After a season that could end up being the most productive in FBS history, Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon officially put his name into the 2015 NFL Draft on Tuesday.
This seemed like a foregone conclusion for the 6'1", 213-pound Heisman Trophy finalist. He's rushed for 2,336 yards and 26 touchdowns in his junior season and (briefly) held the FBS single-game rushing record when he ran for 408 yards against Nebraska on Nov. 15.
He needs 293 yards in Wisconsin's bowl game, which takes place Jan. 1 against Auburn in the Outback Bowl, to surpass Barry Sanders' record of 2,628 yards.
Now that the Badgers know for certain they won't have Gordon in the backfield in 2015, it's time to look at exactly how they'll manage without such a prolific rusher. Look at Wisconsin's overall rushing numbers, though, and it won't be as difficult as you'd think.
Wisconsin ranks fourth in the FBS in rushing offense, with 314 yards per game. Gordon was responsible for 179.7 of those, or 57.2 percent of the overall output, but he was by far the only rushing option.
Sophomore Corey Clement looks to be the main beneficiary of Gordon's departure, and his production over his first two years bodes well for the 5'11", 210-pound running back to be able to step nicely into the featured role.
He ran for 844 yards and nine touchdowns on just 132 carries this season—an average of 6.4 yards per carry.
Gordon commented on Clement back in August, per Jeff Potrykus of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
He can do it all. ... He is really, really, really aggressive. When he hits the hole, he is so low that you can barely tackle him. You really have to get your pads low when you play against him. He is fast, too. He has a burst, quick feet. He definitely brings a different element to the game.
Clement had three 100-yard rushing games this season, despite being the backup. That comes after a freshman campaign in 2013 in which he averaged 8.2 yards per carry and scored seven rushing TDs despite only running it 67 times.
Wisconsin also has a pair of freshman runners, Taiwan Deal and Caleb Kinlaw, who redshirted this season. Both were rated as 3-star prospects in the 2014 recruiting class by 247Sports.
Whoever is carrying the ball will be working behind a revamped offensive line, as Wisconsin is set to graduate three starters with a combined 95 starts.
Junior guard Ray Ball, who has appeared in 30 games over his career, figures to slide into openings in either the left or right spot. The other guard spot and right tackle Rob Havenstein figure to be replaced by young backups Trent Denlinger and Hayden Biegel.
Left tackle Tyler Marz should be back for his senior year, bringing with him 37 starts, along with center Dan Voltz, who has started 24 games over the past two seasons.
The key to replacing Gordon's production, though, lies in the direction Wisconsin goes at quarterback.
Juniors Joel Stave and Tanner McEvoy split time at the position this season, with the pro-style Stave missing the first four games with an injury before taking the bulk of the snaps over the final nine games.
He struggled, though, completing only 53.6 percent of his passes for eight touchdowns and seven interceptions.
McEvoy, a run-first quarterback, was third on the team in rushing with 574 yards and six TDs and an 8.8 yards-per-carry average.
Also expected to be in the mix: redshirting freshman D.J. Gillins, a 4-star recruit who was rated as the seventh-best dual-threat passer in the country last year.
Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.
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