Kiper: Ka’Deem Carey third-best RB prospect for 2014 draft

Arizona running back Ka’Deem Carey is entering his junior season, and while he’ll still have one year of eligibility remaining upon its conclusion, this one may be his last in the Old Pueblo.

A consensus All-American after leading the country with 1,929 rushing yards to go along with 23 touchdowns, Carey is now on the NFL radar.

According to ESPN NFL Draft guru Mel Kiper Jr., Carey is the third-best running back prospect for the 2014 draft.

Extraordinarily productive in 2012, Carey piled up a whopping 1,929 yards rushing. He does it by exploding upfield when he gets a seam, and running through arm tackles with good pad level and strong leg drive and determination. Carey looks like an early-impact NFL running back because of the way he reads plays, and puts his foot in the ground to get vertical and maximize yards when they’re available. His 6.4 yards per carry last season is impressive given he does a good job of taking what the blocking offers, but he also has an extra gear in the open field and can run away from defenders.

The thought that Carey may not be long for the college game is not a novel one, as anyone with the kind of success he’s had would surely consider going to the next level.

And if the Tucson product replicates his 2012 season in 2013, odds are he’ll be among the first players to have their name called by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on draft night.

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