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The Indianapolis Colts made it to the AFC Championship Game last season, with quarterback Andrew Luck leading an offense that finished the regular season third in total yardage (406.6 yards per game) and sixth in scoring (28.6 points per game). The Colts had the league’s top passing offense (305.9 yards per game) in 2014, but even with Dan Herron adding some spark late in the season they were still just 22nd in rushing (100.8 yards per game).
The Colts attempted to add a top-tier running back by trading for Trent Richardson early in the 2013 season, but that experiment was a failure as Richardson averaged just 3.1 yards per carry over 29 games (316 carries) and he was waived in March. This year’s draft class is deep at running back, so Indianapolis should be able to take an immediate starter at No. 29 overall if they choose to.
Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon fell just 41 yards short of the FBS single-season record with 2,587 rushing yards in 2014, and he also had an FBS-leading 29 touchdowns on the ground last season. The Badgers’ offense did not allow for him to do much as a pass catcher, but Gordon did have 19 receptions and three receiving touchdowns last season and I think he can be a capable three-down back in the NFL.
Gordon’s workload last season (343 carries; second-most in FBS) looks like a potential concern, but a continuing pipeline of NFL-caliber running backs in Madison (Montee Ball and James White) limited him to just 288 carries during his career before that. So Gordon should have plenty left in the tank as he hits the next level, and being part of a talent-laden Colts’ offense would put him in a position to make an impact right away.
Some recent mock drafts have Gordon being gone before the 29th overall pick, and Indianapolis addressing another position of need as a result. But if he is still on the board when their turn comes, and I expect him to be, the Colts should make Gordon their first-round pick without a second thought.
Brad Berreman is a Columnist/Senior Writer at Rant Sports.com. Follow him on Twitter.
