2012: Isaiah Pead
We had to go back to 2012 to see the selection of a skilled position player on offense.
It’s no surprise that the Rams were looking for help at the running back position. After all, they were ranked 23rd in the NFL back in 2011. They averaged just over 104 yards per game and scored a “whopping” seven touchdowns on the ground. Despite 1,145 yards from Steven Jackson, the Rams needed help. After going defense in round one, they selected Isaiah Pead out of Cincinnati with the 50th overall choice.
Here are his stats from his days with the Bearcats (per Sports Reference):
| Rushing | Receiving | Scrimmage | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Plays | Yds | Avg | TD |
| *2008 | Cincinnati | Big East | FR | RB | 7 | 30 | 194 | 6.5 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 5.5 | 0 | 32 | 205 | 6.4 | 0 |
| *2009 | Cincinnati | Big East | SO | RB | 13 | 121 | 806 | 6.7 | 9 | 20 | 201 | 10.1 | 2 | 141 | 1007 | 7.1 | 11 |
| 2010 | Cincinnati | Big East | JR | RB | 11 | 157 | 1029 | 6.6 | 6 | 26 | 190 | 7.3 | 1 | 183 | 1219 | 6.7 | 7 |
| *2011 | Cincinnati | Big East | SR | RB | 13 | 237 | 1259 | 5.3 | 12 | 39 | 319 | 8.2 | 3 | 276 | 1578 | 5.7 | 15 |
At the Combine, he ran the forty yard dash in 4.47 seconds, and led the position with a Three-Cone Drill performance of 6.95 seconds. But something very telling came in his draft profile overview:
"Pead is an electrifying running back who has produced in all areas. He can catch the ball out of the backfield, make a guy miss and turn upfield for a score, or run inside the tackles. He uses his vision and athletic ability to find a hole. There are few question marks about Pead’s skill set; some may worry about his play transferring to the next level, as he has shown the tendency to disappear at time. Pead should be one of the first three backs taken in the draft, with second-round value."
This paragraph proved to be an excellent example of foreshadowing. Clearly Pead has talent but it just hasn’t translated at the NFL level. For his career, which has taken him from the Rams to the Miami Dolphins, he has carried the ball 27 times for 100 yards. That doesn’t make him much of a player in anything other than helmet holding.
It’s the draft, it happens.
Next: Bucs Pick Up Evans' Option
All in all, this position has not performed well of late. Hopefully, if the Bucs remain in it, they can buck the trend.