Copy of Ranking CFB's top running backs: Who are the best ...

Who are the best running backs in college football entering the 2026 season? ESPN surveyed more than 20 front office staffers across the sport, including general managers, player personnel directors and scouting directors, to find out who they consider the top returning players in the country. Teams tried their hardest to persuade the best returning backs to enter the transfer portal in January. Industry sources told ESPN the intense demand for these stars pushed the value for the best of the best up to $2 million or more. Four of the top vote-getters among personnel experts switched schools this offseason, and several more seriously considered making moves. But there's no shortage of productive and high-potential backs returning across the sport, which made it tough to narrow this year's list down to just 10. Previous rankings: Receivers | Non-QB playmakers | Top 100 newcomers 1. Kewan Lacy, Ole Miss 2025 stats: 1,567 rushing yards, 5.1 yards/carry, 29 receptions, 177 receiving yards, 24 TDs Lacy wasn't a highly touted transfer when he joined Ole Miss a year ago, but he developed into a superstar in his debut season with the Rebels. After just 23 carries in six games as a freshman at Missouri, Lacy hit the portal and found an ideal opportunity in Oxford. The sophomore tied Ole Miss' single-season rushing record, was a Doak Walker Award finalist and helped power the team's run to the College Football Playoff semifinals. Following the season, he turned down an offer from LSU (among other places) to run it back with the Rebels in 2026. The 5-foot-11, 205-pound back wowed scouts last season with his quickness, elusiveness and toughness. Lacy racked up 1,077 rushing yards after contact and led the FBS with 109 forced missed tackles, according to ESPN Research. He proved he can handle a significant workload with an FBS-high 306 carries, averaging 22.3 touches per game despite playing through a shoulder injury during the CFP run. Lacy frequently flashed breakaway speed, highlighted by his 73-yard dash against Miami, but was just as impressive as a physical short-yardage runner, punching in 19 rushing touchdowns from the red zone. "Kewan is more elusive, he did more behind a worse offensive line, he's got the home run ability, he can catch the ball and he's a good pass protector," said an SEC director of player personnel whose team faced Ole Miss last season. "He does everything you want." Lacy put up 1,010 of his rushing yards against SEC defenses, including 224 yards on 31 carries against Florida, in his first season as a starter. If he's just as good or better as a junior, he'll have every opportunity to be the first running back selected in next year's NFL draft. "He's No. 1 to me," one former SEC staffer said. "For his size, doing all that stuff, it's unbelievable." 2. Jadan Baugh, Florida 2025 stats: 1,170 rushing yards, 5.3 yards/carry, 33 receptions, 210 receiving yards, 10 TDs Baugh's stats may not jump off the page, but his combination of size, quickness and agility made him a popular name among the college talent evaluators surveyed by ESPN and the target of an awful lot of pre-portal tampering last season, according to sources. "He might be the best running back in the country," one SEC personnel director said. "Baugh might be one of the best backs I've ever watched on tape," a Big Ten scout added. After a breakout freshman campaign in 2024, Baugh remained one of the few consistent catalysts for a Gators offense that ranked 111th nationally in scoring last fall. A second-team All-SEC selection, he trailed only Lacy and Missouri's Ahmad Hardy among the conference's rushing leaders, finishing tied for seventh nationally in forced missed tackles (81) and 12th in yards after contact (782), per ESPN Research. Baugh capped his stellar sophomore season with a 266-yard effort against Florida State in November, the second-best rushing performance in program history. Baugh operates at a sturdy 6-1 and 231 pounds; front office staffers gush over his footwork and ability to change direction at that size. Others noted Baugh's pass-catching threat out of the backfield -- his 33 receptions in 2025 ranked ninth among FBS rushers with 200-plus carries. "For him to be 230 pounds and to have the lateral agility he has, with the burst and the vision, that's unique," one former Florida staffer said. "His stature and his movement skills at that stature make him elite, and then he can finish runs with toughness. He can make plays when there is not a play there." One flaw personnel evaluators acknowledged was Baugh's lack of breakaway speed. As one SEC staffer put it, "Jadan Baugh would be the best running back in the country if he was fast, but he's not very fast." Baugh turned down significant interest from SEC foes, deciding to stay at Florida and play for Jon Sumrall, and he appears poised for another big season in a new-look system under first-year offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner. 