CFB Future 100: Top 15 Running Backs in Class of 2017

The commitments have been made, the letters have been signed, and in many cases, the classes have already begun. Yesterday's blue-chip recruits are now today's next crop of talented college football newcomers. Now it's time to focus on what's ahead for the best young players in the game.

Following Wednesday's national signing day, we now know where all the big-name prospects are headed for school. Now it's time to turn our attention to how they'll fit with their programs and what shot they have of playing right away.

The CFB Future 100 is breaking down the best incoming players of the class of 2017 by position, with today's list focused on running back. The FBS ranks lost a ton of talent at this position following last season, with the 10 most prolific rushers all either graduating or turning pro. In many cases, that leaves an immediate opening for meaningful carries for some of the names on our list.

These players were ranked based on a combination of their resumes and recruiting rankings heading into college. Their shot at playing time as true freshmen was also considered.

15. Zaquandre White

Height/Weight: 6'0", 207 lbs

College: Florida State

2017 Outlook

One of three Florida State running back signees on this list, Zaquandre White is talented enough to be the best rushing prospect on most teams. Being part of the same group that includes Cam Akers and Khalan Laborn and having to battle with returners like Jacques Patrick and Amir Rasul means White may struggle to get much playing time initially.

But once he's able to show his talents, which include good hands for the passing game and a frame that can handle plenty of contact, he should swiftly climb the depth chart.

What They're Saying

"He's a lot bigger than you'd think. I think he'll end up being somewhere in the 220 [pound] range," FSU running backs coach Jay Graham said, per 247Sports' Brendan Sonnone.

14. Travis Etienne

Height/Weight: 5'11", 199 lbs

College: Clemson

2017 Outlook

Clemson's offense is going to have an all-new look this season with the exodus of Deshaun Watson, Wayne Gallman, Artavis Scott and Mike Williams. And while the Tigers have strong players waiting in the wings to replace all those stars, the incoming freshman class features guys who can get involved immediately as well.

Travis Etienne fits that bill for Clemson's run game. He's a candidate to take on a good portion of the carries Gallman had, though he needs to beat out Tavien Feaster and others. To do that, he needs to become better with his pad level and learn to become more compact when running in traffic.

What They're Saying

"He is an explosive back who can take it the distance," per Scout.com. "A move he likes to go to is the spin move, and that helps him avoid big hits. Etienne can be a three-down back on the next level."

13. Colin Wilson

Height/Weight: 6'0", 209 lbs

College: Louisville

2017 Outlook

Roughly half of Louisville's run plays last season went to Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Lamar Jackson, mostly because of his great skills but also because Louisville's backfield wasn't particularly strong. It's even less so with the graduation of Brandon Radcliff, but Colin Wilson could change that perception and possibly be the Cardinals' featured non-QB rusher in his first season.

Wilson already has the lower-body strength to compete but can still stand to get bigger on his top half. That would make him better able to serve as a blocker and be part of the passing game.

What They're Saying

"He's powerful," Louisville coach Bobby Petrino said, per the Louisville Courier-Journal's Jeff Greer. "He can catch the ball with his hands away from his body. Everything that we ask our running backs to do he can do. I think he has a chance to really help us."

12. Kylin Hill

Height/Weight: 5'10 ½", 205 lbs

College: Mississippi State

2017 Outlook

Mississippi State's leading rusher in three of the past four seasons has been its quarterback. Dak Prescott managed that feat twice, while Nick Fitzgerald ran for 1,375 yards in 2016. The Bulldogs don't want to cramp Fitzgerald's running, but they sure would love to be able to balance it with a traditional run game, something Kylin Hill could make possible this fall if he has a good training camp.

Hill isn't particularly fast—Scout has him clocked at 4.64 seconds in the 40—but his feet keep moving, and that enables him to run through contact and avoid tacklers.

What They're Saying

"We saw him and thought he was one of if not the best running back in the country," MSU coach Dan Mullen said, per Robby Donoho of WCBI.

11. Kennedy Brooks

Height/Weight: 5'11", 185 lbs

College: Oklahoma

2017 Outlook

The NFL departures of Joe Mixon and Samaje Perine creates a huge opening for Oklahoma's other ball-carriers to jump into the spotlight, and that includes Kennedy Brooks.

