2015 NFL Draft: Top 5 Detroit Lions Running Back Prospects

Photo Credit: Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports

5. David Johnson, RB, Northern Iowa

Northern Iowa’s David Johnson will likely end up being a solid bargin pick for someone in the 2015 NFL Draft. He is projected as a third-rounder by most draft experts but could end up being an instant contributor wherever he lands.

For myself, I see a Joique Bell 2.o in Johnson. He is a hard-nosed, muscle-bound runner who rarely comes down on first contact. Weighing in at 6-foot-1, 224 pounds, Johnson looks more like a linebacker than a running back — and he tends to play like one too.

Further enhancing my interest in him are his incredibly soft hands. He is a solid receiver out of the backfield, something that would benefit him greatly in offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi’s system in Detroit.

His biggest down fall, (also similar to Bell) is his lack of a second gear or break away speed. While it simply may not be his style of play, some level of elusiveness is detrimental at the professional level.

If the Lions were to pass on a back until the third, and Johnson was on the board, I’d hope they make the pick.

Next: Ameer Abdullah, Nebraska