5 best rookie running backs in NFL history
The running back position in the NFL is one of the most talked-about positions among fans and analysts alike. Some argue that you don't need to draft one high as the running game is built around the offensive line. While this may be true, you can't deny the Tennessee Titans would be the same team if they had any running backs in their team instead of Derrick Henry.
Plenty of running backs have come out of the NFL Draft and not lived up to expectations, such as Ki-Jana Carter and Trent Richardson. Some others have hit the ground running as soon as they reach the pros. Here are five of the best rookie running backs in NFL history.
NFL's best rookie RBs of all-time
#5 - Alvin Kamara
The New Orleans Saints didn't draft Alvin Kamara until the third round of the 2017 draft. But he would immediately impact the league alongside veteran Mark Ingram. Kamara was a specialist in the return game and instantly became one of the best receiving backs in the NFL.
He took home the Offensive Rookie of the Year award in 2017, beating NFL rushing leader Kareem Hunt. Kamara finished the year with 1,554 yards from scrimmage to go along with 13 touchdowns, averaging an impressive 6.1 yards per carry and 7.7 yards per touch.
@AdamSchefter Alvin Kamara was the highest-graded RB in the NFL in 2017 (90.4) - as a rookie https://t.co/8hRvo7M1kS
#4 - Earl Campbell
Earl Campbell was taken first overall by the Houston Oilers in the 1978 draft and immediately impacted both his team and the league as a whole. Campbell led the league in rushing yards with 1,450 and rushing for 13 touchdowns.
He took home NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors and won the NFL Offensive Player of the Year award, a rarity for a rookie. Campbell would continue to light up the NFL, playing eight seasons in the league. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1991.