Cleveland Browns: 15 best running backs of all-time
By Randy Gurzi
1985-1993. Kevin Mack. 6. player. 53. . FB
Back in 1984, the Browns used a first-round pick in the Supplemental Draft to obtain the rights to running back Kevin Mack. Unlike the Supplemental Draft of today, this one was a little different.
Back in this time, players had a couple of leagues to choose from. Mack spent the 1984 season with one of those leagues. This draft was used to gain the rights of these players, who were playing in leagues that started playing before the NFL did.
His first season as a pro football player saw Mack play as a member of the Los Angeles Express of the USFL. After that season, he joined the Browns in 1985 and made an immediate impact.
As a rookie in the NFL, ‘Mack Truck’ rolled over opponents to the tune of 1,104 yards. That proved to be a career-high for him, but more impressive was that he did this in the same season that Earnest Byner ran for 1,002 yards.
That kind of one-two punch in the backfield was nearly impossible to stop. However, the truth is the two may have actually hurt one another’s numbers some as neither put up the kind of yards in Cleveland that their talent suggests they should have.
In his nine seasons, Mack made two Pro Bowls and had 5,123 yards rushing with 46 touchdowns. He was never an incredibly versatile back, but was still effective catching the ball out of the backfield. Mack had 197 career receptions for 1,602 yards and eight more touchdowns.