One of the College Football Running Backs on the rise for the class of ’23 is Nicholas Singleton of Penn State.
As spring practices and positional competitions for slots on the depth chart are currently underway or soon will be during summer exercises for all 133 teams nationwide, the countdown to the 2023 college football season has already begun.
Due to the departure of eight of the top 10 rushers in the country from ’22 for the NFL, college football will see a number of new running back stars this offseason and during the regular season. The next generation of running back superstars may include players like Trey Benson of Florida State, Nicholas Singleton of Penn State, Ja’Quinden Jackson of Utah, and Damien Martinez of Oregon State.
Let’s look at a few running backs who will be on the rise for the upcoming season, as well as a few players to keep an eye on. This list will appear slightly different by the fall as spring practice approaches and some of the battles for carries have yet to be resolved.
We sought to stay away from running backs who had already surpassed 1,000 yards in a season. It can be difficult to define what constitutes a “running back on the rise,” but we made an effort to choose backs who either had a 2022 season that went unnoticed or who we think will have a breakout ’23 season.
Top College Football Running Backs on the Rise for 2023
Here is a list of the best College Football Running Backs that are currently on the rise for the 2023 season.
College Football Running Backs: Jovantae Barnes/Gavin Sawchuk, Oklahoma
College Football Running Backs: Jovantae Barnes/Gavin Sawchuk, Oklahoma
Oklahoma’s backfield is still in excellent form despite the departure of Eric Gray for the NFL because of the return of Barnes, Sawchuk, and Marcus Major. Barnes and Sawchuk might be a lethal one-two punch for the Sooners, and in the Cheez-It Bowl, which the Sooners narrowly lost to Florida State, both players surpassed 100 yards. Sawchuk (105 yards) was more active than Barnes (519 yards) in ’22, but both players should contribute more to the offense in ’23.
College Football Running Backs: Kevorian Barnes, UTSA
College Football Running Backs: Kevorian Barnes, UTSA
Sincere McCormick left in San Antonio last season, leaving enormous gaps to fill, but Barnes gradually found his footing and excelled under coach Jeff Traylor. Barnes ended the year with 845 yards and six touchdowns after amassing just 20 rushing yards in the team’s first six games, including 132 against Troy in the bowl game. The Texas native ought to be one of the top running backs in the AAC in ’23 if he improves on a good end to last year’s campaign.
College Football Running Backs: Trey Benson, Florida State
College Football Running Backs: Trey Benson, Florida State
After moving to Tallahassee in 2020, Florida State coach Mike Norvell has excelled at finding and nurturing talent from the transfer portal. One of those finds was Benson, who came after recovering from a serious knee injury suffered at Oregon in 2020 to become one of the top running backs in the ACC. The native of Mississippi amassed 990 yards and nine touchdowns in his first season with the ‘Noles, and over the final six games, he had four 100-yard performances. Benson was sixth nationally with 79 missed tackles forced following a rush, according to PFF.
College Football Running Backs: Shaadie Clayton-Johnson, Tulane
College Football Running Backs: Shaadie Clayton-Johnson, Tulane
It won’t be simple to fill the vacuum Tyjae Spears left behind, but Tulane has a talented group of running backs competing for playing time this offseason. Prior to moving back to Louisiana in early 22, Clayton-Johnson spent the first two years of his career at Colorado. Last year, Clayton-Johnson was Spears’ primary backup, rushing for 333 yards (5.8 per attempt) and two touchdowns on 57 attempts. His greatest performance came in the Green Wave’s 27-13 victory over Tulsa, when he ran for 106 yards on 14 carries. Clayton-game Johnson’s is around speed (reportedly 4.42 in the 40-yard dash), but his 6-foot-1 frame can withstand the strain of a heavy effort. Another name to keep an eye on in ’23 at Tulane is Iverson Celestine.
College Football Running Backs: C.J. Donaldson, West Virginia
College Football Running Backs: C.J. Donaldson, West Virginia
Donaldson is undoubtedly among the more original narratives from the ’22 collegiate football season. Three-star tight end prospect from Florida, the Florida native signed with West Virginia as an all-purpose weapon. Early in the season, Donaldson established himself as the starting running back, carrying for 125 yards against Pitt in the Backyard War and 106 yards later against Virginia Tech. His season was cut short by a leg injury in late October, leaving him with 526 yards and eight touchdowns overall. Coach Neal Brown’s attack should center around Donaldson and a strong core of running backs because West Virginia’s quarterback situation is questionable going into the year 23.
College Football Running Backs: John Lee Eldridge, Air Force
College Football Running Backs: John Lee Eldridge, Air Force
Once Brad Roberts leaves, Eldridge definitely won’t take up all of his 345 carries, but it’s safe to say the Falcons need to find more ways to get the Ohio native the ball. Eldridge ran for 766 yards and four touchdowns on just under 100 attempts last season, averaging a healthy 7.7 yards per carry.
