Many intriguing prospects at running back

The San Diego Chargers aren’t expected to re-sign Mike Tolbert this offseason, so general manager A.J. Smith is probably hoping to find a replacement to complement feature running back Ryan Mathews. During today’s running back drills at the Scouting Combine, several prospects showed they possess the skills to be intriguing options.

One of several reasons quarterback Philip Rivers struggled last season was due to the reality he no longer had Darren Sproles to dump the ball off to. Sproles was Rivers’ security blanket for five years, and the running back’s departure to New Orleans certainly hurt San Diego’s offense in 2011. The Chargers need a player to fill those shoes, as the screen pass to a player such as Sproles is a key component that head coach Norv Turner would love to reincorporate into his offense. Ultimately, Rivers and Turner would love to acquire a runner who could carry the ball eight-to-10 times and catch four-to-five passes per game. That would allow Mathews to remain fresh throughout the season and help quell the pressure on Rivers.

According to Sports Illustrated’s Tony Pauline, the Chargers could find such a player in this year’s draft. Pauline wrote the following about the backs he was impressed with today:

Chris Rainey/RB/Florida: Rainey continues to impress NFL decision-makers with his athleticism and the ability to handle several duties on the field. He was the fastest running back in attendance, posting a 40 time in the low 4.4-second area. Rainey later looked fluid, fast and very natural in all areas. He proceeded through the running drills with great balance and was exceptional catching the ball. Rainey displayed terrific quickness in all areas of the game. He is getting long looks as a skill player who can line up in the backfield, the slot or as a special teams player used to return punts and kicks.

David Wilson/RB/Virginia Tech: Wilson was another who had a fast start to the day, posting 40 times in the mid-4.4 second area. His speed was apparent in all the drills as Wilson showed a tremendous burst and the ability to turn it on in a single step. His pass-catching skills were the surprise of the afternoon. Wilson ran terrific routes, showed soft hands and did a great job catching the deep ball.

LaMichael James/RB/Oregon: Several stopwatches had James running 40 times as quick as 4.42 seconds. He looked faster in drills, displaying a great combination of speed, quickness and balance in all his drills. James easily cut back against the grain in bag drills and lost no momentum. He was complimented by coaches for his pass-catching skills later in the day.
Ronnie Hillman/RB/San Diego State: Hillman was another running back who displayed a wide variety of skills during his combine workout. He was fast in the 40 (4.45s), very quick in running back drills and looked natural catching the ball.

Isaiah Pead/RB/Cincinnati: Pead's running back skills were possibly the best of any ball carrier who took the field Sunday. He effortlessly cut against the grain during drills and never slowed down changing direction. Pead showed great balance and body control all afternoon then effectively caught the ball as the session ended.

Robert Turbin/RB/Utah State: Physically, Turbin was the most impressive- looking ball carrier from the running back group. His 222-pound frame is rock solid and Turbin swiftly moved it across the carpet of Lucas Oil Stadium, running 40 times under 4.5 seconds. Turbin showed the skills of a smaller runner, displaying a great deal of quickness and cutting skills throughout the entire workout.

Doug Martin/RB/Boise State: Martin continues to impress scouts and move North on draft boards. His 28 reps on the bench tied Robert Turbin for the most by any running back. Martin's 40 time of 4.53 seconds was faster than expected. Later in the day he looked polish in all the drills

San Diego isn’t likely to spend a first- or second-round pick on a running back this April, but there’s a strong possibility that one, two, or three of the aforementioned prospects will still be around in the third or fourth round. Should that happen, A.J. Smith could do a lot worse than finding Sproles’ replacement at that point in the draft.