Eastern Washington running back Taiwan Jones has declared early for the 2011 NFL Draft. Jones will skip his senior season after rushing for 1,742 yards and 17 total touchdowns in 2010. Jones was the co-offensive player of the year in the Big Sky conference and second in the FCS in both rushing yards and all purpose yards. ESPN's Joe Schad broke the news and considers Jones a sleeper. Although he is a relative unknown, Jones has the size (6'1", 200 pounds) and speed to play at the next level. He is currently ranked as the 13th best running back in the 2011 draft by CBS Sports.

Fantasy Analysis:

In a running back class that is lacking an identifiable second-tier of players, Jones can easily put together a good Combine and individual workouts to make a name for himself. This isn't necessarily a thin class, but it is lacking a sure-fire top prospect. Jones did recently break his foot, but he should be okay to run and show his talents before the draft. Jones currently projects as a fourth or fifth round prospect. But with the recent influx of underclassmen running backs to this draft, anything is possible due to a large grouping of players who are considered third to fifth round prospects.