Alfred Morris and Production Through Three Years

by Chase Stuart on December 21, 2014

The 2012 OROY and Washington’s most productive player from the 2012 draft

Alfred Morris was just a sixth round pick. During his rookie season, he happened to play alongside the eventual offensive rookie of the year. Since then, RG3 has continued to dominate headlines, while Morris continues to plug away without garnering a fraction of the attention. For example, did you know that Morris has now hit the 1,000-yard mark for the third straight season? He’s also rushed for 7 touchdowns each year in his career.

Do you know how many other players have rushed for 1,000 yards and seven scores in each of their first three seasons? Seven: Earl Campbell, Ottis Anderson, Eric Dickerson, Barry Sanders, LaDainian Tomlinson, Adrian Peterson, and Chris Johnson. That’s five Hall of Fame caliber running backs and Anderson/Johnson, a duo that has combined for nearly 19,000 rushing yards and still counting.

Morris has rushed for 3,919 yards and 27 touchdowns in his career, with one game left in his third season. In addition to the six of the seven players above (Anderson had 26 rushing touchdowns through three years), only five other players have hit those marks through three years: Clinton Portis, Terrell Davis, Emmitt Smith, Edgerrin James, and Walter Payton.

In other words, Morris’ production through three years puts him in in the inner circle of elite running back performance. Of the thirteen running backs mentioned in this post, ten were first round picks. The eleventh was Portis, a player who fell to the second round solely due to concerns about his size and durability. None of the other players were drafted in the second, third, fourth, or fifth rounds; the other two were Morris and Davis, both six round picks under Mike Shanahan.

Morris has been the bell cow for Washington: the team’s number two running back has averaged about 200 rushing yards per season, a pretty stark departure from the current trend of running back by committee. Still, it seems as though Morris never quite gets his due among NFL observers. He has averaged 4.54 yards per carry; I’m not a big fan of that metric, but it’s certainly a good number for those who like that stat. No, the reason Morris tends to be ignored is because he’s a one-dimensional player. And in today’s pass-heavy NFL, that’s a pretty big black mark on the resume.

There have been 144 players who entered the league between 1950 and 2012 and who rushed for at least 2,000 yards in their first three seasons. Of those, only five had a higher percentage of their yards from scrimmage come on the ground than Morris.

