2024 NFL Draft Big Board: Ranking the 10 best RB prospects

NFL teams looking for a premier running back like Bijan Robinson or Saquon Barkley will be disappointed by the options available to them in this year's draft class. No running back deserves to hear their name called in Round 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft.

That does not mean there isn't value to be found in the position group. The depth of options in this year's running back crop should allow savvy front offices to get good value in the middle rounds. Round 2 might still be too early to reach for a running back but Rounds 3 and 4 should be chock full of potential starters.

The key, as always, is to make sure valuable draft equity is spent on the right prospect. Teams should zero in on these ten prospects if they want to make sure they extract the maximum possible value from their draft capital.

10. Frank Gore Jr., Southern Miss

Frank Gore Jr. won't have the same sort of amazing career that his dad enjoyed but he can develop into a quality contributor at the next level. His draft stock is depressed due to his lack of top-end speed but he's got the body and patience to grind out yards as a short-yardage back.

At best, Gore Jr. can develop into a solid RB2 that helps save wear and tear on a team's big play speed back. Expecting anything more from the rugged rusher will end in disappointment. Teams should make sure they don't overdraft him based on his name recognition.

9. Will Shipley, Clemson

Will Shipley earned a lot of comparisons to Christian McCaffrey during his collegiate career at Clemson but he's not that kind of elite athlete. He's got good, but not great speed, which means he's only suited to be an RB2 at the next level.

He can fill that role in a very different manner than Gore. He's more a finesse back that shouldn't be taxed with too many carries between the tackles. He's a bit of a luxury item at the running back position but he can provide good value behind the right bellcow back.

8. Audric Estime, Notre Dame

Audric Estime's draft stock took a significant hit when he was only able to run a 4.71-second 40-yard dash at the Combine. That confirmed some scouts' fears about his inability to really showcase immediate burst on his carries at Notre Dame.

The upside to Estime is that he's a load to tackle when he's given the ability to get going. He'll need a quality offensive line in front of him to carve out yards. That makes him an awkward fit for teams looking for runners who can create big plays on their own. Estime's stock also gets a modest boost due to his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. He has a relatively high floor as a prospect but expecting him to be anything more than adequate would be a mistake.

7. Ray Davis, Kentucky

Ray Davis is the first back on this list who has real starter upside on Sundays. He tested well at the Combine with a 4.52 40-yard dash and solid accompanying test results. That confirmed the burst he showed against quality defenses during his time at Kentucky.

He's not going to be a homerun hitter at the next level but he does have nice physicality at the point of attack. That means he will break enough tackles to generate meaningful yards after contact. Davis shouldn't be projected as a star but he's got quality starter written all over him. That's great value where he'll likely be drafted on Day Three.

6. Braelon Allen, Wisconsin

Braelon Allen is the epitome of what scouts are used to seeing from Wisconsin running backs as they enter the NFL. He lacks the top-line speed required to be a star but he can really move the pile on interior runs. It's fair to say he looked more comfortable before the Badgers tried to diversify their offense last season but that won't damage his stock in the eyes of scouts looking for a bruiser for their backfield.

The big question about Allen's game is whether or he possesses enough flexible athleticism to scare opposing defenders at the next level. There's a chance that all he ever becomes is a short-yardage back. His athletic testing during the pre-draft process could do a lot to help or hurt his draft stock.

5. Blake Corum, Michigan

Blake Corum was exceptionally productive for a very good Michigan offense due to his no-nonsense rushing style. He showed a real ability to find a crease in opposing defenses and attack it immediately. That makes him the sort of back who's very hard to stop in the opposing backfield.

The weakness to Corum's game is that he doesn't turn enough of those creases into big plays. He hurt college defenses more by bludgeoning them rather than torturing them with explosive plays. Some scouts will fall in love with his obsession with getting north-south while others will be turned off by his lack of ability to make a big gain on the perimeter. He doesn't have massive upside but it's hard to envision a scenario where he isn't a productive, three-down back early in his NFL career.

4. MarShawn Lloyd, USC

MarShawn Lloyd's South Carolina tape is more impressive than what he put on film last year at Southern Cal but his big play ability was obvious no matter which school he was playing for. His lack of consistency prevents him from being an elite prospect but it's very likely a team will gamble on his explosiveness in Round 3.

The reality that Lloyd didn't carry the ball a ton during his collegiate career also increases his value for the team that selects him. He's never going to be a high-usage guy but he'll arrive in the pros with relatively light tread on his tires. The bottom line on Lloyd is that he's a quick-twitch guy who can pop big plays in the run or pass game. He has a chance to be a more productive NFL player than a collegiate star.

3. Trey Benson, Florida State

Trey Benson has the perfect combination of size and speed to grow into a quality starting running back in the NFL. The problem is that he plays like too much of a finesse back for a guy who weighed in at 216 pounds during the Combine.

If a pro coaching staff can teach him to stick his foot in the ground and use his speed to hit the hole with real aggression they could end up with a star on their hands. He has star potential but needs a lot of work to get the most out of his potential. Don't be shocked if a team falls in love with him during the pre-draft process and reaches for him as early as Round 2.

2. Jaylen Wright, Tennessee

Teams searching for a home run hitter in their backfield need look no further than Jaylen Wright. Tennessee's offense may have been more well-known for the vertical passing game last season, but Wright gave the Vols exceptional balance with his ability to produce yards in bunches.

He lacks the size to hold up as anything more than a below-average pass blocker but he makes up for that weakness with his versatility as a pass-catcher. NFL teams with the ability to give their running backs the ball in open space would do well to spend a second or third-round pick on Wright. Once he gets behind opposing defenses he's very hard to catch.

1. Jonathon Brooks, Texas

Injuries limited Jonathon Brooks' stats in college but his talent pops off the screen. His exceptional combination of size, speed, and most importantly, balance, give him an outside chance to blossom into a star at the next level.

Of course, that injury history should give teams pause before they grade him as a first-rounder. He also shows a worrying aversion to contact that might limit his effectiveness as an interior runner. Add all that up and he has more risk than teams would ideally like to see in the top running back in a draft class. Someone will still gamble on him as the top back taken even if it's only early in the second round.