Disclaimer, for the purposes of anything I say about a 2013 NFL Mock Draft as it relates to running backs: Anyone who followed our mock draft coverage last year will already know that I’m not a fan of teams drafting running backs early in the first round. It just doesn’t make sense; they have short functional lifespans and they’re increasingly marginalized as impact players both by their decline in playing time as individuals and their decline in offensive playbooks. With that in mind—I might not be objective enough on the question to call it, but could 2013 be the year teams stop overdrafting running backs?

The reason I ask: Marcus Lattimore is the first player chosen in the latest 2013 NFL Mock Draft from WalterFootball, and he’s all the way down at No. 14—behind three quarterbacks and three more wide receivers.

This could just be an issue of draft strength at the position, but the amount of quarterbacks and wide receivers picked first speaks to the new reality of NFL offenses: Passing is the focal point, and it’s only going to look more like the focal point in the future.

More NFL Mock Draft news and analysis from SB Nation St. Louis:

• It's worth remembering that we have a full year to see which quarterback ends up topping draft boards.
• If they do want to go a different direction, the middle of the first round is also well-stocked with offensive linemen.