'4" broad jump tied for the best of the RBs. Basically, if you liked him before, he's a must-have now.
Pre-Combine Rank: 7
Positives: An underappreciated collegiate runner who carried a bad Tennessee offense. … Nice power and good fight. Will work for the every yard. … Decent enough quickness to get slip through the line.
Negatives: Not enough speed. He’s not going to break off many big runs, if any. … Not a special runner in any way. He earns what he gets but won’t be pretty doing it. … Too physical to not be a better blocker.

5. Toby Gerhart, Stanford 6-0, 231
Post-Combine Skinny: Strangely enough considering what a hot player he was at the end of the year, few were talking about him and there was little buzz. However, he had a great Combine running an excellent 4.53, considering he's over 230 pounds, was strong, explosive, and looked the part of an NFL running back. Considering all the scatbacks and smallish specialist types, Gerhart proved he has the raw skills and could be the workhorse missing from this draft.
Pre-Combine Rank: 5
Positives: Ultra-productive. Produced even with all 11 defenders keying on him. … A power runner who won’t go down with just one hit. … A better receiver than he gets credit for.
Negatives: No breakaway speed. He’s not going to bounce too many runs against NFL defenders. … Might have a short NFL shelf life. The tread will wear thin on the tires in a big hurry. … He’ll need to play behind a good line to give him a lane.

6. Ben Tate, Auburn 5-11, 220
Post-Combine Skinny: Phenomenal. At 220 pounds he tore off a 4.43, came up with a defensive tackle-like 26 reps, and was the quickest back in the class in the shuttle drill and tied for the broad jump lead with a 10'4" Not a workout warrior, he's a real player who happened to work out REALLY well.
Pre-Combine Rank: 9
Positives: A strong runner who makes things happen with decent power. … Good speed for a runner whose game is based on being physical. … No one in the secondary wants to see him coming.
Negatives: Never quite found the right fit at Auburn. He was good, but not special. … Considering his style, he dances a bit too much. Needs to be more decisive. … There isn’t any one thing that makes him stand out at an NFL level.

7. Jonathan Dwyer, Georgia Tech 5-11, 229
Post-Combine Skinny: Not a disaster, but close. He ran a mediocre 4.59 and only lifted 15 reps. Worse yet, he struggled with the passing drills, didn't look as smooth as he needed to, and wasn't the must-have back he could've been with a great Combine. He went from being a fringe top 15 pick to a back-of-the-pack second rounder.
Pre-Combine Rank: 1
Positives: Near-perfect combination of size and speed with the ability to make defenders miss in the open field. … Nice pop. While not a bruiser, he’s tough to bring down and will hit. … It won’t take as much tweaking as many might believe to adjust from the triple-option to a pro-style.
Negatives: Never asked to pass protect and wasn’t used much as a receiver. … The numbers were way skewed because of the offensive style. … Not necessarily quick in a shake-and-bake way. Needs a lane to cut through.

8. LeGarrette Blount, Oregon 6-1, 241
Post-Combine Skinny: He did his job by going out of his way to point out that he has changed and that the Boise State incident has changed him for the positive. Basically, he nailed it on the one big thing he needed to do well at: his interview. Everything else was gravy since no one sees him as anything more than a devastating thumper, and that what he should be at 241 pounds and with great quickness in the shuttle.
Pre-Combine Rank: 10
Positives: Tremendous power. Brings a truckload of hitting ability when he squares up one-on-one. … A devastating goal line runner. Could have a long career as a specialist if he doesn’t turn into a regular back. ... Surprisingly quick. He’s not just a straight-ahead power runner. … Handled himself almost perfectly after the ugly Boise State incident.
Negatives: The Boise State incident. Anger issues will follow him his entire career. … Major character questions, and not just because of the punch. Does he want to work for it? … Short shelf life. He’s the type of runner who won’t last long.

9. Anthony Dixon, Mississippi State 6-1, 233
Post-Combine Skinny:  The pre-Combine knock was that he didn't have any straight line speed, and he proved it with a 4.65. However, he showed explosion with a 40" vertical and a 10'1" broad jump. He's big and looked the part of a thumper.
Pre-Combine Rank: 8
Positives: The only positive on an occasionally miserable MSU offense. Produced when everyone was focused on stopping him. … Ultra-tough. Won’t go down with just one tackler. … Quick for his size and power. More elusive than he gets credit for.
Negatives: Little speed. He’s not going to bust off many big dashes. … There’s little bounce. He’s a between-the-tackles runner. … Character and concentration concerns. Lacks focus.

