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2015 NFL Draft Combine Profile: Wisconsin Running Back Melvin Gordon

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Thanks to teams like the Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks, it looks as though the running back position is making a comeback in the NFL. Teams are once again starting to see the value of having a Demarco Murray or a Marshawn Lynch on their roster, and because of this, we will finally see a running back or two taken in the first round of the draft.

Well the timing couldn’t have been any better for Wisconsin Badgers RB Melvin Gordon to have a year for the ages, as he exploded for nearly 2600 yards and 29 touchdowns in his redshirt junior year. It helps that he played at Wisconsin, a program that has a history of recruiting huge offensive linemen whose sole purpose is to come in and consistently plow open wide lanes for the likes of the legendary Ron Dayne, Montee Ball, and now Gordon.

At 6-foot-1, 207 pounds, Gordon was not only able to do his damage against Big 10 opponents, but he also ran wild against the big bad defenses of the mighty SEC. He ran for 251 yards and three touchdowns against the Auburn Tigers and also ran for 140 yards against the best defense in the SEC in the LSU Tigers. And even though it wasn’t against an SEC team, who can forget the 408 yards he ran for against the Nebraska Cornhuskers?

Gordon has the speed and power necessary to break through any defensive line that’s out there and he didn’t have a ton of carries during his first few years in college, so he should be fresh and healthy as he enters the NFL. What should excite scouts the most at the combine is the fact that he tried to improve his pass catching ability out of the backfield this year. While he isn’t where he needs to be just yet, he did improve, and it shows that he is willing to put in the work to become a complete back.

Whether he’s able to start the first week of the season or not, I’m not sure there isn’t a single team in the league that can afford to pass up a guy who averaged at least 7.5 yards per carry as a starter. So look for Gordon to go in the first round in the NFL Draft after he impresses scouts with his tremendous skill set at the NFL Combine this month.

Kelly Anderson is a blogger for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @bgipp01 or add him to your network on Google.

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