Today I wanted to look at running back (RB) prospects in the upcoming draft. The chart below is 2024 Pro Football Focus’ grades and current Big Board that updates through the draft process:
Jonathon Brooks – Texas (No. 56). Games played the last three seasons (three, six, 11). Attempts (21, 30, 187). Yards (143, 197, 1,135). YPA (6.8, 6.6, 6.1). Touchdowns (one, five, 10). Catches (one, two, 25). Receiving Yards (12, 37, 286). 90-plus rushing (RUSH), overall (OVR), and zone run (ZONE) grades. 84.5 gap run (GAP) grade. Great 140.3 elusive rating (ELU) and 3.91 yards after contact (YAC). 63 missed tackles forced (MTF) ranked 23rd in CFB last season. 26th in yards per route run (YRR). Suffered ACL injury in 2023. Shrine Bowl/Combine invite.
Jaylen Wright – Tennessee (No. 71). Games played (nine, 13, 12). Attempts (85, 146, 136). Yards (409, 878, 1,010). YPA (4.8, 6.0, 7.4). Touchdowns (four, 10, four). Catches (six, two, 22). Receiving Yards (22, eight, 141). 90-plus RUSH and OVR. Great upper-80 ZONE, 132.2 ELU, and 4.35 YAC. Good 85.0 GAP. T-21st in 15-plus carries (19). Senior Bowl invite (limited by ankle injury) and participated at the Combine.
Blake Corum – Michigan (No. 75). Games played (12, 12, 15). Attempts (144, 248, 258). Yards (944, 1,461, 1,245). YPA (6.6, 5.9, 4.8). Touchdowns (11, 18, 27). Catches (24, 10, 16). Receiving Yards (141, 82, 117). 80-plus GAP (good), RUSH (above average), and OVR. Below average 71.7 ZONE. Bad 27.4 ELU and 2.42 YAC. Fourth-most GAP attempts (165). Combine participant.
Bucky Irving – Oregon (No. 84). Games played (11, 13, 14). Attempts (132, 157, 186). Yards (696, 1,064, 1,192). YPA (5.3, 6.8, 6.4). Touchdowns (four, five, 11). Catches (nine, 30, 55). Receiving Yards (76, 297, 395). 90-plus GAP and RUSH (excellent). Great 149.2 ELU. 88.2 OVR. Good 3.99 YAC. Below average 73.4 ZONE. 69 MTF (T-11th). 113 GAP attempts (T-27th). 18 carries of 15-plus (T-29th). Combine participant.
Trey Benson – Florida State (No. 86). Games played (two, 13, 13). Attempts (six, 154, 156). Yards (22, 994, 905). YPA (3.7, 6.5, 5.8). Touchdowns (one, nine, 14). Catches (zero, 12, 20). Receiving Yards (zero, 142, 227). Good upper-80 GAP, RUSH, and 106.4 ELU. 84.2 OVR. Above average 3.53 YAC. Below average 72.7 ZONE. Combine participant.
Ray Davis – Kentucky (No. 102). Games played (three, 12, 13). Attempts (44, 233, 197). Yards (211, 1,044, 1,131). YPA (4.8, 4.5, 5.7). Touchdowns (one, five, 14). Catches (five, 29, 32). Receiving Yards (27, 169, 324). 90-plus GAP and RUSH. 87.5 OVR. Good 3.81 YAC. Above average upper-70 ZONE and 96.6 ELU. 16th in GAP attempts (127). 26th in yards after contact (751). Senior Bowl/Combine participant.
MarShawn Lloyd – USC (No. 105). Games played (12, nine, 11). Attempts (64, 110, 115). Yards (228, 565, 816). YPA (3.6, 5.1, 7.1). Touchdowns (one, nine, nine). Catches (three, 18, 13). Receiving Yards (44, 173, 232). Excellent 93.0 GAP and 177.0 ELU. Good 87.2 RUSH and 3.97 YAC. 81.7 OVR. 67.9 ZONE. 18 carries of 15-plus (T-29th). Senior Bowl/Combine participant.
Audric Estime – Notre Dame (No. 114). Games played (five, 13, 12). Attempts (seven, 156, 209). Yards (60, 906, 1,341). YPA (8.6, 5.8, 6.4). Touchdowns (zero, 11, 18). Catches (zero, nine, 17). Receiving yards (zero, 135, 142). 90-plus OVR, RUSH, ZONE, and GAP. Great 4.27 YAC and 126.5 ELU. 22 carries of 15-plus yards (T-seventh). Ninth in yards after contact (892). 64 MTF (T-19th). 121 GAP attempts (21st). Combine participant.
