2024 NFL Draft RB rankings: No clear stars, but this year’s top 10 is deep
A year ago, the NFL was blessed with one of the richest running-back classes in years with Bijan Robinson (Atlanta Falcons) and Jahmyr Gibbs (Detroit Lions) each being selected in the top 12. To put that in perspective, only five other running backs have been selected that high in the past decade.
This year’s running back class reminds me of a group from 10 years ago. The 2014 NFL draft didn’t have a running back come off the board until the 54th overall selection, when the Tennessee Titans selected Bishop Sankey out of Washington. That’s the latest the NFL draft has ever gone before the first running back was selected.
Just like the Class of 2014, this running back class lacks blue-chip talent. It does, however, offer future NFL starters, with a three-headed monster vying to be the first back off the board. It also boasts quality depth extending into the final rounds. A decade ago, four more backs were selected among the next 20 picks following Sankey. Expect a similar run on runners throughout Day 2 and early Day 3 this year, as well.
Each week leading up to the 2024 NFL Draft, we will break down the top 10 prospects at a different position. The positional group will be assigned an overall grade, with scouting reports on each individual player, noting specific areas of strength and concern, as well as their projected round.
1. Audric Estime‘, Notre Dame — 5-foot-11, 227 pounds, Junior
Overview: The Player of the Year for the state of New Jersey, Estime’ signed with Notre Dame as a celebrated prep recruit but didn’t see consistent playing time until his sophomore campaign. Once he saw the field for the Irish, however, Estime’ seemingly never left it, emerging as a true bellcow, generating 2,538 all-purpose yards and 30 touchdowns over the past two years before opting to enter the 2024 NFL draft with two more years of eligibility remaining.
Strengths: If one were to design a running back out of clay, it might look a bit like the powerfully built Estime’, who boasts a relatively stubby upper body with long, strong legs and lightning-quick feet. Estime’ was fortunate to run behind one of the better offensive lines in the country but he shows good vision, patience, balance through contact and burst to create movement on his own, slicing through small spaces and exploding into daylight.
For a back of his size, Estime’ shows rare breakaway burst. Further, while he wasn’t featured as a receiver, he has reliable hands — including the ability to pluck outside of his frame — as well as the size and mentality needed to ultimately be a quality pass protector. At just 20 years old, he should be just scratching the surface of his potential.
Concern: Occasionally is too eager to attack holes, pushing the backs of his blockers and leaving himself vulnerable to be lassoed at the line of scrimmage. Proved to be a capable receiver for the Irish but was only asked to execute simple dump-offs in this offense. Further, while burly, Estime’ needs to show more of a finishing mentality on blitz pickups, working the block rather than just delivering one big hit.
Summary: No back played better down the stretch this past season than Estime’, who seemed to get stronger as the year went on, generating 11 of his 18 rushing touchdowns as the Irish won four of their final five games. Teams will be cautious with Estime’ — who, as noted, ran behind terrific blocking at Notre Dame — but his combination of size, strength and speed stands out in this class. Notre Dame hasn’t had a running back drafted in the first round since Jerome Bettis in 1993 and only two backs cracked the top 50 since then (Ray Zellars in 1995 and Julius Jones in 2004). Estime’ has the upside to warrant that type of consideration.
Grade: Top 50
2. Jaylen Wright, Tennessee — 5-10, 210, Junior
Overview: In the long and storied history of the Tennessee Volunteers, no running back has ever reached 1,000 rushing yards faster than Wright did in 2023, eclipsing this mark in just 136 attempts. Wright’s 7.39 yard-per-carry average led all FBS running backs. NFL teams will debate how much of Wright’s success was due to his own talent and how much credit others in Knoxville should receive. Clearly, Wright set the table for Tennessee this season, but he was just one of four runners to notch at least 78 carries, including quarterback Joe Milton III, who checks in seventh on our ranking of the top QBs.
Strengths: A darting, dynamic runner who alternates between patience and aggression at the line of scrimmage, Wright runs with a frenetic style similar to Kansas City Chiefs standout Isaiah Pacheco, offering opponents little to target but shoulders and knees. He shifts gears like a NASCAR driver, stopping and starting, ducking and darting to weave through traffic.
