The number one touchdown machine during the 2006 college football season was Boise State junior running back Ian Johnson. Johnson finished the season (2006) ranked first in the nation in scoring with 25 touchdowns. He also finished eighth in the Heisman Trophy voting and was named a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award. The 5' 11" 185 pound speedster ranked second in the country in rushing averaging142.83 yards per game, and an impressive 6.2 yards per carry average. Ian Johnson and Boise State are very underrated and whenever Johnson enters the NFL Draft, either this year or next, he will be a highly sought after NFL Prospect.
Wide receiver Jarrett Dillard (junior) from unheralded Rice University is the Rodney Dangerfield of college football, he scored 21 touchdowns last year, but you rarely he his named mentioned as an elite NFL Draft Prospect. His TD total ranked him 3rd in the nation in scoring. He is a little small at 5' 11" 184 pounds, but he is lightening fast and has a knack for getting open. Dillard runs crisp routes and rarely drops a pass, especially in the end zone. Look how impressive his 21 touchdowns were, he was the only receiver to finish ranked in the top 20 in scoring last year (2006). Dillard is on the 2007 NFL Draft Dog College Football Preseason All-American Team.
Running Back Ray Rice (junior)
has been written about a lot this year already. Rice rose along with Rutgers into national prominence last year (2006) and along the way he plunged into the end zone 20 times. At 5' 9" 202 pounds he runs low to the ground (literally) and has great strength and balance. Some running backs seem to get some extra strength and adrenaline when they get close to the end zone. Emmett Smith had a nose for the end zone when he was in his prime, the Dallas Cowboys' Marion Barber seems to have it now, and Ray Rice also seems to be in that same category.
Junior Quarterback Pat White from West Virginia is a serious touchdown machine, last year (2006) he scored 18 touchdowns, mostly with his legs running the ball. White is a supreme athlete; he turned down a major league baseball contract with the California Angels and has been timed with low 4.4 speed. White's yards per carry average was an amazing 7.3. You have to wonder about his future in the NFL though, with a mediocre arm and a 57% completion percentage, we might see a switch to receiver in his future.
Pat White's team mate running back Steve Slaton scored 18 touchdowns as a sophomore last year (2006). His 18 TDs were impressive indeed, but he was also arguable the best pass catching running back in the nation. Slaton was the 2nd ranked all purpose back in the nation. He finished with 360 receiving yards to go along with his 1,744 rushing. Slaton line up all over the field similar to how USC utilized Reggie Bush when he was in college.
Running Back/Full Back Jorvorskie Lane (junior) is an interesting touchdown machine. With his amazing size (6' 0" 275 pounds) he is almost automatic inside the five yard line. Lane powered the ball in the end zone 19 times last year. Texas A&M has a heck of a thunder and lightning combination at running back with power back Lane and super speed demon sophomore Mike Goodson. Lane finished ranked 8th in the nation over-all and 4th among running backs in scoring with 8.77 points per game.
Virginia Tech running back Brandon Ore is yet another ultra talented underclassman. Ore scored 17 touchdowns last year (2006). The 5' 11" 202 pound first team All-ACC running back also recorded an impressive 5.9 yards per carry average. Ore finished 25th in the nation in rushing with 1,137 rushing yards. Ore blends a delightful combination of speed, strength and balance and has already developed into an elite NFL Draft Prospect.
Junior running back James Davis from Clemson is a legitimate touchdown machine with excellent NFL potential. He has decent size at 5' 11" 205 pounds and his production last year as a sophomore was outstanding. He finished ranked 17th in the nation in scoring with 17 touchdowns. He accumulated 1,187 rushing yards and his 5.8 yards per carry average was among the best in college football.
Running back P.J. Hill is the only super sophomore on this list, but he is indeed worthy. The 5' 11" 222 pound, Wisconsin super star was the Big Ten Freshman of the year in 2006 and he scored 16 touchdowns with a 5 yards per carry average. Hill ranked 8th in the nation in rushing with 1,569 yards. Hill is very shifty and powerful and also seems to have a nose for the end zone. The NFL will have to wait one or two years for this guy, but eventually he will be toting the pig skin on Sundays.
Not many football fans have ever heard of Tulsa running back Courtney Tennial, but his opponents are sure to remember his 16 touchdowns that he scored last year (2006). His 16 touchdowns ranked him 25th nationally in scoring, but his 16 TDs ranked him 11th among running backs. Not real big at 5' 9" 215 pounds, but the transfer from Oklahoma has power in his legs and the speed to get outside. His 4.9 yards per carry average were nothing to sneeze at.
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