ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Usually experience matters in the NFL draft because a full resume is easier for talent evaluators to break down for strengths and weaknesses.
Unless you’re a running back. Then experience, carries and workload can be strikes against you.
Just ask Royce Freeman, the Oregon running back whom the Broncos selected in the third round of last week’s draft. Freeman was productive at Oregon (three 1,300-yard rushing seasons), he’s fast (a 4.5-second clocking in the 40-yard dash) and he’s powerful (229 pounds).
But Freeman was the eighth running back selected, and more than one personnel evaluator cited his 947 carries in four seasons with the Ducks as the reason.