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#3 - Ezekiel Elliott
A year before Alvin Kamara came out of college, Ezekiel Elliott of the Dallas Cowboys was taking the league by storm alongside fellow rookie quarterback Dak Prescott.
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Elliott had high expectations attached to him after being picked fourth-overall in the 2016 draft, but he fully lived up to the hype rushing for 1,631 yards, which led the league, as well as rushing for 15 touchdowns. He also added 363 yards reaching and an extra score. The former Ohio State man was named All-Pro and was voted to the Pro Bowl.
#2 - Saquon Barkley
In 2018, Saquon Barkley was taken second-overall by the New York Giants. Initially, it looked like the gamble to take a running back that high had paid off. Barkley was an instant hero in New York, rushing for 1,307 and receiving a further 721 yards for 15 total touchdowns.
His scrimmage yardage total of 2,028 meant he became the focal point of the Giants offense almost immediately. Unfortunately, since his rookie year, Barkley has struggled with injuries, and his struggles coincide with the Giants’ struggles in recent times.
#1 - Eric Dickerson
Eric Dickerson’s rookie year for the Los Angeles Rams in 1983 isn’t only one of the best rookie running back performances of all-time, but would rival that of any running back to ever play in the NFL.
Dickerson took home Offensive Rookie of the Year honors that year. He led the league with 390 carries, 1,808 rushing yards, 2,212 scrimmage yards, and 20 touchdowns.
Coming straight out of college and putting up those numbers in the pros is unlikely to ever be repeated again. But Dickerson himself would better his rookie rushing total the next year, rushing for 2,105 yards, a record that stands to this day.