3. Ahmad Hardy, Missouri 2025 stats: 1,649 rushing yards, 6.4 yards/carry, six receptions, 22 receiving yards, 16 TDs Hardy's 2026 campaign remains in jeopardy after the first-team All-SEC rusher suffered a gunshot wound while attending a concert in May. But based on Hardy's first two college seasons, there's little doubt surrounding his place among the sport's most feared running backs when he's on the field. "Any time Hardy touches the ball, you hold your breath," an ACC GM said. Per ESPN Research, no player across college football has logged more carries (493) and rushing yards (3,000) than Hardy since the start of the 2024 season. The former Louisiana-Monroe transfer emerged in a big way in his debut season at Missouri last fall, finishing as the nation's second-leading rusher and earning consensus first-team All-America honors. All told, Hardy delivered eight performances of 100-plus rushing yards in his sophomore season, including a 25-carry, 300-yard showing against Mississippi State that ranked as the top ground game by any FBS player in 2025. With elite balance at 5-10 and 206 pounds, Hardy is one of the most elusive runners in college football. He led all FBS rushers in yards after initial contact (1,208) and ranked fifth nationally with 91 forced missed tackles last fall, per ESPN Research. Hardy's SEC-best 6.44 yards per attempt ranked second nationally among running backs with at least 200 carries. "He's not a massive kid," an ACC personnel director said. "But he runs powerful and he knows how to play behind his pads, so he can run between the tackles. He's such a nightmare for defenses out of the backfield catching the football too." Initially poised to return to an intriguing running back tandem alongside fourth-year rusher Jamal Roberts, Hardy's status for the 2026 season is murky. But when he's healthy, there are few more dangerous rushers in the country. 4. Mark Fletcher Jr., Miami 2025 stats: 1,192 rushing yards, 5.5 yards/carry, 17 receptions, 140 receiving yards, 14 TDs Fletcher cemented himself among the sport's elite big-game performers during Miami's playoff run last season. The Fort Lauderdale, Florida, native totaled 507 rushing yards on 6.8 yards per carry across four CFP games, an overwhelming stretch that included a 172-yard effort against Texas A&M and a 112-yard, two-touchdown performance against Indiana in January's national title game. "They truly relied on that kid in big moments," one SEC GM said. "Look at the game that got them to the national title game -- he carried them. That offensive line wears you down and then you just get tired of trying to tackle him." A third-team All-ACC selection, Fletcher set career highs in carries (216), rushing yards (1,192) and rushing touchdowns (12) in his junior season. His powerful, downhill running style, paired with Miami's physical blocking scheme, makes the 6-2 225-pounder a handful for opposing defenses. A chunk-play machine, Fletcher ranked 11th nationally with 36 runs of 10-plus yards and converted 31 of his 39 rushes in short-yardage situations (2 yards to gain or less) for first downs or touchdowns, per ESPN Research. "I've always been so impressed with how powerful he is and how hard he runs the football for four quarters," a player personnel director whose program faced Fletcher in 2025 said. "He's the same guy all game long." One nitpick is that Fletcher does not possess the game-breaking speed or pass-catching ability that some of his counterparts do, but last season's CFP run left little doubt about Fletcher's dominance. "I wouldn't say he's on the same level as [Lacy, Baugh and Hardy] in terms of what they can do with the ball in their hands," one ACC personnel director said before adding, "Mark's going to wear you down." 5. Isaac Brown, Louisville 2025 stats: 884 rushing yards, 8.8 yards/carry, 13 receptions, 48 receiving yards, seven TDs Brown is one of college football's most dangerous big-play threats and brings elite speed to the position. The Miami native broke out as the ACC's Rookie of the Year in 2024 with 1,173 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. His max speed of 22.1 mph as a freshman ranked third best among all FBS backs, according to Teamworks data. Brown was no less explosive as a sophomore at an ACC-best 8.8 yards per carry. A leg injury sidelined him for four games in November, just as he was heating up with 448 rushing yards over his previous three games, but his big-play production is hard to beat. Brown has nine career runs of 50-plus yards and is averaging a whopping 36 yards per carry on his 18 career rushing touchdowns, per ESPN Research. "Isaac Brown is a problem," one Big Ten GM said. "He's dangerous every time they get the ball in his hands." Brown announced plans to enter the transfer portal in January, but Louisville stepped up and managed to get him re-signed. Some Power 4 staffers noted concerns about his 5-9, 190-pound frame, six career fumbles and durability to be a 20-plus carries a game type of back. Others