Hes exactly what new coach Steve Sarkisian needs. Brooks had a fantastic 2021, finishing with nearly 1,300 yards and scored 13 touchdowns. Valladay averaged 110 yards per game in an abbreviated 2020 season. You can say hes way too high. Ford was key to getting Cincinnati to the College Football Playoff for the first time. 1 back in a Wisconsin offense that lost its identity early in the season. About Saturday Down South | Ethics and Editorial Standards | Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions | Do Not Sell My Personal Information. He had less than 200 carries, but every single one was impactful. Badie declared for the draft and the Tigers are certainly going to miss the former three-star prospects presence in the backfield in 2022. Bijan Robinson, Texas Louisiana Monroe v Texas The running back group might not be as star-studded and recognized by the general NFL fans as the. New coach Nick Rolovich likes to throw to backs, too, which means Borghi could be one of the most effective dual-threat RBs in the country this fall. No single rusher embodies the phrase running backs do matter more than Bijan Robinson. Is White too low? Jarquez Hunter, Auburn The state of Texas plays host to two top 25 college football running backs, which should come to the surprise of absolutely nobody. He owned one of the 10 highest rushing grades in the Power Five from Week 10 on (82.9). Robinson was a five-star recruit in the 2020 class, according to 247Sports, and dazzled down the stretch of his true freshman campaign. Stroud will make for a deadly backfield duo in year two together next season. Its always an adventure in Columbia, S.C., these days, but Harris is Mr. Yes, you read that correctly: Allgeier had only 26 career carries entering the 2020 season but still managed to finish the year with a 93.1 rushing grade, the second-best behind Javonte Williams. Tyler Goodson, Iowa From the college perspective, the top running backs in the 2021 NFL Draft are Ranking the Top 25 running backs in college football in 2021 Phil Ervin | 1 year ago 2022 Rankings Presented by The Sermon is over. 14. And FBS No. Every time this man touched the football, he was a threat to score. If he played in the Armed Forces Bowl, perhaps the Tigers wouldve taken down Army. The 6-foot, 204-pound freshman was the third-highest-graded ball carrier in the FBS behind Javonte Williams and Khalil Herbertbefore suffering an injury in Week 12 against Tennessee. Hes averaging a ridiculous 9.57 yards per carry so far this season, good enough for second in the nation behind Auburns Jarquez Hunter. Breece Hall Last season, Breece Hall has quickly become very successful and led the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) in rushing yards. Robinson runs violently and will be one of the toughest guys to bring down in 2021 he averaged over 4.0 yards after contact per attempt and broke 23 tackles in 2020. Four QBs named Heisman finalists. Terion Stewart, Bowling Green Bowling Green's offense struggled to get on track in 2020, but coach Scot Loeffler found a. TreVeyon Henderson 3. News Bot. The Tigers entered the SEC coaching carousel and are in a time of transition. Some might consider this ranking disrespectful, as Hall led the country with 1,562 rushing yards in 2020, but lets not forget that he also saw 28 more carries than any other back and was one of six backs with over 200 carries. In 4 games during a COVID-shortened season, he averaged a nation-leading 10 yards per carry. Kind of. Sean Tucker, Syracuse Good luck catching him from. Those, of course, were all three backs who played a pivotal role for College Football Playoff teams as game-changers at an evolving position. He has breakout written all over him for the 2021 season. Before the season, I expected Sincere McCormick to break 1,500 rushing yards this fall. While a team like Michigan State had success without Walker, he was impactful immediately after transferring in from Wake Forest. Every day, get free NFL updates sent straight to your inbox! His career has been more about quality than quantity to this point, but expect plenty of both during Rodriguezs redshirt junior season. 15. The former three-star prospect put up those numbers despite sharing the load in Iowa's backfield. 2. In his first two games, he averaged no more than 4.3 yards per carry, totaling a relatively substandard 69 total yards in each game. