No player in the 2011 NFL Draft rushed for more yards last year than Illinois running back Mikel Leshoure, who carried 281 times for 1,697 yards and 17 touchdowns in the regular season before adding a topping of whipped cream with 187 yards and three TDs in a Texas Bowl victory over Baylor.
Yet Leshoure can’t help but feel overlooked and inconspicuous, like he could sit on a stool next to Norm in “Cheers” day after day and not be noticed.
“I definitely believe that not too many people, probably even now, know my name,” he said.
Those who don’t must have slept through the 2010 college football season.
Only Oregon running back LaMichael James (1,731 yards) and Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson (1,702), both of whom are returning to school in 2011, gained more rushing yards in FBS than Leshoure, who set a single-game school record with 330 yards against Northwestern.
Eight months ago, Leshoure wasn’t a blip on the NFL’s radar. In 2009, he had rushed for a modest 734 yards as part of a running backs by committee. Plus he was a junior, so scouts weren’t evaluating him for the 2011 draft.
But Leshoure exceeded all of his goals in 2010, which is one reason why he declared for the draft as a junior. He also knows that a running back has a shorter shelf life than most other players.
“The tires are running for us,” he said. “The average NFL career is three to four years, and as a running back it’s even shorter than that. I felt like I was physically ready, I felt like the statistics could back me up, and it was my time to go.”
It’s a weak year for running backs. Most mock drafts are projecting Mark Ingram, who won the Heisman Trophy and helped lead Alabama to the national championship in 2009, to be the only back selected in the first round. NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock sees Leshoure going in the second round.
“I don’t think he’s as physical as Ingram or (former Illinois back Rashard) Mendenhall,” Mayock said. “But he’s blessed with size, speed and feet.”
Leshoure isn’t allowing himself to get caught up in projections.
“I’ve never really been the type to get into all the mock drafts, or pay attention to what people are saying in the blogs,” he said. “But I am aware on most boards Mark Ingram is the No. 1 running back. Mark Ingram is a good player who comes from a very good school, an Alabama championship team. He had the Heisman Trophy under his belt and he has a great coach. You can’t take anything from him.
“But I feel that I’m also a great player and I came from a good organization -- and I feel like I can do everything he can do. I’m a versatile player. I can run in between the tackles and outside the tackles, and I’m very confident in my hands (as a receiver). I’m a competitor, and I definitely feel I could easily be the No. 1 back in the draft if the cards fall that way.”
Leshoure’s college background isn’t squeaky clean. In 2008, he and a teammate had a confrontation over a cell phone. Leshoure, who suffered a broken jaw, claims he was sucker punched. In 2009, Leshoure was suspended for one game because of a positive drug test.
After the 2009 season, Leshoure made a commitment. “I wanted to be the No. 1 guy that next season,” he said, “and I would do anything in order to make that happen.”
He started watching more film and working harder in practice. He altered his eating habits and adapted to a more nutritional diet. And he made some lifestyle changes, such as curbing his time hanging out with friends at night and getting more sleep.
“It was something I decided on my own,” Leshoure said. “My all-time dream was to play in the NFL. I knew in order to make that happen, I would have to be a go-to guy, a productive guy on the team. I wanted to step up to the plate and be the starting running back for my team, try to help our ball club win as many games as possible.”
Now, NFL teams know all about Mikel Leshoure (pronounced: muh-KEL luh-SHORE). Soon, NFL fans will know his name too.
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