Wright complements his slashing running style with patience to allow holes to develop, pressing the hole and getting skinny to slip through small cracks before hitting the accelerator. He can elude laterally — showing an impressive jump cut to either side, as well as spinning through contact and yielding an impressive stiffarm. Wright had four touchdown runs of 40-plus yards in 2023 (South Carolina, Kentucky, Connecticut and Georgia) with all of them coming on the Vols’ first drive of the game.
Concerns: While Wright’s explosive TD runs in 2023 were highlight-reel-worthy, they were his only scores last season and he actually saw fewer rushing attempts as a junior (137) than he did in 2022 (146), raising questions about his ability to be a true bellcow in the NFL. At times, Wright swings his arms to keep balance, exposing the ball unnecessarily. Further, for all of his dynamic flashes as a runner, he’s relatively inexperienced in the passing game, catching just 30 passes over his career, with most of those being simple dump-offs and screens. Further, he’s more flash than finish on blitz pickup, delivering a good pop initially but struggling to maintain blocks for long.
Summary: The NFL is the ultimate copy-cat league and with teams hoping to replicate the success the Miami Dolphins enjoyed with their speedy offense, Wright could surprise as the first back off the board. Expect his stock to continue to ascend through the NFL Combine, where he should be one of the fastest players tested this year.
Grade: Second round
3. Trey Benson, Florida State — 6-1, 223, Redshirt Junior
Overview: A Mississippi native, Benson began his college career across the country at Oregon, but after barely seeing the field as a true freshman and missing the 2021 campaign with an injury, he elected to go back east, transferring to Florida State. Once in Tallahassee, Benson’s skills rose to the forefront. He produced 25 touchdowns and 2,228 all-purpose yards on “just” 349 total touches the past two seasons with the Seminoles, opting to give up his final year of eligibility to enter the draft.
Strength: At the snap, Benson sniffs out running lanes like a bird dog in the field, actively probing and racing to and through the hole once it flushes. He accelerates quickly for a big man and has a deceptive, gliding gait that makes him faster than he looks, throwing off pursuit angles. The physically imposing Benson lowers his shoulders into contact, running with good leverage, leg drive and determination to play the role of bulldozer. He is a capable and experienced pass-catcher and pass-protector.
Concern: More of a one-speed runner than a true blazer, despite the impressive statistics. Had an ugly case of the dropsies against Syracuse in 2023, dropping two possible TDs and three passes, overall. In all fairness, these were his only drops on the year and each came while he was looking back into a bright Tallahassee sun. He has a relatively high-cut frame for a running back, which will raise concerns for some about Benson’s long-term durability, especially given that he suffered a major knee injury in 2020 already.
Summary: In size and style, Benson profiles similarly to Najee Harris of the Pittsburgh Steelers, offering a potential workhorse combination of size, speed, power and pro-readiness. With all due respect, both backs are more jacks-of-all-trades, master-of-none types who should prove solid NFL starters but are a step behind the league’s elite.
Grade: Second-to-third round
4. Marshawn Lloyd, Southern Cal — 5-9, 217, Redshirt Junior
Overview: Lloyd might as well have shared travel agents with the aforementioned Benson, taking the same approach but going in opposite directions. A Delaware native, Lloyd graduated early to enroll at South Carolina, but his efforts were abruptly disrupted when he suffered an ACL tear in his second practice with the Gamecocks. After missing the 2020 season, Lloyd steadily rose in the South Carolina backfield, leading the team with 749 all-purpose yards and 11 touchdowns in 2022. He opted to transfer to the “other” USC in 2023, uniting with head coach Lincoln Riley and reigning Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams. Lloyd enjoyed the best season of his college career, averaging an eye-popping 7.1 yards per carry and rushing for 820 yards and nine touchdowns before making an early leap to the NFL.
