Larry Johnson set Penn State’s single-season rushing record, passing Ki-Jana Carter, John Cappelletti, Blair Thomas and Curtis Enis, among others. Now, heading into the NFL Draft, he’s trying to separate himself from them.
Penn State running backs have been NFL busts.
– Cappelletti, drafted by the Rams with the 11th choice in 1974, had 2,951 yards in nine NFL seasons.
– D.J. Dozier, drafted by the Vikings with the 14th selection in 1987, had 691 yards in five seasons.
– Thomas, drafted by the Jets with the second pick in 1990, had 2,236 yards in eight seasons.
– Carter, drafted by the Bengals with the No. 1 selection in 1995, had 2,236 yards in six seasons.
– Enis, drafted by the Bears with the No. 5 in 1998, had 1,497 yards in three seasons.
Johnson, who rushed for 2,087 yards last season, says he has nothing in common with them except his alma mater.
“I just think it’s something unfortunate that happens,” Johnson said.
More Top Picks Best Ride Cymbals
“The Big Ten is a conference where you just get more wear and tear. It’s more just running the football. More guys go into the situation getting nicked, bumped and banged around, and then not being able to withstand the punishment on the next level.
“With me, it’s totally different. I haven’t been nicked or bumped around that much.”
Johnson hopes NFL teams don’t hold the Nittany Lions’ history against him.
“It may hurt me; it may not hurt me,” Johnson said. “I think it is [unfair]. You’ve got to take each player differently.”
But NFL teams do worry that Johnson proved himself for only one season and against lightweights.
Johnson had 866 yards and six touchdowns on 189 carries in his first three seasons before becoming only the ninth player in NCAA history to top the 2,000-yard mark.
But last year in games against Nebraska, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio State and Auburn, Johnson gained only 407 yards on 90 carries.
“The teams I lost to were great teams,” Johnson said. “Iowa won the Big Ten champ. Ohio State won the national championship. If you’re going to lose to somebody, lose to those types of teams.”
Johnson would rather be compared with Eddie George rather than the former Penn State backs. George, a former Ohio State running back, has 8,978 yards in seven NFL seasons with the Titans.
“I think that’s a fair comparison,” Johnson said. “We’re both tall and lanky, and our strides are very long.”
It is a down year for running backs–again. Miami’s Willis McGahee likely would have been a top-five pick if not for tearing three ligaments in his left knee during the national championship game against Ohio State. He remains the most intriguing back on the board. Southern Cal’s Justin Fargas has made the biggest rise, running a 4.38 in the 40-yard dash at the combine. But he gained only 715 yards last season.
Bears’ top picks
YR. PLAYER P. SCHOOL
2002 Marc Colombo OT Boston College
2001 David Terrell WR Michigan
2000 Brian Urlacher LB New Mexico
1999 Cade McNown QB UCLA
1998 Curtis Enis RB Penn St.
1997 John Allred-a TE Southern Cal
1996 Walt Harris DB Mississippi St.
1995 Rashaan Salaam RB Colorado
1994 John Thierry LB Alcorn St.
1993 Curtis Conway WR Southern Cal
1992 Alonzo Spellman DE Ohio St.
1991 Stan Thomas T Texas
1990 Mark Carrier DB Southern Cal
1989 Donnell Woolford DB Clemson
1988 Brad Muster RB Stanford
1987 Jim Harbaugh QB Michigan
1986 Neal Anderson RB Florida
1985 William Perry DT Clemson
1984 Wilber Marshall LB Florida
1983 Jimbo Covert OT Pittsburgh
1982 Jim McMahon QB Brigham Young
1981 Keith Van Horne T Southern Cal
1980 Otis Wilson LB Louisville
1979 Dan Hampton DT Arkansas
1978 Brad Shearer-b DT Texas
1977 Ted Albrecht G California
1976 Dennis Lick T Wisconsin
1975 Walter Payton RB Jackson St.
1974 Waymond Bryant LB Tennessee St.
1973 Wally Chambers DE Eastern Kentucky
1972 Lionel Antoine T Southern Illinois
1971 Joe Moore RB Missouri
1970 George Farmer-b WR UCLA
1969 Rufus Mayes T Ohio St.
1968 Mike Hull RB Southern Cal
1967 Loyd Phillips DE Arkansas
1966 George Rice DT Louisiana St.
1965 Dick Butkus LB Illinois
1964 Dick Evey DT Tennessee
1963 Dave Behrman C Michigan St.
1962 Ronnie Bull RB Baylor
1961 Mike Ditka E Pittsburgh
1960 Roger Davis G Syracuse
1959 Don Clark B Ohio St.
1958 Chuck Howley G West Virginia
1957 Earl Leggett T Louisiana St.
1956 Menan Schriewer E Texas
1955 Ron Drzewiecki B Marquette
1954 Stan Wallace B Illinois
1953 Billy Anderson B Compton JC
1952 Jim Dooley B Miami
1951 Bob Williams B Notre Dame
1950 Chuck Hunsinger B Florida
1949 Dick Harris C Texas
1948 Bobby Layne QB Texas
1947 Bob Fenimore B Oklahoma St.
1946 Johnny Lujack B Notre Dame
1945 Don Lund B Michigan
More Top Picks Best Electric Standing Desks Under 500
1944 Ray Evans B Kansas
1943 Bob Steuber B Missouri
1942 Frankie Albert B Stanford
1941 Tom Harmon B Michigan
1940 Bulldog Turner C Hardin-Simmons
1939 Sid Luckman QB Columbia
1938 Joe Gray RB Oregon St.
1937 Les McDonald E Nebraska
1936 Joe Stydahar T West Virginia
a–second-round pick; b–third-round pick
By the numbers
POSITION NO. POSITION NO.
