Soon after the 2014 NFL draft concluded I released my "too-early" Big Board for the 2015 NFL draft, a ranking that includes players who will be underclassmen during the 2014 college football season. It goes without saying that these rankings are preliminary, as I have hundreds of hours of evaluation ahead on the 2015 class.
A couple of important notes about the rankings below:
• This isn't a straight "top 10" list, because I've split these between seniors and underclassmen. I think it's important to rank seniors alone, as those are the only players I can guarantee will be a part of the 2015 NFL draft process.
• In some instances I've included more than 10 players; if two or three guys are extremely close on my board, I simply tacked on the names.
With those parameters in mind, here's an early look at the top running back prospects for 2015.
Top five senior running backs
![](https://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/ncaa/sml/trans/158.gif)
1. Ameer Abdullah, Nebraska Cornhuskers: Nebraska hasn't churned out running backs the way it did in the Tom Osborne era, but Abdullah is as productive a back as they've seen in Lincoln since Ahman Green. He leads all FBS players in career yards from scrimmage, and offers value not merely as an explosive runner, but as a pass-catcher, with 50 catches over the past two seasons.
![](https://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/ncaa/sml/trans/52.gif)
2. Karlos Williams, Florida State Seminoles: Teammate Devonta Freeman was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons, but nobody on the Florida State roster was as impressive on a per-carry basis as Williams last year -- he piled up 8.0 yards per carry and at over 220 pounds, is a great blend of speed and power. The former defensive back could push to be the top back in the 2015 draft.