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25 best NFL running backs of the 21st century

By Brad Weiss

Charger RB LaDainian Tomlinson runs down the field as the San Diego Chargers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 20 - 9 on December 17, 2006 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, CA. (Photo by Tracy Frankel/Getty Images)
Charger RB LaDainian Tomlinson runs down the field as the San Diego Chargers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 20 - 9 on December 17, 2006 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, CA. (Photo by Tracy Frankel/Getty Images) /
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Cowboys bold predictions, Ezekiel Elliott
PHILADELPHIA, PA – JANUARY 08: Ezekiel Elliott #21 of the Dallas Cowboys runs the ball against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on January 8, 2022, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

25 best NFL running backs of the 21st century

. . Ezekiel Elliott. 21. player. 123.

During his time at Ohio State, Ezekiel Elliott became nearly a mythical figure, as his hard running style mixed with his incredible speed made him one of the top prospects in the 2016 NFL Draft. It did not take long for him to hear his name called, as he was the fourth overall selection of the Dallas Cowboys, a team he has played his entire career with.

With the Cowboys, Zeke has turned into one of the premier running backs in the NFL, and one of the more dominant backs we have seen come into the league in a long time. In his six seasons with the Cowboys, Elliott has rushed for 1,000 yards four times, and in one of the years he missed out on the 1,000-yard mark, he played in only ten games, and still had 983 yards.

Named an All-Pro as a rookie in 2016, and again in 2018, Elliott has racked up over 7,000 rushing yards across his first six seasons. A three-time Pro Bowler, Zeke has helped the Cowboys to the playoffs three times in his career, and there have been plenty of times when he has had to carry this offense on his back.

The NFL’s leading rusher in 2016 and 2018, Elliott is only 26-years old, so you have to think that he has a lot left in the tank.

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