B/R CFB Recruiting: Ranking the Top RBs in the 2024 Recruiting Class
If there's one position where it's difficult to come to a consensus top ranking when it comes to offensive skill-position players in the 2024 recruiting class, it would be running back.
No matter where you look across the major recruiting services, everybody has a favorite. That's not surprising considering the position and its translatable skills are hard to gauge. Even so, it's fun to predict which ones will be the biggest stars.
Last year, Texas signed the biggest star of the bunch in CJ Baxter, and he's already contributing to the Longhorns. But others across the nation, such as Texas A&M's Reuben Owens and Minnesota's Darius Taylor, are also among those making their presence known.
As the season progresses, there will be more. But it proves the top-ranked players at the position aren't always the quickest to make an impact.
Which players are going to be the top playmakers at running back in this year's class?
From several can't-miss guys to one uncommitted big-name prospect to a duo of future teammates, this year's class is full of potentially special runners. Using independent film study, how a skill set will translate and with a small nod toward other services' rankings, here is B/R's list of the nation's top backs.
10. Peyton Lewis, Tennessee Volunteers Commit
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Several players could have fit in the final spot of the top 10, but when you talk about skill set versus fit, there are few who should complement an offense like Peyton Lewis.
The 6'0.5", 197-pound Salem, Virginia, playmaker is a two-time 55-meter champion in the state of Virginia, according to his 247Sports profile, and teams around the country came calling and trying to get him to commit.
He decided to stay close to home and play for the SEC's Tennessee Volunteers. That's a big coup for Josh Heupel, who now gets to pair him in a future backfield with do-it-all freshman Cameron Seldon, who could be a future star.
Lewis is known for his speed, which could terrorize opponents if the Vols find ways to get him the ball early and often. Once the prospect accelerates, there are few who can reach his top-end speed, and he has the potential to not only be a home-run hitter in space but also catch the ball out of the backfield and do big things.
He told Mark Berman of the Roanoke Times that family vacations to the Smoky Mountains helped Tennessee land his pledge over Alabama and North Carolina.
This was a commit who flew a little under the radar for a while, but his rankings are beginning to catch up to him as he puts his on-field resume on film more and more.
9. Jason Brown, Uncommitted
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Without question, one of the biggest remaining recruiting battles is the one for O'Dea High School's Jason Brown, of Seattle, Washington.
The 5'10", 205-pound running back named a top three in late August of Michigan State, Washington and Oregon, and there were some projections that the Spartans may be the favorite to land him.
Given the team's off-field uncertainty and its struggles on it, it will be interesting to see if anything changes Brown's recruitment. The Huskies and Ducks are crushing it in games this year, and they are much closer than the Big Ten program.
Another potential tie to Brown is former Washington star running back Myles Gaskin actually played for the O'Dea Irish, as well. With the way coach Kalen DeBoer's program has taken off in Brown's backyard, it may make a difference.
Whoever gets him to sign will be getting one of the most intriguing running backs in the nation. He was once a top-tier cornerback recruit before focusing his attention on offense, and he has displayed terrific speed, vision and athleticism since then.
This is a recruitment contest that could still heat up and have other teams join it, so Brown will be one to watch over the coming weeks and months.
8. Dwight Phillips Jr., Georgia Bulldogs Commit
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Georgia's top-ranked recruiting class is loaded from top to bottom, and the running back position may wind up being the nation's best group of players.
Three Bulldogs commitments easily could have been on this list, and that's a testament to just how well coach Kirby Smart is able to relate to players. A lot of times, if there is a top-tier player at the position committed, it scares off other recruits. Instead, UGA has three blue-chippers ready to run the ball.
The Bulldogs need to reload in that room, and getting guys like Dwight Phillips Jr. will be a big boost.
The 5'11", 170-pound Pebblebrook High School product from down the road in Mableton, Georgia, has the type of athletic bloodlines you can't pass up. His father was the 2004 Olympic gold medalist in the long jump and four-time world champion.
Phillips junior is a speed-burner who won the Georgia 7A 100-meter state title with a 10.43, according to his 247Sports profile, and he will provide the kind of change-up back the Dawgs will need to go along with other star runner prospects, Nate Frazier and Chauncey Bowens.
