Less than two weeks away from the 2024 NFL Draft, and we pretty much know what we have in terms of a prospect pool. While the draft will likely be headlined by the No. 1 pick odds-on favorite Caleb Williams, this year’s draft is sure to include a lot of offensive firepower and surprises.
To help prepare you for April 25-27, we have curated an ongoing positional power ranking series for the major positions, with the running back group up next. With no sure-fire leader for this position, who should you familiarize yourself with?
10. Will Shipley – Clemson
His size or skills won’t wow many people, but Clemson’s Will Shipley is ready to contribute in the NFL. Showcasing a dual skill set of receiving and rushing abilities, Shipley would be a good ‘lightning’ to pair with a ‘thunder’ in an NFL backfield.
Shipley rounds out the top 10 of our running back power rankings, relying on athleticism and quickness. His smaller size puts him in the receiving back mold (which he is capable of fulfilling), limiting his ceiling in the NFL.
9. Audric Estime – Notre Dame
An absolute bruiser who lives in between the tackles, Audric Estime joins the NFL via Notre Dame. Known for his physicality, he likely will join a team that is looking to establish a physical presence in their rushing attack.
Surprisingly light on his feet for a 220-lb RB, Estime is a patient runner who is not afraid to get in the mess with the big boys in the trenches. Below-average speed and no sustained experience catching passes, Estime is very close to being a one-dimensional running back, limiting his landing spots in the 2024 NFL Draft.
8. Braelon Allen – Wisconsin
Similar to Estime, Braelon Allen’s collegiate experience rests almost exclusively in the running game. While he did haul in 28 receptions in his final year in school, Allen was truly only exposed to the passing game for one season.
Allen is incredibly young, entering the 2024 NFL Draft after having just turned 20 earlier in January. Having been the bell cow for the Wisconsin Badgers has taken some tread off of Allen’s tires, and while he is more one-dimensional, Allen is incredibly moldable and can fit the long-term plans of any team.
7. Bucky Irving – Oregon
A prototypical scat back with receiving prowess, Bucky Irving may be the best pass-catching RB in the NFL Draft. Having run for over 1,000 yards and caught 30+ passes in each of his two seasons at Oregon, Irving has shown he can do it all.
His 5’9, 192-lb stature could knock him down a few pegs on teams' draft boards, as question marks will arise about his durability. But Irving is electric with the ball in his hands, even if his 4.55 40-yard dash won’t have him running away from defenders.
6. Ray Davis – Kentucky
A bit of an unknown that has been gaining steam over the past few months, Kentucky’s Ray Davis has a chance to be a late-day two selection in April’s NFL Draft. His game relies on solid vision and intuition, as being able to predict how plays break down is a great skill to enter the league with.
Davis is a bit of an unheralded prospect, as the former Wildcat will enter the league without much fanfare. But don’t let that turn you away from Davis – he is one of the more pro-ready backs in this year’s NFL Draft.
5. Blake Corum – Michigan
One of the bigger names in the 2024 NFL Draft is Michigan’s Blake Corum. A meniscus tear ended his 2022-23 season early, but the Maize and Blue running back came back strong last season, to the tune of 25 rushing touchdowns.
It is no secret what Corum is – a versatile, physical runner who lacks over-the-top athleticism and skills in the passing game (both blocking and receiving). Based on his name alone, Corum could be off the board before day three – but his skills, which may take a bit to develop, should eventually justify that selection.
4. MarShawn Lloyd – USC
Showing out in front of NFL scouts with a 4.4 40-yard dash was one-way MarShawn Lloyd got himself onto NFL Draft boards. His time at USC was solid, if unspectacular, as his stats blend in with many other college backs, but his athleticism is what puts him this high in our power rankings.
Relying more on athleticism than physicality, Lloyd’s calling card as he enters the NFL will be how he helps NFL teams as a dual option. Likely not going to be called on as a bell-cow option, Lloyd will need to improve his vision and his receiving skills if he wants to become a featured part of an NFL offense in 2024.
3. Jaylen Wright – Tennessee
One of the most dynamic running backs in the 2024 NFL Draft is Tennessee’s Jaylen Wright. An impressive blend of speed (4.38), athleticism, and physicality is what Wright will bring to the table for whichever NFL team drafts him.
A receiving threat who ran for over 1,000 yards last season, Wright is a dangerous play waiting to happen. Having just turned 21, Wright isn’t as young as Braelon Allen, but his youth is a benefit to any team that drafts him.
His skill set puts him in a lead-back mold, capable of being on the field for all three downs. While some aspects of his game need refining (vision and strength), he is a bonafide option in April’s NFL Draft.
2. Trey Benson – Florida State
A top option in contention for the overall RB1 this year, Trey Benson ran a sub-4.4 at the NFL Combine, pairing his game film with explosive testing results. The former Florida State Seminole is an impressive prospect, built like an NFL running back with the skills to match.
Some concerns come into play for Benson with his receiving skills and pass blocking, but these areas can all be improved by coaching. As long as Benson commits to his new team, he should have no problem making a positive impact at the next level.
1. Jonathon Brooks – Texas
Having sat behind Bijan Robinson, Jonathon Brooks gets his crack at continuing the Texas-to-NFL RB pipeline. While still working his way back from a torn ACL suffered late last season, Brooks has what it takes to be the top running back in the 2024 NFL Draft.
With a blend of athleticism, speed, and patience, Brooks is what this draft class needs without a clear-cut leader. With his recovery timeline a bit unknown currently, any team that drafts Brooks will need to take it slow in his rookie campaign.
Honorable Mention
Kimani Vidal (Troy), Tyrone Tracy Jr. (Purdue), Isaac Guerendo (Louisville), Dylan Laube (New Hampshire), Rasheen Ali (Marshall)
This draft class takes more of a quantity versus a quality approach, which might be better for teams that don’t want to invest high draft capital at RB. Small-school options, like Kimani Vidal, Dylan Laube, and Rasheen Ali, will likely be drafted a bit higher than most draft classes.
Isaac Guerendo is the NFL combine starlet, having ran a 4.33 40-yard dash on his way to producing one of the best Relative Athletic Scores (RAS) of all time. Tyrone Tracy Jr. from Purdue is a WR/RB hybrid that could be utilized in a Swiss Army Knife role in the NFL, which could elevate his draft stock.
In a year dominated by wide receivers, the running backs could steal the show in a few years once this class develops. While lacking a bonafide top option, the amount of depth included in this class is rivaled by few classes over the past five years.
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