RYAN DUNLEAVY’S TOP 10 RUNNING BACKS
Player School Ht Wt
1. Jaylen Wright Tennessee 5-10 210 Home-run hitter who can start and stop on a dime. Gained 10 or more yards on 25.4 percent of carries last season, per NFL.com. Breaks second-level tackles (averaged 4.35 yards after contact). Like many rookies, could struggle in pass protection.
2. Jonathon Brooks Texas 6-0 216 Recovering from a torn ACL suffered in November. Three-down potential because of soft hands and making the first tackler miss. Fresh legs after just 256 career touches playing behind two 2023 draft picks. Makes too many moves before hitting hole.
3. Blake Corum Michigan 5-8 205 Compact, powerful back who put up an offensive lineman-like 27 reps on the 225pound bench press. Finds small creases and gets downhill. Does everything — including block — bigger than his size. Michigan-record 56 career rushing touchdowns.
4. Trey Benson Florida St. 6-0 216 Happy to deliver punishment. Body is built to withstand toll of feature back but was averaging about 10 carries per game until mid-November. Zero career fumbles. Big-play weapon with four 50-plus-yard gains. Third-down role is undefined.
5. Bucky Irving Oregon 5-9 192 Led FBS running backs with 56 catches in addition to second straight 1,000-yard season. One career fumble. Changes directions at full speed on tape but didn’t show the same level of explosiveness at the NFL combine (4.55-second 40-yard dash).
Player School Ht Wt
6. MarShawn Lloyd USC 5-9 220 Patient runner who accelerates through holes and doesn’t shy away from contact. Can create something out of nothing with his dynamic cuts. Not a high-volume ballcarrier but averaged
7.1 yards in 2023. Willing to body-up blitzers. 7. Audric Estime Notre Dame 5-11 221 New York native is a between-thetackles workhorse who wears down defenses with yards after contact (14 runs of 20-plus yards. Lowers pads when he smells the goal line (18 rushing touchdowns last season). Ball security and 40-yard dash time (4.71 seconds) are concerns.
8. Ray Davis Kentucky 5-8 211 Exploded for 280 yards and three touchdowns against Florida. Decisive north-south runner who maintains contact balance. Plug-and-play clock ticking after 746 collegiate carries. Lacks top-end speed but adds pass-catching element — seven of 21 touchdowns last season as a receiver.
9. Braelon Allen Wisconsin 6-1 235 Classic Wisconsin power back who looked miscast last season in a passminded offense. Scored 35 rushing touchdowns in 35 career games. Not much finesse — just toughness, shortyardage stiff arms and blocking. Just 20 years old for full rookie season.
10. Will Shipley Clemson 5-11 206 Averaged 5.2 yards per carry, 7.1 yards per catch and 26.6 yards per kickoff return (and scored 33 touchdowns) in three-year career. If he can’t outrun you, he will spin, hop or hurdle before going down. Some concentration drops.