see a game-changing playmaker who they would have loved to sign, including one SEC staff member who said he'd take Brown over Fletcher. "He's incredibly explosive," a former Big Ten staffer said. "Super, super talented. I would be shocked if he doesn't have a crazy year." 6. Hollywood Smothers, Texas 2025 stats (at NC State): 939 rushing yards, 5.9 yards/carry, 37 receptions, 189 receiving yards, seven TDs The personnel staffers who carefully scouted this year's transfer running back class weren't all in agreement on their favorite back, but Smothers was the most popular pick as a potential target. The 5-11, 195-pound junior is coming off a first-team All-ACC season at NC State and flipped his portal pledge from Alabama to Texas expecting he could fill an impact role in the Longhorns' loaded offense. Smothers led the ACC in rushing yards per game last season, surpassing 100 yards from scrimmage in six of his first eight games, and impressed scouts with his ability to cut, accelerate and make defenders miss. "I think Texas got that one 100% right," one scouting director who faced NC State last season said. "Hollywood can provide a little bit more in the pass game, and he has a spin move to get out of stuff. He's got that in his tool bag, and you don't see that every day. He's scary with it. He can spin out of a tackle and go the distance." The numbers certainly back that up, with Smothers' 71 forced missed tackles leading all ACC backs last season, according to ESPN Research. He also proved to be a dependable pass catcher out of the backfield, with 56 receptions for 452 yards over his two seasons at NC State after transferring in from Oklahoma. Some had concerns about Smothers' pass protection tape or graded him out as more of a really good player than a great one, but several are expecting him to be a dynamic chess piece in Steve Sarkisian's offense. "I really liked Hollywood," a Group of 5 staffer said. "He ran all over guys last year. I think he'll translate well in the SEC." 7. Raleek Brown, Texas 2025 stats (at Arizona State): 1,141 rushing yards, 6.1 yards/carry, 34 receptions, 239 receiving yards, six TDs Brown, who began his career at USC in 2022, needed a few years to take off at the college level. But the speedy 5-9 rusher finally emerged as a redshirt junior at Arizona State, reaching career highs in carries (186), rushing yards (1,141), touchdowns (six) and yards per attempt (6.1) while sparking the Big 12's second-ranked rushing offense. "Raleek is the real deal," a Big 12 GM said. "People gave up on Raleek. Kenny Dillingham got ahold of him and knew exactly what to do with him." Indeed, Dillingham and the Sun Devils got the best out of Brown in 2025. The former top-70 recruit finished as the nation's 20th-leading rusher last fall, tallying 561 yards before contact (fifth best in FBS) and forcing 68 missed tackles en route to first-team All-Big 12 honors. He flashed every bit of his playmaking ability in a 22-carry, 255-yard showing against Colorado last November that included a blazing, 88-yard touchdown run. Brown's 2025 campaign made him one of the top portal running backs this offseason, and personnel staffers are intrigued by his fit at Texas, where Sarkisian is always finding creative ways to use his playmakers. Multiple staffers surveyed had high grades on both Brown and Smothers and were unsure who to rank higher. "I'm really interested to see how he does in the SEC and how they use him," a Big 12 GM said of Brown. "I think Texas will be even better with him." With top-end speed, big-play ability and pass-catching talent -- 34 receptions for 239 yards in 2025 -- Brown is equally dangerous lined up in the backfield or in the slot, and he now makes up half of one of the most eye-catching running back tandems in the country. "Between him and Hollywood, that's going to be an extremely dynamic backfield," a Big Ten GM said. 8. Justice Haynes, Georgia Tech 2025 stats (at Michigan): 857 rushing yards, 7.1 yards/carry, 13 receptions, 50 yards, 10 TDs After two seasons at Alabama, Haynes found a featured role at Michigan and emerged as one of the sport's premier game breakers last fall before a foot injury sidelined him for the Wolverines' final six games. "He was one of the more impressive backs I saw," a former Big Ten staffer whose team faced Michigan said. "He may have been the best one I saw." Haynes ranked fourth nationally in rushing yards at the time of his injury. The former top-25 recruit proved himself as an effective every-down back, but his explosiveness really stood out. Haynes had four runs of 50-plus yards in seven starts, including 75-yard scores against Oklahoma and Nebraska. His max speed of 22.5 mph on his touchdown against the Huskers was the top recorded speed by any Power 4 player last season, according to Teamworks. "Justice Haynes can score any time he touches the ball," an ACC personnel director said. Haynes opted to return for his fourth college season in 2026 and attracted plenty of interest in the transfer portal before landing back in his home state at Georgia Tech. While breakaway speed is the headliner in Haynes' game, Power 4 evaluators view him as a complete running back and are intrigued by what he can do with the Yellow Jackets if he stays healthy. "I think from a physical standpoint, with his running style, he's someone that can beat you with speed, beat you with power," the same Big Ten staffer said. "He's able to get a crease and do damage once he gets to the second level. He's extremely talented." 