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Detroit Lions Draft 2017: A Running Back for Every Round

By Zac Snyder

Dec 13, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) hands the ball off to Detroit Lions running back Ameer Abdullah (21) against the St. Louis Rams during the first half at the Edward Jones Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 13, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) hands the ball off to Detroit Lions running back Ameer Abdullah (21) against the St. Louis Rams during the first half at the Edward Jones Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 24, 2016; Pasadena, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal running back Christian McCaffrey (5) runs the ball during the first half against the UCLA Bruins at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 24, 2016; Pasadena, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal running back Christian McCaffrey (5) runs the ball during the first half against the UCLA Bruins at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports /

Round 1

Drafting a running back in the first round is not one of my hopes for what the Detroit Lions accomplish in the 2017 NFL Draft but if there is one guy I wouldn’t mind if they do go that direction, it’s Christian McCaffrey.

Some might write him off as just a gadget player, but do so at your own peril. McCaffrey is better between the tackles than given credit for, facing the most stacked boxes of any of the top running back prospects in this draft.

Others might like McCaffrey just fine, but see him as redundant to what they already have in Ameer Abdullah. That’s one of the things I like most about him as a fit for the Lions.

The health of Abdullah has been a primary concern the last two seasons so adding McCaffrey adds insurance in case Abdullah’s inability to stay healthy continues. Obviously the hope is that Abdullah does have a healthy 2017 season, but that doesn’t mean taking McCaffrey would be an expensive wasted insurance policy. A top-two running back rotation of Abdullah and McCaffrey keeps a dynamic multi-faceted back on the field at all times.

That leaves Theo Riddick free to be used where he is best – as the gadget back as a second running back in the backfield or out of the slot.

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