1. Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma, 6-foot-1½, 217 pounds, projected to go in Round 1

Junior entry who's been considered a top NFL prospect since his freshman year, when he rushed for 1,925 yards and a 5.7-yard average. For his three-year career, he averaged 5.4 yards a carry, gained 4,045 yards and rushed for 41 touchdowns. He reaffirmed the ability scouts saw on videotape by running the 40 in 4.40 seconds at the scouting combine. His main drawback, though, is injuries — he was hurt all three years at Oklahoma. As a freshman, he played through a shoulder injury; as a sophomore, he missed one game and parts of three others with a high ankle sprain; and last season, he missed seven games because of a broken collarbone. Runs too upright for most scouts' liking. "If you're worried about durability, that's his only problem," said the college scouting director of an NFC team. "Adrian Peterson is an explosive, explosive back. If he can get a little room, hold onto your hat, because he's a booger. If he has to create on his own, he's not going to be as good." Could be one of the top-five picks in this draft, but might go a spot or two later because of teams filling needs. If he stays healthy, he could be a top-flight franchise back. "I think he's special," another scout said. "He's a big guy and he's fast, he's got cutting ability, has some power. He kind of reminded me of Eddie George. He's not as big as Eddie, but he's a faster version. I think he's going to be that. One thing about this kid, he's got some speed to get outside and turn the corner."

2. Marshawn Lynch, California, 5-111/8, 215, Round 1

Another junior entry who averaged 8.8 yards on 71 carries as a backup to the Arizona Cardinals' J.J. Arrington as a freshman, then in two years as a starter gained 2,602 yards, averaged 6.2 yards a carry and rushed for 21 touchdowns. He lacks breakaway speed but runs fast enough — 4.48 seconds in the 40 at the scouting combine. "Lynch is a good back now, a really good back," said the scouting director for an NFC team. "Lynch is a smoother cut and then create. Not great top-end speed, but good. He might not make it to 16 (in the first round). It's going to be close." Had a lower-back disc injury that slowed him last season, but the scouts for five teams said he passed physicals, and they hadn't heard of any team failing him at the scouting combine. A complete halfback who showed receiving skills — he had 68 receptions in three seasons at Cal. Averaged a little under 20 carries a game in his two seasons as a starter, so he wasn't a full-time workhorse. The biggest question mark is whether he can shake his upbringing in inner-city Oakland. "There's a little bit of character concern," said the scouting director from an AFC team. "I don't think it's enough to keep someone from taking him. I don't think it will cause him to drop like a LenDale White (last year) or someone like that, but there's some red flags there definitely. I think it's pretty good value right there (at No. 16 overall). It's a need pick, and the guy's a pretty good player. In his defense, they lost three guys off the offensive line that are playing in the NFL or had chances to play in the NFL (last year), so he was running behind some guys that weren't as good as the guys he was playing behind as a sophomore."

3. Antonio Pittman, Ohio State, 5-10¾, 207, Round 2

Two-year starter who's entering the draft after his junior season. In those two seasons as a starter, he gained 2,564 yards, had a 5.3-yard average and scored 21 touchdowns. Questionable whether he'll be a primary back in the NFL because he's on the small side at 203 pounds. Ran the 40 in 4.41 seconds and had the second-fastest time in the three-cone drill (6.84 seconds) among running backs at the scouting combine. "He's a good all-around back," said a scout who predicted Pittman will become a starter in the league. "He can do everything. He can catch, he can run, he can block, he can do it all. He's not going to be a superstar, but he's going to be a pretty solid back." Said a scout who rated him ahead of Auburn's Kenny Irons: "(Pittman) has tremendous body control. He doesn't run as strong as Kenny does inside. You talk about a guy that can press the ball towards the line of scrimmage and then make that burst outside, Pittman's got tremendous bounce ability. You know that play that Green Bay runs where they start inside and then bounce the guy out? It's not a stretch, it's like downill and then they bounce it outside, like (Seattle's) Shaun Alexander runs. This guy could really do that, because he has great patience going towards the line of scrimmage and then making that burst, because he has the burst to make it outside."

4. Kenny Irons, Auburn, 5-105/8, 203, Round 2 or 3

Was a highly rated prospect going in to last season, but missed two games and was slowed in several others by turf toe and an ankle injury and averaged 4.5 yards a carry and gained 893 yards. Transferred to Auburn from South Carolina in 2004, redshirted, then led the Southeastern Conference in rushing as a junior with 1,293 yards and a 5.1-yard average. Runs hard, but unless he gets bigger, probably will have to share time to stay healthy in the NFL. One scout rated Kenny Irons ahead of Pittman, "but Kenny Irons is little now," he said. "Pittman is a little bigger and thicker, Kenny Irons is a little narrow. Pretty good hips, Kenny Irons is a slasher, but Kenny Irons can't catch the ball and he's not very smart. But he's an aggressive back that can slash. He's a pretty good running back but not an all-around back." Kenny Irons ran the 40 in 4.47 seconds at the scouting combine. "He's got the great legs of the small backs that are really good, like the Warrick Dunns and those guys," another scout said. "He reminds me of a James Brooks-type, just a tough guy. The only thing Kenny can't do, he doesn't have the return ability that James had. He can make a guy miss. He's not a quick cutter, but he has a quick gather-go. He can double clutch and go."