Braelon Allen – Wisconsin (No. 129). Games played (11, 12, 11). Attempts (185, 230, 181). Yards (1,258, 1,242, 982). YPA (6.8, 5.4, 5.4). Touchdowns (12, 11, 12). Catches (eight, 13, 28). Receiving yards (39, 104, 131). 70-plus RUSH, GAP, OVR, and ZONE. Good 3.77 YAC. Above average 99.2 ELU. Combine participant.
Will Shipley – Clemson (No. 133). Games played (10, 14, 12). Attempts (148, 211, 167). Yards (740, 1,171, 840). YPA (5.0, 5.5, 5.0). Touchdowns (11, 15, five). Catches (16, 37, 31). Receiving yards (116, 237, 231). Good 80.0 ZONE. 70-plus RUSH, OVR, and 2.92 YAC (all below average). Poor 51.5 ELU. Bad 65.0 GAP. Leg injury late last year. Measured in at the Combine.
Isaac Guerendo – Louisville (No. 134). Games played (four, 12, 14). Attempts (23, 64, 132). Yards (160, 385, 810). YPA (7.0, 6.0, 6.1). Touchdowns (one, five, 11). Catches (two, 17, 22). Receiving yards (six, 115, 234). 90-plus RUSH (good). 80-range OVR, GAP, and ZONE. Great 4.11 YAC. Good 106.8 ELU. 14th in YRR. Our Melanie Friedlander’s Shrine Bowl sleeper was consistently impressive in practice, a plus receiver and pass protector, and gives her Jaylen Warren vibes. A 24-yard run in game but dropped a pass. Combine participant.
Dylan Laube – New Hampshire (No. 163). Games played (nine, 12, 10). Attempts (82, 245, 161). Yards (498, 1,205, 745). YPA (6.1, 4.9, 4.6). Touchdowns (four, 15, nine). Catches (21, 49, 68). Receiving yards (203, 474, 708). 81.6 OVR. Average upper-70 RUSH, GAP, and ZONE. Poor 52.6 ELU and 2.57 YAC. Fifth in YRR, but a whopping five drops. The Senior Bowl participant was limited to short runs in tghe game and had a negative punt return. Combine participant.
Dillon Johnson – Washington (No. 167). Games played (13, 11, 14). Attempts (89, 89, 233). Yards (485, 499, 1,189). YPA (5.4, 5.6, 5.1). Touchdowns (four, three, 16). Catches (65, 47, 24). Receiving yards (422, 274, 190). Good upper-80 RUSH, OVR, and GAP. 78.2 ZONE (above average). Below average 3.0 YAC and 54.9 ELU. 130 GAP attempts (14th). Combine participant.
Tyrone Tracy – Purdue (No. 75). Games played (13, 14, 11). Attempts (eight, 17, 114). Yards (39, 138, 714). YPA (4.9, 8.1, 6.3). Touchdowns (one, zero, eight). Catches (14, 28, 19). Receiving yards (100, 198, 138). Excellent 163.5 ELU and 4.44 YAC. 90-plus rush. Upper-80 GAP and OVR. 80.7 ZONE (good). Former wide receiver. Shrine Bowl/Combine participant.
Kimani Vidal – Troy (No. 183). Games played (11, 14, 14). Attempts (153, 231, 295). Yards (699, 1,127, 1,661). YPA (4.6, 4.9, 5.6). Touchdowns (five, 10, 14). Catches (22, 25, 18). Receiving yards (134, 134, 200). 90-plus RUSH, OVR, and GAP. Great 86.0 ZONE. Good 118.9 ELU. Above average 3.58 YAC. Second in MTF (94). 1,056 yards after contact (T-second). 170 ZONE attempts (fourth). Enjoyable pass block and chunk run in the Senior Bowl, but also had stuffed runs, including at the goal line. Combine participant.
Cody Schrader – Missouri (No. 189). Games played since 2022 (13, 13). Attempts (169, 277). Yards (739, 1,611). YPA (4.4, 5.8). Touchdowns (nine, 14). Catches (18, 21). Receiving yards (134, 192). 80-range RUSH, ZONE, OVR, and GAP (all good). Below average 3.07 YAC and 56.7 ELU. 184 ZONE attempts (third). 851 yards after contact (14th). Eighteen carries of 15-plus (T-29th). Displayed churn and FMT ability in the Senior Bowl, and provided a chunk run, but some stuffs and dropped a pass, which was nearly intercepted. Combine participant.
