Bucs

Top 10 RBs

By STEPHEN F. HOLDER
Published April 24, 2007

Bucs on the clock

This wouldn't seem to be an overwhelming need for the Bucs, but Peterson could be tempting to them if the other players Tampa Bay covets are gone at No. 4. Still, it doesn't seem likely the Bucs will make this a priority given their selection of Cadillac Williams with the No. 5 pick in 2005. Adding depth in a later round is certainly a possibility.

In focus

Lorenzo Booker arrived at Florida State as one of the most celebrated recruits in the school's history. That's saying a lot for a program with FSU's past.

Now, after Booker's four seasons, NFL talent evaluators are trying to determine whether he is the real deal. Critics point to Booker's lack of size and inconsistent production as a Seminole, but optimists highlight his versatility, which would allow a team to show different looks.

"I want a team that wants an all-purpose guy, and that just doesn't mean offense. That means special teams, too," he said.

Booker believes his success is largely dependent on his new team learning how to use him. Even FSU seemed to struggle with that at times. Last season, there were games when he carried the ball just twice (against Boston College) and others when he was something of a workhorse (22 carries against UCLA in the Emerald Bowl).

Booker was consistent as a receiver, catching 33 passes for 420 yards, including a 73-yard reception against North Carolina State that was the team's longest of the season.

Top 10 RB prospects

1 Adrian Peterson

(6-2, 218), Oklahoma

Rock solid; only flaw is a potential lack of durability.

2 Marshawn Lynch

(5-11, 217), California

Averaged 1,301 yards the past two seasons.

3 Antonio Pittman

(5-11, 195), Ohio State

Good inside runner; never averaged fewer than 5 yards per carry.

4 Brian Leonard

(6-1, 238), Rutgers

A fullback who might be more a runner than a blocker in NFL.

5 Michael Bush

(6-3, 253), Louisville

Tough runner coming off season-ending injury.

6 Kenny Irons

(5-11, 195), Auburn

Production slipped in 2006 while battling injuries.

7 Lorenzo Booker

(5-10, 193), Florida State

Exceptional speed and quickness offset by slight build.

8 Chris Henry

(6-0, 228), Arizona

Lacks big numbers but has superior speed.

9 Brandon Jackson

(5-10, 210), Nebraska

Great potential but doesn't have much experience.

10 Tony Hunt

(6-0, 230), Penn State

Not the fastest, but a powerful and productive runner.

Extra points

Family affair: For Kenny Irons, his brother David, who played with him at Auburn, isn't his only football-playing relative.

The Irons family could probably start its own league. Father David Sr. played briefly for the Lions; cousin Gerald Irons was a Raiders linebacker in the 1970s; cousin Grant Irons is a Raiders linebacker; cousin Jarrett Irons played linebacker at Michigan; and uncle Paul Irons played tight end at Florida State, then spent a brief stint with the Browns.

Lofty goal: Rutgers fullback Brian Leonard patterns his game after a guy who has made a pretty decent name for himself as a fullback: the Bucs' Mike Alstott.

"I like Mike Alstott a lot, but I'm more versatile," Leonard said. "I think I'm the kind of player that can stay on the field from first to fourth down. I can run the ball, catch it, block and pass block."

Thumbs up

Adrian Peterson

When he went down in midseason with a broken collarbone, you had to wonder whether entering the draft was in his best interest. But his outstanding workouts have allayed those concerns. He has had a couple of troubling injuries, but he averaged just fewer than 27 carries in the seven games he played in 2006, including 20 carries in the Fiesta Bowl, his first game back.

Thumbs down

Michael Bush

His camp must be getting worried. Word is the agent for the Louisville standout sent a DVD last week to all 32 teams that shows the player performing workout-type exercises to bolster claims that his right leg indeed is healing after a second surgery last month. Bush suffered a season-ending injury in Louisville's 2006 opener, but complications led to the subsequent surgery.

Under the radar

Ahmad Bradshaw (5-9, 198)

Marshall

Bradshaw rushed for 1,523 yards and 19 touchdowns at 6.1 yards per carry last season. Still, you won't hear anyone singing his praises as a potential high pick.

Why? His size won't get many teams' attention, and his off-the-field issues will generate lots of questions. Bradshaw has two arrests, one of which prevented him from enrolling at Virginia, where he originally planned to play. A perceived lack of stellar speed is an issue, too. But Bradshaw still rushed for 261 yards in a game last season (against Texas-El Paso), and performances like that are going to get him a look.

[Last modified April 23, 2007, 22:01:35]