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. However, if you watch him on film, you see a player whos much more talented than those stats. These power rankings are adjusted based on coach, quarterback and the market each season. Blake Corum, Michigan Can your running back chase down a defender with a freshly intercepted ball in his hand, climb on his back, and punch out said ball, allowing another player to recover the ball for your team? Furthermore, hes been a constant threat as a receiving back, totaling at least 100+ receiving yards and a touchdown in each of the last three seasons. Spiller already projects as a 1st-round pick in 2022 heading into his junior season. You wont find Spiller among the top 25 running backs in terms of total yardage, yards per carry, or even touchdowns. Robinson is a home run threat every time he touches the football and can do it in the passing game as well. He wasnt on the radar at first, but Walker emerged as the best running back in college football this season. List of Military Colleges and their Academies in 2021 Trident University 2021: Acceptance rate, Admission, Courses, Tuition fees, Aid Having a back with Borghi's receiving chops and speed is a huge plus. Robinson has been a key backup over the last four years and is set to take on a starting role in his super senior season this fall. 2023 Best College Running Back Players (0) 2023 . Perhaps the biggest sleeper on this list, Allgeier walked on at BYU in 2018 and was a linebacker till last season. If he gets that opportunity, he could make ranking him even 10th look quite silly. Just last season, we saw Najee Harris play a critical role for Alabama, Travis Etienne shoulder a huge load from the backfield in Clemson, and even Trey Sermon shine bright in the spotlight. Brooks ran for over 1,000 yards in 2019 but opted out of last season. A foot injury limited him last season, but the son of former Aggies tight end Fred Spiller has all the makings of a successful NFL running back. Here are the top-25 running backs in college football during 2021. This was an especially hard list to make. Find out where your favorite Runningbacks stacks up against the 2023 class and view expert mock drafts. 8. So who are those game-changing types of running backs going to be in the 2021 college football season? Ealy was a 2019 four-star recruit who didn't put up monstrous box score numbers in 2020, but he consistently showed up and got the job done. He has rushed for 100+ yards and 2 touchdowns in each of his last three appearances, moving into the top 10 college football running backs in the nation for total yards and rushing touchdowns. 0.9834. All College Football news fromFanSided Daily, Red Sox: Alex Coras comments after Yankees sweep arent good enough, College football rankings: Top 10 wide receivers of 2021, Top 5 NFL QB Prospects Heading Into 2021 College Football Season, Ranking the top 20 college football coaches for 2021, College football rankings: Sam Howell, Spencer Rattler and the top 20 quarterbacks of 2021. But playing behind one of the countrys best offensive lines, he earned Pro Football Focus No. Chuba Hubbard, RB, Oklahoma State Height: 6'1 Weight: 207 Strengths: Great at getting through the line of scrimmage. Before that, he was catching passes out of the backfield in Mike Leachs Air Raid offense. These are fun times in Ames at the moment, and the countrys leading rusher in 2020 is a big reason. Zane Dudek, Yale 23. CLICK HERE to download the CBS Sports Mobile App and get the latest on your team today. Sure, it was not a 2,000 yard season, but Hall proved to be one of the best again. And Jaret jetted for D.C.. Get the fastest scores, stats, news, LIVE videos, and more. Hall had a quiet year compared to the preseason expectations but he still finished No. 2005-2022 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. He has a laser arm and accuracy and can run a 4.66 40-yard dash. Him and quarterback C.J. Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans. Get the latest NFL Draft prospect rankings from CBS Sports. Ulysses Bentley IV, SMU 8 in the country in rushing. Based on what he did in two seasons with the Volunteers, it might seem like an odd inclusion. TANK BIGSBY, AUBURN (Photo: John David Mercer, USA TODAY Sports) A true freshman in 2020, Bigsby. 2022 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. Unlock all tools and content including Player Grades, Fantasy, NFL Draft, Premium Stats, Greenline and DFS. 17. 1 in Pro Football Focus rankings. Harris was a breakout star last season. But despite the discrepancy between the box score and the play-level production, Hall still lands comfortably into this top 10. At some points, Tucker and Ali were in the lead or near it for rushing in the country. 