Rk	Running Back	From	Tm	Att	Rush Yd	YPC	TD	Yds	Perc
1	Andra Franklin	1981	MIA	602	2158	3.58	22	15	99.3%
2	Eddie Price	1950	NYG	580	2422	4.18	16	85	96.6%
3	Earl Campbell*	1978	OTI	1043	5081	4.87	45	189	96.4%
4	Stevan Ridley	2011	NWE	555	2477	4.46	20	126	95.2%
5	George Rogers	1981	NOR	756	3353	4.44	21	216	93.9%
6	Alfred Morris	2012	WAS	843	3919	4.55	27	291	93.1%
7	Marion Butts	1989	SDG	628	2742	4.37	23	229	92.3%
8	Antowain Smith	1997	BUF	659	2578	3.91	22	220	92.1%
9	Errict Rhett	1994	TAM	792	2757	3.48	21	240	92%
10	Christian Okoye	1987	KAN	632	2613	4.13	18	232	91.8%
11	LenDale White	2006	OTI	564	2127	3.77	22	190	91.8%
12	Rueben Mayes	1986	NOR	699	2898	4.15	16	267	91.6%
13	Jim Brown*	1957	CLE	749	3798	5.07	40	383	90.8%
14	Mario Bates	1994	NOR	559	2114	3.78	17	220	90.6%
15	Jonathan Stewart	2008	CAR	583	2739	4.7	22	289	90.5%
16	Beanie Wells	2009	CRD	537	2237	4.17	19	269	89.3%
17	William Green	2002	CLE	548	2031	3.71	9	247	89.2%
18	Natrone Means	1993	SDG	689	2725	3.96	25	340	88.9%
19	Jim Nance	1965	NWE	679	2995	4.41	23	382	88.7%
20	Tatum Bell	2004	DEN	481	2342	4.87	13	299	88.7%
21	Anthony Thomas	2001	CHI	736	2928	3.98	19	377	88.6%
22	Bobby Humphrey	1989	DEN	593	2386	4.02	14	308	88.6%
23	Eric Dickerson*	1983	RAM	1061	5147	4.85	44	669	88.5%
24	Eddie George	1996	OTI	1040	4061	3.9	19	536	88.3%
25	Ryan Grant	2007	GNB	782	3412	4.36	23	458	88.2%
26	Cadillac Williams	2005	TAM	569	2184	3.84	10	294	88.1%
27	Bo Jackson	1987	RAI	390	2084	5.34	11	284	88%
28	Fred Lane	1997	CAR	502	2001	3.99	13	275	87.9%
29	Shonn Greene	2009	NYJ	546	2360	4.32	10	331	87.7%
30	John Brockington	1971	GNB	755	3276	4.34	15	469	87.5%
31	Leonard Russell	1991	NWE	689	2437	3.54	13	350	87.4%
32	Willis McGahee	2004	BUF	868	3365	3.88	24	503	87%
33	Mike Anderson	2000	DEN	556	2551	4.59	21	382	87%
34	Willie Parker	2004	PIT	624	2882	4.62	17	456	86.3%
35	Walter Payton*	1975	CHI	846	3921	4.63	34	631	86.1%
36	Julius Jones	2004	DAL	721	2896	4.02	16	469	86.1%
37	Franco Harris*	1972	PIT	584	2759	4.72	18	449	86%
38	Karim Abdul-Jabbar	1996	MIA	860	2968	3.45	32	502	85.5%
39	Earnest Jackson	1983	TOT	589	2246	3.81	13	390	85.2%
40	John Stephens	1988	NWE	753	2809	3.73	13	501	84.9%
41	Rashard Mendenhall	2008	PIT	585	2439	4.17	20	445	84.6%
42	Travis Henry	2001	BUF	869	3523	4.05	27	646	84.5%
43	Adrian Peterson	2007	MIN	915	4484	4.9	40	829	84.4%
44	Paul Robinson	1968	CIN	547	2134	3.9	18	407	84%
45	Ricky Bell	1977	TAM	616	2378	3.86	14	458	83.9%
46	Barry Foster	1990	PIT	522	2381	4.56	13	463	83.7%
47	Emmitt Smith*	1990	DAL	979	4213	4.3	41	821	83.7%
48	Harold Green	1990	CIN	506	2254	4.45	5	440	83.7%
49	Jamal Lewis	2000	RAV	1004	4757	4.74	26	943	83.5%
50	Pete Johnson	1977	CIN	576	2212	3.84	25	439	83.4%
51	Alan Ameche	1955	CLT	535	2312	4.32	22	467	83.2%
52	Don Perkins	1961	DAL	571	2374	4.16	18	486	83%
