50 College Football Running Backs to Watch in 2012

College football lost a bevy of talented running backs to the NFL. A number of the best running backs in the country left early for the NFL.

But, even with a lot of talent gone, there are plenty of quality running backs coming back in 2012.

From names many have never even heard of to a Heisman finalist, there are players scattered throughout the country that fans will need to watch out for in 2012.

Here are 50 running backs that are going to make a splash in this upcoming season.

50. Dominique Brown, Louisville

With Victor Anderson now having moved on, Dominique Brown has a chance to put up some big numbers for Louisville next season.

He will be a junior in 2012 and last season showed versatility and potential, rushing for 533 yards and four touchdowns on 140 carries.

With some more carries in a better offense next year, Louisville could be tough to beat.

49. Brandon Oliver, Buffalo

Branden Oliver had quite a sophomore season in 2012 for a Buffalo team that struggled to a 3-9 record.

He carried the ball 306 times for 1,395 yards and 13 touchdowns. He also caught 38 passes for 365 yards.

At only 5'8", Oliver weighs 200 pounds, with the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield and run over defenders.

Oliver could go over 1,500 yards in 2012 for the Bulls.

48. Jordan Hall, Ohio State

Jordan Hall missed action last season due to suspension and spent most of the season as a backup to Dan Herron.

With Herron now having moved on, Hall will be the go-to guy in Columbus. Even though Carlos Hyde will get a few carries, Hall will get the bulk and is a load to bring down.

He had 405 yards and two touchdowns on 99 carries last year, but will have a good chance to double his carries and approach 1,000 yards in 2012.

47. Charles Sims, Houston

Houston will have a lot to replace on offense at all the skill positions with the exception of running back.

Charles Sims rushed for 821 yards and nine touchdowns as a sophomore last season on only 110 carries, good for 7.5 yards a carry.

Perhaps the best part about Sims is he can catch the ball out of the backfield. Last year he had 51 receptions for 575 yards and four more touchdowns.

Look for more carries and a few less receptions next year for Sims.

46. James Washington, North Carolina State

James Washington quietly had one of the best seasons of any running back in the ACC.

He rushed for 897 yards and seven touchdowns on 226 carries last year for the Wolfpack.

Washington the talent to go over 1,000 yards in 2012, and teams with quarterback Mike Glennon to give NC State great balance on offense.

45. Malcolm Brown, Texas

Malcolm Brown flashed some huge potential last season as a freshman, particularly at the beginning of the year.

He rushed for 742 yards and five touchdowns on 172 carries for the season, but rushed for 635 yards in the first seven games of the season.

Next year as a sophomore, he will be counted on more heavily and if he can stay healthy for the entire season, the Longhorns could be in for quite a season.

44. Stephen Houston, Indiana

Stephen Houston is quite possibly the most talented player on an Indiana team that does not have a lot of them compared to others in the Big Ten.

Houston carried the load last year for the Hoosiers, rushing for 802 yards and eight touchdowns on 151 carries. He also caught 17 passes for 164 yards.

If Houston can get some more talent around him, he could be one of the best running backs in the conference over the next two years.

43. Kendial Lawrence, Missouri

Kendial Lawrence played second fiddle last season to Henry Josey, but with the knee problems of Josey, there is a chance he may not play in 2012.

If he doesn't, Lawrence should put up some excellent numbers in his senior season.

Last year he had five touchdowns with 566 yards on 119 attempts. He rushed for 108 yards on 16 carries with a touchdown in the the bowl game victory over North Carolina.

42. D.J. Harper, Boise State

D.J. Harper has been granted a sixth-year of eligibility and he is certain to use it to show his skills.

After backing up Doug Martin for the better part of the last few years, he will get his chance to carry the load.

Last year in limited action he rushed for 557 yards and nine touchdowns on 115 carries. He also caught 19 passes for 140 yards and a touchdown out of the backfield.

He could be a pleasant surprise for the Broncos in 2012.

41. Matt Brown, Temple

Matt Brown was excellent last season in spelling Bernard Pierce. Now Pierce has moved on early to the NFL and Brown will be the guy in 2012.

As a junior last year, he rushed for 916 yards and six touchdowns on 155 carries.