Quarterbacks 5 Offensive linemen 15
Running backs 23 Defensive linemen 8
Wide receivers 3 Linebackers 6
Tight ends 4 Defensive backs 3
Source: Bears.
No. 1 picks
YR. PLAYER TEAM P. SCHOOL
2003 Carson Palmer Cinc. QB Southern Cal
2002 David Carr Hou. QB Fresno State
2001 Michael Vick Atl. QB Virginia Tech
2000 Courtney Brown Clev. DE Penn State
1999 Tim Couch Clev. QB Kentucky
1998 Peyton Manning Ind. QB Tennessee
1997 Orlando Pace St. L. T Ohio State
1996 Kyshwn Johnson NYJ WR Southern Cal
1995 Ki-Jana Carter Cinc. RB Penn State
1994 Dan Wilkinson Cinc. DE Ohio State
1993 Drew Bledsoe N.E. QB Wash. St.
1992 Steve Emtman Ind. DE Washington
1991 Russell Maryland Dal. DL Miami
1990 Jeff George Ind. QB Illinois
1989 Troy Aikman Dal. QB UCLA
1988 Aundray Bruce Atl. LB Auburn
1987 Vinny Testaverde T.B. QB Miami
1986 Bo Jackson T.B. RB Auburn
1985 Bruce Smith Buf. DT Virginia Tech
1984 Irving Fryar N.E. WR Nebraska
1983 John Elway Balt. QB Stanford
1982 Kenneth Sims N.E. DT Texas
1981 George Rogers N.O. RB South Carolina
1980 Billy Sims Det. RB Oklahoma
1979 Tom Cousineau Buf. LB Ohio State
1978 Earl Campbell Hou. RB Texas
1977 Ricky Bell T.B. RB Southern Cal
1976 Lee Roy Selmon T.B. DE Oklahoma
1975 Steve Bartkowski Atl. QB California
1974 Ed Jones Dal. DE Tenn. State
1973 John Matuszak Hou. DE Tampa
1972 Walt Patulski Buf. DE Notre Dame
1971 Jim Plunkett N.E. QB Stanford
1970 Terry Bradshaw Pitt. QB Louisiana Tech
1969 O.J. Simpson Buf.-a RB Southern Cal
1968 Ron Yary Minn. T Southern Cal
1967 Bubba Smith Balt. DT Michigan State
1966 Tommy Nobis Atl. LB Texas
1966 Jim Grabowski Mia.-a RB Illinois
1965 Tucker Fredricksn NYG RB Auburn
1965 Lawrence Elkins Hou.-a WR Baylor
1964 Dave Parks S.F. WR Texas Tech
1964 Jack Concannon Bos.-a QB Boston College
1963 Terry Baker L.A. QB Oregon State
1963 Buck Buchanan K.C.-a DT Grambling
1962 Ernie Davis Wash. RB Syracuse
1962 Roman Gabriel Oak.-a QB N.C. State
1961 Tommy Mason Minn. RB Tulane
1961 Ken Rice Buf.-a G Auburn
1960 Billy Cannon L.A. RB LSU
1959 Randy Duncan G.B. QB Iowa
1958 King Hill Chi. QB Rice
More Top Picks Best Blackout Tents For Beds
1957 Paul Hornung G.B. HB Notre Dame
1956 Gary Glick Pitt. DB Colorado A&M
1955 George Shaw Balt. QB Oregon
1954 Bobby Garrett Clev. QB Stanford
1953 Harry Babcock S.F. WR Georgia
1952 Bill Wade L.A. QB Vanderbilt
1951 Kyle Rote NYG HB SMU
1950 Leon Hart Det. WR Notre Dame
1949 Chuck Bednarik Phil. C Pennsylvania
1948 Harry Gilmer Wash. QB Alabama
1947 Bob Fenimore Bears HB Okla. A&M
1946 Frank Dancewicz Bos. QB Notre Dame
1945 Charley Trippi Chi. HB Georgia
1944 Angelo Bertelli Bos. QB Notre Dame
1943 Frank Sinkwich Det. HB Georgia
1942 Bill Dudley Pitt. HB Virginia
1941 Tom Harmon Bears HB Michigan
1940 George Cafego Chi. HB Tennessee
1939 Ki Aldrich Chi. C TCU
1938 Corbett Davis Clev. FB Indiana
1937 Sam Francis Phil. FB Nebraska
1936 Jay Berwanger Phil. HB Chicago
a–AFL team; *–Chi: Chicago Cardinals
%%
%%