Running back is still a vital position in the NFL — even if it isn’t respected like it once was. The days of teams spending a top-five pick on a runner are mostly over. In 2022, it’s likely we won’t see a tailback selected on Day 1.
That doesn’t mean there isn’t franchise-changing talent set to hit the league. This year’s class of running backs features several different players who can immediately infuse NFL offenses with lightning from the backfield. Two have separated themselves from the pack when it comes to who will be the first RB off the board: Iowa State’s Breece Hall and Michigan State’s Kenneth Walker III.
Hall (-290) does everything well, running for more than 3,000 yards his last two seasons (24 games) while adding 36 receptions his final season in Ames. Walker (+240) went from a decent ACC back at Wake Forest to a revelation for the Spartans after transferring before the 2021 season. His 1,636 rushing yards were second-most in the FBS.
The pick: Hall (-290). It’s chalk, but you’d be wise to eat it here. Hall’s skillset as an every-down back capable of making plays as a receiver gives him the edge over Walker, who’ll have to settle for being a great consolation prize instead.
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