Willie Parker goes from college bench to NFL starting lineup

Willie Parker prides himself on his speed, but even he didn't expect his NFL career to take off this quickly. A college backup two years ago, he is now the Pittsburgh Steelers' likely opening day starter at running back. But the speed that allowed Parker to gain 51 yards on his only carry against the Redskins and average 10.2 yards on his 11 preseason carries to date didn't help get him off the bench at North Carolina. He started only five games his final three seasons there, none as a senior, partly because he refused the coaching staff's suggestions he put on more weight to better handle the punishment a starting back gets. (Yahoo! Sports)