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Running Backs have been in demand lately in the NFL and have managed a spot in the top-10 in the last three drafts. This year's crop is also heavily talented and it looks like a top-10 spot might be up for grabs again in the 2018 NFL draft.
Here are 5 of the best RBs coming out of college:
#5 Saquon Barkley (Penn State University)
Many scouts, pundits and draft analysts have said it on air or through the press that running back Saquon Barkley of Penn State University might just be the best player in the country and the future of the NFL.
The 5'11" back's performance in the Big Ten has cemented his place as one of the best in his draft class. In his 3 seasons with the Lions, Barkley has amassed 3,706 rushing yards on 654 attempts in 37 games with 41 touchdowns while also recording 1,157 receiving yards on 95 receptions with 8 touchdowns. He is also a kick return specialist, rushing for 519 yards on 19 returns with 2 touchdowns which includes a 98-yard return touchdown on the opening kickoff against Ohio State.
Barkley's best college career game came in the 2017 Big Ten opener against the Iowa Buckeyes where he recorded 358 all-purpose yards (211 rushing, 94 receiving and 54 kick return) with one touchdown. He has three 200+ rushing and six 150+ receiving yard games to his name.
Barkley has a superb skill set and ability to rip off chunks on any carry; he has good vision with quick feet and cutting ability to dart through any hole for positive yardage. Barkley is a shifty runner with the ability to shake off defenses with his moves and in a passing-driven NFL, he is a quality receiving back with soft hands and ability to run good routes.
#4 Derrius Guice (LSU)
It's always tough being a backup to a guy who is equally as talented as you. Guice had to endure that for feeling for 2 seasons when he was the backup to now Jacksonville Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette.
But, Guice never let that impact him in any way as he made full advantage of the RB1 status given to him during his sophomore year due to an ankle injury to Fournette. He took on the larger-than-expected workload and had a breakout season where he averaged 7.6 yards per carry for 1,387 yards with 15 touchdowns. Guice had some massive games in the season against the Arkansas Razorbacks where he ran for 252 yards and against Texas A&M where he rushed for 285 yards, setting a school record for most rushing yards in a single game.
In his junior year, like Fournette, Guice too missed several games due to injury but still managed to amass 1,153 yards at an average of 5.3 yards per carry with 11 touchdowns. On October 21, 2017, against an Ole Miss secondary, he rushed for 276 yards, becoming the first player in SEC history with 3 career games for 250+ yards.
Guice has a starting mix of size, speed, power and special attributes to be an NFL-caliber back. He is a tough runner between tackles and does not go dead on contacts when bigger defenders hit him or get hold of him. Guice has good vision and moves in the open field and has the ability to be a third-down starter in today's passing-driven NFL.
#3 Bryce Love (Stanford University)
Before he was smoking college secondaries with his speed, Love was a USA Track and Field Youth Athlete of the Year and at one time had set 3 national records in just one year. He was a 4-star recruit coming out of high school and chose to attend Stanford to play college football.
Unfortunately, Love had to remain content with the backup role in his freshman and sophomore year behind now Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey but in the two games he played as a starter, Love rushed for 248 yards at 5.7 yards per carry with one touchdown. In total, Love amassed 1,009 rushing yards with 5 touchdowns in his first two seasons of college football.
2017, Love's junior year, was predicted by many to be his breakout year in college football and breakout he did, posting 1,973 rushing yards at career-best 8.1 yards per carry with 17 touchdowns. He has recorded two consecutive 250+ rushing yards games this season which included a school-record 301 rushing yards against Arizona State. Love rushed for 100+ yards in 11 of the 12 games he played this season, leading all running backs in the nation.
Love possesses a combination of strength and speed which makes him a unique challenge for a defense. He has great vision which enables him to find the right lane for huge gains. Love has elite speed and quickness and his arsenal of jukes and cuts allow him to gain some extra yardage after he runs out of gas. He also has the ability to run inside and outside, and sometimes does both on the same play.
#2 Nick Chubb (Georgia)
There aren't many running backs in the history of college football who have dominated on the field as Nick Chubb has since his freshman year. Nick is currently second in all-time SEC rushing yards.
A four-star recruit out of high school, Chubb committed to the University of Georgia on June 13, 2014. He started his true freshman year as a backup to now Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley. However, 5 games into the 2014 college football season, Gurley was suspended by Georgia over alleged violation of an NCAA rule, paving the way for Chubb to take on the role of starting running back.
Chubb took full advantage and rushed for 1,323 yards at an average of 7.03 yards per carry with 12 touchdowns during Gurley's absence and eventually finished with 1,547 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns in his freshman year, including a 266-yard rushing game against Arizona in the Belk Bowl.
In his second season with Georgia, Chubb suffered an ankle injury and could only post 726 rushing yards and 7 touchdowns. He came back stronger in his junior year and rushed for 1,130 yards at 5.0 yards per carry with 8 touchdowns, including a 142-yard rushing game against TCU in the Liberty Bowl.
In 2017, contrary to everyone's expectations, Chubb came back for his senior year and led the Bulldogs to an SEC title, posting 1,175 rushing yards along the way with 13 touchdowns.
Chubb is a unique blend of power, speed and elusiveness. He is very skilled at breaking tackles with his power and keeps his feet moving to churn out more yards after contact is initiated. Chubb looks like a future NFL starter with the ability to be a steady motor for a rushing attack.
#1 Ronald Jones II (USC)
While everybody's attention has remained focused on the charismatic quarterback Sam Darnold, few have noticed the work of running back Ronald Jones II, who has the 2nd most rushing yards in PAC-12 this season.
A four-star recruit out of high school, Ronald Jones II committed to USC to play college football. As a true freshman, Jones played in all 14 games, but started in none of them, rushing for 987 yards at 6.5 yards per carry with 8 touchdowns.
In his sophomore year, Jones was awarded the starting role in the backfield by the USC coaching staff and rewarded their faith in him by recording 1082 rushing yards at an average of 6.1 yards per carry with 12 touchdowns. He had back-to-back 150+ yards rushing games against California and Oregon.
In 2017, Jones became USC's premier back and showed everyone why he was considered one of the best backs in college, leading them to a PAC-12 championship victory by rushing for 1,486 yards at an average of 6.1 yards per carry with 18 touchdowns. Three 150+ rushing yard games were just the cherry on top.
Ronald Jones II is an explosive athlete who runs with a low pad level, allowing him to change direction easily. He has an exceptional ability to make good reads and find open lanes in traffic. Jones is the complete package of speed, agility and physicality as a runner.