With the way Temple runs the ball, he will likely get close to 300 carries and should be well on his way to a 1,500 yard season.

40. Dustin Garrison, West Virginia

In a pass happy offense, Dustin Garrison brings West Virginia some balance to their high-flying attack.

Last year he totaled 742 yards and six touchdowns on 136 carries as a sophomore and also caught 24 passes for 201 yards as a receiver.

He may not be one of the top two options on offense for the Mountaineers, but is certainly a threat to score every time he touches the ball.

39. Perry Jones, Virginia

Perry Jones was one of the top three running backs in the ACC last year and could duplicate that in 2012 as a senior.

The tiny 5'8" and 185-pound back had 915 yards and five touchdowns on 184 carries last season. What sets Jones apart is his ability to catch the ball. He caught 48 passes for 506 yards and three touchdowns as well last year.

At 5.0 yards a carry, Jones is a big play threat every time he touches the ball.

38. Michael Ford, LSU

Michael Ford was one of three running backs who received a considerable amount of carries for LSU last season.

He will be back for his junior season and will likely battle with Spencer Ware for the bulk of the carries.

Last year, Ford had seven touchdowns and 756 yards on 127 carries. He is a big back who averaged six yards a carry and is not afraid to pound the ball.

37. Isaiah Crowell, Georgia

Isaiah Crowell had a huge season in 2012 for the Bulldogs, rushing for 850 yards and five touchdowns on 185 carries as a true freshman.

Next season Georgia is likely to be one of the top five teams in the country. If they plan on getting over the hump and winning the SEC, they will need a big season from Crowell.

Georgia knows what they are going to get from a lot of their players, and if Crowell has a big season, they may be on their way.

36. Le'Veon Bell, Michigan State

Le'Veon Bell took the starting job from Edwin Baker last season and ran wild for the Spartans.

He rushed for 948 yards and 13 touchdowns on 182 carries. Next year as a junior, he will likely get a few more carries and should have no problem going over 1,000 yards.

Michigan State will be in contention for the Big Ten title and will need a big year from Bell to do so.

35. Curtis McNeal, USC

USC has a lot of options on offense and Curtis McNeal may not be near the top of that list.

That did not stop him from going over 1,000 yards last season.

McNeal rushed for 1,005 yards and six touchdowns on 145 carries for the Trojans, averaging 6.9 yards a carry.

He went over 85 yards in the final seven games and will be looking to build on that in 2012.

34. Jonathan Franklin, UCLA

Jonathan Franklin did not have the type of year in 2011 he was hoping for, but that did not prevent him from being one of the top running backs in the Pac 12.

Franklin rushed for 976 yards and five touchdowns on 166 carries.

As a sophomore in 2010, he rushed for 1,127 yards and eight touchdowns on 214 carries.

Expect numbers similar to those in 2012.

33. Jawan Jamison, Rutgers

Sophomore Jawan Jamison had a breakout season in 2011 for the Scarlet Knights and is one of the top three running backs in the Big East heading into 2012.

Last year he rushed for 897 yards and nine touchdowns on 231 carries.

While his yards per carry was not that high, expect it to go up in 2012 with a year of experience under his belt.

32. Spencer Ware, LSU

Spencer Ware got the bulk of the carries for the Tigers and if he can stay on the field and out of trouble in 2012, he has a great chance to go over 1,000 yards.

Last year as a sophomore he rushed for 707 yards and eight touchdowns on 177 carries.

With other talent at the running back position for the Tigers, it is not certain how many touches he will get.

31. John Hubert, Kansas State

John Hubert was impressive last season for the Wildcats and teamed with quarterback Collin Klein to form one of the best running back tandems in the country.

Hubert rushed for 970 yards and three touchdowns last season on 200 carries, averaging nearly five yards a carry. He also caught 24 passes for 188 yards and a touchdown. 

Entering his junior season in 2012, those numbers are certain to improve for Hubert and the Wildcats.

30. Isi Sofele, California

At only 5'8" and 190 pounds, Isi Sofele is a tiny running back that is hard to bring down.