53	Clinton Portis	2002	TOT	906	4414	4.87	34	913	82.9%
54	Jerome Bettis	1993	RAM	796	3091	3.88	13	643	82.8%
55	Corey Dillon	1997	CIN	758	3459	4.56	19	727	82.6%
56	Terrell Davis	1995	DEN	951	4405	4.63	35	964	82%
57	Chris Johnson	2008	OTI	925	4598	4.97	34	1008	82%
58	Fred Taylor	1998	JAX	715	3354	4.69	32	744	81.8%
59	DeAngelo Williams	2006	CAR	538	2733	5.08	23	609	81.8%
60	Mike Rozier	1985	OTI	561	2081	3.71	15	468	81.6%
61	Rick Casares	1955	CHI	563	2498	4.44	22	564	81.6%
62	Bam Morris	1994	TOT	518	2132	4.12	20	482	81.6%
63	Napoleon Kaufman	1995	RAI	530	2658	5.02	8	608	81.4%
64	Ottis Anderson	1979	CRD	960	4333	4.51	26	1003	81.2%
65	Curtis Martin*	1995	NWE	958	3799	3.97	32	890	81%
66	Reggie Cobb	1990	TAM	657	2403	3.66	18	566	80.9%
67	Sammy Winder	1982	DEN	559	2169	3.88	8	521	80.6%
68	Terry Allen	1991	MIN	641	2795	4.36	23	675	80.5%
69	Wilbert Montgomery	1977	PHI	642	2915	4.54	20	707	80.5%
70	Johnny Johnson	1990	CRD	608	2326	3.83	15	569	80.3%
71	Barry Sanders*	1989	DET	877	4322	4.93	43	1069	80.2%
72	Chris Brown	2003	OTI	500	2139	4.28	11	535	80%
73	Curt Warner	1983	SEA	636	2583	4.06	21	651	79.9%
74	Marshawn Lynch	2007	BUF	650	2601	4	17	663	79.7%
75	Paul Lowe	1960	SDG	488	2632	5.39	25	671	79.7%
76	Freeman McNeil	1981	NYJ	448	2063	4.6	9	530	79.6%
77	Larry Johnson	2003	KAN	476	2416	5.08	30	623	79.5%
78	Doug Martin	2012	TAM	552	2279	4.13	14	602	79.1%
79	Tony Collins	1981	NWE	587	2554	4.35	18	676	79.1%
80	Craig James	1984	NWE	577	2444	4.24	10	648	79%
81	Nick Pietrosante	1959	DET	438	2160	4.93	16	584	78.7%
82	Marion Barber	2005	DAL	477	2167	4.54	29	593	78.5%
83	Gerald Riggs	1982	ATL	531	2222	4.18	26	611	78.4%
84	Larry Brown	1969	WAS	692	2961	4.28	13	819	78.3%
85	John Riggins*	1971	NYJ	521	2195	4.21	12	619	78%
86	Johnny Roland	1966	CRD	547	2026	3.7	17	579	77.8%
87	Cookie Gilchrist	1962	BUF	676	3056	4.52	31	875	77.7%
88	Rodney Hampton	1990	NYG	622	2655	4.27	26	772	77.5%
89	DeMarco Murray	2011	DAL	542	2681	4.95	15	780	77.5%
90	Michael Bennett	2001	MIN	517	2425	4.69	8	709	77.4%
91	Dickie Post	1967	SDG	494	2294	4.64	16	678	77.2%
92	Tony Dorsett*	1977	DAL	748	3439	4.6	25	1026	77%
93	Shaun Alexander	2000	SEA	668	2806	4.2	32	844	76.9%
94	Frank Gore	2005	SFO	699	3405	4.87	16	1052	76.4%
95	Kevan Barlow	2001	SFO	471	2211	4.69	14	690	76.2%
96	Hoyle Granger	1966	OTI	494	2430	4.92	14	765	76.1%
97	Lawrence McCutcheon	1972	RAM	446	2206	4.95	5	697	76%
98	Duce Staley	1997	PHI	590	2367	4.01	9	748	76%
99	Mike Garrett	1966	KAN	547	2452	4.48	18	795	75.5%
100	Kevin Mack	1985	CLE	597	2504	4.19	22	812	75.5%
101	Delvin Williams	1974	SFO	401	2035	5.07	13	662	75.5%
102	Kevin Jones	2004	DET	608	2486	4.09	16	809	75.4%
103	Deuce McAllister	2001	NOR	692	3120	4.51	22	1034	75.1%
104	Joseph Addai	2006	CLT	642	2697	4.2	24	895	75.1%
105	Ryan Mathews	2010	SDG	564	2476	4.39	14	852	74.4%