25. So without further ado, here are my top five college running backs for the 2021 NFL draft. Evans didnt have the same consistently explosive start to his career as Robinson. Robinson was also productive on the receiving front with 1.63 yards per route run and 10 total receptions resulting in a 10-plus yard gain. Good luck finding a better backfield in FBS this fall. However, be under no illusion theyre among the best in the nation. Scout Trout Elite & ESPN Plus 2021 & 2022 top RB recruits are nationally ranked top 2022 running back & all-purpose back recruits on College Football Today RokFin's 2022 Top RB Recruit Rankings. 13. Although his 510 rushing yards through Week 5 rank just 18th in the nation, Hendersons 9.44 yards per carry is good enough for fourth among all college football running backs. Some teams could not function without their running backs on offense, making them that much more valuable. As we approach the mid-point of the 2021 college football season, the lack of dominant individual running backs is readily apparent. Kennedy Brooks returns to Oklahoma after opting out in 2020 but Grays arrival should push Brooks to a backup role. Kansas State Wildcats (Deuce Vaughn) Kentucky Wildcats (Chris Rodriguez Jr.) Minnesota Golden Gophers (Mohamed Ibrahim) South Carolina Gamecocks (Kevin Harris) UTSA Roadrunners (Sincere McCormick). 8. He leads all college football running backs in rushing yards, yards per game, and ranks fourth for rushing touchdowns through Week 5. The Wildcats love the inside zone, and the inside zone appears to love Rodriguez. pic.twitter.com/lufl0TX2gH, Russell Brown (@RussNFLDraft) March 9, 2021. As Haskins went, the Wolverines went. Rachaad White, Arizona State (Photo: Carmen Mandato/Getty Images, 247Sports) 25. Nick Rolovichs run-and-shoot offense produces one of the highest pass-play rates in college football (67%, though 14 percentage points lower than Leach's Air Raid). But Bigsby is as solid an option as they come. Sure, Alabamas offense has Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young at quarterback and a plethora of offensive weapons, but Robinson did the nitty gritty work and still found the end zone 14 times on the ground. . Its easy to overlook that in 4 seasons, the COVID senior from Tuscaloosa has averaged almost 5 yards per carry and been brilliant when called upon. When you think of Missouris offense, you think of Badie. 1. Mr. Harris has left the building. Who are the next great running backs in this great game of ours? 5. Find the rest of PFFs top returning college players series here: This is an interesting one, as Borghi was limited to 1 game in 2020 due to injury. Minnesota was one of the sports hardest-hit teams by COVID, but Ibrahim did it all while playing behind a makeshift offensive line. With Rhamondre Stevenson out, Brooks will be back as the featured runner for Oklahoma - who . Teams now generally undervalue the position and have . Although Keaton Mitchell flashed signs of potential as a freshman, no one could have predicted his explosion as a sophomore this season. Game film: Video High school coach: Jon Simoneau Teddy is back to run the show for the third year in a row. Camerun Peoples, Appalachian State, Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois | NFL Draft Scouting Report, 2023 NFL Mock Draft: Bryce Young in Pole Position for the No. Here are the top 15 running backs in college football 1. Rightfully so. Breece Halls defense of his rushing title got off to a dangerously slow start. He earned an 80.6 receiving grade for the year, making him one of two running backs to generate a grade above 80.0 as both a receiver and a runner. Borghi tied for first in the nation with 26 first down/touchdown receptions in Mike Leachs Air-Raid attack in 2019. Devon Achane 5. Rodriguez finished as the second-highest-graded running back of the 2020 season (92.4) and ranked second to UNC's Javonte Williams among Power Five backs in percentage of runs that picked up a first down or touchdown (41%). He also tied for the lowest drop rate among FBS backs at 2.3% and broke eight more tackles after the catch than any other back in the country (28). Of his 280 carries on the year, only 13.6% resulted in a 10-plus-yard gain, 86th of 140 qualifiers. 18. Home Scores Rankings Standings. Against Ohio State, he had a historic game and continued his domination in the Big Ten championship against Iowa. Top College Football Running Backs in 2021 Let's start with a breakdown of my top 10 running backs in college football so far this fall. He and Borghi will duke it out for the title of college footballs best dual-threat running back in 2021. While football evolves into a pass-oriented game, there is still nothing more glorious than watching college football running backs galloping in the open field. The 2020 5-star recruit was a man-child down the stretch last season, breaking tackles, catching passes and grading high per Pro Football Focus advanced analysis. For those who dont know, running backs actually