Arizona Cardinals 2013 Mock Draft: Runningback Edition

Yesterday we went over the prospective Quarterbacks that would be available with the 24th Overall Pick. In the poll, Landry Jones won with 38% of the votes, Logan Thomas in second with 32%, and Tyler Wilson with 29%. Today we'll look at what appears to be, one of the worst Runningback classes in recent Drafts.

According to CBS Sports Prospect Ranking, there is only one RB who happens to be Marcus Lattimore out of South Carolina. The majority of RB's this year are expected to go in the second and third Rounds of the draft. Lets look at the top 5 RB's in this years class.

1) Marcus Lattimore JR South Carolina

2) Montee Ball SR Wisconsin

3) Knile Davis rJR Arkansas

4) Eddie Lacy rJR Alabama

5) Joseph Randle JR Oklahoma State

Setup: Lets assume that Beanie Wells suffers more injuries this year, and Ryan Williams can't manage to remain healthy either. That leaves us with LSH who cannot be our Franchise Back, Alfonso Smith who started one game last year and did alright. This leaves us with having to possibly Draft someone in the First Round. For the purposes of this Mock, I will leave Arizona with the 24th Selection. It's possible that the top 5 guys are still on the board at this time as well.

Marcus Lattimore: This guy sits at 6'1, 224 pounds. Over two seasons he's put up 2015 yards and 27 TD's. Last year his number dropped off because he suffered an injury against Mississippi State. Prior to the injury, he was on his way to topping his Freshman numbers. If he does decide to enter the 2013 Draft, he will be the RB that all teams will be looking at.

Montee Ball: The 5-11, 210lbs Runningback had a good season last year. Rushing for 1923 yards, and 33 TD's. He's only had one injury in his 3 year career, which only kept him out of one game. He's a solid Pass Blocker, and can make the catch out of the backfield, which he displayed last season when he caught 24 passes for 306 yards, and 6 TD's.

Knile Davis: 6'1, 226lbs. He missed all of last season after fracturing his ankle in the Preseason. In 2010 he ran for 1322 yards and 13 TD's. This isn't a guy I would take in the first round unless he has a monster season this year which is less than possible coming back from this kind of injury.

Eddie Lacy: 6'1, 220. Playing behind Trent Richardson you know you won't get a lot of Carries, but you do learn from one of the best Collegiate Tailbacks. It's his time to shine, but he'll be playing in the shadow that Trent Richardson has left behind. I don't see him joining this years draft but you never know.

Joesph Randle: 6'1 191. Brandon Weeden, Justin Blackmon, and this guy Joseph Randle, were the key to success for the Oklahoma State Cowboys. He ran for 1216 yards last year with 24 TD's.This may just be me, but every time I heard something about Oklahoma State, it was either Weeden or Blackmon, never Randle. He's also a pass catching RB, which is something Arizona needs. He caught 43 passes for 266 yards and 2 TD's. His drops stats vary but the most common number is 3 drops last year, so a drop every 14.3 attempts. (Which is less than Beanie mind you.)

So with the 24th Selection in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Arizona Cardinals Select... Montee Ball, RB Wisconsin.

It may be a bit of a stretch, but the other guys have yet to show they can play without injury. Randle has promise but I don't think teams will take a chance on him till the Third Round, giving us another shot or so at Drafting him. Ball has done in Game in and Game out for Wisconsin, helping Russel Wilson carry the Badgers to the Rose Bowl last year.

So who would you take with the 24th Pick? Would you take Ball? Or would you take a shot on any of the other guys, or possibly someone else?