Strengths: Lloyd is a uniquely built back who looks like a tank but moves like a go-kart. He possesses good stop-start quickness and the lateral agility to elude in tight spaces but also knows to get downhill quickly. He is quick to and through the line of scrimmage and shifts gears nicely, throwing off pursuit angles. He wasn’t featured as a receiver — catching just 34 passes over his career (including 13 last season) — but caught everything thrown to him on tape and made a marvelous twirling adjustment on a deep play-action pass down the seam vs Nevada that showed untapped potential in this area. Lloyd’s unique frame and soft hands also turned heads during Senior Bowl practices.
Concerns: A determined runner, but he doesn’t wow you with the leg drive and balance through contact one might expect given his stubby, powerful frame. For a short back, Lloyd nevertheless runs with a high pad level and is driven back nearly as often as he falls forward. Similarly, pass protection is not currently a strong suit, with Lloyd relying on his initial pop and too often getting swept aside. Ball security can also be an issue, as was the case against Utah this season, when he fumbled twice in a narrow 34-32 loss.
Summary: Successful for two very different USCs and the Senior Bowl, as well, Lloyd feels like one of the relatively “safe” backs of this class and one with future starting potential. If plugged into the right system, he could be one of the real values of the 2024 NFL draft.
Grade: Third round
5. Blake Corum, Michigan — 5-8, 213, Senior
Overview: With a staggering 61 touchdowns scored over four seasons at Michigan, Corum certainly checks boxes for production. He was the epitome of consistency for the national champs in 2023, running for at least one touchdown in all 15 of Michigan’s games and leading the country with 28 scores (27 on the ground).
Strengths: It is appropriate that Corum starred for the Wolverines, as few backs run with his combination of quickness and ferocity. Corum attacks the line of scrimmage and dictates the action at the second level, making strong lateral cuts and explosively surging forward. While shorter than some would prefer, Corum’s stubby frame is a strength of his game as he maintains his balance through contact, vaulting off of would-be defenders to consistently generate yardage in chunks. Though Michigan didn’t ask him to play much of a role in the passing game, Corum shows awareness and soft hands — including kick return ability — and he’s stout in pass protection. Nationally recognized for his efforts off the field as well, earning the role of captain for the 2023 Allstate AFCA Good Works team.
Concerns: Corum’s highlight reel is impressive, but critics will point out that it is easier to attack holes with conviction when they are already there — and Jim Harbaugh didn’t earn his reputation as a running-game aficionado for nothing. Corum feasted off of gaping holes throughout his time at Michigan and wasn’t the dynamic threat as a receiver (three career touchdowns) that most backs of his size are asked to be at the next level.
Summary: Corum leaves Michigan as an accomplished runner, receiver and returner with 731 touches, generating 4,148 yards against hard-hitting Big Ten competition. Corum is as proven as it gets but he’s more gritty than gifted, projecting as a middle-round selection and complementary piece who will struggle to replicate his collegiate success in the NFL.
Grade: Third round
6. Bucky Irving, Oregon — 5-10, 195, Junior
Overview: With all due respect to the other backs in this article, no one entered college with more fanfare than Irving, a consensus four-star recruit who initially signed and starred at Minnesota, leading the Golden Gophers with 966 all-purpose yards as a true freshman before transferring to Oregon in 2022. Irving immediately took flight for the Ducks, with his gaudy 6.78 YPC ranking third in school history. He registered 1,357 all-purpose yards in 2022 with eight touchdowns and boosted those numbers in 2023 with 1,593 yards and 13 scores before vaulting for the NFL draft.
Strengths: Irving boasts the electric feet and slippery shoulders to slip and slide past defenders with remarkable consistency. He is quick enough to shake opponents riding with him in an elevator and in the open field, he’s downright lethal. Irving is also a nightmare to defend in the passing game, showing soft hands and awareness of oncoming defenders with 95 grabs (and an 8.3 yard-per-catch average) over just three years.
Concerns: Irving can fly but too often he’s rocked by turbulence. He has a disproportionate build with a relatively slim lower body that lacks the leg drive to bounce and burrow through would-be tacklers for “tough” yards. Frankly, there are plenty of reps on tape in which defenders are able to square him up and knock him into next week, suggesting that Irving is best suited as more of a complementary piece.
