According to Charlie Campbell of WalterFootball.com, the Indianapolis Colts will bring in Georgia running back Todd Gurley for a Pre-Draft visit. The talented rusher is still rehabilitating from a torn-ACL he suffered in November of last season, but is highly regarded as perhaps the best running back prospect since the Minnesota Vikings Adrian Peterson came out of Oklahoma.
Where Gurley will be taken remains a mystery, as some talent evaluators have him as a Top 10 pick, while others project him to go in the mid-late first round because of his significant knee injury. What does appear clear; however, is that Gurley will be a 1st round pick, it’s just a matter of where and to which team.
In 6 games last season for the Georgia Bulldogs, Gurley rushed for 911 rushing yards on 123 carries (7.4 ypc average) and 9 touchdowns. While he could actually begin next season on PUP because of his ongoing rehabilitation, that hasn’t shied away many running back needy teams from strongly considering him early in the 1st round.
Nov 15, 2014; Athens, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs running back Todd Gurley (3) runs against the Auburn Tigers during the second half at Sanford Stadium. Georgia defeated Auburn 34-7. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Currently, Gurley joins what appears to be a loaded and talented group of running backs in this year’s draft class including Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon, Indiana University’s Tevin Coleman, and Boise State’s Jay Ajayi among others. While the latter two are expected to go in either Round 2 or early Round 3, it looks as though Gurley will compete with Gordon to become the 1st running back selected in this year’s draft, who remains his primary competition.
The Colts could certainly use a long-term answer at the running back position, as their high-profile free agent addition in longtime San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore is set to turn 32 years old in May. While Gore provides a clear upgrade for next season, he’s more of a short-term solution.
However, the team is still fresh off of investing a first round pick in Trent Richardson, and subsequently getting burned by the former top pick, now turned bust. The Colts may be better served finding Gore’s successor in Round 2 or 3 of the draft and using their 1st round pick on another playmaker on the defensive side of the football, which they so desperately need.
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