With Bijan Robinson now on the Atlanta Falcons, here are the 15 best returning running backs in college football.
Keep your eyes on any of these college football stars to be this year's Doak Walker Award winner.
Bijan Robinson was last year's recipient as the sensational running back for the Texas Longhorns. Had he returned to school for one last ride, he probably would have repeated. But now that he is on the Atlanta Falcons, we must turn our attention to college football's latest offering of supreme running back talent. Most reside in the Big Ten, but there are plenty of guys to hand the ball off to.
Here are the 15 best running backs in college football, as well as a few other honorable mentions.
Honorable Mentions: Rasheen Ali (Marshall), Marquez Cooper (Kent State), Audric Estime (Notre Dame), Damien Martinez (Oregon State), Devin Neal (Kansas)
College football rankings: Top 15 running backs entering 2023 college season
Kendall Milton could be in for a super senior season with the Georgia Bulldogs
It is hard to believe that Kendall Milton will be entering his fourth season with the Georgia Bulldogs. Although he has never broken off 1,000 yards in a season, he plays in an offense that shares the wealth in the ground game. He has had to split carries with the likes of James Cook, Daijun Edwards, Kenny McIntosh and Zamir White for years. Now could be Milton's time to shine.
Despite having a new offensive coordinator at the helm in Mike Bobo, who doesn't like to run the dang ball some times, Georgia will also be breaking in a new starting quarterback. As expected, Carson Beck got the nod over Brock Vandagriff and Gunner Stockton. Regardless, the new UGA starter will want to lean on the Dawgs' great ground game and do work behind this offensive line.
Look for Milton to be a cornerstone in the Georgia backfield this season in hopes of a three-peat.
Jarquez Hunter could help turn around the Auburn Tigers in a hurry this season
It may not be an overnight fix, but expect for the Auburn Tigers to be markedly better under Hugh Freeze than they ever were under Bryan Harsin. While chaos has consumed this traditional power of late, the Tigers have still been able to run the ball anyway. Look for junior Jarquez Hunter to lead the way down on The Plains, possibly being in the mix to be an all-conference performer this year.
Freeze may covet a mobile quarterback above all else, but it only serves him and his program to have a plethora of great running backs to lean on. Hunter should be at the top of the list for the Tigers this season. As long as he stays healthy, Auburn could be in the mix to win upwards of eight games this year. Their talent is not quite there, but no doubt about it, Hunter is one of their best.
Look for Hunter to approach 1,000 yards or so on the ground in a much-improved Auburn offense.
Carson Steele is about to make a name for himself starring for the UCLA Bruins
If you are unaware of who Carson Steele is, listen up. The former Ball State Cardinals standout transferred to UCLA this past offseason. He was a 1,000-yard rusher in the MAC and will be joining an offense well-versed in pounding the rock under Chip Kelly. It may be a major step up in competition for the junior, but he could make some noise in the final season of Pac-12 football.
It may be the first year the Bruins will not have Dorian Thompson-Robinson under center in half a decade, but that is not the end of the world for them either. Former Kent State starter Collin Schlee also transferred over from the MAC, as well as top-flight quarterback recruit Dante Moore coming to Westwood. If you are sleeping on the Bruins, you can do so at your own peril this year.
If Steele is every bit as good as Zach Charbonnet was for UCLA, then we are in for a real treat!
TreVeyon Henderson is a big part of the Ohio State Buckeyes' elite ground game
TreVeyon Henderson is the first of two Ohio State Buckeyes running backs to make this top-15 list. While Ohio State is better known for slinging the pigskin down the field in Ryan Day's aerial attack, a change of guard at quarterback could contribute to an even better season from their ground game. This might be a running back by committee approach, but Henderson can bulldoze.
Obviously, there is a lot to like about Ohio State this year. The defense should be improving. They have the best receiving corps in the country. While the quarterback situation needs to sort itself out, having Henderson available to hand the ball off to should make things easier for whoever wins the starting job between Devin Brown and Kyle McCord. Lean on the ground game this year!
Look for Henderson to be a big reason the Buckeyes win double-digit games before Thanksgiving.
Trey Benson is back at Florida State for a second season, poised to make noise
One team that should be very much in play to make the final four-team College Football Playoff has to be the Florida State Seminoles over in the ACC. Mike Norvell has been a master of the transfer portal. His two biggest roster additions came about that way in defensive lineman Jared Verse, as well as star running back Trey Benson making his way over from Oregon last offseason.