Last season he rushed for 1,322 yards and 10 touchdowns on 252 carries. Sofele did not do too much in his first two seasons with the Golden Bears, but was dominant last season.

He teams with one of the best receivers in the nation in Keenan Allen to give Cal an impressive offensive attack.

With enough carries he could go over 1,500 yards next season.

29. Chris Nwoke, Colorado State

As only a sophomore last season, Chris Nwoke rushed for 1,130 yards and nine touchdowns on 200 carries.

He came on strong toward the end of the year and at 6'1" and 214 pounds, he is a force to bring down.

Nwoke averaged 5.7 yards a carry last season and if he can do the same next year, he has a chance to have some huge numbers with a few more carries.

28. Eric Stephens, Texas Tech

Eric Stephens was off to one of the fastest starts in college football last season until an injury ended his year during the fifth game of the season.

In those five games, he rushed for 565 yards and eight touchdowns on 108 carries. He was a workhorse for the Red Raiders and averaged 5.2 yards a carry.

He went over 90 yards in all five games and was over 100 in four of the five. If Stephens can come back healthy next season, he and Texas Tech will be much improved.

27. Eddie Lacy, Alabama

Trent Richardson made Alabama fans forget about Mark Ingram in 2011 and in 2012, Eddie Lacy will try and make them forget about Trent Richardson.

Lacy was very impressive in limited action last season. He rushed for 674 yards and seven touchdowns on 95 carries, averaging over seven yards per attempt.

While he never received over 13 carries in a game, he will get that many every time out next season and if he can stay healthy he may be one of the best running backs in a talented SEC.

26. Fitzgerald Toussaint, Michigan

Fitzgerald Toussaint did not receive the bulk of the carries until toward the end of last season and he ran the ball very well when given the opportunity.

He finished last season with 1,041 yards and nine touchdowns on 187 attempts, while rushing for 192, 138 and 120 yards in the final three regular season games.

In the four games during the season when he received 20 or more carries, he never had less than 120 yards. Next year as a junior he will likely get more carries and is almost certain to improve on his numbers from 2011.

25. Lyle McCombs, Connecticut

Lyle McCombs was only a freshman last year and was one of the best running backs in the Big East.

He carried the ball 275 times for 1,151 yards and seven touchdowns. McCombs was a workhorse for the Huskies, with double digit carries in every single game and 18 or more carries in 11 of the 12 games.

McCombs went over 115 yards six times in the first nine games before tailing off slightly at the end of the season. Don't expect him to drop off at all during his sophomore campaign.

24. Cameron Marshall, Arizona State

Cameron Marshall is another of the talented running backs in the Pac 12 who went over 1,000 yards last season.

He finished the year with 1,050 yards and 18 touchdowns on 230 carries for the Sun Devils.

Marshall is a load to bring down at 215 pounds and will be even better in 2012 during his senior season. He has improved on his numbers every year and next season should have his biggest stats to date.

23. Cierre Wood, Notre Dame

Cierre Wood has been impressive the past two seasons for Notre Dame and last year rushed for 1,102 yards and nine touchdowns on only 217 carries.

He averaged 5.1 yards a carry, the same number he averaged in 2010 as a sophomore.

Now he will be entering his junior season and with a lot of questions surrounding the quarterback position for Notre Dame, as well as the departure of Michael Floyd, Wood will get his fair share of carries next year.

22. Dominique Whaley, Oklahoma

Dominique Whaley missed the final seven games of the season with a leg injury and if he can come back healthy, Oklahoma could be well on their way to a Big 12 title.

Last season in the first six games he rushed for 627 yards and nine touchdowns on 113 attempts.

Next year he could be the key to Oklahoma winning a Big 12 title and contending for a national championship.

21. James White, Wisconsin

James White will be the backup next season to Montee Ball, but with the way the Badgers run the football, that will not stop him from getting close to 150 carries.

Last season he rushed for 713 yards and six touchdowns on 141 carries as a sophomore, after going over 1,000 yards during his freshman season.

If anything happens to Montee Ball, White could easily be a top 10 back, but as of now he is closing in on the top 20.

20. Onterio McCalebb, Auburn

With the sudden transfer of Michael Dyer to Arkansas State, Onterio McCalebb will be the man who gets the bulk of the carries next season for the Tigers.

