Chicago Bears 2015 Draft Prospects: Running Backs

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Jeremy Langford, 6-foot-0, 208 pounds, Michigan State

Jeremy Langford does not get the attention that the other top running backs in the Big-10 get, but he should. He rushed for 1,522 yards and 22 touchdowns in 2014.

Langford is very versatile. He played cornerback and some wide receiver with the Spartans. That gives him the ability to use his feet to avoid tacklers and bounce outside to gain more yards. He had 22 carries of 15-plus yards in 2014.

Langford is a willing and good pass blocker. He can chip block or pick up blitzes effectively. This will be crucial in his development, as most young backs have trouble in this area, while he thrives in it.

While Langford is not a physical runner, he has excellent balance. He will have more than a few bounces off would-be tacklers and rushes to the outside. He also has a good spin-move, so while he is not a punisher, he will be an elusive back.

Langford turned a lot of heads in his pro day last week with his pass catching ability. His coach at Michigan State, Mark Dantonio mentioned how his versatility will have him playing in the NFL.

“Jeremy Langford, the way he caught the ball surprised a lot of people, and that was a positive,” Dantonio said. “We saw a great athlete, a guy that can catch the ball. He demonstrated today that he has wide receiver skills, can be dynamic in that area, good enough to play on every special teams and played at corner for us, and when he had his opportunity to play at running back, he excelled and took his play to a ceiling.

“All those things demonstrate that he’s versatile and he’ll play on Sundays, whether it’s on special teams, at tailback, (or) he’s good enough to play in the slot. He can do a lot of different things for you.”

Like Javorius Allen, Langford has a wide projection, anywhere from the third to the sixth round. After his pro day, however, I think he will go in the higher end of that projection.

While everyone looks at Melvin Gordon, Ameer Abdullah and Tevin Coleman as the top backs from the Big 10, Jeremy Langford may surprise them by being the best of them, and some NFL team may have him as a bargain. That team could be the Bears.

Next: Malcolm Brown