10. James Starks, Buffalo 6-2, 218
Post-Combine Skinny: Off the radar after missing last year with a shoulder injury, he came up with a strong Combine running a 4.5 40 at 218 pounds. It would've been nicer if he had lifted more than 15 reps to prove the shoulder is 100%, but that's not that big a deal. He worked out well enough to warrant a top 100 pick.
Pre-Combine Rank: 13
Positives: Ultra-productive despite playing on a bad team. Terrific combination of size and speed. … A powerful back with a good nose for the goal line. Gets the hard yards. … Good enough speed to turn good runs into great ones.
Negatives: His shoulder. He was supposed to come up with a big 2009 season but missed the year with a shoulder injury. … There’s little wiggle. He’s not going to make many miss. … While he always produced, he was at his best in the MAC. He still has to prove himself against top-shelf competition.

11. Dexter McCluster, Ole Miss 5-9, 172
Post-Combine Skinny: A nightmare. He was supposed to show off his quickness and his explosiveness, and while he cut well and looked strong on the bench with an impressive 20 reps, none of it mattered after his 4.58 40. He was supposed to be a poor man's Chris Johnson, but the sun dial timed 40 should make him a stock tumbler.
Pre-Combine Rank: 6
Positives: A game-changer with flash speed. It’s over when he gets into the open field. … Multi-skilled. Can be lined up wide, used as a receiver, and can line up under center in a Wildcat formation. … A player. He wants the ball in his hands in crunch time.
Negatives: Was treated like a delicate flower. Was limited by the coaching staff to make sure he didn’t get hurt. … Way small. No power whatsoever and can’t be a workhorse in any way. … He’s not Chris Johnson. He’s not Chris Johnson. He’s NOT Chris Johnson.

12. Joe McKnight, USC 5-11, 198
Post-Combine Skinny: Had a good day, but was hardly special enough to move the needle too much. He didn't turn into a blazer for his size, but the 4.47 wasn't bad and he ran well in the drills. If anything, his stock stayed at a dead even.
Pre-Combine Rank: 11
Positives: Flashy. Quick with the ball in his hands with the ability to make any defender miss. … Slippery. He gets by defenders who don’t wrap up. … Unexpected power. Isn’t afraid of contact.
Negatives: Disappointing USC career. He was supposed to be another Reggie Bush and wasn’t close. … Not an inside runner and can’t be a workhorse. … There will be times when he disappears completely. Major bust potential.

13. Chris Brown, Oklahoma 5-10, 210
Post-Combine Skinny: Fine, nothing special. The knock was the lack of raw skills for a player of his size, and that showed up with just 16 reps, a mediocre 4.58 in the 40, and showing little in the drills. He didn't stand out in any way.
Pre-Combine Rank: 12
Positives: A talented runner who always produced. … The type of back who doesn’t become a featured runner but turns in a nice career as a key complementary back. … Makes the most out of what he has.
Negatives: Doesn’t have the raw skills. He doesn’t have the size or the speed to become special. … He’ll try to bring the power, but he won’t have any at an NFL level. … Produced behind a special offensive line with great players around him.

14. Curtis Steele, Memphis
Not Invited To The Combine

15.Charles Scott, LSU 5-11, 238
Post-Combine Skinny: He was what everyone expected. A big, strong back, he ran a slow 4.67 and wasn't all that quick. He's going to be a part of a system and could be a pounder for ten carries a game, but he didn't do anything in Indy to make him a featured back.
Pre-Combine Rank: 15
Positives: Very strong, very tough back who can be used as a battering ram. … A more than willing blocker. He’s fine in pass protection and could even be used as a fullback in certain situations. … Great motor. A try-hard type.
Negatives: Not a special runner. There’s little wiggle to his style. … There’s not a great burst. He’s not going to break off many big runs. … Coming off a broken collarbone. He’s going to have problems staying healthy with the way he runs.