He is a high-volume rusher from Texas who could transition into a similar role with the Sooners at some point. Brooks will have plenty of competition from Abdul Adams and Rodney Anderson, as well as Trey Sermon and Marcelias Sutton, both early enrollees.

Brooks' best attribute is that he has plenty of room to grow, and with another 10 or 15 pounds added to his frame, he could become unstoppable.

What They're Saying

"Brooks has excellent vision and elusiveness," SB Nation's Graham Dudley wrote. "He can stop on a dime and has good breakaway speed in the open field."

10. Cordarrian Richardson

Height/Weight: 5'11 ½", 222 lbs

College: UCF

2017 Outlook

If how this last week went is any indication, Cordarrian Richardson's career at UCF isn't going to be dull. He committed to Maryland on national signing day via a Bleacher Report video but a day later ended up signing with the Knights. That last-second switch made him his school's top-rated prospect by a landslide and marked UCF coach Scott Frost's first big get since landing the job before the 2016 season.

Richardson should provide a huge boost to a rushing offense that averaged 3.48 yards per carry last season, 114th nationally. He's strong enough to bust through the line and has the shiftiness to run in space. Richardson is going to get plenty of chances to shine right away.

What They're Saying

"Maybe the greatest attribute of Richardson's is that his motor never stops," 247Sports' Ryan Bass wrote. "The yards after contact [are] absurd."

9. Toneil Carter Jr.

Height/Weight: 5'11", 197 lbs

College: Texas

2017 Outlook

Toneil Carter Jr. was one of the first players to commit to Texas after it hired Tom Herman. Carter was a flip from Georgia who has enrolled early so he can get a jump on impressing his coach. That should also help him challenge Chris Warren and Kyle Porter for the many touches available with D'Onta Foreman's departure to the NFL.

Carter is a track star who has shown equally impressive speed while in pads and bouncing off tackles, though this stands out more when running straight on rather than laterally. If he can add side-to-side quickness to his arsenal, he'll become the complete package.

What They're Saying

"Carter is a middle-of-the-field runner, and when he gets a seam, he hits the gas pedal and gets up the field quickly, wasting little time to get positive yards and break big plays," Scout's Greg Powers wrote.

8. Eno Benjamin

Height/Weight: 5'10", 203 lbs

College: Arizona State

2017 Outlook

Arizona State made every effort to get the ball in the hands of its best athletes last year, including using numerous Wildcat formations. Though Kalen Ballage and Demario Richard are back for their senior seasons, there should be plenty of work available for Eno Benjamin.

To ensure that, Benjamin must continue to show off his tremendous cutback ability. The defenders will be faster and stronger at this level, and in order to stay in the mix in a crowded backfield, he'll need to avoid injury.

What They're Saying

"If there's a headliner of this [recruiting] class, it's Eno Benjamin," ASU coach Todd Graham said, per the Arizona Republic. "This guy does it all. This guy's dynamic."

7. Ty Chandler

Height/Weight: 5'11", 182 lbs

College: Tennessee

2017 Outlook

John Kelly's emergence in the second half of last season makes him the front-runner to be Tennessee's featured back in the fall, but it won't be a solo effort. Ty Chandler will make sure of that, entering camp with a great chance to land the No. 2 spot and give the Volunteers options on the ground.

With impressive downfield vision and the ability to get to top speed after only a few steps, Chandler could be a home run hitter if put in the right situation. The Vols had 15 runs of 30 or more yards in 2016, but 10 of those were from now-graduated quarterback Joshua Dobbs.

What They're Saying

"Chandler should hear the Neyland Stadium crowd erupt after he touches the rock on several occasions before he hangs up the orange cleats," Scout's Danny Parker wrote.

6. Anthony McFarland

Height/Weight: 5'8 ½", 203 lbs

College: Maryland

2017 Outlook

The biggest outlier among the top 20 recruiting classes was Maryland at No. 15, a ranking Anthony McFarland had a lot to do with despite coming in a relatively small package. He's one of the shorter running backs in the 2017 class, but he makes up for it with a power-packed frame that enables him to run inside as well as out.

McFarland joins a young and promising Terrapins backfield that features 1,000-yard rusher Ty Johnson as well as Lorenzo Harrison III. Missing all of his senior year of high school with a broken leg might put him behind the curve to start, but by the season opener Sept. 2 at Texas, he should be on the field in some capacity.

