Who is the best running back in college football? As part of our preparation for the 2023 season, Sportsnaut is ranking the best running backs in college football right now. While the position has lost considerable value in the NFL, running backs are still a staple of college football today.
Blake Corum is the best running back in college football, but the pool of talent heading into the 2023 season is stacked. From some of the fastest players in the nation to home-run threats who can run defenders over or evade multiple tackles in a split second, fans of ground-and-pound football will certainly enjoy the running backs on display this year.
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Here are the best running backs in college football in 2023.
Best running backs in college football right now
10. Frank Gore Jr, Southern Miss Golden Eagles
- Frank Gore Jr stats (2022): 1,382 rushing yards, 6.1 yards per carry, 19 receptions, 219 receiving yards and nine total touchdowns
Yes, we’re all that old. The son of beloved former NFL star Frank Gore is now one of the best running backs in college football. Frank Gore Jr. was a three-star recruit, rated by 247 Sports as the 53rd-best running back prospect out of high school. Without any big Power 5 programs offering him a great opportunity, Gore landed at Southern Miss.
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Frank Gore Jr. earned first-team All-Sun Belt honors last thanks to an outstanding season as the Golden Eagles’ workhorse back. Even at 5-foot-8, he managed to average 6.1 yards per carry on 228 total attempts. Fittingly, he saved his best performance of the season for the Southern Miss’ bowl game. In a 38-24 win over Rice, Gore rushed for 329 yards with two touchdowns, averaging an absurd 15.7 yards per carry. Expect another outstanding season from Gore Jr. before he follows in his father’s footsteps to the NFL.
9. Miyan Williams, Ohio State Buckeyes
- Miyan Williams stats (2022): 825 rushing yards, 6.4 yards per carry, 14 rushing touchdowns
Many recognized TreVeyon Henderson as the best running back in Ohio entering last season. After all, he was a teenager in 2021 who earned second-team All-Big Ten honors after netting 1,560 scrimmage yards and 19 total touchdowns. When injuries struck in 2022, Miyan Williams demonstrated why he might be the Ohio State Buckeyes’ best ball carrier in a loaded running back room. Williams, a 2020 three-star recruit, averaged 8.31 yards per carry in games when he received 14-plus carries last season. Furthermore, per Football Insight, Williams was the most effective runner at forcing missed tackles on a per-touch basis. Williams and Henderson will split touches this fall, but both would be starters for nearly every team in college football.
8. Donovan Edwards, Michigan Wolverines
- Donovan Edwards stats (2022): 991 rushing yards, 7.1 yards per carry, 18 receptions, 200 receiving yards, nine total touchdowns in 11 games
When Blake Corum is in the NFL, Donovan Edwards will take over as the star of the Michigan Wolverines offense. As a 19-year-old, the 6-foot-1 running back averaged 7.1 yards per carry and turned 158 touches into 1,191 scrimmage yards and nine total touchdowns. While he’ll be splitting touches with Corum in 2023, there’s no denying what Edwards can do in a larger role. After Corum’s injury last season, Edwards started the final three games and turned his 70 carries into 520 rushing yards (7.43 ypc). While that’s a relatively small sample size, there’s more than enough film and stats on Edwards to demonstrate why he’s an elite running back.
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7. Trey Benson, Florida State Seminoles
- Trey Benson stats (2022): 990 rushing yards, 6.4 yards per carry, nine rushing touchdowns, 13 receptions for 144 receiving yards
There is a lot of excitement surrounding the Florida State Seminoles football program this year and running back Trey Benson is one of the biggest reasons why. Once a four-star recruit, Benson never quite got comfortable at Oregon (22 rushing yards in two seasons), but he thrived after transferring to Florida State. While Benson isn’t one of the fastest players in college football, he is extremely difficult to tackle. Last season, he was credited with a 51 percent forced missed tackle rate (PFF), the most by any running back with 100-plus attempts since 2014. If he gets a heavier workload in 2023, Benson will move up even higher when discussing the best running backs in college football.
6. Bucky Irving, Oregon Ducks
- Bucky Irving stats (2022): 1,058 rushing yards, 6.8 yards per carry, 31 receptions, 299 receiving yards, eight total touchdowns on 187 touches
The transfer portal has done wonders for the Oregon Ducks. While the successful reclamation of quarterback Bo Nix stole all the headlines in 2022, former Minnesota Golden Gophers running back Bucky Irving was a smash hit for Oregon in his first season. Irving, standing at 5-foot-10, had a fairly even split with Noah Whittington (136 carries), but was far more productive with his opportunities. He was even better late in the year, recording four games with 100-plus rushing yards from late October on.