9. LJ Martin, BYU 2025 stats: 1,305 rushing yards, 5.5 yards/carry, 36 receptions, 255 receiving yards, 12 TDs Martin was productive in his first two years at BYU but took a big step forward as a junior in 2025, earning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year honors and helping power the Cougars' run to the Big 12 title game and a 12-win season. The 6-2 225-pounder led the Big 12 in rushing and surpassed 100 yards from scrimmage in 10 games. Martin rushed for 100-plus yards in five of his first seven games before a midseason shoulder injury. He toughed it out and kept playing, rushing for seven touchdowns over his last four games and delivering a career-high 222 yards on 32 carries against Cincinnati. "He's one of those guys who might not get a lot of love and pub, but he just is a really good player," an ACC personnel director said. "I don't know how well he'll test or stand out to NFL scouts, but he's a tough son of a gun who does everything you want: blocking, pass catching, running the ball between the tackles and he breaks a lot of tackles." Martin broke 43 tackles last season and consistently moved the chains for Kalani Sitake's squad in rushing for 77 first downs, second most among Power 4 backs behind Lacy. He missed this spring after offseason shoulder surgery but should go right back to being a durable, dependable back who makes BYU a Big 12 contender. "I really liked him," a Big 12 personnel director said. "He's not super dynamic, but he's a big back and he runs big." 10 (tie). Caleb Hawkins, Oklahoma State 2025 stats (at North Texas): 1,434 rushing yards, 6.2 yards/carry, 32 receptions, 370 receiving yards, 29 TDs Four games into last season, North Texas found out what it had in Hawkins when he rushed for four touchdowns in an overtime victory at Army. The true freshman took over from there for the Mean Green with a dominant season in which he surpassed 200 yards from scrimmage in six games. Hawkins was a tough dude to take down on his way to leading the country with 25 rushing touchdowns. The 6-foot, 220-pound back gained 989 rushing yards after contact, hit 43 runs of 10-plus yards and forced 98 missed tackles, including an FBS-high 62 broken tackles. Coach Eric Morris combined that powerful run game with a rising star quarterback in Drew Mestemaker and produced the No. 1 scoring offense in the country (45.1 points per game). "He looks the part," a Big 12 personnel director said. "The thing that stands out with his positional skill set is his contact balance. He sees the hole, hits the hole, plays violently and seeks contact. You saw last year at North Texas, the later you get into games, that wears on defenses. He creates those yards after contact." Now that trio has taken their talents to Stillwater, Oklahoma. Hawkins, an Oklahoma native, had zero interest in transferring anywhere but Oklahoma State with his North Texas coaches and many teammates this offseason, and personnel staffers are eager to see how much growth he'll show as a sophomore against Big 12 competition. "Hawkins is really good," one Big Ten staffer said. "We knew we didn't have much of a shot there." 10 (tie). Nate Sheppard, Duke 2025 stats: 1,132 rushing yards, 5.7 yards/carry, 37 receptions, 286 receiving yards, 12 TDs Sheppard is not a household name quite yet, but personnel experts believe he's about to become one. The former three-star recruit from Louisiana shined in his true freshman season with the Blue Devils, producing a conference-high 1,418 yards from scrimmage for the ACC champs and earning second-team All-ACC honors. Sheppard put together a few big performances along the way, including 201 total yards and two TDs on the road at Syracuse and 190 yards against Arizona State in the Sun Bowl. He finished with 70 forced missed tackles on the year and 777 rushing yards after contact, according to ESPN Research. Several high-profile programs were hoping Sheppard might test the transfer portal in January, but he rejected their interest to stay in Durham for his sophomore campaign. "Nate Sheppard is a freaking dude," an ACC GM said. "I'm shocked he's not at, like, LSU. How did Duke keep him?" Also receiving votes: Nate Frazier, Georgia; Antwan Raymond, Rutgers; Jordan Marshall, Michigan; Bo Jackson, Ohio State; Jeremiah Cobb, Auburn; DeSean Bishop, Tennessee; Waymond Jordan, USC; J'Koby Williams, Texas Tech; Turbo Richard, Indiana; Adam Mohammed, Cal; Caden Durham, LSU; Wayshawn Parker, Utah; Cam Cook, West Virginia; Dylan Riley, Boise State