Options at running back for the Miami Dolphins in the 2015 NFL Draft

Coming into the 2014 season with a myriad of questions about the running game from the year before,  one of the common questions about the Miami Dolphin's offensive line was who was going to start, and would they be able to create enough holes for the running game. General manager Dennis Hickey did a pretty good job of rebuilding the offensive line, with, at one point, five new starters, but there were still limitations with the overall running game this year. Some of those limitations were due to the fact that Knowshon Moreno got hurt, but also due to the fact that Lamar Miller has some limitations in his game. Because of that, the Dolphins might consider drafting a running back in this year's NFL draft. In order of how they are ranked in terms of the Dolphins running back needs, here are some top prospects that they might focus in on.

Todd Gurley: 6'1" 226lbs. University of Georgia
NFL.com's rating: 6.3 | NFL Comparison: Marshawn Lynch

Gurley is coming off an ACL injury though, and that will definitely hurt his draft stock, but this might be the best thing for the Dolphins as it most likely means he drops to them at the 14 overall pick in the first round. While drafting a running back with this first pick might not fill a need that the Dolphins have, like offensive line, linebacker, cornerback, or wide receiver, Dennis Hickey is on the record for drafting the best player available and Gurley will most likely be the best player available when they pick at fourteen. Also, in the NFL, acquiring elite talent is a must in order to win playoff games and Gurley appears to have the ability to be elite, if he can get over the knee injury.

Power: What Gurley is most known for as a running back is his power. At 6'1" 226lbs. Gurley has the size and power to run through tackles and gain extra yards, In this picture, Gurley ran over the safety (the guy holding on to his feet) and is running over the linebacker to gain a few extra yards. Notice it takes two guys to take him down, and he was not even at full speed either.

Speed: With a man of his size, it is tough to find someone who is as fast as he is powerful, but Gurley is just that. In this picture you can see that he turns the corner and the linebacker and safety has no chance of catching him.

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Pass Blocking: While Gurley is most known for his running talent, his willingness to pass block and protect his quarterback is impressive.

In this picture, Gurley is taking on a defensive tackle and gave enough time for the quarterback to complete the pass. Notice that he doesn't try to cut block the defensive tackle, but rather he stand straight up and takes him on even though it is heavily out weighed.

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Tevin Coleman: 6'1" 210lbs. Indiana University
NFL.com's Rating: 6.1 | NFL Comparison: Darren McFadden

Tevin Coleman is an all-purpose back that one has one elite trait and then is good with a lot of other traits. The best trait that Coleman possess is something that can't be taught and that is his top end speed. Coleman has break away speed and can turn a 10 yard run into a 90 yard run. Coleman is also great at jump cutting in and out holes to make defenders miss and get to the next level. While most running backs that have his kind of speed prefer to stay on the perimeter and get to the edge as much as possible, Coleman likes to run in-between the tackles and create contact to get extra yards.

Overall, Coleman is  different running back than Gurley, but that does not mean that he couldn't be a much needed addition to the offense. Coleman's speed, ability to make a defender miss, fearlessness in-between the tackles, and catching ability all combine to make him a very good all-around running back. All that could lead to him winning the starting role somewhere this year, and maybe even in Miami if they drafted him. 

Speed: Coleman has great speed and in this picture, you can see just that. He splits two defenders and runs an extra five to ten yards before someone trips him up. Coleman's speed isn't just straight line either. Sometimes speed doesn't translate to the NFL because the player doesn't have the agility or shiftiness to be able to make a defender miss (think Ted Ginn Jr., who has great straight line speed but struggles to make a guys miss).

Acceleration: One thing a NFL running back has to do to get through holes to be accelerate quickly and burst the hole. In this picture, Coleman cuts quickly to the outside and then bursts through the open and then gets to top speed in a few steps and outruns everyone to the endzone. Those are the type of plays that

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Catching and ability to make a guy miss: As a running back in the NFL, it is necessary to be able to catch the back out of the backfield, but also be able to make a guy miss. In this picture to the right, Coleman catches a slightly high ball, tucks it away, and makes the linebacker miss and gains about eight yards on the play. 

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Jay Ajayi: 6'0" 216lbs. Boise State University
NFL.com's Rating: 5.9
NFL Comparison: Marshawn Lynch

Jay Ajayi is a different back than Coleman and Gurley in that he doesn't have great bruising power like Gurley and doesn't have break-away speed like Coleman. What he does have is very good feet, from his soccer background, which allows him to make very fast jump-cuts, make defenders miss pretty easily and most importantly, gives him great balance. 

Jump Cut: Arguably one of Ajayi's best attribute is jump-cut ability. He is able to stick his foot in the ground and jump in and out holes or around defenders. In this picture, you can see that the defensive tackle is about to tackle Ajayi in the backfield, but he jump-cuts right around him and gains about seven yards on the play to avoid a loss of yards. 

Stiff Arm: This is something that Ajayi developed more this past season, and he used it very effectively as the season went on. In this picture, you can see that his arm placement for the stiff arm is great because it shields the defender's eye, which makes it very difficult to tackle, and it keeps the defender from getting his hands on his legs and bringing him down

Balance: In terms of his comparison 
to Lynch, Ajayi's balance and running style is was what reminds scouts of the Seattle running back and from this picture you can see why. He uses and stiff and avoids two diving defenders by spinning around them and keeping his balance as he gains about seven yards on a play where he could have been brought down after only about two or three yards. 

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Power: While his power isn't that of Lynch's, it is good enough get through the line of scrimmage and move a few defenders to be able to gain a couple extra yards. In this picture, you can see that he lowers his pad level very nicely and protects the ball and gains a few extra yards to gain the first down here. 

Again, while Ajayi's overall talent might not be of a Gurley or Lynch, he could very well have the ability to develop into that kind of running back. Combine his jump-cut ability, stiff arm, above-average power, and his hands, Ajayi's second round grade will give any team that drafts him a great value, and if the Dolphins can get their hands on him, then they will have a very complete backfield. 

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This column was written by Seth Fisher. Follow him on Twitter: @SethAFisher