2024 NFL Draft: Best Landing Spots for Top RBs to Contribute as Rookies
Just as it does every year, the hype around the NFL draft is building. We are almost certain who the first pick will be. That three quarterbacks will come off the board in rapid succession. That the first round will be littered with edge-rushers, wide receivers and offensive tackles.
The hubbub around the running back position is much more…subdued. Partly, that's because the position has become devalued in the NFL over the past decade-plus. And partly, it's because this isn't an especially strong class at running back. There's no Bijan Robinson in 2024. Round 1 will probably come and go without any backs hearing their names called.
However, just because the class isn't loaded doesn't mean it's bereft of talent. Whether it's the punishing style of Notre Dame's Audric Estimé, the speed and elusiveness of Florida State's Trey Benson, the potential of Jonathon Brooks of Texas or the collegiate resume of Michigan's Blake Corum, there are a number of backs who could make a sizable dent in the NFL as rookies—provided they land in the right situation.
Using the latest Big Board from Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department as a benchmark, here's a look at what that ideal situation will be for the top six ball-carriers in this year's class.
Audric Estimé, Notre Dame
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Best Landing Spot: Dallas Cowboys
Notre Dame's Audric Estimé is Bleacher Report's top-ranked running back in the class of 2024. And as B/R's Derrik Klassen wrote, the 5'11", 221-pounder is at his best when he's making defenders wish they had never tried to tackle him.
"Size and strength are the foundation of Estimé's game," Klassen said. "At 221 pounds, he's a sturdy runner who excels between the tackles. Estimé can run through defensive linemen at the line of scrimmage and bounce off defenders at the second level. He also does well to push the pile in short yardage and plunge forward for extra bits of yardage when being tackled."
Now, before we go any further, let's address the elephant in the room. Yes, Estimé's 40 time at the NFL Scouting Combine (4.71 seconds) was…not good. But he improved that 40 time to 4.58 at Notre Dame's pro day, and film of Estimé shows a back with plenty of long speed—even if it takes him a step or two to really get rolling.
Estimé is a capable pass-catcher and one of the better pass-protecting backs in this year's class. In other words, he possesses the skill set to be a three-down back—or at the very least be the lead back in a committee attack.
There isn't a team in the NFL with a bigger need in the backfield than Dallas—as things stand now, the team's top back is Rico Dowdle, who has 96 total carries over three NFL seasons. As it turns out, Estimé met with Dallas at the combine—and he told reporters he came away impressed.
"I just like the energy the Cowboys had," Estimé said. "They are very energetic guys and had smiles on their faces. I'm a guy that is always smiling and they were smiling right back at me. They are a very football-savvy team that knows a lot about football. I'm a guy who always wants to be informed. I feel like in that system I'll be able to learn every day and maximize my ability."
See? It's fate. Destiny. Kismet.
Trey Benson, Florida State
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Best Landing Spot: Los Angeles Chargers
As the Los Angeles Chargers begin the Jim Harbaugh era, there have been myriad changes to the roster—including an overhaul of the running back position. Austin Ekeler is gone, replaced by Gus Edwards.
Edwards scored 13 touchdowns on the ground last year for the Baltimore Ravens, but he's more grinder than home run threat. Third-year pro Isaiah Spiller has yet to show much in the NFL, averaging 2.5 yards per carry.
The Chargers need some someone in the backfield with explosiveness as a runner and pass-catcher.
Enter Florida State's Trey Benson, who tops the running back prospect rankings of Maurice Jones-Drew of the NFL Network.
"A two-time second-team All-ACC selection, Benson has the potential to be a reliable three-down back in the league," he said. "He runs the gap scheme very well, has good patience and vision, and possesses great speed, as he posted the third-fastest 40-yard dash (4.39 seconds) among running backs at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine. As a receiver, he does well when having to adjust to the ball and is adequate in pass protection. He's a nice player with an ideal body type who can carve out a solid career in the right system."
Benson's power and physicality should appeal to the hard-nosed Harbaugh, but he has a gear that Edwards simply does not. The Chargers also have four picks in the No. 37-to-No. 110 range and could add even more if they trade back from No. 5.
The need is there. The talent is there. The draft capital is there.
All the Bolts need to do is pull the trigger.
Braelon Allen, Wisconsin
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Best Landing Spot: New York Giants
The history of Wisconsin running backs in the NFL is a checkered one. Jonathan Taylor blossomed into a star. Ron Dayne was a colossal bust. Others have fallen somewhere in-between.
We don't yet know what Braelon Allen's NFL future will hold. But one thing we do know is that the 6'1", 235-pounder is a load. And as Chris Pflum wrote for Big Blue View, Allen could add a measure of punishing physicality to the Giants backfield.
"He played out of both the shotgun and I-formation in Wisconsin's run-heavy scheme, and was able to execute out of both alignments," he said. "Allen has an impressive burst for a big back as well as great speed in the open field. Allen is best described as a 'one-cut' runner who's best when getting north-south in a hurry. He runs with good tempo behind the line of scrimmage and is savvy enough to plot a path to the line of scrimmage that helps to set up his blockers. Once to the line, however, Allen steps on the gas and looks to explode through the hole."
