The War Room: Lee Suggs, RB, Virginia Tech 
Running Back
Lee Suggs
College: Virginia Tech
Year: Senior
Height: 6’0"
Weight: 204
Birthday: August 11, 1980
Strengths: This was not how it was supposed to happen for Lee Suggs. The nation’s leading scorer in 2000 with 28 touchdowns was supposed to be the focal point of the post-Michael Vick Virginia Tech. That dream – not to mention his knee – was put on ice just more than a few minutes into the second half of his first game last season.
Pre-injury, Suggs was easily the top running back prospect of this class. He is a tough player who didn’t surrender a single fumble in 222 carries during the 2000 season. A powerful back, Suggs is a good blocker who can break his share of tackles. His combination of strength and speed is what can be most damaging to a defense. Suggs was a former track star for a state championship squad in high school.
"TD Lee" has a great work ethic off the field, especially in the weight room, and he is a role model for his teammates. Not unlike David Carr, Suggs is a very humble and unassuming person. He’s all business after scoring a touchdown, like he’s done it many times before. That’s because he has. A lot.
Areas for Concern: Suggs tore the ACL and medial meniscus in his left knee during the third quarter of the 2001 opener. He looked sharp in spring drills and is near 100 percent recovered. Suggs took a hit on his knee in a scrimmage earlier this year and still felt fine afterward. He may in fact be healthy enough to play, but will he still be the same explosive runner he was before the injury? We’ve seen it in the NFL too often, but such an injury can be devastating to a running back, both physically as well as mentally.
Even if he is healthy, Suggs will be fighting for playing time with Kevin Jones, who filled in admirably for Suggs last year. The two are expected to split time unless the Hokies’ coaching staff can figure out a way to get them both on the field together. Suggs is also an unknown quantity catching passes, only snaring three of them in 2000.
How Would He Look in Steel Blue? The Texans want a player like Suggs representing their organization. Growing up in the middle of Redskin country in Virginia, he must already possess disdain for the Cowboys, so that’s a plus.
Suggs is reminiscent of Terrell Davis, knee injury notwithstanding. He may be the one back of the 2003 class worthy of a top ten pick if he proves he is completely healed. The question here is whether Casserly is willing to go against his pattern of not taking a RB early in the first round, especially one with such an injury history. Only once as a general manager has Casserly taken a running back as early as the second round.
(profile written by Keith Weiland)
Lee Suggs‘ 2000 Stats G CAR YDS AVG TD 11 222 1,207 5.4 27 
Lee Suggs 
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>> Dahrran Diedrick
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>> Dwone Hicks
>> Onterrio Smith
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