College Football Running Backs: Trevor Etienne, Florida
College Football Running Backs: Trevor Etienne, Florida
Coach Billy Napier’s attack should be centered on a running game with the one-two punch of Montrell Johnson Jr. (841 yards) and Etienne because the quarterback position for Florida in 2023 is uncertain. Etienne made a big impression in Gainesville as a true freshman last year, amassing 719 yards and six touchdowns on 118 tries. Expect Napier to discover even more strategies to engage Etienne in ’23.
College Football Running Backs: Ollie Gordon, Oklahoma State
College Football Running Backs: Ollie Gordon, Oklahoma State
Going into the spring, Gordon’s overall stats (308 yards) might not garner much notice. A closer examination of his output, though, reveals an improvement at the conclusion of the season, including 136 yards on 17 carries against West Virginia and 45 against a formidable Wisconsin defense in the bowl. After a strong freshman campaign, the former four-star prospect should become Mike Gundy’s top choice if he keeps improving.
College Football Running Backs: Rodney Hammond, Pitt
College Football Running Backs: Rodney Hammond, Pitt
After the ’22 season, Israel Abanikanda (1,431 yards) left Pitt’s backfield, but his absence in the Sun Bowl gave Hammond the chance to preview what to expect in ’23. Hammond’s season totals now stand at 460 yards and five running touchdowns on 109 yards after he ran for 94 yards and two scores against the Bruins on 25 attempts. Hammond scored 124 yards against Syracuse earlier in the 22nd season and added 74 against West Virginia in the opener.
College Football Running Backs: Roman Hemby, Maryland
College Football Running Backs: Roman Hemby, Maryland
Hemby’s ’22 season was mostly disregarded on a national level as Mohamed Ibrahim, Chase Brown, Blake Corum, and Braelon Allen received the majority of the attention in the Big Ten from the running back ranks. The native of Maryland quietly gained 989 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground and hauled in 33 catches for 298 yards and another score. For ’23, a redesigned offensive line will present some difficulties, but Hemby ought to be one of the Big Ten’s top running backs.
College Football Running Backs: Jarquez Hunter, Auburn
College Football Running Backs: Jarquez Hunter, Auburn
Throughout the past two seasons, Hunter has excelled as Auburn’s No. 2 running back option. Now that Tank Bigsby is leaving for the NFL, Hunter is expected to handle more of the No. 1 workload. The Mississippi native rushed for 675 yards last autumn to rank third on the team, totaling 1,261 yards over the previous two seasons. Hunter is ready for a bigger role in ’23, but USF transfer Brian Battie could handle a good portion of the carries for new head coach Hugh Freeze.
College Football Running Backs: Ja’Quinden Jackson, Utah
College Football Running Backs: Ja’Quinden Jackson, Utah
The third-ranked dual-threat quarterback in the 2020 recruiting class, Jackson began his career at Texas before settling in Salt Lake City at a different position. This year, the Utes switched Jackson to running back, and the Dallas native quickly established himself as a crucial component of the attack, amassing 531 yards and nine touchdowns on 78 carries. 105 yards against USC in the Pac-12 Championship and 81 yards against Penn State in the Rose Bowl were both part of that output. Jackson will likely develop into a star in the Pac-12 with a full offseason to prepare at running back.
College Football Running Backs: Kaleb Johnson, Iowa
College Football Running Backs: Kaleb Johnson, Iowa
As a whole, Iowa’s offense had trouble establishing the run (2.9 yards per carry), but Johnson stood out as a true freshman. He took part in all 13 contests, rushing 151 times for 779 yards and six touchdowns. Johnson should strive for 1,000 yards in ’23 if the offensive line improves this offseason.
College Football Running Backs: Damien Martinez, Oregon State
College Football Running Backs: Damien Martinez, Oregon State
Martinez was one of the finest running backs in the Pac-12 as a true freshman last season, finishing with just 982 yards short of 1,000 and seven touchdowns in 13 games. Martinez also grew stronger throughout the course of the season, compiling a run of six straight games with at least 100 yards in the second half of ’22, including 103 against rival Oregon and 178 against Colorado. This was a harbinger of things to come.
Jase McClellan, Alabama
College Football Running Backs: Jase McClellan, Alabama
Alabama isn’t lacking for talent in the backfield, as is customary in Tuscaloosa. Nonetheless, McClellan leads a talented bunch that also includes Roydell Williams, Jamarion Miller, and freshman Justice Haynes. Jahmyr Gibbs and his all-purpose skill will be missed. McClellan must compete for carries with that trio, but as seen by his performance in 2017 (655 yards and seven touchdowns on 111 runs), the Crimson Tide is ready for him to take over as their top option. His aggressiveness (388 yards after contact) should also be a plus for an offense attempting to establish the run and safeguard a rookie quarterback.
