Looking back at every running back drafted before Alvin Kamara in the 2017 NFL Draft
The 2017 NFL Draft was a special one for the New Orleans Saints. They had two first-round picks, and used them on cornerback Marshon Lattimore and right tackle Ryan Ramczyk. Looking at how their careers panned out, the draft would be considered a success for New Orleans for landing those two alone.
However, that was only the start of an all-time great draft class. The Saints would go on to select players like Trey Hendrickson, Marcus Williams, Alex Anzalone, Al-Quadin Muhammad, and Alvin Kamara, who they selected in the third round.
After seven seasons, Kamara is arguably the best player New Orleans got in this class, and one of the best players of the entire draft. However, he wasn’t selected until the 67th-overall pick. That means there were a ton of picks ahead of Kamara that teams would love to redo.
What about running backs, specifically, though? Would the teams who drafted other running backs over Kamara want a do-over?
Four running backs were selected before Alvin Kamara in 2017
When the Saints called Kamara’s name, they made him the fifth running back off the board. However, even with Kamara’s career being as great as it has been, it’s hard to definitively say that any of the teams that selected running backs ahead of Kamara regret their original selections.
Hard to believe, right? But here’s a reminder of the first five running backs selected in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Round | Pick No. | Running Back | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | 4 | Leonard Fournette | Jacksonville Jaguars |
1 | 8 | Christian McCaffrey | Carolina Panthers |
2 | 41 | Dalvin Cook | Minnesota Vikings |
2 | 48 | Joe Mixon | Cincinnati Bengals |
3 | 67 | Alvin Kamara | New Orleans Saints |
Truthfully, this is just an all-time great running back class, and like Kamara, the guys selected in front of him have had productive careers. Leonard Fournette has rushed for 4,518 yards and 34 touchdowns, while catching 312 passes for 2,219 yards and seven additional touchdowns.
Chritian McCaffrey, who is currently considered the best running back in the NFL, has ran for 6,185 yards and 52 touchdowns, also adding 509 receptions for 4,320 yards and 29 more touchdowns.
Dalvin Cook has 6,207 rushing yards and 47 rushing touchdowns to his name, in addition to 236 receptions for 1,872 yards and five touchdowns. Joe Mixon has run for 6,412 yards and 49 touchdowns, while catching 283 passes for 2,139 yards and 13 touchdowns.
In New Orleans, Kamara has racked up 5,829 rushing yards and 54 touchdowns, and caught 505 passes for 4,219 yards and 23 more touchdowns.
The class also included running backs Aaron Jones, Kareem Hunt, James Conner, Jamaal Williams, and many more RBs that are having productive careers.
If the 2017 Draft was done again, Kamara would certainly be a first-round pick, but he wouldn’t be the first running back off the board. It’s also fair to say that he’s not a lock to be the second running back selected either. In any event, the Saints are happy he landed in New Orleans.
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