do matter in college football. Zach Evans was the RB2 of the 2020 recruiting class behind Texas Robinson, and were finally getting to appreciate why this season. Haskins and Blake Corum ran the Wolverines backfield but after a while, Haskins was the go-to runner in that offense. Durant has averaged at least 6.0 yards per carry in each of the last two seasons. There's a long list of powerful running backs to come through Ohio State, and if 2021 was a glimpse of what is still . Weaknesses: Nichols should get much more attention in 2022 but he finished top-five on this list. Others, perhaps not. Borghi was only able to play in one game this past season due to injury. AMES, IA - SEPTEMBER 12: Running back Breece Hall #28 of the Iowa State Cyclones scores a touchdown in the first half half of the play at Jack Trice Stadium on September 12, 2020 in Ames, Iowa. All picks and predictions are suggestions only. Mateo Durant - Duke 23. 11. 2018 Best College Running Back Players (0) 2018 . The Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin"u2019 Cajuns won 31-14 over the Iowa State Cyclones. Roberts actually finished No. Mr. Harris has left the building. 12. Niko Duffey, Alcorn State 20. There has been nothing meager about Walkers performance so far this season. Like Bigsby, Vaughn was also one of the top first-year players in college football this past season. Chris Rodriguez, Kentucky Wildcats. The 6-foot, 204-pound freshman was the third-highest-graded ball carrier in the FBS behind. The Heisman Trophy, one of the highest individual awards in American college football, has been awarded 86 times since its creation in 1935, including 85 unique winners and one two-time winner.The trophy is given annually to the most outstanding college football player in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), and is awarded by the . He had 153 yards per game last year, 2nd in the land behind Patterson. Furthermore, hes found the end zone 7 times while showcasing big-play ability with 2 rushes of 50+ yards. The offensive line in front of him was exceptional in 2020, but so was Allgeiers vision. Running back has become an increasingly marginalized position as far as the NFL draft goes lately, with only a solitary back being selected in the top round over the past two years - and that pick (Clyde Edwars-Helaire KC) barely made it -- at number 32. Hell go down as a school legend. 10 returning back in FBS. Visit ESPN to view College Football stat leaders for the current and previous seasons Once upon a time in college football, it was three yards and a cloud of dust as teams consistently relied upon the rushing attack to get the job done offensively. And hell be playing with Heisman candidate Spencer Rattler and Tennessee transfer Eric Gray (772 yards for the Vols in 2020). 1) Bijan Robinson, Texas No single rusher embodies the phrase "running backs do matter" more than Bijan Robinson. The Iowa State running back has the explosiveness to ramp up that big-run rate and proved on a number of occasions that he has an uncoachable ability to make something out of nothing. Jaret Patterson wowed the entire country with a ridiculous 178 yards per game for Buffalo before continuing his career with the Washington Football Team. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. He eclipsed 1,000 yards in just 7 games. The 2021 running back prospects are an interesting mix, and are likely slightly worse than average. He is the clear favorite to claim the title of No. The freshman was the leading rushing nationwide. Walker was nearly in the Heisman Trophy conversation right at the end of the season before some subpar games but there was no denying his impact all season long for the Spartans. Big names like Kenneth Walker, Hassan Haskins, Breece Hall and Bijan Robinson highlight the list, but there were others making names for themselves in the Top 10 and throughout the list. Like Robinson above him, TreVeyon Henderson has been the savior of his teams offense. Oklahoma should afford him the opportunity to unlock that. 20. A full offseason of work with the Longhorns vast array of resources renders Robinson a real threat this fall. 5. New head coach Steve Sarkisian ought to have a lot of fun incorporating Robinsons skills into his offense. But it seems like Alabama has one every year. While they all have a good chance at being a team's #1 back, there isn't a transcendent talent among them. Pattersons gone, and theres a new coaching staff in town, but Marks is no slouch. If Gore can improve upon his 84 snaps on the receiving front, an area where he flashed last season, he can climb even higher up this list come 2021. He was definitely a Top 10 running back this season. Auburn running back