In position for some bargains
Backfield help can be had late in draft
Perhaps more than any position, running back seems to produce a surprise each year in the mid- to late rounds of the NFL draft.
Last April, for example, much of the attention was on first-round talents Jonathan Stewart, Darren McFadden, Rashard Mendenhall, and Felix Jones.
Yet by the end of the season, it was third-round draft choice Steve Slaton - whom the Houston Texans plucked with the 89th overall selection - outrushing every other rookie (1,282 yards, sixth most in the NFL). Slaton was the 11th running back selected.
So who might be the under-the-radar back who produces a Slaton-like impact this year?
While the first-round spotlight shines on Georgia's Knowshon Moreno and Ohio State's Chris "Beanie" Wells - with Connecticut's Donald Brown and Pittsburgh's LeSean "Shady" McCoy next in line - recent history indicates that someone from the second tier will emerge.
One NFL running backs coach who is familiar with this year's prospects points to Oregon's Jeremiah Johnson as one possibility.
"He is more of a slasher type of back and one of the things that stands out is big, big production," the coach said. "He shared the job with Jonathan Stewart the last couple of years, but when I think of guys who could be the next Steve Slaton, he's a guy that I think could be in that class."
Johnson, who is projected as a mid- to late-round selection, started every game last season and totaled 1,201 yards and 13 touchdowns. While coaches generally like his competitiveness, he is not rated a top prospect because of concerns about his size (5 feet 9 inches, 209 pounds) and ability to run inside.
Of course, those were some of the knocks on Slaton (5-9, 203) last year, and few remember that now.
Other possibilities to emerge as a Slaton-like option in the mid-to-late rounds are N.C. State's Andre Brown, Alabama's Glen Coffee, Texas A&M's Mike Goodson, Iowa's Shonn Greene, and Virginia's Cedric Peerman.
Greene, who projects as a mid-round pick, will stand out for clubs looking for more of a power back. At 5-10, 227 pounds, he's drawn comparisons to Stephen Davis, whose pound-it-in-there style punished defenders for 11 seasons.
Greene, 23, has answered questions about past academic issues in interviews with NFL teams. He has told clubs that his time away from the game - he missed the 2007 season because of academics and worked at a furniture store that year - was a humbling experience and he's since "matured a lot as a man."
Peerman, who is the fastest rusher in this year's class after running the 40 in 4.39 seconds at Virginia's Pro Day, also is worthy of consideration. In addition to testing well, he possesses the solid intangibles teams generally seek.
"He's a guy who has a chance," the coach said. "He was very productive and someone who has pass-catching ability, so you could see him on third down. He'll have some value on draft day."
Overall, the running back class is considered by the coach "not a superstar group, but there are quality players who will make NFL rosters and help your team."
"The thing about running backs is that even if you miss on the high-round guys - like 2002, for example - you still have guys who come through," the coach added. "That was the William Green year [16th overall], but look at what else came through after the first round that year - Clinton Portis, Maurice Morris, Ladell Betts, Brian Westbrook, Chester Taylor. With running backs, it always helps to look deeper in the draft."
Mike Reiss can be reached at mreiss@globe.com. 