The departure of Saquon Barkley left a mammoth hole in the New York offense—a hole that the G-Men attempted to address by signing Devin Singletary. Singletary was solid for the Houston Texans in 2023, topping 1,000 yards from scrimmage. But he averaged just 4.2 yards per carry, and last season marked the first time in five professional seasons that Singletary eclipsed 200 carries in a season.
At the very least, the Giants need a complement to Singletary—a player who can keep the ground game grinding and take pressure off a passing attack short on impact players.
And frankly, it's not all that hard to imagine Allen wresting lead back duties from Singletary sooner rather than later.
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Jonathon Brooks, Texas
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Best Landing Spot: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Were it not for the ACL tear that ended his 2023 season at Texas, Jonathon Brooks of Texas likely would lead every scout's big board at the RB position. There are still pundits who believe that the 6'0", 216-pounder, who gained 1,139 yards and averaged over six yards a carry a year ago, is a top-50 prospect overall—including Joel Klatt of Fox Sports.
"This is a guy I really believe in," Klatt said. "His leadership ability, his ability also to do everything on the field. Whether you want him to run between the tackles or outside, hit home runs or gain tough yards, or catch it out of the backfield, he can do it all. That versatility is where, I believe, value is created for a running back, and he's got value."
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is also a fan of Brooks' game.
"Obviously, he's a guy we follow right in our backyard in Texas," Jones told reporters. "He's got a lot of skill sets. If it wasn't for the injury, he would've ultimately been rated the best back in the draft. Any time that a back is coming off an injury, you have to take those things into account."
Brooks is on track to be ready for training camp, and realistically, the Cowboys could be linked to every back in this piece. But the best case for Brooks could be a team that wouldn't count on him to lead the ground game—at least right away.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers would be just such a team. Rachaad White topped 1,500 yards from scrimmage last year, but he did so while averaging a dismal 3.6 yards per carry. Simply put, he's a middling talent who thrived on volume. But he could hold down the proverbial fort until Brooks was 100 percent—and ready to make the Buccaneers backfield much more dangerous.
Ray Davis, Kentucky
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Best Landing Spot: Arizona Cardinals
To say it has been a winding journey to the NFL for Kentucky running back Ray Davis is an understatement—the 24-year-old went from living in a homeless shelter and being a ward of the state in California to graduating from the most prominent academic school in the SEC in Vanderbilt to grad transfer at Kentucky. But as Davis told Zak Keefer of The Athletic, in his eyes his journey is only just beginning.
"Why me? Why me? It took me until I was 23, 24 to figure that out," Ray said. "Well, this is why. Because of my story, and because of all the kids in a foster home or a homeless shelter that might hear about it one day. I'm just getting started. I'm not trying to be the best running back in this draft. I'm trying to be a name you'll remember forever."
In some respects, Davis' story is similar to that of Cardinals running back James Conner. Both running backs overcame tremendous adversity to even make it to the NFL—in Conner's case a diagnosis of Hodgkin lymphoma while at Pitt. Both backs were do-it-all prospects who were regarded by many draftniks as high-floor, low-ceiling players.
Conner is coming off the best season of his NFL career, topping 1,000 rushing yards for the first time last year with the Arizona Cardinals. But he's also a 28-year-old running back heading into the final year of his contract who has missed time in all seven of his professional seasons.
As things stand now, Arizona's No. 2 tailback is Michael Carter, who averaged 3.5 yards per carry the last time he had over 100 totes in a season. Given Conner's injury history, it's a safe bet he'll miss time in 2024. He's likely gone after the season.
Davis could be the future of the Arizona backfield. And that future could happen soon.
Blake Corum, Michigan
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Best Landing Spot: Buffalo Bills
In terms of collegiate production, no back in the class of 2024 can top what Blake Corum accomplished at Michigan. In each of the past two seasons, Corum surpassed 240 carries and 1,200 rushing yards. In four seasons in Ann Arbor, Corum scored a whopping 58 rushing touchdowns—including 27 in 2023 alone.
As Klassen wrote in his scouting report for Corum, there isn't a more polished, refined runner in this year's class.
"In terms of vision and decision-making, you won't find a better runner in this class than Corum," he said. "He consistently picks out the right rushing lanes and almost never wastes time behind the line of scrimmage, both of which limit negative plays. Corum is also very willing to plunge forward to get the yards that are there rather than dance around and risk wasting plays. Likewise, Corum does an exceptional job using his blocks. For one, he understands how to stretch his runs out to the last possible moment before making a cut to draw linebackers out of the way. Corum also plays tight to his blocks, allowing him to squeeze through tight creases and minimize the amount of time that second-level run defenders have to react to him."
The problem with Corum is that he is neither especially big (5'8", 205 pounds) nor especially fast (4.52-second 40-yard dash at the combine). The belief among most in the draft community is that Corum's NFL ceiling is limited.
But that doesn't mean he can't make a sizable impact as a rookie in the right situation.
The Bills already have a lead back in James Cook, who topped 1,100 rushing yards on 237 carries a year ago. But there's little on the depth chart behind him, and the Bills could lean more on the run in 2024 after losing both Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis in the offseason.
Corum may never be a superstar. But he's as NFL-ready as any back in the draft, and there would be significant touches for him out of the gate in Western New York.
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