106	LaDainian Tomlinson	2001	SDG	1024	4564	4.46	37	1581	74.3%
107	Ricky Williams	1999	NOR	814	3129	3.84	16	1092	74.1%
108	Edgerrin James	1999	CLT	907	3924	4.33	29	1373	74.1%
109	Jamaal Charles	2008	KAN	487	2944	6.05	12	1037	74%
110	Ronnie Brown	2005	MIA	567	2517	4.44	13	897	73.7%
111	Mike Thomas	1975	WAS	717	2826	3.94	12	1018	73.5%
112	Gale Sayers*	1965	CHI	581	2978	5.13	29	1080	73.4%
113	Chuck Muncie	1976	NOR	510	2027	3.97	15	753	72.9%
114	Joe Cribbs	1980	BUF	697	2915	4.18	17	1117	72.3%
115	Domanick Williams	2003	HTX	770	3195	4.15	23	1276	71.5%
116	LeSean McCoy	2009	PHI	635	3026	4.77	28	1215	71.4%
117	Steven Jackson	2004	RAM	734	3247	4.42	25	1315	71.2%
118	Thurman Thomas*	1988	BUF	776	3422	4.41	19	1409	70.8%
119	Ken Willard	1965	SFO	549	2051	3.74	15	846	70.8%
120	William Andrews	1979	ATL	793	3632	4.58	17	1500	70.8%
121	Billy Sims	1980	DET	781	3379	4.33	30	1414	70.5%
122	Greg Bell	1984	BUF	575	2360	4.1	19	995	70.3%
123	C.J. Spiller	2010	BUF	388	2088	5.38	10	885	70.2%
124	Arian Foster	2009	HTX	659	3097	4.7	29	1314	70.2%
125	Matt Snell	1964	NYJ	562	2355	4.19	13	1003	70.1%
126	Trent Richardson	2012	TOT	606	2020	3.33	17	895	69.3%
127	Matt Forte	2008	CHI	811	3236	3.99	18	1495	68.4%
128	Tony Reed	1977	KAN	445	2004	4.5	8	960	67.6%
129	Marshall Faulk*	1994	CLT	801	2947	3.68	29	1425	67.4%
130	Terry Metcalf	1973	CRD	465	2162	4.65	17	1071	66.9%
131	Ray Rice	2008	RAV	668	3013	4.51	12	1531	66.3%
132	Ricky Watters	1992	SFO	653	2840	4.35	25	1450	66.2%
133	Darren McFadden	2008	RAI	440	2013	4.58	12	1037	66%
134	Warrick Dunn	1997	TAM	664	2620	3.95	6	1395	65.3%
135	Sherman Smith	1976	SEA	447	2105	4.71	14	1169	64.3%
136	Maurice Jones-Drew	2006	JAX	530	2533	4.78	34	1408	64.3%
137	Billy Cannon	1960	OTI	499	2066	4.14	14	1224	62.8%
138	Ted Brown	1979	MIN	623	2526	4.05	15	1514	62.5%
139	Marcus Allen*	1982	RAI	701	2879	4.11	33	1749	62.2%
140	Abner Haynes	1960	KAN	556	2765	4.97	31	1707	61.8%
141	Chuck Foreman	1973	MIN	661	2648	4.01	26	1639	61.8%
142	Herschel Walker	1986	DAL	721	3142	4.36	24	2057	60.4%
143	Joe Washington	1977	TOT	544	2057	3.78	4	1371	60%
144	Roger Craig	1983	SFO	545	2424	4.45	24	2118	53.4%

Of those five players, one was a fullback with just 2,158 rushing yards through three years, one began his career in 1950, and a third was Stevan Ridley (I’m not quite sure what to do with him). The fourth and fifth were a Hall of Famer and George Rogers, a Hall of Fame caliber player and Heisman Trophy winner who had his career cut short by injuries.

And that brings us to #6 on the list in Morris. The Washington back doesn’t quite have the raw talent of a Campbell or Rogers, and is too one-dimensional to stand out in today’s game. But given all the mess in Washington, it’s worth pointing out the quiet production of a player who has gone under-appreciated.

Tagged as: Alfred Morris

{ 3 comments }