Summary: Cat-quick and lethal as a receiver out of the backfield, as well, Irving is one of the better “air backs” of this class.
Grade: Third-to-fourth round
7. Ray Davis, Kentucky — 5-09, 220, Redshirt Senior
Overview: Expectations were high when Davis transferred to Kentucky for the 2023 season, as he previously had accumulated 1,000+ all-purpose yards at both Temple (2019) and Vanderbilt (2022). To say that he exceeded them is an understatement, with Davis earning First Team All-SEC accolades by the AP (Second Team by coaches) with 1,452 all-purpose yards (1,129 rushing and 323 receiving) and leading the power conference with 21 combined touchdowns, setting a new school record in both overall scoring for a running back at Kentucky as well as receiving touchdowns (seven).
Strengths: Davis is powerfullybuilt and runs angry, barreling into defenders and showing impressive contact balance and a late wiggle to break tackles consistently. Smooth accelerator to and through the hole, setting up opponents with subtle shoulder fakes and staggered steps. Experience shows with his recognition of leaning defenders, consistently surprising opponents by spurting past or cutting back to leave them off-balance and grasping at him with ineffective arm tackles. May not time well in workouts but plays fast, rarely being caught from behind. Excellent ball security with just one fumble lost (according to PFF) in 759 rushing attempts dating back to 2019. Dependable receiver with the grit and build to ultimately be a quality pass-blocker.
Concerns: If Davis runs like a man among boys, that’s because he is. He’ll turn 25 midway through his rookie season in the NFL and some will be concerned that the tread is already wearing thin given his 840 career touches. Davis is already more subtle than sudden, lacking the juice to beat NFL defenders with his speed alone. He is unlikely to produce a blazing 40-yard dash time. Benefited from strong blocking at Kentucky, confidently attacking rushing lanes and not needing to shake opponents at the line of scrimmage. Capable and courageous on blitz pickups but could do a better job of maintaining the block.
Summary: A battle-tested brawler who has excelled in three different programs (as well as at the Senior Bowl), Davis isn’t the flashiest athlete in this class of running backs, but his vision and contact balance are starter-caliber.
Grade: Third-to-fourth round
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8. Emani Bailey, TCU — 5-7, 203, Redshirt Junior
Overview: Bailey began his college career at Louisiana, transferring to TCU following an impressive second season in the Bayou with 642 rushing yards and eight touchdowns as a part-time starter before leading the Big 12 a year ago with a gaudy 8.1 yards-per-carry average in TCU’s run to the national championship game. With star quarterback Max Duggan and wide receiver Quentin Johnston off to the NFL, TCU relied on Bailey in 2023 and while the Horned Frogs struggled, as a whole, Bailey excelled, eclipsing his previous career totals with 1,209 rushing yards and eight touchdowns.
Strengths: Bailey’s burst suggests he has nitrous strapped to his legs, zipping explosively past would-be tacklers at the line of scrimmage and into the second level. He shows good vision to attack holes when they are there with the juice to bounce it outside to create on his own or cut back against the grain. He is rarely tackled by the first defender. Bailey is also among the more gifted receivers of this running back class, showing soft hands, awareness, and body control to make contested grabs down the seam as well as on screens and on the perimeter.
Concerns: The undersized Bailey is more of an “air back,” who might be able to make defenders miss in the open field, but also can be knocked to the turf by a stiff breeze. There are multiple occasions on tape where he is tripped from behind or knocked off balance and fails to regain his footing. That fact is especially concerning given that Bailey was essentially a one-year wonder, exploding for nearly double his production (1,209 rushing yards) in 2023 as his previous career high (642 yards in 2021).
Summary: A similarly explosive dual-threat out of the backfield as Oregon’s Irving, Bailey projects best as a complementary third-down specialist.
Grade: Third-to-fourth round
9. Braelon Allen, Wisconsin — 6-2, 245, Junior
Overview: The burly Allen appears well-suited to follow former Badgers bludgeoning their way into the NFL. The former four-star recruit immediately excelled against formidable Big Ten competition in 2021, rushing for 1,268 yards as a true freshman, joining former Badgers Ron Dayne (1996), James White (2010) and Jonathan Taylor (2017) as the only backs at Wisconsin to gain more than 1,000 yards in their first seasons on campus. Though Allen was quite obviously the Badgers’ primary weapon on offense, he steadily produced, averaging at least 5.4 yards per carry each of his three seasons in Madison, generating 3,494 yards and 35 touchdowns on the ground before leaving early for the NFL.