Given that starting quarterback Jordan Travis is every bit a Heisman Trophy candidate, look for the Seminoles' offensive attack to be absolutely electrifying. While conference foes such as Clemson, Louisville and North Carolina could make things interesting, Benson will be a focal point in the FSU ground game. When the 'Noles are leading late in games, look for Benson to break opponents' will.
A balanced offensive attack can get the Seminoles to the conference title bout and maybe beyond.
Donovan Edwards will be an integral part of the best rushing attack in football
There are so many reasons to be bullish on the Michigan Wolverines again this season. The two-time defending Big Ten champions are so close to almost winning their first-ever College Football Playoff game that it is ridiculous. The fact they did not get it done vs. TCU in the Fiesta Bowl last year was head-scratching, especially with the best No. 2 tailback in college in Donovan Edwards.
To me, Edwards was a transformative recruit for the Michigan program. He was every bit the blue-chip prospect that every program of note wanted. By him choosing to go to Michigan, it was a coronation of sorts for the Wolverines in the Big Ten, allowing them to overtake the hated Ohio State Buckeyes in-division. Edwards is no change-of-pace back; he's capable of carrying this team.
It would not shock me in the slightest if he flat-out claimed the Doak Walker for his own in 2023.
Miyan Williams helps give Ohio State one of the best rushing attacks out there
Ohio State may be defined by its passing attack under head coach Ryan Day, as well as the best receiving corps in football coached up by recently promoted offensive coordinator Brian Hartline. However, if the Buckeyes are going to get back to the College Football Playoff and contend for a national title, it starts with the rushing attack featuring TreVeyon Henderson and Miyan Williams.
Henderson has already been mentioned on this top-15 list, but I like what Williams is about a tad more. It is like choosing between your children, but I really like Williams' consistency as a running back since he first came to Columbus. Regardless, there may only be one more team in college football with a better stable of running backs this season than the Buckeyes. They are so loaded!
If their quarterback play holds steady and their defense improves, Ohio State can win it all, man.
Frank Gore Jr. has pedigree on his side as the best Group of Five running back
If only he were a little bit bigger… Regardless, Frank Gore Jr. plays with a boulder-sized chip on his shoulder. He may be the namesake son of Miami Hurricanes legend and future Pro Football Hall of Famer Frank Gore, but he is about to tear up the Group of Five once again on the ground. The fact he returned to Southern Miss for one last season makes the Golden Eagles must watch television.
Anytime we can get an outstanding playmaker like Gore at a Group of Five school, we all win as fans. What he did in the bowl game last year was simply unforgettable. He wanted all the yards, and then proceeded to get all the yards. Southern Miss may not sniff a New Year's Six bowl, but you better believe we will be getting more than our fair share of Gore highlights from the Eagles.
Look for Gore to do everything in his power to ensure himself of being a day-two NFL Draft pick.
Bucky Irving pairs with Bo Nix to former one elite quarterback/running back duo
A big reason to be bullish on Dan Lanning's Oregon Ducks in year two is it will be another year of quarterback Bo Nix handing the ball off to Bucky Irving. Nix came to Eugene by way of Auburn, while Irving did the same from Minnesota a year ago. For the Ducks to win the Pac-12 one last time, they are going to need this offensive duo to keep pace with the conference's best offerings.
The good news for Oregon is the Ducks recruited phenomenally well under Lanning's predecessor Mario Cristobal, as well as Lanning being an elite recruiter himself. Oregon may not have a fertile crop of talent in-state, but all that Phil Knight Nike money can make up the difference. Regardless, look for Irving to hit pay dirt over and over again on what should be another excellent Ducks team.
Should Irving play up to his potential, he could be the best running back in the Pac-12 going away.
Will Shipley may be the key in Clemson making the College Football Playoff again
With Cade Klubnik entering his first season as the Clemson Tigers' starting quarterback, you better believe he should lean on one of the best and most versatile tailbacks in the entire country in Will Shipley. Highly-touted coming out of high school, Shipley has flashed at times, but has never really lived up to his five-star potential. Then again, he had to take his hand-offs from ole D.J. Uiagalelei.
Assuming Klubnik can be far more accurate than his predecessor, look for Shipley to thrive in Garrett Riley's offensive system. It may be a scheme with Air Raid roots, but we all saw how much the TCU Horned Frogs liked to pound the rock a season ago. It seems as though the stars are aligning for Shipley this season, possibly helping the Tigers return to the College Football Playoff.
