The long wait for the first running back to be drafted ends with Jonathon Brooks going 46th
The long wait for the first running back to be drafted finally came to an end. The Carolina Panthers traded up six spots to take Texas running back Jonathon Brooks with the 46th pick in the NFL draft Friday night, the second-latest selection for the first running back to go off the board. The only other time in the common draft era starting in 1967 when no running backs were taken in the first round came two years ago, when Breece Hall was the first taken at No. They are valuable to us because we are going to be running the ball.” There was a belief that the first running back picked could start a run at the position with several other top backs projected to go in the second and third rounds of the draft. “I do agree that as a running backs class, and in the NFL in general, I think a lot of people are going to start showing why we should be held to a higher standard.” The league is coming off the first season since 1990 when no running back carried the ball at least 300 times with Derrick Henry leading the league with 280.
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