Strengths: A physically imposing back with broad shoulders and veritable tree trunks for thighs, Allen routinely bulldozes through defenders to create yards after contact. He has a deceptive gait, using a very effective hesitation move to get would-be tacklers “powering up” to hit him off-balance and slipping by them to get into the open field, where Allen shows vision and better burst than his size suggests. Allen shows good coordination and surprisingly light feet, high-stepping his way out of ankle tackles. He is also an underrated receiver, working hard to improve his hands and awareness out of the backfield, more than doubling his previous career-high with 28 receptions in 2023.
Concerns: Like most big backs, Allen is much better going North and South than attempting to shake defenders laterally, requiring lanes to efficiently accelerate to the second level. He can lower his shoulder into defenders for highlight-reel tackle-breaking plays but is such a tall back that he often loses the leverage battle and is too often stood up and driven back, despite his size and strength. As a result, defenders are too often able to rip the ball free, with Allen fumbling nine times at Wisconsin, including four times in 2023.
Summary: The polar opposite of most of the top backs in this class, Allen capably moves piles with sheer leg drive and determination. He lacks ideal lateral agility to elude — suggesting more of a complementary “Thunder” role in the NFL but can provide the physical presence many clubs currently lack.
Grade: Fourth round
10. Jonathon Brooks, Texas — 6-0, 207, Redshirt Sophomore
Overview: With both Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson stampeding to the NFL, the Longhorns desperately needed a runner to step up in 2023 and Brooks did precisely that, averaging 142.5 all-purpose yards over the first 10 games of the season (sixth in the nation) before suffering a torn ACL in Week 10 against Oklahoma State. Despite the serious injury requiring a season-ending surgery, Brooks surprised many with his decision to nevertheless give up his remaining college eligibility and enter the 2024 NFL draft.
Strengths: Quick to and through the hole, showing a different degree of burst than most of the other backs in this class over 200 pounds. Can outrace defenders to the perimeter and dash to the second level, consistently gaining yardage in chunks. Is just as quick stopping as he is starting, throwing off would-be tacklers and forcing lots of flailing arm tackle attempts that he can easily run through. Keeps his legs driving through contact and though he runs a tad high (more on that later), he shows impressive “dead-leg” balance, regaining his footing when defenders can swipe one of his legs, leaving him hopping momentarily.
Brooks has good lateral balance to tightrope the sideline, as well. Caught 25 passes in 2023 and showed soft hands while doing so, with impressive hand-eye coordination to pluck outside of his frame. Enters the NFL with just 266 career touches and should be just scratching the surface of his ability.
Concerns: Runs tall and is relatively long. He has narrow legs which give opponents a large tackle target and leave him less downhill power than some of the stubbier backs of this class. Fights for additional yardage but too often gets stood up and knocked back, failing to fall forward often enough. Wasn’t asked to pass protect much for Texas and lacks the weight and physical nature to project as a plug-and-play option in this area.
Summary: Brooks will be a fascinating evaluation for NFL scouts. He is a classic one-year wonder who, depending on your perspective, could either be just scratching the surface of his potential or be the beneficiary from a gifted supporting cast, including the play-caller. He has a slashing big-play style to him that will draw plenty of excitement but his recovery from surgery and relative inexperience will require plenty of patience.
Grade: Fourth-to-fifth round
Quinn Ewers links up with Jonathon Brooks for a 37-yard touchdown to give Texas the lead against Rice
Rob Rang is an NFL Draft analyst for FOX Sports. He has been covering the NFL Draft for more than 20 years, with work at FOX, Sports Illustrated, CBSSports.com, USA Today, Yahoo, NFL.com and NFLDraftScout.com, among others. He also works as a scout with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League. Follow him on Twitter @RobRang.
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