Frank Gore Jr. – Southern Miss (No. 207). Games played (12, 13, 12). Attempts (179, 227, 229). Yards (781, 1,378, 1,119). YPA (4.3, 6.0, 4.9). Touchdowns (five, nine, 10). Catches (20, 19, 27). Receiving yards (155, 219, 224). 90-plus RUSH. Upper-80 ZONE and OVR. Good 111.0 ELU. Above average 3.6 YAC. Average 78.4 GAP. 824 yards after contact (16th). 67 FMT (T-16th). Had 140 ZONE attempts (20th). Nineteen carries of 15-plus (T-21st). The Offensive MVP of the Shrine Bowl had three runs of 10-plus yards and an explosive 49-yard touchdown. He also shined in practice per Friedlander. Measured in at the Combine.
Jase McClellan – Alabama (No. 210). Games played (five, 13, 13). Attempts (40, 111, 181). Yards (191, 651, 888). YPA (4.8, 5.9, 4.9). Touchdowns (one, seven, eight). Catches (10, 14, 14). Receiving yards (97, 174, 139). 80-plus RUSH and GAP (above average. 70-range OVR and ZONE (average). Above average 87.2 ELU. Average 3.21 YAC. Measured in at the Combine.
Miyan Williams – Ohio State (No. 217). Games played (10, 11, six). Attempts (71, 128, 49). Yards (507, 825, 158). YPA (7.1, 6.4, 3.2). Touchdowns (three, 14, three). Catches (nine, five, four). Receiving yards (74, 27, 42). 60-range GAP, RUSH, OVR, and ZONE. 37.4 ELU and 1.98 YAC. Knee injury in 2023. Measured in at the Combine.
Isaiah Davis – South Dakota State (No. 227). Games played (seven, 14, 15). Attempts (95, 250, 236). Yards (701, 1,454, 1,578). YPA (7.4, 5.8, 6.7). Touchdowns (seven, 15, 18). Catches (two, 21, 23). Receiving yards (eight, 173, 199). Best 94.8 OVR of the group, along with 90-plus RUSH, GAP, and ZONE. Great 139.3 ELU and 3.97 YAC. Third in carries of 15-plus. Fourth in MTF. Had 148 GAP attempts (T-sixth). Eighth in yards after contact (936). Had a nice chunk and churning run in the Senior Bowl, but several short runs, including one on a goal-line attempt. Combine participant.
Deshaun Fenwick – Oregon State (No. 234). Games played (12, 10, 13). Attempts (79, 113, 97). Yards (452, 553, 521). YPA (5.7, 4.9, 5.4). Touchdowns (four, seven, five. Catches (four, four, eight). Receiving yards (14, 15, 71). 70-range RUSH, GAP, OVR, and ZONE. 61.3 ELU. 3.58 YAC. Shrine Bowl participant, measured in at the Combine.
Rasheen Ali – Marshall (No. 244). Games played (13, three, 12). Attempts (250, 47, 210). Yards (1,389, 273, 1,127). YPA (5.6, 5.8, 5.4). Touchdowns (23, one, 15). Catches (46, two, 27). Receiving yards (344, 10, 207). Good 84.8 GAP. Above average RUSH. A 70-range OVR and ZONE (below average). Bad 36.6 ELU and 2.55 YAC. Bicep injury during Senior Bowl week. Measured in at the Combine.
Jaden Shirden – Monmouth (No. 248). Games played (11, 11, 11). Attempts (76, 203, 220). Yards (512, 1,719, 1,460). YPA (6.7, 8.5, 6.6). Touchdowns (three, 13, 10). Catches (three, two, 20). Receiving yards (11, 27, 133). 80-plus RUSH and OVR. Above average GAP, ZONE, 59.9 ELU, and 3.35 YAC. Twenty carries of 15-plus (T-14th). Shrine Bowl/Combine participant.
The rest would be undrafted free agents: Blake Watson – Memphis (No. 266). Isaiah Johnson – North Texas (No. 282). Carson Steele – UCLA (No. 292). Jawhar Jordan – Louisville (No. 306). Josh Williams – LSU (No. 307).
Pittsburgh is set atop the depth chart, and it’ll be interesting to see if it adds a running back in the 2024 draft. While the big board will certainly change, I hope you enjoyed and learned something from the grade data and notes from the All-Star games.
