Montel Harris Tops the List of Underrated College Football Running Backs for 2010

While former Tennessee running back Bryce Brown texts his way out of Knoxville, a 5'7" speedster who goes by the name "Quizz" is preparing for another dominant year at Oregon State. All the while, bruisers like Alabama's Mark Ingram and Wisconsin's John Clay are hard at work in the gym, preparing to go to battle with some of the top teams in all of college football.

With all of this future NFL talent clogging up the pre-season headlines, numerous first-rate running backs have managed to stay under the radar leading up to the 2010 season.

Montel Harris - Boston College
While its hard to classify Harris as "overlooked" seeing as though he's popped up on few publication's "top 10 running back" lists, I feel he still isn't getting all the credit he deserves. Harris doesn't pose much of a threat as a receiver out of the backfield, but his running ability is absolutely ridiculous. If you don't believe me, just ask NC State's defense; they were torched by Harris for 264 yards and 5 touchdowns on only 27 carries last year. Considering the experience of the offensive line and the fact that this guy is yet to fumble in an Eagle uniform, opposing defenses should be prepared for the worst in 2010.

Donald Buckram - University of Texas at El Paso
An experienced senior, Buckram really came into his own last season, rushing for over 200 yards on three separate occasions. This running back possesses good speed, great balance, and has demonstrated a superior ability to beat both linebackers and safeties for the big run. With a strong and experienced offensive line leading the way in 2010, Buckram has the potential for yet another 1,500+ yard season on the ground.

Taiwan Jones - Eastern Washington University
A threat on the ground and through the air, this converted cornerback was able to rack up nearly 1,800 all-purpose yards and 19 touchdowns last season. His best performance came against Sacramento State, where he ran for 190 yards and four touchdowns on only 15 carries (he averaged more than ten yards per carry on three separate occasions last year). Jones has already attracted some attention from NFL scouts, but if he has another season like he did last year, you can bet his name will be tossed around with some of the best in college football.

Da'Rel Scott - University of Maryland
Scott has battled injuries most of his career; most notably last season when he was faced with a broken wrist. While many critics have claimed that Scott is both injury and fumble prone, this powerful running back will have a chance to shut them up in 2010 as he returns for his senior season. Terp fans are definitely hoping that Scott can return to his 2008 form, when he ran for over 1,100 yards despite a nagging shoulder injury. If he can make it through a full season healthy, I look for this senior to be one of the ACC's biggest producers on the ground in 2010.

Honorable Mention:
Derrick Locke - University of Kentucky
Tauren Poole - University of Tennessee

"Montel Harris" - ESPN.com
"Donald Buckram" - ESPN.com
"Taiwan Jones" - ESPN.com