Fan Rankings Home » NCAAF » Top 10 Best Running Backs in College Football 2024-2025 Rankings | NFL Draft 2025 Running Back Rankings

The 2024-2025 College Football season delivered fireworks from the opening kickoff of the season to the final whistle of the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. Over nearly six months of football action played by over 100 college football teams a long list of players put together big-time performances including a long list of stellar running backs. A group of running backs that included Ashton Jeanty of the Boise State Broncos and Cat Skattebo of the Arizona State Sun Devils who both land atop the Top 10 Best College Football Running Backs 2024-2025 Rankings list.

Jeanty put together one of the greatest rushing seasons of all time coming up just 28 yards short of breaking Barry Sanders single season rushing record. The Broncos running back strong play helped the team to a 12-2 overall record including a trip to the VRBO Fiesta Bowl within the College Football Playoffs.

Skattebo was just as important for the Sun Devils while finished the season 10-3 while reaching the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoffs. Joining Jeanty and Skattebo among the best running backs in college football includes Kaleb Johnson of the Iowa Hawkeyes, Dylan Sampson of the Tennessee Volunteers, and Omarion Hampton of the North Carolina Tar Heels.

Here is a look at the Top 10 College Football Running Backs 2024-2025 Rankings:

Honorable Mention

Jeremiyah Love

School: Notre Dame Fighting Irish

NFL Draft Status: Returning to Notre Dame

Just missing the Top 10 College Football Running Backs 2024-2025 Rankings list is the Notre Dame Fighting Irish sophomore running back Jeremiyah Love. Love took over as one of the team’s key offensive weapons in the rushing attack after a solid freshmen season.

Taking over a big chunk in the team’s offensive game plan, Love rushed for 1,125 yards to go along with 17 rushing touchdowns while helping the Fighting Irish reach the College Football Playoff National Championship Game against the Ohio State Buckeyes.

While Love will have to wait another year to enter the NFL Draft, expectations are set high for him as one of the top overall running backs returning to college football for the 2025-2026 NFL Draft.

Desmond Reid

School: Pittsburgh Panthers

NFL Draft Status: Returning to Pittsburgh

While his numbers don’t rack up against the best running backs in college football, it is hard to look past the talent Desmond Reid brings to the position.

Reid, who capped off his strongest season with the Pittsburgh Panthers, is a dual threat weapon who can be used both in the running game as well as in the passing game. He finished the season rushing for 966 yards on the ground with five rushing touchdowns while also adding 579 yards receiving on 52 receptions while also adding four touchdown receptions.

While Reid would have been a late NFL Draft pick come April, the Panthers running back elected to return for his senior season during the upcoming 2025-2026 College Football season.

Top 10 Best College Running Backs Rankings

10. Quinshon Judkins

School: Ohio State Buckeyes

NFL Draft Status: NFL Draft

Sliding in at number 10 on the Top 10 College Football Running Backs 2024-2025 Rankings list is the Ohio State Buckeyes running back Quinshon Judkins. Judkins, who racked up over 2,700 yards over his first two seasons on the ground for the Ole Miss Rebels, elected to transfer to the Buckeyes for his junior season.

A move that paid off overall as Judkins played a key role in the Buckeyes winning the National Championship. While his overall production dropped to just 1,060 yards, it was easy to see how good of a running back he was with the football in his hands all season long.

Despite carrying the ball 77 times less than last season, Judkins still found the end zone 14 times on the ground while also adding one additional touchdown reception on a Buckeyes team loaded with talent.

9. RJ Harvey

School: UCF Knights

Among the best running backs in College Football, RJ Harvey of the UCF Knights put together as strong of a season as nearly any of the top overall backs this season. The senior running back capped off his final season rushing for 1,577 yards while averaging 6.8 yards per carry over 232 carries during the season.

Over that stretch the Knights running back posted both career highs in rushing yards as well as a career high 22 rushing touchdowns. In addition, Harvey was also effective in the team’s passing attack, pulling in 20 catches for 267 yards to go along with three touchdown receptions.

Like a few of the players in the bottom five of ten best running backs from this past season, Harvey is expected to be a mid-round draft pick who may fall to the later rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft.

8. Tahj Brooks

School: Texas Tech Red Raiders

NFL Draft Status: NFL Draft

Capping off a stellar final two seasons in College Football Tahj Brooks of the Texas Red Raiders has slowly moved his name up the NFL Draft board while showcasing the potential to be selected in the middle round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Brooks, who has both size and power to be an every down running back posted over 1,500 yards in each of the past two seasons. This includes a strong 2024 NCAA Football season rushing for 1,505 yards on 286 carries while finding the end zone with 17 rushing touchdowns. Brooks also added 28 receptions this season for 199 yards with one touchdown reception.

