“Running backs aren't important.”
It's a phrase that has become popular in football over the past decade as analytics and advanced statistics have become more important at all levels of the sport. The assertion is that while the position matters, no running back is better than another. While this idea has been proven true at the NFL level, there's no doubt that running backs are still incredibly important at the college level.
A good running back can make a big difference for a college team – just look at how important Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards were for the Michigan Wolverines last season. Every year, the College Football Playoff is filled with teams with stars at the position, and things won't be much different in 2024, even with the expanded CFP field.
In fact, in the CFP expansion era, the position may become even more important. Running backs take more hits, so having talented players at the position is just as important. And with more games to play between the national titles, fresh legs could be more important than ever.
Which teams have the best running back depth in the country? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I would say these are the top five.
The Buckeyes have no shortage of running backs, and 2024 will be no exception. Tre'Veyon Henderson surprised some by returning for his senior season (NIL > NFL for running backs) after rushing for 926 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2023. Henderson has carried most of the running load for the Buckeyes, but he'll get more help this fall.
The Buckeyes also acquired former Mississippi running back Quinsion Judkins through the transfer portal. Judkins only managed 2,723 rushing yards and 31 touchdowns over the past two years with the Rebels. Those touchdowns may be his biggest draw for Ohio State, which struggled in the red zone last season. In addition to those two, the Buckeyes also have freshman running back James Peoples, who is No. 7 on the 2024 high school freshman enrollment list.
Georgia had Sony Michel, Nick Chubb, D'Andre Swift, James Cook and Zamir White selected in the NFL Draft from 2018-2022, and Todd Gurley was selected 10th overall in 2015. Neither of last season's top two rushers, Daijun Edwards and Kendall Milton, return, but the Bulldogs made a big move in the portal this offseason by acquiring Trevor Etienne.
The younger brother of former Clemson running back Travis Etienne, now with the Jacksonville Jaguars, is leaving Florida, the Duggs' archrival, where he rushed for 753 yards and eight touchdowns and caught the ball for 172 yards on 21 catches. Behind Etienne is Brunson Robinson, who was the No. 2 back in the 2022 class but missed last season with a torn patellar tendon, and Roderick Robinson, a top-10 back in the 2023 class, who will have a bigger role this season.
Just in case any of them get injured, Georgia added three more four-star running backs in their latest freshman recruiting run: Nathaniel Frazier, Chauncey Bowens and Dwight Phillips I don’t know if you’ve heard, but Georgia is recruiting some pretty good players.
I'm not sure we'll ever get used to thinking of Kansas as one of the most talented college football teams in the country, but that will be a reality in 2024, especially at the running back position. Devin Neal, while not a big name, was one of the best running backs in the country last season. He has been one of the most productive running backs in the country over the past two seasons, throwing for 2,373 yards and 25 touchdowns. Neal has also been a valuable weapon in the passing game, with 53 career receptions for 457 yards and three touchdowns.
Daniel Hishaw was a solid second-stringer to Neal last season, rushing for 626 yards and eight touchdowns, and he's also back for the 2024 season. Both are fearsome in the open field, and their combination of size and agility makes them real nuisances for tacklers.
4. Texas
Jonathan Brooks was the Longhorns' rushing leader last season with 1,139 yards, but he's moved on to the NFL. Texas doesn't have to worry about moving to the SEC because even if Brooks is good, they have the talent to step up. CJ Baxter was Brooks' primary backup last season, and the No. 22 player (No. 1 running back) in the 2023 class started his freshman season slow. But in November, Baxter rushed for 90 yards on 10 carries against Kansas State and then rushed for over 100 yards for the first time against Iowa State. Baxter finished the season averaging over seven yards per carry and scoring a touchdown against Washington in the Sugar Bowl.
Jadon Blue is one of the top running backs in the 2022 class and will have a bigger role this year. Blue rushed for 398 yards last season, averaging 6.12 yards per carry. Blue was also more explosive than Baxter in catching passes, catching 14 passes for 135 yards, averaging over three yards more than Baxter. This is a well-rounded unit that complements each other well, with Jerrick Gibson, the No. 3 running back in the 2024 class, behind the two.
Last season, UCF's Rocky Harvey rushed for 1,416 yards, sixth in the nation. That's 16 more yards than Toledo's Penny Boone, who rushed for 1,400 yards, eighth in the nation. In 2024, they'll be in the same backfield. Boone, last year's MAC Offensive Player of the Year, transferred to UCF in May, giving the Knights the most productive backfield in the country. Though he's not a running back, the Knights did acquire quarterback KJ Jefferson from the portal. He's literally a tank pretending to be a human quarterback. I have no physical evidence of this, but I can trust my eyes.
Then there's Johnny Richardson, who was second to Harvey in rushing for the Knights last season, averaging 6.59 yards per carry. Those three running backs teamed up with Jefferson and Gus Malzahn on offense? Come on in, guys.
Honorable Mention
- Miami (Damien Martinez, Mark Fletcher, Ajay Allen)
- Pennsylvania State University (Nicholas Singleton, Kaytron Allen)
- Kansas State University (DJ Giddens, Dylan Edwards)
- Ole Miss (Ulysses Bentley, Henry Parish Jr., Jacory Closkey Merritt)
- Oregon (Jordan James, Noah Whittington)
