First-round running backs have been increasingly hard to find in recent years and we’ve been seeing a decline in the number of players taken at that position prior to the 33rd pick each year, and for good reason.

Running back a risky position to draft for many reasons. Injuries are the biggest factor, with it being the position that generally takes the most vicious hits. David Wilson, who was taken 32nd overall by the Super Bowl champion New York Giants in the 2012 NFL Draft, announced an early retirement last year due to neck injuries. Trent Richardson, who was taken third overall by the Cleveland Browns in the same draft, is already playing for his third team due to ineffectiveness. The 2013 and 2014 NFL Drafts featured zero first-round running backs. The position is as important as virtually any on the field, but we’re seeing their draft value continue to drop.

Todd Gurley and Melvin Gordon were top 15 picks by the St. Louis Rams and San Diego Chargers respectively in this year’s draft, and while it’s still unclear how their careers will unfold, there’s a back who will likely declare following this season who is being heralded as one of the best to come out in a while. Ohio State‘s Ezekiel Elliott burst onto the scene in the postseason for the Buckeyes last season and has been shooting up future draft boards ever since.

Elliott, a 6-foot, 225-pound back from St. Louis, Missouri, became a household name among football fans as the Buckeyes made their run through last year’s inaugural college football playoff en route to a national championship. The junior-to-be rushed for 696 yards and eight touchdowns in the team’s final three games alone, finishing the season with 1,878 yards and 18 scores. Elliott possesses a unique skillset that could make him worth the risk. He’s a powerful runner who isn’t afraid of contact and can also contribute in the passing game, catching 28 passes last season. Comparisons can be tricky, though his game resembles that of Pittsburgh Steelers‘ running back Le’Veon Bell.

Le’Veon Bell was drafted 48th overall by the Steelers in 2013. Elliott’s game is similar on film to Bell’s, and the young back’s value to Pittsburgh is clear. It will be very difficult for a team in need of a back to pass up on a player at the position with so much potential. I fully expect Elliott to rush for 1,500-plus yards again in 2015 and to be taken in the top 10 — or maybe even 5 — of next year’s draft.

Jason Shawley is a Featured Writer for www.RantSports.com covering Big Ten Football. Follow him on Twitter @jshawls.