Kansas City Chiefs: Early round running back targets

Leonard Fournette and Dalvin Cook

While Leonard Fournette of LSU and Dalvin Cook of Florida State are very different players I decided to lump them together for this post because they fall under the same outlook when it comes to the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2017 draft. Simply put, if either of these talented backs were to fall to Kansas City at pick number twenty-seven they would be crazy not to take them. I would go so far as to say that the ONLY reasons I would pass on either of these running backs at the back end of the first round would be if they had an injury situation or if a quarterback that they absolutely loved was still on the board. Otherwise they should run (not walk) to the podium and make either of these two the next great Kansas City running back.

Do both of these running backs have a lot of mileage on their legs coming out of college? Yes, they do. Could a team be a little concerned about Fournette’s durability given his physical running style? Sure, that’s a concern. Does Dalvin Cook have some off the field issues that could raise a red flag? Yeah, I’d have some reservations about how he’ll handle it when he is making millions of dollars and has even more freedom than he has to this point in his life. You know why you don’t let those things stop you when you are picking at pick number twenty-seven? Because both of these guys are talented enough to make Ezekiel Elliott type, rookie of the year caliber contributions from day one of their NFL careers.

Now, for the record, I think both of these guys will be long gone at pick number twenty-seven but stranger things have happened and there is less of an importance put on the position in today’s NFL. Also, with this being seen as a deep running back class it could lead to some teams addressing other needs in the first round and waiting on a back. All that having been said, don’t hold your breath that either of these guys will make it to the Chiefs.

So what other options are there?