There is too much talent to pick who's best in this UGA class.
7. James Peoples, Ohio State Buckeyes Commit
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Much like Georgia, the Ohio State Buckeyes have loaded up on star running backs in the 2024 recruiting class.
While Jordan Lyle and Sam Williams-Dixon are highly thought of by recruiting services, the top playmaker at the position on his way to Columbus is San Antonio runner James Peoples.
The first of several Lone Star State running backs on this list, Peoples continues the long tradition of Ohio State heading into the fertile recruiting territory of Texas and coming back with commitments.
Former OSU stars such as J.K. Dobbins, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Baron Browning, Garrett Wilson, Jeff Okudah, J.T. Barrett and many more came from the state, and Peoples has the ability to be the next great one.
At 5'10", 192 pounds, he can do a lot of things with the ball in his hands. Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama, TCU, and Oregon were among his finalists, and it's easy to see why after a junior season that saw him run for 2,044 yards and 34 touchdowns.
Coming from a spread offense, Peoples has natural ball skills and can catch passes, as well as possessing great top-end speed once he gets to the second level, though he needs to learn to get a little lower from his upright running style. Still, that's nitpicking a kid who can do it all on the field.
6. Kevin Riley, Miami Hurricanes Commit
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The Miami Hurricanes and head coach Mario Cristobal didn't just go into the state of Alabama and pluck 4-star running back Kevin Riley out from under the noses of the Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers.
They also took him from Tuscaloosa County.
The Northport, Alabama, running back bucked the trend of staying instate and playing for Nick Saban (or Auburn coach Hugh Freeze), and unless something changes, he will be heading to South Florida to play his college football.
That's a major coup for Cristobal, who will be able to utilize a great array of weapons from the 5'11", 195-pound Riley, who probably saw a crowded backfield in Tuscaloosa and decided he'd make a name for himself elsewhere. David Wilson of the Miami Herald called getting Riley the "biggest splash yet" for Cristobal on the trail.
Riley is fast and physical, and he's just one of the most complete runners in the 2024 class. He has the type of frame that easily could add 15-20 pounds of muscle, and he wouldn't miss a beat.
New offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson's on-field start this year probably only helps Riley further solidify a decision that he hasn't wavered on yet. He is the perfect fit for a Hurricanes offense that is building back to try to compete in the ACC.
5. Jordan Marshall, Michigan Wolverines Commit
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One of the top backs in the entire country throughout the recruiting cycle was Archbishop Moeller's Jordan Marshall, an outstanding athlete from one of the top programs in the city of Cincinnati.
The 5'10½", 193-pound running back chose the Michigan Wolverines over teams such as Ohio State, Wisconsin, Tennessee and others.
Now, he seems set to head to Ann Arbor to take over for Blake Corum, Donovan Edwards and one of the top running teams in all of college football.
Coach Jim Harbaugh knows how to develop running backs and always has a great offensive line, so Marshall will have the opportunity to shine.
He hasn't shown much propensity for catching the football, and there are faster backs in this class, but he's a winner who has enjoyed success against terrific competition in metro Cincinnati. He also has great vision and shows a great burst at the second level.
He sort of reminds you of Alabama freshman running back Justice Haynes, and while there aren't just a ton of physical attributes where you can say "he's the top this" or "the best that," Marshall just does everything well and is a quality leader and producer.
Fans are going to love him in Big Blue.
4. Kameron Davis, Florida State Seminoles Commit
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The most college-ready running back in the 2024 recruiting class is longtime Florida State pledge Kameron Davis.
Much like Texas, the Peach State has a slew of star runners this year, and not all of them can go to Georgia. The Seminoles secured Davis early in the process, and despite overtures from Kirby Smart and others, he has stayed strong. It doesn't hurt that he grew up not far away from Tallahassee in Albany, Georgia.
Friends and family will make less than a two-hour trek to watch him play for coach Mike Norvell's upstart ACC program, and he may be good enough to get on the field right away in 2024.