7. Mario Anderson Jr.

School: Memphis Tigers

NFL Draft Status: NFL Draft

After starting his career within the D2 College Football landscape, Mario Anderson Jr made the jump to the D1 level while finishing off his second season with the Memphis Tigers rushing for 1,362 total yards to go along with 18 rushing touchdowns.

Anderson Jr turned on the jets down the stretch rushing for at least 138 yards in three of the team’s final four games while also adding a touchdown in all four games.

Over that stretch the Tigers posted a 4-0 record including picking up a 42-37 win over the West Virginia Mountaineers in the Scotter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl. Despite having eligible years left, the Tigers talented running back entered the 2025 NFL Draft and expected to be a late fifth to seventh round selection

6. Tre Stewart

School: Jacksonville State Gamecocks

NFL Draft Status: NFL Draft

One name that went under the radar for most of the season among the talented group of running backs is Tre Stewart of the Jacksonville State Gamecocks.

Stewart, who will more than likely hear his name during the later rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft, is a phenomenal all-around back who can do it all while having tremendous vision in both the running game as well as a pass catching running back out of the backfield.

The Gamecocks senior finished the season rushing for 1,638 yards to go along with 25 rushing touchdowns while also adding 234 receiving yards and one touchdown reception.

While the lower quality opponents impact his draft stock, it is easy to see how talented Stewart is with the football in his hands and how good he was at the running back position all season.

5. Kaleb Johnson

School: Iowa Hawkeyes

NFL Draft Status: NFL Draft

Rounding out the Top 5 running backs on the Top 10 College Football Running Backs 2024-2025 Rankings list is the Iowa Hawkeyes Kaleb Johnson. Like the other top four running backs on the list, Johnson has declared for the 2025 NFL Draft and should hear his name called within the first three rounds of the draft and as early as the second round.

Johnson is coming off a stellar third season with the Hawkeyes including rushing for a career high 1,537 yards while finding the end zone 21 times on the ground.

The Hawkeyes running back also added 22 catches for 188 yards and two touchdown receptions. The dynamic two-way star showcased speed, power and agility all season in a difficult Big Ten conference.

4. Dylan Sampson

School: Tennessee Volunteers

NFL Draft Status: NFL Draft

When it comes to the talented groups of running backs in College Football one name that comes to the mind is the Tennessee Volunteers star Dylan Sampson.

Sampson, who put together the best running season in Volunteers school history used his success to lead the team to their first ever College Football Playoff appearance while also helping him take home the SEC Player of the Year award.

Taking over as the lead running back this season Sampson did not disappoint, rushing for 1,491 yards to go along with 22 rushing touchdowns while also adding 20 catches for 143 receiving yards. His strong physical style of running and success has elevated Sampson NFL Draft stock to a mid to late second round pick to early third round selection come the draft in April.

3. Omarion Hampton

School: North Carolina Tar Heels

NFL Draft Status: NFL Draft

Looking at the top running backs in College Football it is hard to look past Omarion Hampton of the North Carolina Tar Heels. Hampton, who projects as a late first round/early second round pick during the 2025 NFL Draft is a bigger power style running back who uses his size and power to make plays in the running game.

Using his size and running style to his advantage, Hampton finished off the season rushing for 1,660 yards while averaging 5.9 yards per carry for the Tar Heels.

Over 281 carries, Hampton found the end zone 15 times while also adding 38 catches for 373 receiving yards and two touchdown receptions in the Tar Heels passing attack.

2. Cam Skattebo

School: Arizona State Sun Devils

NFL Draft Status: NFL Draft

A second talented running back that put up a huge season and will be one of the top running backs selected during the 2025 NFL Draft is the Arizona State Sun Devils Cam Skattebo.

Skattebo was key for the Sun Devils all season including helping the team win the Big 12 Championship and forcing the Texas Longhorns to double overtime in the College Football Playoffs. He finished the season with four straight games with at least 140 yards to go along with at least two rushing touchdowns.

Overall, the Sun Devils senior rushed for 1,711 yards to go along with 21 rushing touchdowns. In addition, the talented back also was a key role player in the team’s passing game pulling in 45 catches for 605 yards with three touchdown receptions.

1. Ashton Jeanty

School: Boise State Broncos

NFL Draft Status: NFL Draft

In at number one on the Top 10 College Football Running Backs 2024-2025 Rankings list is the Boise State Broncos running back Ashton Jeanty. Jeanty who is expected to be the first running back off the board during the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft is coming off a remarkable season while coming up just short of breaking Barry Sanders single season rushing record.

Jeanty finished off the season rushing for 2,601 yards to go along with 29 rushing touchdowns while also adding 138 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown.

To go along with that performance Jeanty averaged seven yards per carry over 374 carries during the season. The strong performance led the Broncos to the College Football Playoffs while almost helping Jeanty to secure the Heisman Trophy award.

How would you rank the Best Running Backs in College Football for the 2024-2025 season? Rank below to be added in the NCAA Power Rankings.

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