This week the news broke in Patriots camp that second-year runner Shane Vereen was working in OTAs as the No.1 runner on the depth chart. Stevan Ridley was the projected lead back after the rookie from LSU had the better season in 2011. Of course, it’s easy to have the more impressive performance when the competition for that role missed much of training camp and the season dealing with a leg injury.

I wrote in 2011’s Rookie Scouting Portfolio that Shane Vereen has enough physical skill and talent to have a better career than former Cal teammate Jahvid Best. That might seem like an easy task considering that Best has incurred multiple concussions and his long-term career seems more questionable than when he entered the league a top-flight rookie prospect with skills and stylistic similarities that I think is a nice a blend of Marshall Faulk, Reggie Bush and Walter Payton.

Those a big names and I don’t expect Hall of Fame level production. However, I do expect big plays. Today I’m going to show you what I like about Shane Vereen and if he stays healthy, why he’ll have a significant impact for the Patriots in 2012. The links below will take you to the specific points of the highlight package I’m referencing throughout the article. Continue reading →