5. Kolby Smith, Louisville, 5-11½, 220, Round 3 or 4

The cousin of Bears safety Mike Brown showed the ability to be a primary back after highly regarded teammate Michael Bush broke his leg in the season opener. Averaged 4.9 yards as Michael Bush's backup as a junior, then last year gained 862 yards and averaged 5.6 yards a carry as the lead back in a rotation that replaced Michael Bush. Also caught 42 passes in his final two seasons. "I think there's something to that kid," said the scouting director for an AFC team. "He played behind some pretty good players over there, and when he finally got his chance, he had some quickness. He runs with pretty good power for a guy his size, and he's bigger than you think. He can make some people miss in space. I think he's a pretty good all-around back. He's probably a backup player, but there's something to that guy." Another scout said: "He's got the combination you're looking for: he can pass block, which he's shown; he can lead block, which he's shown; he can run within the scheme of things tackle to tackle; and he's got enough juice to get outside the tackle box. I just like the kid. He's got good size. I'd think if he's sitting there in the third (round) and you're looking for that multi-purpose back that could possibly be a featured guy down the line, I'd be jumping up and down to take him."

6. Tony Hunt, Penn State, 6-15/8, 233, Round 3 or 4

Three-year starter who gained 3,320 yards, averaged 4.8 yards a carry and scored 25 touchdowns in his career. Was the MVP of the Senior Bowl. A productive, powerful runner and good receiver out of the backfield but has a glaring lack of speed (4.68 seconds in the 40, 31½-inch vertical jump). "He's going to be a really good short-yardage runner," said one scouting director for an NFL team. "It's just that he can't run a lick. He's powerful, he can catch all right. He's just not explosive enough to create much on his own. Everything he does will have to be with slide, wiggle and strength. He's a (No.) 2 (back)." Another scout said he thought Hunt will be underrated because of his bad workout numbers. "He's not a speed guy, but he's a guy that can give you a change-of-pace as a backup player to a smaller guy that's more shifty and quick," he said. "If you're going to bring a hammer in there and a guy that's got pretty good foot quickness to make some runs between the tackles, I like a guy like that."

7. Michael Bush, Louisville, 6-13/8, 243, Round 3 or 4

Might have been a first-round prospect if not for the two broken bones he sustained in his lower right leg in the season opener last year. Nevertheless, he declared for the draft early, and his stock took a major hit in March when he had to undergo another surgery to put a second rod in his leg, which wasn't healing properly. Last week, his agent sent out a DVD of a recent rehabilitation workout plus a letter from well-respected Dr. James Andrews testifying his leg is almost completely healed and that he should return to previous form as he gets back into shape. "If a team has a luxury pick, he could be that type of guy," one scout said. "If somebody has two thirds, they may try to stick it right there." Michael Bush is a big back who averaged 5.6 yards a carry (1,143 yards) and scored 23 touchdowns as a sophomore. Also averaged 12.0 yards on 21 receptions. Had 128 yards, a 7.8-yard average and three touchdowns before getting injured against Kentucky. One scout said any team taking Michael Bush probably would do it in the fourth round and treat this year as a redshirt season. "The guy's a good player," he said. "It's too bad that happened. But I think he has enough value where if you really wanted him, you wouldn't take the chance of not drafting him and letting somebody else do exactly what you were thinking anyway."

8. Chris Henry, Arizona, 5-11¼, 230, Round 3 or 4

Junior entry who backed up Denver's Mike Bell for two years, then lost his starting job briefly last season because of an academic problem. He never averaged more than 3.5 yards a carry in any season and gained only 581 yards with a 3.5-yard average last season. But he's a big back who caught scouts' eyes this offseason when he showed a rare combination of size and speed by running the 40 in 4.40 seconds and attaining a 36-inch vertical jump a the scouting combine. "Somebody's going to mess with him probably higher than they should. just because he ran so fast at the combine," one scout said. "Somebody's going to jump if they don't do their homework on him, because he's a little bit of a straight-line guy, not a big make-you-miss. It's hard to do him because he didn't play early much and then he got going." Another scout said: "He plays OK, but is a combine and (seven) games enough to draft him high? I don't see the production. Not (for drafting) on the first day. He's a strong guy, he runs fast, he has a quick burst to the line, can create some things. But you have to ask yourself, he's been there three years — four years really — and he hasn't played much."

9. Lorenzo Booker, Florida State, 5-10¼, 189, Round 3 or 4

Split time with New York Jets back Leon Washington in 2004 and '05, then was a full-time starter last year. A change-of-pace scatback who caught an amazing 114 passes in his career. Rushed for 5.1 yards, 4.6 yards and 4.3 yards a carry in '04, '05 and '06, respectively. Gained 616 yards last year as a starter. Ran the 40 in 4.47 seconds. "He's quick as a hiccup now and he catches the ball well," said a scout for an NFC team. "He's just not going to be a very good blocker, he's not going to help you much on special teams. But if you have a spot for him as a No. 2, he'll be successful in our league. If you beat him up, he's never going to be healthy."

10. Brandon Jackson, Nebraska, 5-97/8, 206, Round 4 or 5

A junior entry who played as a backup or part of a rotation in all three of his seasons. Led Nebraska in rushing with 989 yards (5.3 yards a carry) last season while splitting time with three other backs. Also caught 33 passes last year. Ran the 40 in 4.41 seconds on FieldTurf at the school's pro day. "I don't see a lot of upside in the guy, he's just kind of a pedestrian back," said the scouting director for an AFC team. "He can make a team, but I don't think he gives you a whole lot. If I was going to take one guy there, I'd take Booker just because you can do more with him and he brings a speed element to the game."

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