Entering his senior season, he has never carried the ball more than 112 times in a year, but last season ran for 641 yards and five touchdowns.

He may need some help with the amount of carries he is going to get, but if he can take on a bigger workload, he will certainly be one of the most productive backs in the SEC.

19. Rex Burkhead, Nebraska

Rex Burkhead carried the ball nearly 300 times last season, 284 to be exact and finished the year with 1,357 yards and 15 touchdowns for the Cornhuskers.

2012 will be his senior season and he 5'11" and 210-pound bruising back will be even harder to bring down next season for Nebraska.

He has a chance to get to 300 carries and could run for over 1,500 yards and 15 touchdowns once again with a good season.

18. Zac Stacy, Vanderbilt

Zac Stacy is easily one of the top five running backs in the SEC and one of the top 20 overall in the country.

Last year he was second in the SEC with 1,193 yards, behind only Trent Richardson. He also finished with 14 touchdowns on the ground while carrying the ball 201 times.

The little 5'9" 208-pound back will be a senior in 2012 and runs as hard as anybody in the country, making him very difficult to bring down.

17. Montel Harris, Boston College

Even though he missed virtually all of 2011 with a leg injury, Harris should be back healthy in 2012 and will be one of the top running backs in the ACC if healthy.

As a junior in 2010, he rushed for 1,243 yards and eight touchdowns. During his sophomore season in 2009 he ran for 1,457 yards and 14 touchdowns. He even went for 900 yards and five touchdowns as a freshman.

With nearly 4,000 career yards, not many players have the numbers he does. In the only game he saw considerable action last season he went for 108 yards on 22 carries. Look for more of that in 2012 from this talented back.

16. Silas Redd, Penn State

Silas Redd averaged over five yards a carry last season on a Penn State team that struggled mightily on offense.

He rushed for 1,241 yards and seven touchdowns on 244 carries.

Redd will be a junior in 2012 and with all that is surrounding the Penn State program, he is a constant that will be counted on for even more carries in 2012 and beyond.

Look for a 1,500 yards season for Redd if he can stay healthy.

15. Zach Line, SMU

Despite missing the final three games of the season in 2011, Zach Line still hay have been the most consistent running back in the nation last year.

Line rushed for over 110 yards in eight of the 10 games he played in, and was over 80 yards in all 10.

He finished the season with 1,224 yards and 17 touchdowns on 208 carries, while averaging nearly six yards an attempt.

Line should post similar numbers in 2012.

14. De'Anthony Thomas, Oregon

Perhaps the most explosive player in the country resides in Eugene, Oregon. That is speedy tailback De'Anthony Thomas.

Thomas burst onto the scene last year as a freshman, finishing the year with 595 yards on 51 carries with seven touchdowns. He also caught 46 balls for 605 yards.

With Kenjon Barner likely to get a few more touches than Thomas, his numbers will still go up in 2012 due to the departure of LaMichael James and he has an outside shot to go over 2,000 total yards in 2012 if all goes well.

13. Christine Michael, Texas A&M

Christine Michael will no longer have to split carries with Cyrus Gray and will carry the load for Texas A&M next season.

Last season he rushed for 899 yards and eight touchdowns on 149 attempts, despite missing the final four games of the season due to injury.

While Texas A&M is now entering the SEC, Michael proved he can run against those teams, finishing the Arkansas game 230 yards and three touchdowns on 32 carries a year ago.

12. Kenjon Barner, Oregon

Nobody will benefit more from the departure of LaMichael James than Kenjon Barner.

Barner will be entering his senior season and last year rushed for 939 yards on 152 carries with 11 touchdowns while serving as a backup to James the last three seasons.

Barner is nearly as explosive as James and can also catch the ball out of the backfield which makes him an even bigger threat.

11. Andre Ellington, Clemson

Andre Ellington gave the high-flying Clemson offensive attack balance last season and will be a senior in 2012, meaning he will be counted on even more.

Last year he rushed for 1,178 yards and 11 touchdowns on 223 carries.

Ellington has a chance to be the best running back in the ACC next season and is the key to the Tigers offense for 2012.