5. Raheim Sanders, Arkansas Razorbacks
- Raheim Sanders stats (2022): 1,443 rushing yards, 6.5 yards per carry, 10 rushing touchdowns, 28 receptions, 271 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns
Arkansas Razorbacks running back Raheim Sanders showed flashes of explosiveness as a freshman. After joining the program as a four-star recruit, the seventh-best athlete in the nation the 6-foot-2 athlete delivered 687 scrimmage yards and six total touchdowns in his first collegiate season.
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As a sophomore, serving as the star in the Arkansas offense, Sanders had the fourth-highest yards per carry (6.5) among running backs with 200-plus carries. Keep in mind, he accomplished this when opposing defenses didn’t have to fear quarterback KJ Jefferson nearly as much due to injuries. Sanders is one of the best home-run threats in the nation and that’ll be on full display once again in 2023.
4. Braelon Allen, Wisconsin Badgers
- Braelon Allen stats (2022): 1,242 rushing yards, 5.4 yards per carry, 11 rushing touchdowns, 13 receptions, 104 receiving yards
- Braelon Allen college stats: 2,510 rushing yards, 6 yards per carry, 23 rushing touchdowns, 143 receiving yards
The Wisconsin Badgers have a storied history of producing some of the best running backs in college football and Braelon Allen is the next in line. Through two seasons, Allen is already 15th among the all-time Wisconsin rushing leaders and another 1,200-yard season would push him into the top 10.
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While the Badgers are moving away from a run-first offense, we think that could actually benefit Allen. The presence of quarterback Tanner Mordecai and a more spread-out and pass-heavy offense will open up the box for Allen. It should result in more explosive runs in 2023, reminding the nation why everyone viewed Allen as one of the best running backs in college football after his freshman season.
3. Nicholas Singleton, Penn State Nittany Lions
- Nicholas Singleton stats (2022): 1,061 rushing yards, 6.8 yards per carry, 12 rushing touchdowns, 11 receptions, 85 receiving yards, one touchdown
Talent evaluators agreed Nick Singleton was the best running back coming out of high school in 2022, comparing him to Nick Chubb. A few months later, the Penn State Nittany Lions star emerged as one of the best running backs in college football and he did it in an offense that was rather limited by its quarterback.
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That won’t be the case in 2023. With quarterback Drew Allar under center, Penn State can have a more explosive passing game this season. If that happens, there’ll be even more room for Singleton to roam free. Considering he nearly eclipsed 1,200 scrimmage yards with 13 touchdowns on only 167 touches as a freshman, the sky is the limit for him in these next two years. Of course, Singleton likely won’t be among the NCAA rushing leaders because fellow back Kaytron Allen will make this one of the best 1-2 tandems in the nation.
2. Quinshon Judkins, Ole Miss Rebels
- Quinshon Judkins stats: 1,567 rushing yards, 5.7 yards per carry, 16 rushing touchdowns
It’s a testament to the young talent on the gridiron that some of the best running backs in college football were true freshmen last season. Quinshon Judkins was also one of the best stories in 2022. Coming out of Pike Road, Alabama, Johnson signed with Ole Miss as a three-star recruit and ranked as the 53rd-best running back prospect in the nation. One year later, everyone is talking about his NFL future.
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Judkins began his collegiate career with a bang, eclipsing 100 scrimmage yards and scoring a touchdown in his first game. It set the standard for what was coming. Judkins recorded eight games with 100-plus rushing yards and twice eclipsed 200 yards last season. As a true freshman, he led the SEC in rushing yards (1,567). Heading into his sophomore season, coach Lane Kiffin is talking up Judkins’ all-around ability. No one should be surprised if Judkins earns All-American honors this season and becomes the best running back in college football in 2024.
1. Blake Corum, Michigan Wolverines
- Blake Corum stats (2022): 1,463 rushing yards, 5.9 yards per carry, 18 rushing touchdowns, 11 receptions, 80 receiving yards
- Blake Corum college stats: 2,492 rushing yards, 6 yards per carry, 31 rushing touchdowns, 2,786 scrimmage yards in 30 career games
Blake Corum is the best running back in college football. A four-star recruit in 2020, Corum was on his way to being a Heisman candidate last season until his knee injury against Illinois. Instead of heading for the NFL, he returned for his senior season as the centerpiece of the Michigan Wolverines offense.
Corum won’t dazzle with track-like speed and at 5-foot-8, he isn’t one of the most powerful running backs in all of football. However, the 2022 unanimous All-American excels at finding holes, being patient behind the line of scrimmage and evading defenders. If he repeats what we saw last season – nine touchdowns in September – Corum will be off and running when the season begins.