Davis is a quarterback at Dougherty High School, and he's a top-shelf runner with a compact, muscular frame that looks like he's spent two or three years in a college weight program already. He is a quick-twitch guy who shouldn't be able to move the way he does at his size.
Though the 5'10", 205-pound running back will be known for his power, he is shifty in space and will make defenders miss, too. He is an ideal back who not only has the body and skills to play right away but should also be a durable, every-down back with a high ceiling.
He's a can't-miss producer. Davis has done a great job helping recruit this 2024 class for the Seminoles, and he's all set to be a centerpiece once he arrives on campus.
3. Nate Frazier, Georgia Bulldogs Commit
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Georgia's recruiting reach is far and wide, which is a big reason why the Bulldogs can miss on a lot of their top instate talent and still run away with the recruiting title like they're going to do in the 2024 class barring any catastrophes.
The Bulldogs are able to walk into living rooms across the country and sell back-to-back national titles. As if Kirby Smart wasn't already a dynamic recruiter before the past two years, he's got that feather in his visor now.
That's why UGA was a top choice for marquee running back Nate Frazier of powerhouse Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California. The school churns out Division I talent, and this year is no different with stars going everywhere, such as quarterback Elijah Brown (Stanford).
Frazier is heading to Athens, where he may be the best of a deep and talented running back class. Teams everywhere like Alabama, Oregon, Auburn, Tennessee, Miami, Nebraska, Texas A&M and others wanted him; Smart got him.
At 5'11", 208 pounds, Frazier is big-bodied, but he wears the weight well. He has some of the best lateral agility in the nation, and he simply makes defenders miss with his explosiveness.
Not only is he a big runner, he gallops away from would-be tacklers once he gets to the second level. He easily could wind up being the best runner in this class.
2. Taylor Tatum, Oklahoma Sooners Commit
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Of all the leading running backs in this class, and the plethora from the hotbed of recruiting talent that is Texas, none are better than Taylor Tatum.
The 5'10½", 205-pound Longview native and Oklahoma Sooners commitment is the most balanced player who is college-ready and possesses an extremely high ceiling. He easily could have been considered the top runner on this list, but there is one player whose game is better-suited for the NFL, so he will have to settle for second.
Tatum has the skills to prove that assessment wrong, though.
Putting on some quality weight to push himself over 200 pounds was a big deal because he now has more bulk and power to go along with his quickness and shiftiness in the hole.
Many around the nation wanted him, but he's decided to play for Brent Venables and offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby in Norman. That's a major pull considering the way the Sooners have recruited in recent years.
While Tatum told Cameron Salerno of CBS Sports the biggest lure was the opportunity to play SEC football and baseball with OU, the two-sport athlete's biggest future is on the gridiron.
He has the ability to play right away and be the centerpiece of a class in the process, no matter who is in the backfield. Venables is loading up at every area on the recruiting trail, and Tatum provides one of the top playmakers at any position in this class.
1. Jerrick Gibson, Texas Longhorns Commit
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Just like Nate Frazier at Mater Dei, Jerrick Gibson has surrounded himself with elite playmakers and a "who's who" of college football prospects at IMG Academy.
Even though everybody wanted him, it appears the 5'10", 200-pound running back is heading to Austin, Texas, where he will play for Steve Sarkisian's upstart program and help the program usher in the SEC era.
Last year, the Longhorns landed CJ Baxter, who was (in my opinion) the top running back in the class, and Gibson will also battle for that mantle.
He is a long-armed, slashing athlete who 247Sports compares to former Georgia and NFL running back Sony Michel, and that seems like a good comp. There are better every-down backs in the nation than Gibson, but he is going to carve out a role quickly and perhaps do it better than anybody else.
He is a big-play athlete who is comfortable catching passes, gaining the edge and running around defenders and even lowering his head between the tackles and getting the tough yards.
There's not another running back in the class whose game translates to the NFL better than Gibson's if he keeps developing. This is exactly the kind of player who can slot into a Bijan Robinson-type role for Texas and eventually shine.
All stats courtesy of CFBStats and Sports Reference unless otherwise noted. Recruit rankings courtesy of 247Sports unless otherwise noted.
Follow Brad Shepard on Twitter, @Brad_Shepard.
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