Tank Bigsby (4) runs the ball during Auburn football A-Day spring game at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, April 17, 2021. Gray suited up for 22 games in Knoxville and rushed for 1,311 yards (5.1 yards per carry) and eight scores while also catching 43 balls for 369 yards and three touchdowns. He enters his redshirt junior season with 2 years of starting experience and 3 years in the rotation, so the experience is there to match the speed and elusiveness. Say it. And that plays into why Gray makes the cut of these rankings. Dye was great for the Ducks, despite the less than pleasing finish to the season. Gore finished with the 18th-best rushing grade in the FBS (86.8) as a true freshman this past season. Weve ranked the 10 best, starting with perhaps a shocking name out in Norman, namely because its probably not the guy you think. Zonovan Knight, NC State CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. (Photo: Carmen Mandato/Getty Images, 247Sports), (Photo: Brandon Sloter/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images, 247Sports), (Photo: John Bunch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images, 247Sports), (Photo: Tim Warner/Getty Images, 247Sports), (Photo: Wesley Hitt/Getty Images, 247Sports), (Photo: Steven King/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images, 247Sports), (Photo: Jeff Speer/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images, 247Sports), (Photo: Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images, 247Sports), (Photo: John E. Moore III/Getty Images, 247Sports), (Photo: Mike Mulholland/Getty Images, 247Sports), (Photo: Ron Jenkins/Getty Images, 247Sports), (Photo: Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images, 247Sports). High school: Bernards (Bernardsville, N.J.) Athlete: Teddy Gouldin Height: 6-2 Weight: 170 Recommended college level: FBS Accolades: All-Division, All-Group, All-Area.Holds nearly every school passing record. 2022-2023 cfb bowl schedule. Goodsons numbers arent necessarily eye-popping. Read Time: What's up Tailgaters! The 2020 four-star recruit who ranked 40th nationally, according to 247Sports was easily among the most elusive ball carriers in college football last year. Analyze 2022 football recruiting and running back scouting reports by clicking the buttons below and visiting the 2022 top RB recruit scouting database! Even as offenses move to more high-powered passing attacks, running back remains a key position in college fantasy football. The sophomore running back is the heart and soul of the Texas Longhorns offense. 4 rusher in the country in terms of yards, but boy did he feel like he was the leading rusher throughout the season. The Sun Devils sure could use some positive headlines these days. Maybe. Jaylen Warren - Oklahoma State 24. While Iowa State did not have the team success it expected, such as winning the Big 12 title, Hall remained a bright spot for the team all year long. 3 and 4 in FBS in rushing yards per game. DeAndre Torrey, North Texas Hunter Luepke, North Dakota State 21. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. College Football's Top 25 Breakout Running Backs for 2021 25. QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | iOL | DI | EDGE | LB | CB | S. Bigsby was one of the most impressive true freshmen of the 2020 class, finishing as the fifth-most valuable first-year non-quarterback in the country, per PFF Wins Above Average (WAA). Allen, who played the entire 2021 season as a 17-year-old, rushed for 1,268 yards and 12 touchdowns last year, while averaging a Big Ten-best 6.8 yards per attempt. No longer. Deuce Vaughn took some souls yesterday pic.twitter.com/MARSIbptuA, Anthony Treash (@PFF_Anthony) December 6, 2020. White is primed to provide plenty. If you want one game that adequately sums up McCormicks skill set and impact on the Roadrunners, grab the tape of the game against Memphis, put your feet up, and enjoy a running back strapping a team onto his back and dragging them to a win. Baylor was one of the quieter running backs this season since Oregon State was not in the Pac-12 title conversion. A dream prospect for both a kitschy headline writer and a running backs coach. Ranking college football's 10 best running backs this season Honorable Mention: Chris Rodriguez Where he plays: Kentucky 2021 stats: 225 rush, 1,379 yards, 9 TD Ordinarily, Rodriguez is a. Other guys like Sean Tucker, Tyler Allgeier and Lew Nichols virtually came out of nowhere and opposing defenses had no idea what to do with them. Hes been the Blue Devil on the shoulder of Dukes offense, ranking in the top five for total yards, yards per carry, and rushing touchdowns. 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