Don Pierson

Two drafts ago, three running backs went in the first five picks for the first time. Ronnie Brown, Cedric Benson and Cadillac Williams were the talk of Miami, Chicago and Tampa.

Last year, Reggie Bush was the only running back selected in the top 20. Then came Laurence Maroney, DeAngelo Williams, and Joseph Addai at the bottom of the round.

Early evidence suggests Maroney, Williams and Addai are a better trio than Brown, Benson and Williams. Collectively, the threesomes ran for practically the same yardage — 2,357 for the more highly-esteemed 2005 bunch compared to 2,327 for 2006. This does not include Bush.

Since the 2006 rookie crop was among the best of all time, it is arguable that Brown, Benson and Williams might have fallen to the bottom of round one in 2006, especially knowing what teams know now.

The success of Maroney, Williams and Addai as rookies also fueled the argument that it's certainly not necessary to spend a top-five pick to land a gem of a running back. This is not usually true of pass rushers, quarterbacks, or "can't-miss" left tackles.

So where does all this put Adrian Peterson? By all accounts the top running back prospect in this draft, Peterson impressed coaches at the Indianapolis scouting combine by running a 4.38 in the 40-yard dash with a pair of borrowed shoes, deciding to run only after feeling a competitive urge.

Cal's Marshawn Lynch is the only other running back projected to be a sure No. 1 pick. This lack of quality depth will almost certainly push Oklahoma's Peterson into top-five status despite a checkered history of injury. If you want the closest thing to a can't-miss runner and you're picking high, you want Peterson.

The most logical spot is Cleveland with the third pick. Oakland needs a quarterback at No. 1 and although Detroit needs a running back, the Lions have spent so many first-round draft choices on offensive skill positions that Matt Millen couldn't possibly do it again, could he? The Lions need linemen, offensive and defensive.

That brings up the Browns, 29th in rushing and pretty much a disgrace to their storied history of running backs. Reuben Droughns just isn't the answer.

But is Peterson? He runs upright like Eric Dickerson, a good start, but too often he's been laid low by injury.

Peterson broke his collarbone last season while diving into the end zone, as good a place as any to get hurt. He came back and ran for 88 yards in the Fiesta Bowl, and nobody would think much about injuries had Peterson not also been hobbled by a high ankle sprain as a sophomore and a dislocated shoulder as a freshman.

"Knick-knack injuries," Peterson called them at the combine, brushing them off as he does tacklers. Indeed, the 4.38 by a 6-1 1/2, 218-pound man caused many onlookers to brush off doubts.

But if Peterson doesn't go to Cleveland at No. 3, where might he fall? Tampa Bay, Arizona, Washington and Minnesota follow and don't need running backs. Houston needs one at No. 8 after passing up Reggie Bush last year, so it's doubtful he would get past the Texans, perfect for a native Texan.

Should Houston or Pittsburgh at No. 15 or Green Bay at No. 16 or some other team that needs a running back trade up for Peterson? Intriguing, but based on last year's experience, it wouldn't make much sense.

Lynch will be available to one of those teams. The others just might have to wait for Louisville's Michael Bush or Auburn's Kenny Irons or Penn State's Tony Hunt or Ohio State's Antonio Pittman, all of whom look like late first or second-round prospects. Arizona's Chris Henry also surprised combine watchers by running a 4.4 at 230 pounds.

Whether Peterson's upright style provides a bigger target, invites more punishing hits and contributes to injury is a question scouts and coaches will debate until the April 28 draft and probably beyond.

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Since the career span of running backs is more limited than any other position, they are always in demand and usually always available.

When the Colts decided to let go of Edgerrin James last year, coach Tony Dungy scoffed at doubts about replacing him even before the draft.

"You always find the next person," Dungy said. "I just think back to when Marshall (Faulk) left. I know it was the same thing in the city, 'How are we going to replace this guy? He does everything and how are you ever going to get someone who can do what Marshall can do?'

"I think at that time, everybody wanted the Colts to take Ricky Williams (instead of Edgerrin James), so you never know how things are going to go. We found Edge and we'll find someone else. It may be a combination of guys. I don't know that just one guy can do all that."

Then the Colts found Addai after the Patriots took Maroney and the Panthers took Williams. The Colts might have preferred Maroney or even Williams, but settled for Addai. Do you think they regret it?

The lesson is teams don't need to trade up for running backs, or trade their entire draft for a running back, as the Saints did for Ricky Williams. There are plenty of examples of second-round running backs who have flourished, many of them using the second-round "slight" as motivation-Julius Jones, Tatum Bell, Clinton Portis, Ladell Betts, DeShaun Foster, LaMont Jordan, Travis Henry, Corey Dillon.

Even though the Dolphins, Bears and Bucs like Brown, Benson and Williams, they have to be wondering whether they could have been just as well served by waiting around and taking Frank Gore in the third round.

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