Josh McCray, Illinois
College Football Running Backs: Josh McCray, Illinois
At Champaign this autumn, Chase Brown (1,643 running yards the previous season) left large shoes to fill. Bret Bielema’s running back roster isn’t completely empty, though. Reggie Love III (317 yards the previous year) is back, and McCray, who was injured for the whole of ’22, is expected to return to full vigor. The Fighting Illini may anticipate the 235-pound running back to play more closely to the form that saw him carry for 549 yards and two touchdowns on just 12 attempts as a true freshman in ’21 if he returns to full strength.
Kendall Milton, Georgia
College Football Running Backs: Kendall Milton, Georgia
Throughout the past three years, Milton has played second fiddle to James Cook, Zamir White, and Kenny McIntosh in Athens. But, Milton seems prepared to take over as the No. 1 rusher now that McIntosh has left for the NFL, with help from Daijun Edwards and Branson Robinson. In just 85 attempts last season, Milton, the No. 54 recruit in the ’20 signing class, ran for 592 yards and eight touchdowns. At Georgia, having a standout running back player is usually no problem. In fall, expect Milton to maintain the backfield’s high level of performance.
Jaydn Ott, California
College Football Running Backs: Jaydn Ott, California
Ott’s job and workload have been somewhat complicated by the transfer arrivals of Byron Cardwell and Justin Williams-Thomas, but it’s safe to assume he’ll still play a significant role in the California backfield after leading the team with 897 running yards and eight touchdowns last season. With 46 catches for 321 yards out of the backfield, the California native was also a useful weapon.
Rueben Owens, Texas A&M
College Football Running Backs: Rueben Owens, Texas A&M
Devon Achane’s departure for the NFL leaves Texas A&M with a sizable gap to be filled in the backfield this offseason. The true freshman has the skills (rated as the No. 3 running back in the ’23 signing class) and playing time to significantly improve the Aggies’ ground game this fall, despite the fact that he has yet to participate in an official carry in an SEC game.
Nicholas Singleton, Penn State
College Football Running Backs: Nicholas Singleton, Penn State
One of the top breakout running backs in the country for 23 is without a doubt Singleton. When he arrived on college last autumn as a five-star freshman, there were high expectations for him, and Singleton didn’t let them down in his Happy Valley debut. The Pennsylvania native finished the year by thrashing Utah for 120 yards in the Rose Bowl after rushing for 1,061 yards and 12 touchdowns on only 156 attempts. Last fall, Singleton was the second-best running back in the Big Ten in terms of yards per carry (6.8).
Jalen White, Georgia Southern
College Football Running Backs: Jalen White, Georgia Southern
Last season, Georgia Southern’s offensive strategy under first-year coach Clay Helton underwent a significant change. The Eagles developed into one of the greatest passing attacks in college football without using the triple option, finishing third nationally in attempts (612) and fourth in yards per game (329.9). White (914 yards and 10 TDs) showed tremendous promise in his debut season as the team’s primary running back, so Helton and offensive coordinator Bryan Ellis didn’t completely abandon the ground game.
College Football Running Backs: Other Names to Look Out For
Robert Briggs, Utah State
At only 5-foot-6, Briggs’ 300-carry season this fall seems improbable. But, his performance in ’22 in a limited role behind starter Calvin Tyler Jr. (353 yards) was encouraging.
Texas Jonathon Brooks (or Cedric Baxter)
Brooks made an impression last season (197 yards and five touchdowns on 30 carries) and is likely to emerge as one of the top backs in the Big 12. Keilan Robinson, Jaydon Blue, and five-star freshman Cedric Baxter are his rivals for playing time, though.
Marquis Crosby, Louisiana Tech
Under first-year coach Sonny Cumbie, Crosby had a good rookie campaign, rushing for 918 yards and nine touchdowns and catching nine passes across 12 games. In ’23, he should play a bigger part, although transfers Tyre Shelton from Miami, Ohio, and Craig Williams from Baylor will compete for playing time.
R.J. Harvey, UCF
Harvey, a Virginia native who converted to quarterback and transferred, ran for 796 yards and five scores last season to establish himself as the team’s main option in place of Isaiah Bowser. He will be challenged for carries by Johnny Richardson, Mark-Antony Richards, and Florida transfer Demarkcus Bowman.
Malik Sherrod, Fresno State
The Bulldogs will rely on a tried-and-true option (Sherrod) and a transfer (Damien Moore) to compete for carries this offseason with Jordan Mims departing for the NFL.
Dre’lyn Washington, Louisiana
Chris Smith (628 yards) leaving Lafayette leaves the No. 1 slot in Louisiana’s backfield available.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this article on the College Football Running Backs on the rise for the 2023 season!