Round 4, Pick 21: Kenneth Dixon, RB, Louisiana Tech
Sure Kenneth Dixon played in Conference USA for Louisiana Tech, but he put up some sensational numbers that shouldn’t be ignored, although they probably will be.
Teams often overlook talented running backs based on their competition, the most recent being David Johnson of the Arizona Cardinals. Johnson had a stellar junior year at Northern Iowa where he finished with 1,553 yards on 287 carries and added 17 touchdowns.
He lasted until late in the third round and despite being third on the depth chart at one point, the rookie had a 4.6 yard per carry average for the Cards and wound up with 581 yards and eight touchdowns. He added another 457 yards on 36 catches with four touchdowns.
That success shows why a talented back shouldn’t be ignored because of his school, and Houston gets the benefit of taking a chance here on a smaller school kid in Dixon.
In four seasons, Dixon rushed for 4,483 yards on 802 carries (5.6 yards per rush) and a whopping 72 touchdowns. He added 87 receptions for 969 yards and 15 more scores.
Dixon topped 20 touchdowns on the ground in a season twice, by hitting 27 in his freshman season and 22 during his junior year.
The rookie could be a potential replacement for superstar running back Arian Foster, who may be on his way out due to continued injuries.
Next: Round 5, first selection