Few players had as productive of a season last year as Michigan State running back Javon Ringer had.
After three solid seasons for the Spartans, he exploded in 2008 for 1,637 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns. It was a good enough year to land him among the top three finalists for the Doak Walker Award and make him an All-American.
So why isn't Ringer ranked amongst the top running backs in the draft, and why will the Seahawks be looking at him very carefully in the middle rounds?
To continue...
Strengths
Ringer was a workhorse his senior year in college. He carried the ball 390 times over 13 games, which was more than any other NFL running back carried the ball in 2008.
Despite his small stature at 5-foot-9 and 205 pounds, he runs like a classic between the tackles back. He runs low to the ground and has the strength to break arm tackles and move the pile with his legs.
One of the things that made Ringer so effective was his patience and vision in finding the hole. He's also be strong in the passing game.
Weaknesses
Like any player that's not projected to go high in the draft but with fantastic stats, Ringer lacks ideal physical attributes.
He's small, as already noted, but he also lacks strong top end speed and quickness. He ran a 4.60 40-yard dash at the combine, but like Georgia's Knowshon Moreno, who ran a 4.62, Ringer timed well in the 3-cone drill and the 20-yard shuttle.
His senior season was also a tad disappointing in that he only averaged 4.2 yards per rush, though he was about all the Spartans had on offense.
How does he fit in Seattle?
Ringer is a classic Ruskell pick. He's been productive through four years of college, he has outstanding work ethic and is a leader. To put it plainly, he's a football player.
At the moment, Seattle has a solid starter in Julius Jones, and unless they can get their hands on Moreno in the second round (unlikely), they'll just be looking for depth in later rounds.
Ringer should be able to come in and contribute immediately for a new Seattle offense that should emphasize the running game far more than in the past.
Draft position
Ringer was injured for the Senior Bowl and he ran a poor 40 time, though that was expected. Neither should hurt his draft stock too much.
Teams will have loads of game tape to study, and there's a lot to like about Ringer there. Still, it probably won't be enough for him to hear his name on the first day.
As it is, there are simply too many question marks about how Ringer will physically hold up in the NFL. He tore an ACl in high school and an MCL in 2006.
Teams won't believe he can make a living running it up the gut in the NFL at his current size, but one will make a bet that he can in rounds four or five.
2008 highlights:
Reach Jeff Richards at nextseasonsports@gmail.com
