Cleveland Browns Running Backs Finding Some Praise

Running backs Jerome Harrison and Montario Hardesty are getting some love from Fox Sports, as Mike Harmon’s list of the top 50 RBs finds Harrison ranked #26 and Hardesty ranked at a surprising #43. It is not as surprising to see Harrison where he is on this list; his performance in the final stretch of last season was nothing short of incredible.

What might come as a bit of a surprise is that Hardesty finds himself on the list at all having never played a down in the NFL. That just goes along with the consistent praise the rookie has been getting from the coaches at the Browns’ OTAs and workouts. Harmon figures Hardesty will make an immediate impact with goal-line work, while Harrison will continue to get the bulk of the carries.

If Hardesty can stay healthy, and beat out some of the other competition at running back, he might just be the perfect complement to Harrison. Many NFL teams have adopted the idea of a tandem at the running back position, as it keeps players fresh and presumably healthier as the season wears on. Harrison doesn’t come off as a guy who can carry the load by himself, and Hardesty’s hard-nosed approach should work well with Harrison’s speed and ability to break a big play.