The zone running back

[cland]

I'm copying my own quote from over at Texans talk. Here's my take on the type of running back this teams needs to fit its system. The first part is referring to some of the current first-round running backs that were suggested.

In all honesty, I'm not much of a fan of Spiller, Best, or Dwyer. Not with the picks that we'd have to use to get them. I think the type of back that Spiller and Best seem to be, is too similar to what we've got with Slaton. On the other hand Dwyer looks like a Lendale White type of back that would be better off in a power blocking system. One where the back has a hole assigned, and will hit that hole like a train.

The type of back we need has been cliched as the "one-cut" back. This type of runner can flow to the assigned side, but has explosiveness in his first cut to take advantage of the seams that the zone-blocking system opens up. He makes a powerful cut, then burst through that hole into open space. This type of back is very different from a 'slashing type of back' that Dwyer seems to be, who stays on the original track.

Spiller and Best (and Slayton) can make that move so long as they haven't been touched. A real zone runner makes that move even through incidental and non-impacting contact. The best style of runner I can think of is Rashad Mendenhall. Check this video of Rashad: Zone Runner

Ideally you're looking for a guy with a powerful cut, that break arm tackles, and above protects the ball through traffic. He may not necessarily have the 4.3 or 4.4 speed that you're third-down/speed back brings (or top of the draft runners like AD has) but his ability to powerfully change direction and a vision to see the seam, takes advantage of all the seal blocks that the ZBS is made out of.

Trust me, if you had a Mendenhall clone and some improvement in our current G/C's, noone would ever be posting that the ZBS is dead.

Now I admit I'm not much of a college football guy (unless I'm scouting a favorite NFL draft choice) so my real question is: Has anyone has found a guy similar to the running back that I have described above.