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15 Bold Predictions: No. 10: Duke Johnson, Todd Gurley shine

By Ryan Disdier

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Last year, the NFL saw a ridiculous amount of production out of first-year wide receivers.

Guys like Mike Evans, Kelvin Benjamin (get well soon), Sammy Watkins, Brandin Cooks, Davante Adams, Jordan Matthews and Odell Beckham Jr. captivated audiences and fantasy football gurus around the country with their sensational play.

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This year, don’t expect the rookie wideouts to shine once again. It’s the running back’s turn to be special. Expect two backs to have rookie seasons not unlike the ones Beckham Jr. and Evans enjoyed last year.

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Although the aforementioned draft produced a litany of receivers and few running backs, the running back position is far from being obsolete.

In 2014, Bishop Sankey was the first running back taken off the board, while Jeremy Hill went on to have the best season from a rookie back.

Things were quite different in 2015’s draft, as two backs were taken in the first round, with Todd Gurley going as high as 10 to the Rams. Melvin Gordon would be selected by the Chargers later in the first round, while talented backs like T.J. Yeldon, Ameer Abdullah, Tevin Coleman and Duke Johnson would find homes as the draft wore on.

“In the AFC, the Browns might have the Odell Beckham Jr. of running backs.”

All of those players are sensational in their own right, and they’re all entering situations in which they can find success in.

Out of all of those aforementioned players, expect Johnson and Gurley to shine in 2015, albeit for different reasons.

Gurley’s reason comes from the fact that well, he’s the alpha-dog in the Rams’ backfield, despite not playing in a single preseason game.

However, according to Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole, head coach Jeff Fisher believes Gurley can be better than Eddie George — a part of the esteemed 10,000 yard club — and Chris Johnson — one of only a handful of backs to rush for more than 2,000 in a season.

August 14, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; St. Louis Rams running back Todd Gurley (30) warms up before a preseason NFL football game against the Oakland Raiders at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

It’s also worth mentioning that Fisher’s praise is based on a total of zero games played by Gurley. He’s just that special of a player.

Gurley’s final year at Georgia was one littered with unfortunate circumstances. After a suspension for violating NCAA rules was lifted, Gurley tore his ACL. Prior to that, he was a Heisman Trophy front-runner and dominating defenses.

In six games, Gurley rushed for 911 yards, nine touchdowns and an average of 7.4 yards per carry in the SEC. Insane stats.

He has all the tools to be successful. He’s big at 6-foot-1, 222 pounds, but he also has blazing speed. He can break games with his speed, explosiveness and power, and it’s a big reason why scouts compared him to Marshawn Lynch during pre-draft evaluations.

Gurley is clearly the lead man in St. Louis’ backfield. A truth that led to Zac Stacy being traded and Tre Mason being ‘shocked‘ when the team drafted him.

The good news for Gurley is that despite his current injury, he should be able to raise some hell during his rookie year. Torn ACLs are not longer career-changers, as we’ve seen players like Jeremy Maclin and Adrian Peterson return and have career years after recovering from the injury.

He’s going to be the starting running back whenever he gets healthy and he has the big-play ability to make the Rams relevant on offense. He’s going to get a whole lot of carries.

Gurley will likely have the same impact Mike Evans had, just as a running back, meaning he’ll provide the offense with stability, while making his quarterback’s life a lot easier.

In the AFC, the Browns might have the Odell Beckham Jr. of running backs. Amidst a myriad of average players, Johnson should shine once he gets healthy.

Undersized at 5-foot-9, Duke Johnson is an absolute spark plug when he’s on the field. He has the potential to ignite his teammates, as well as the hometown fans, by ripping off big runs.

He ran a 4.5 and a 4.51 in the 40-yard-dash, and his elusiveness would make LeSean McCoy blush. He’s explosive and just needs a little bit of a crease to create a big play.

I watched “The Duke” during his career at “The U,” and I was never unimpressed with his play. In his freshman year, he ran for just under 1,000 yards. His sophomore year was ruined due to an injury, but he made up for it in his final year in Miami.

Johnson rushed for 1,652 yards and a ridiculous 6.8 yards per attempt. He also shattered Miami’s record for all-time rushing yards, supplanting Miami legends like Edgerrin James, Willis McGahee and Clinton Portis.

Jun 16, 2015; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns linebacker Chris Kirksey (58) and Cleveland Browns running back Duke Johnson (29) during minicamp at the Cleveland Browns practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Johnson’s head coach has been impressed with his rookie runner, too.

“Duke has been great,” Pettine said, according to Tom Reed of Northeast Ohio Media Group. “We have gradually ramped up his reps, and he has looked good. (Offensive coordinator John DeFillipo) has been relieved. There are certain plays, you get to the point of basic install, but then as training starts to wind down, you have certain plays for certain guys and we have been holding some because it was more matched to Duke’s skillset.”

Reed also noted Reed previously said Johnson is a “major piece” to the offense.

Johnson was sidelined in his preseason debut with a concussion, but the Browns aren’t looking to make any immediate additions, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Northeast Ohio Media Group.

So while Johnson will have to wait until he gets healthy, he’ll be returning to one of the most formidable offensive lines in football. Second-year guard Joel Bitonio‘s stellar rookie campaign was overshadowed by Zach Martin’s; Alex Mack should be healthy after missing time last year; and Joe Thomas is a perennial Pro Bowl player and the heart of the Browns.

Johnson is one of the most versatile, complete backs in the rookie class. He can run, block and catch out of the backfield, which makes him incredibly dangerous. And while the Browns’ backfield is relatively crowded with Isaiah Crowell and Terrence West jockeying for position, I view Johnson better than both players.

Duke is shifty and he has great vision, but the wholes should be commonplace as he runs behind Cleveland’s offensive line. I’m not saying Johnson is going to become a superstar like OBJ, but he’s going to impress some people who are sleeping on him.

Personally, I believe the Browns got the steal of the draft when they selected Johnson in the third round. He’s going to be a special player and he could become a serious Offensive Rookie of the Year contender once he establishes himself in the Browns’ backfield.

It’s uncertain if either player will be ready for week 1. But when they finally get acclimated to the speed of the NFL, get ready for Gurley and Johnson to make some noise. Both these guys are going to be studs, sooner rather than later.

Final predictions:

Gurley: 1,330 yards, 9 touchdowns, 4.1 average

Johnson: 1,110 yards, 6 rushing touchdowns, 4.5 average, 540 receiving yards, 3 touchdowns

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