What They're Saying

"The sky is the limit for him," Maryland coach DJ Durkin said, per Kyle Melnick of Diamondback Sports. "He has a chance every time he has [the ball] to go the distance."

5. Khalan Laborn

Height/Weight: 5'10", 200 lbs

College: Florida State

2017 Outlook

One of three running backs (along with Cam Akers and Zaquandre White) whom Florida State included in its 2017 class, Khalan Laborn is possibly the most versatile of the trio because of his background as not just a rusher but someone who can handle receiving duties and work in the return game.

That bodes well for his chances to contribute immediately, while most traditional backs like Akers and White will be primarily fighting for carries with junior Jacques Patrick. Laborn is sturdily built and hard to bring down, major pluses on kickoffs, punts or backfield swing passes.

What They're Saying

"Laborn has the knack for the jaw-dropping play, whether it be leaping over a defender or making someone miss," Curt Weiler of SB Nation wrote. "He sees plays develop past the first level and is able to set blocks up for chunk yards."

4. D'Andre Swift

Height/Weight: 5'9 ½", 214 lbs

College: Georgia

2017 Outlook

Georgia scored a few major wins late last season when running backs Nick Chubb and Sony Michel both decided to return for their senior years. But had one or both opted to turn pro, the cupboard wouldn't have been left bare thanks to the arrival of D'Andre Swift, who could have been in line to start immediately.

Swift won't be unused, though, not since he showed in high school and in all-star games the ability to haul in passes and make moves after the catch. That should make for a valuable asset in helping sophomore quarterback Jacob Eason develop.

What They're Saying

"A threat to go the distance from any spot on the field," Bleacher Report's Tyler Donohue wrote. "His penchant for explosive plays was on display as a runner (10.5 yards per carry) and receiver (19.3 yards per reception) in 2016."

3. Stephen Carr

Height/Weight: 6'0", 200 lbs

College: USC

2017 Outlook

Stephen Carr jumps off the film, and he's apt to do the same thing with USC, where there's been a resurgence of the ground game under junior-to-be Ronald Jones II. Jones is the go-to rusher, at least for one more year, but Carr should still have opportunities as a true freshman.

He's just as capable of breaking tackles as he is of preventing defenders from getting a hand on him, with his lateral speed making him a blur in phone booth-type situations. That can make him a weapon coming out of the backfield too.

What They're Saying

"He's as good a receiver as he is a running back," USC coach Clay Helton said, per 247Sports' Chris Trevino. "He's a guy that I don't think you have to pull off [the field] at anytime."

2. Cam Akers

Height/Weight: 5'11", 212

College: Florida State

2017 Outlook

Florida State just said goodbye to its single-season and career rushing leader in Dalvin Cook, but there will be no crying in Tallahassee now that Cam Akers is on board. He enrolled early and therefore can use the spring to compete with Jacques Patrick, redshirt freshman Amir Rasul and fellow freshmen Khalan Laborn and Zaquandre White for the featured-back role.

Akers primarily played quarterback in high school in Mississippi as his team capitalized on his athleticism, but the footwork and field vision he showed at that position transitions to getting handoffs instead of making them. The Seminoles will look to use him in a variety of ways.

What They're Saying

"Offensive imagination stirs when you project how opponents will attempt to contain him as an every-down running back surrounded by star supplemental pieces in a college offense," Bleacher Report's Tyler Donohue wrote.

1. Najee Harris

Height/Weight: 6'3", 225 lbs

College: Alabama

2017 Outlook

The No. 1 overall player in the 2017 recruiting class is the first running back to finish atop those rankings since Leonard Fournette in 2013. We saw how he fared during his time at LSU, and Harris is just as capable of making that big of an impact. However, doing so in a meaningful way immediately will be difficult with the logjam of rushers Alabama still has at its disposal.

A bruiser in the vein of current Crimson Tide ball-carrier Bo Scarbrough but with a level of speed and agility normally reserved for guys much smaller, Harris may be too talented to redshirt but shouldn't be expected to get more than a handful of carries this fall.

What They're Saying

"He has size, power, toughness, speed and great hands out of the backfield," Scout's Greg Biggins wrote. "He runs with patience and balance, can make that first guy miss and does a great job making yards after contact."

All recruiting information courtesy of Scout.com unless otherwise noted.

Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter: @realBJP.