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JAHVID BEST
5-foot-10 - 199 pounds - California
Recovered from a horrifying fall suffered Nov. 7 against Oregon State to go through a full workout at the Combine, where he clocked the fastest 40-yard dash (4.35 seconds) and short-shuttle (6.75 seconds) times among Combine runners ... Did not play after the injury, which saw him land on the back of his head after being sent airborne. He was released from the hospital one day later with a concussion ... Until his injury, he had averaged 104.8 yards in the season's first eight contests, which had him on pace for 1,362 yards, a tally that would have been 218 shy of his 2008 total ... Averaged 7.3 yards per carry for his career and ran for 29 touchdowns, an average of one every 12.6 carries.
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ANTHONY DIXON
6-foot-1 - 233 pounds - Mississippi State
A first-team All-Southeastern Conference selection as a senior ... Gained a career-high 1,391 yards on 257 carries last year ... His 5.4-yards-per-carry average in 2009 was also his best at Mississippi State ... Went into four figures as a sophomore with a 1,066-yard season ... Also caught 56 passes for 449 yards and four touchdowns in his career ... Ran for 42 scores, including 12 as a senior ... Had the third-best broad jump among Combine running backs (10 feet, one inch) ... Ran the 40-yard dash in 4.61 and 4.62 seconds at his Pro Day in March.
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JONATHAN DWYER
5-foot-11 - 229 pounds - Georgia Tech
Ran for exactly 1,395 yards in each of the last two seasons ... Was the 2008 Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year, making him the first Georgia Tech player to win the award since Calvin Johnson ... Ranks sixth in school history with 3,226 yards ... Averaged 6.2 yards per carry during his career ... Scored once every 14.8 carries ... Fumbled once every 64.6 carries during his college career ... Was unofficially timed in the low 4.5-second range when he ran the 40 at his Pro Day ... Turned pro with one year of eligibility remaining.
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TOBY GERHART
6-feet - 231 pounds - Stanford
Stanford's all-time leader in touchdowns ... The Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year ... Runner-up to Alabama's Mark Ingram in Heisman Trophy balloting ... Ran for 1,871 yards and averaged 5.5 yards per carry as a senior, topping the 1,136 yards and 5.4-yard average of his junior season ... Scored 15 touchdowns in 2008 and 27 in 2009 ... Logged 22 bench-press repetitions, placing him fourth among Combine running backs, and was fifth at his position with a 38-inch vertical jump ... Is thought by some to have a better future at fullback, but, "I see myself as a running back at the next level," Gerhart said at the Combine. "If (fullback) is asked of me, I’ll do it. The team’s above all else. But I firmly believe that I have the skill set to play running back at the next level."
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MONTARIO HARDESTY
6-feet - 225 pounds - Tennessee
Battled knee injuries early in his college career, including a torn anterior cruciate ligament that forced him to redshirt his freshman season ... Did not become UT's feature back until 2009, when he responded with a 1,345-yard, 13-touchdown season. "It was my first time being able to go through the whole winter conditioning, the whole season healthy," Hardesty said at the Combine. He also averaged 4.8 yards per carry, easily surpassing his previous season-best (4.2, set in 2007) ... Ran the 40 in 4.49 seconds at the Combine, placing him sixth among runners. He was also sixth at his position in the bench press (21 repetitions) ... Had the best vertical jump among runners at the Combine (41.0 seconds) and tied for the best broad jump at his position (10 feet, four inches)
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RYAN MATHEWS
6-feet - 218 pounds - Fresno State
Ran for 1,808 yards and 6.6 yards per carry last season ... Never averaged less than 5.4 yards per carry for a full season and twice in three years averaged at least six yards per rush ... Scored 19 touchdowns in 2009 ... With 39 career rushing touchdowns, he scored once every 13.7 carries ... Had the fourth-best 40 time at the Combine among running backs (4.47 seconds) and the eighth-best bench-press tally at his position (19 repetitions) ... Solidified his standing by running the 40 in 4.46 and 4.48 seconds at his Pro Day.
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DEXTER McCLUSTER
5-foot-9 - 172 pounds - Mississippi
Explosive, versatile back who racked up 1,789 yards from scrimmage last year, gaining 1,169 on the ground and 520 on 44 receptions ... Averaged 6.5 yards per carry and 11.8 yards per reception last year ... Finished his college career with nearly as many yards on 130 receptions (1,703) as he did on 304 carries (1,955) ... Could project as a punt or kickoff returner, or even a wide receiver ... Ran the 40 in 4.58 seconds, placing him 10th among running backs at the Combine ... Threw up 20 bench-press repetitions, leaving him seventh among those in the running back group.
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JOE McKNIGHT
5-foot-11 - 198 pounds - USC
Had his only 1,000-yard season as a junior last fall (1,014 yards) ... Turned pro with one year of eligibility remaining ... Returned 38 punts in his career, but did not score a touchdown ... Has 13 career touchdowns rushing and two receiving ... Posted a 4.47-second 40 time, leaving him fifth among Combine running backs ... Was suspended and did not play in USC's Emerald Bowl win over Boston College.
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CJ SPILLER
5-foot-11 - 196 pounds - Clemson
His versatility is illustrated by his touchdown breakdown as a senior, when he scored four different ways: on punt returns (once), on kickoff returns (four), receptions (four) and rushes (12) ... Would like to be used on returns as a pro. "That’s something I love to do," he said at the Combine ... Highly coveted recruit who did not notch a 1,000-yard season until his senior year, when he picked up 1,212 yards ... Also amassed 123 receptions in his career ... Scored 51 touchdowns during his career ... Had the second-best 40 time among running backs at the Combine, covering the distance in 4.37 seconds ... Graduated from Clemson in three and a half years, thanks to "a lot of late-night studies."
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BEN TATE
5-foot-11 - 220 pounds - Auburn
Broke through for a 1,362-yard season as a senior, one which saw him score 10 times and average 5.2 yards per carry ... Notched the third-best 40 time among running backs at the Combine (4.43 seconds) and the best bench-press tally (26 repetitions) and second-best vertical jump (40.5 inches) at his position ... Also tied for the best broad jump among running backs (10 feet, four inches) ... Did not lack for confidence at the Combine. "I would say I’m the most complete running back in this class," he said there.
• NFL.com bio