Here are the top 10 running backs prospects for the NFL draft, which is set for April 25-27 in Detroit (height, weight and projected draft round in parentheses):
1. Trey Benson, Florida State (6-foot, 223 pounds, second): He started his career at Oregon. He rushed for 990 yards in 2022 and 906 in 2023. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.39 seconds at the scouting combine. He had top-30 visits with the Browns and Bills.
2. Blake Corum, Michigan (5-8, 213, second): A powerful runner, who fits an outside zone team. He had a top 30 visit with the Chargers, where he could re-unit with coach Jim Harbaugh.
3. Jonathan Brooks, Texas (6-0, 202, second): Sustained a knee injury in November. Waited his turn behind Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson. He was mentored by Texas running backs coach Tashard Choice, a Jonesboro native who played at Georgia Tech.
4. Audric Estime, Notre Dame (6-0, 227, second or third): A powerful runner with good agility. In three seasons with the Fighting Irish, he rushed 373 times for 2,321 yards (6.9 per carry) and 29 touchdowns.
5. Jaylen Wright, Tennessee (5-10, 210, third or fourth): He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.38 seconds, the second-fastest time of the running backs at the scouting combine. He rushed 368 times for 2,297 yards (6.2 per carry) and 18 touchdowns.
Credit: Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason.Getz@ajc.com
6. Braelon Allen, Wisconsin (6-2, 245, third or fourth): A bruising runner who had more that 1,000 yards in his freshman and sophomore seasons. He rushed for 984 yards last season. Over his career he rushed 597 times for 3,494 yards (5.9 per carry) and 35 touchdowns.
7. Ray Davis, Kentucky (5-9, 220, fourth or fifth): He has had top-30 visits with the Broncos and Packers. He played at Temple and Vanderbilt before finishing up at Kentucky. He ran for more than 1,000 yards with Vandy in 2022 and he was second-team All-SEC last season. He led the Wildcats with 1,129 yards on 199 carries (5.7 per carry) and 14 touchdowns. He had seven touchdown receptions and finished with a school-record 21 total touchdowns.
8. Bucky Irving, Oregon (5-9, 196, fourth or fifth): He has great leg drive and powers through would-be tacklers for a smaller back. Started his career at Minnesota as a freshman before putting together back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons for the Ducks. He has rushed 475 times for 2,937 yards (6.2 per carry) and 20 touchdowns over three seasons.
9. Will Shipley, Clemson (5-11, 210, fourth or fifth): He was an elusive runner, who also caught the ball well out of the backfield for the Tigers. He rushed 526 times for 2,748 yards and 31 touchdowns. He finished with 85 catches for 602 yards and two touchdowns.
10. MarShawn Lloyd, Southern California (5-9, 217, fourth or fifth): He lifted 225 pounds 25 times at the scouting combine. He was named honorable-mention All-Pac 12 and finished ranked seventh in FBS with 7.1 yards per carry after rushing for 820 yards on 116 carries.
Best of the rest: Ohio State’s Miyan Williams, Troy’s Kimani Vidal, Alabama’s Jase McClellan, New Hampshire’s Dylan Laube, Washington’s Dillon Johnson, South Dakota State’s Isaiah Davis and Missouri’s Cody Schrader.
Local prospects:
Kimani Vidal, 5-foot-8, 215 pounds, Troy (Marietta High School): He was the Sun Belt’s offensive player of the year in 2023. He was named a third-team All-American and set a Troy record with 1,661 rushing yards last season.
Daijun Edwards, 5-feet-10, 201 pounds, Georgia (Colquitt County HS): He played in 12 games and made 10 starts last season. He led the Bulldogs with 165 carries for 880 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Kendall Milton, 6-1, 220, Georgia: He played in 12 games and made two starts last season. He was second on the team with 121 rushes for 790 yards and led the team with 14 rushing touchdowns. He had nine carries for team-high 127 yards and two touchdowns, including a 51-yard run against Mississippi. He was named the Orange Bowl MVP after leading the team with 104 rushing yards on nine carries with two touchdowns.
Teams in need: Eagles, Chargers, Giants, Buccaneers, Raiders and Bengals.
Need area for Falcons: No. The Falcons are set with Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier. They can afford to take another development running back late in the draft and from the undrafted class. Behind Robinson and Allgeier, the Falcons have Avery Williams and Carlos Washington Jr. At fullback, they have Tucker Fisk and Robert Burns.
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