30 best college football running backs of the 21st century

KANSAS CITY, MO - DECEMBER 4: Adrian Peterson #28 of the University of Oklahoma Sooners carries the ball against the University of Colorado Buffaloes in the Big 12 Championship game on December 4, 2004 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. Oklahoma defeated Colorado 42-3 to win the Big XII Championship. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) /

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Steve Slaton #10 of the West Virginia Mountaineers. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) /

28. Steve Slaton – West Virginia 2005-07

Steve Slaton is a name that comes up every so often. He didn’t have the career many hoped for in the NFL, but his college highlight reel is second to none. Don’t believe it? Look at it. His partnership with Pat White put the West Virginia Mountaineers one of the scariest teams when Big East Football was still must-watch television.

Slaton was a member of one of the best offenses in college football history. Pat White was one of the best athletes at the quarterback position ever. Those two would make it impossible for opposing defenses. Add in the fact that Owen Schmitt was making holes for both of them and you have a winning trio on offense.

Slaton had three-straight seasons over 1,000 yards, including a freshman season with more than 1,200 yards from scrimmage. His sophomore season was the stuff of legends. He ran for 1,744 on the ground and added 27 catches and 360 yards. Against then-number 5 Louisville, he had 156 yards on just 18 carries. An unfortunate fumble put a cloud on the day, but WVU probably would have had a better outcome if they just kept with the gameplan.

His nose for the endzone was one of the best at that time. He had 55 total touchdowns during his three-year career. His 50 touchdowns on the ground are tied for 34th all-time, putting him on par with other names on the list like Jonathan Taylor and DeMarco Murray. Every week, Slaton’s name was mentioned on SportsCenter and more often than not he ended up on the Top 10 plays.

Slaton was so good and it’s unfortunate how his NFL career played out. The decision to “add muscle” after a really good start with the Texans derailed and eventually ended his career at the tender age of 25.

Still, looking back at the insane seasons he put up at West Virginia alongside Pat White shows he was one of the most talented players in the backfield and through the air of the past 20 years. WVU has been known to beat teams with a special offense and it’s thanks to supremely skilled players like Slaton.

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