Varied skills make for deep running back class 

December, 8, 2009
12/08/09
10:01
AM ET
By Steve Muench
With the regular season and conference championship games having come and gone there is now a little time for scouts to breathe and take a second look at some NFL prospects. For me that means another glance at the top four running backs on Scouts Inc.'s board. Clemson's C.J. Spiller, California's Jahvid Best, Georgia Tech's Jonathan Dwyer and Fresno State's Ryan Mathews all figure to be off the board by the early portion of the second round, but because of their unique skill sets they can be easily separated.

Spiller and Best are at the head of the class because of their explosiveness and abilities in space while Dwyer and Mathews are at their best pounding the ball inside. That's not to say all four can't do both, but their strengths are obvious.


For a look what each back brings to the table and plays that illustrate their unique skills, as well notes from around the country, become an ESPN Insider. Insider

Steve Muench

Scouts Inc.
Steve Muench played four years of Division I-AA football before joining Scouts Inc. in 2002. He has evaluated both NFL and college players for Scouts Inc., but his current focus is on the NFL draft.

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ABOUT THIS BLOG

Todd McShay Steve Muench Steve Muench
Scouts Inc.

Todd McShay (left) is the director of college scouting for Scouts Inc. McShay, who played quarterback at Richmond, has been evaluating NFL prospects since 1998. Follow Todd on Twitter: @McShay13

Steve Muench (middle) played guard at Richmond and worked in the athletic department there and at Boston College before joining Scouts Inc. in 2002. Follow Steve on Twitter: @SteveMuenchESPN

Kevin Weidl (right) is a former quarterback for Indiana (Pa.) University who worked in the pro scouting department for the New York Jets before joining Scouts Inc. in 2007. Follow Kevin on Twitter: @Kevin_Weidl

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