10. Henry Josey, Missouri

While the knee injury Josey suffered last season is more serious than originally expected, if he can come back strong, he is one of the top 10 running backs in the country.

Odds are though, that he will likely be forced to take a medical redshirt next year.

Josey rushed for 1,168 yards and nine touchdowns on only 145 carries, despite missing the final three games of the year.

Stay tuned for more on Josey in the weeks to come.

9. Robbie Rouse, Fresno State

Robbie Rouse is easily the best running back in the country from a non-BCS conference.

Last season as a junior he rushed for 1,549 yards and 13 touchdowns on 329 carries. He finished second in the country in attempts and seventh in yards last year.

With the exception of Montee Ball, he is the leading returning running back in yards.

Look for big things from Rouse in 2012.

8. Joseph Randle, Oklahoma State

Joseph Randle is one of the few skill players returning for the Cowboys and should get even more touches next season.

He is easily the best running back in the Big 12. Last season Randle rushed for 1,216 yards and 24 touchdowns on 208 attempts.

He averaged 5.8 yards a carry as a sophomore in 2011 and now will be counted on heavily in 2012 with the departure of quarterback Brandon Weeden and wide receiver Justin Blackmon.

7. Giovani Bernard, North Carolina

Giovani Bernard is the best running back in the ACC and had quite a freshman campaign for the Tar Heels.

Last year he rushed for 1,253 yards and 13 touchdowns on 239 carries. Bernard also caught 45 passes for 362 yards and a touchdown.

If he can improve from last season to next year, he will easily be one of the top 10 running backs in the country and could even be one of the top five.

6. John White, Utah

The Pac 12 is filled with talented running backs and John White is one of the best of the bunch.

Last season he rushed for 1,519 yards and 15 touchdowns on 316 carries. White went over 100 yards in eight games and with the possibility of quarterback Jordan Wynn returning to full health after missing virtually all of last season, his carries could go down slightly.

Either way, White is one of the top 10 running backs in the nation for 2012.

5. Stepfan Taylor, Stanford

Stepfan Taylor may have been more beneficial to Andrew Luck than Luck was to him. Last year he rushed for 1,330 yards and 10 touchdowns on 242 carries.

In 2012, he will be a senior and looking to go over 1,100 yards for the third consecutive season.

Taylor was counted on heavily even with Luck in the fold last season and will be asked to do even more in 2012 with the talented quarterback now departed.

4. Ray Graham, Pittsburgh

Ray Graham was well on his way to an All-American season in 2011 before a knee injury cut it short.

In seven games last year, he ran for 958 yards and nine touchdowns on 164 carries. He was carrying the load for a Panthers team that struggled for most of the season.

Graham will be a senior next year and is easily the best running back in the Big East and one of the top five in the country.

If he returns healthy, not many running backs will be more productive than him next season.

3. Knile Davis, Arkansas

Davis missed all of last season due to an injury, but when healthy he is as good as it gets as far as running backs go.

In 2010, as a sophomore, Davis rushed for 1,322 yards and 13 touchdowns on 204 carries, averaging 6.5 yards a rush.

If he can put up numbers like that in 2012, he may be the best running back in the country with the exception of Montee Ball.

How he comes back is still a bit of a question, but there are not many as talented as Davis in college football.

2. Marcus Lattimore, South Carolina

Marcus Lattimore was having as good a season as anybody in college football in 2012 before a devastating knee injury during the seventh game of the season ended his year.

In those six plus games, he had rushed for 818 yards and 10 touchdowns on 163 carries.

Those numbers were on pace to beat those he posted as a freshman when he rushed for 1,197 yards and 17 touchdowns.

Whether or not he comes back healthy remains to be seen, but he is one of the most complete running backs in college football when he is on the field.

1. Montee Ball, Wisconsin

Montee Ball was a Heisman finalist last season after finishing the year with 1,923 yards and 33 touchdowns on the ground on 307 carries.

He also caught 24 passes for 306 yards and six more touchdowns. Those 39 total touchdowns tied the record held previously by Barry Sanders.

Ball is easily the best running back in the country and proved it every week last season with the Badgers. Look for similar numbers next season for Ball.