Shipley could be the catalyst to take Clemson from good, to great, to simply outstanding this year.
Braelon Allen plays at the right school to potentially bring home the Doak Walker
It may be a change of guard of the Wisconsin Badgers football program, but you would be lying to yourself if you thought Luke Fickell and Phil Longo would just abandon the run for the pass all together. The Badgers may try to bring modern passing concepts to Madison this season with Tanner Mordecai under center, but we all want to see them run the ball with Braelon Allen a ton!
He may not be Jonathan Taylor or Melvin Gordon, but Allen plays the right position at the right school to win the Doak Walker. Given that Wisconsin is a sneaky-good candidate to crash the College Football Playoff party out of the Big Ten, he might even be a candidate to get to the Heisman Trophy ceremony in New York and not win it. Allen just needs to rush for 2,000 yards…
Should the Badgers offer a balanced offensive attack, they can hang with anyone in the Big Ten.
Nicholas Singleton and Drew Allar could win the Big Ten for Penn State this year
One team that has everyone's undivided attention in Big Ten country is the Penn State Nittany Lions. While much has been made about first-year starting quarterback Drew Allar, keep in mind how incredible Nicholas Singleton is as their star running back. Even though the Big Ten is starting to become more about the pass, you win and lose games in-conference by way of the run game.
I don't know if James Franklin's team has the depth of say a Michigan or an Ohio State in-division, but they have the top-end talent to certainly compete with the Wolverines and Buckeyes for Big Ten East supremacy. As long as Singleton stays healthy, the Nittany Lions feel like a lock to win at least 10 games this year and get back to a New Year's Six bowl. Of course, they could exceed that.
The Big Ten is freaking loaded at running back, but no one has more room to grown than Singleton.
Raheim Sanders could allow for Arkansas to sneak up some people in the SEC
Don't look now, but we are most definitely sleeping on the Arkansas Razorbacks this season. After breaking through in 2021, the Hogs pulled back in year three under Sam Pittman. Although they had KJ Jefferson back for another year, team wasn't quite good enough to build on two years ago's success. Well, well, well… Not only will Jefferson be back once again, but so will Raheim Sanders.
I don't know how high Arkansas can finish in the deep SEC West, but it wouldn't shock me if Jefferson and Sanders combined to have tremendous seasons to get the Hogs to 9-3 and in third place in the division behind only Alabama and LSU in some order. Arkansas will need to take advantage of this situation because Auburn won't be down forever. They have to go out and get it.
Look for Sanders to be an all-conference performer at running back for the Razorbacks this year.
Quinshon Judkins enters 2023 as the best running back in the SEC at Ole Miss
We cannot overlook what a sensational freshman season Quinshon Judkins had a year ago at Ole Miss. Lane Kiffin may be the king of the transfer portal, but he landed perhaps his best recruit to date in Judkins out of Montgomery, Alabama a year and change ago. He picked the Rebels over the in-state Auburn Tigers and Notre Dame. Ole Miss has an elite talent in Judkins for two more years.
The fact Judkins is only a true sophomore is staggering. Although the SEC oftentimes has great running backs who happen to be freshmen and sophomores, Judkins is the one ball carrier in this league who has us turning our heads the most. If you give Ole Miss space to run, Judkins will make you pay for it. Judkins just might be the SEC's best offensive playmaker not named Brock Bowers.
I mean, we're talking about a First-Team All-SEC performer and maybe a unanimous All-American.
Blake Corum returns to Michigan for one last shot at a Heisman and national title
We thought we saw the end of Blake Corum at Michigan when he got hurt in the Illinois game. While he tried his best to play in The Game vs. Ohio State, he was limited to only two carries in the win. After Michigan lost a heartbreaker to TCU in the Fiesta Bowl, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that Corum would be turning pro. Well, he decided to run it back one more time for us.
Whether it be getting to the Heisman Trophy ceremony or helping Michigan win its first College Football Playoff game to date, Corum decided to delay his entry into the NFL Draft for one more year. Very rarely do we see running backs as talented as Corum return for their senior seasons. Then again, very rarely have we see a team as deep as what Michigan has, so we understand this.
Don't be shocked if Corum finishes inside the top four in Heisman Trophy voting in early December.
