PFF ranks college football's Top 10 running back candidates for the 2023 NFL Draft
The running back class for the 2023 NFL Draft is loaded, but Mike Renner of Pro Football Focus attempted to rank the best of the best. While plenty could change from now until next April, there’s much to be excited about when it comes to the best ball carriers in the sport.
2023 NFL Draft: Top 10 running back candidates, per PFF:
1) Bijan Robinson, Texas Longhorns
Arguably the favorite Heisman candidate that’s not a quarterback, Robinson could ascend to the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
“If someone gives you the odds, take the bet on Robinson going in the first round right now,” wrote Renner. “He possesses the do-it-all skill set that every NFL offensive coordinator dreams of having in their backfield.”
2) Devon Achane, Texas A&M Aggies
If Texas A&M is going to reach their lofty goals in 2022, Achane will play a gigantic role.
“Achane has more of the one uncoachable skill than any other running back in college football: speed,” explained Renner. “He boasts a 100-meter personal record of 10.12 seconds. He’s not the first fast human being to play running back, though. No, Achane earns his lofty status on this list because he’s skilled in a number of other ways on top of that game-changing speed.”
3) Zach Evans, Ole Miss Rebels
Transferring to Ole Miss could do wonders for Evans, as PFF believes the former TCU star is special.
“Like Robinson, Evans has that ‘you name it, I can do it’ kind of ability,” stated Renner. “It’s scary to think about what he’ll be able to do this fall in Lane Kiffin’s playmaker-friendly offense.”
Bigsby decided to remain at Auburn, where he’ll show off his skills for NFL teams in the SEC once again.
“If there is one trump card that Bigsby possesses to a greater degree than any other back in the country, it’s the ability to plant one foot in the ground and change directions,” Renner believes. “He has the uncanny ability to make near-right-angle turns without seemingly losing any velocity.”
5) Sean Tucker, Syracuse Orange
Evidently, Renner is a big-time believer in the Syracuse back, making a lofty comparison for Tucker.
“Tucker is cut from a very similar cloth to Jonathan Taylor as a runner,” praised Renner. “Both are ideally built bowling balls with sneaky-elite speed.”
6) Deuce Vaughn, Kansas State Wildcats
The excitement is tremendous with Vaughn, and Renner thinks he could be in for a big season with the Wildcats.
“Vaughn moves like a running back straight out of NCAA Football 07,” wrote Renner. “His ability to stop and cut on dimes is video game-esque.
“Of course, the reason behind that is Vaughn’s 5-foot-6, 176-pound stature. He is tiny by any running back standards, albeit still well put together from a musculature standpoint. Size only comes into play, however, if you can touch him … and so far at the collegiate level, not a lot of defenders have been able to do that in the open field.”
7) Blake Corum, Michigan Wolverines
Hassan Haskins won’t overshadow Corum any longer, as the lead dog at Michigan will be pivotal next season.
“Corum may be listed at only 200 pounds, but that’s nowhere near as worrisome as it is for most 200-pounders,” believes Renner. “That’s because Corum has the Maurice Jones-Drew body type going on at only 5-foot-8.
“Built as low to the earth as Corum is, it should be no surprise that he’s one of the shiftiest backs in this class.”
8) Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama Crimson Tide
Evidently, PFF believes transferring to Alabama is the perfect recipe for NFL success for Gibbs.
“After two years at Georgia Tech, Gibbs made himself a smart business decision given the draft history of Alabama running backs,” explained Renner. “The lead dog at Alabama under Nick Saban has basically been guaranteed to be a Day 2 draft pick — and Gibbs looks like no exception.”
9) Zach Charbonnet, UCLA Bruins
While Renner stats Charbonnet might’ve been better suited to take his talents to the league during the 2022 NFL Draft, his skillset makes him an intriguing prospect nonetheless.
“Charbonnet would have been a slam dunk top-five running back on the PFF draft board had he declared for the 2022 NFL Draft,” Renner theorized. “In 2023, however, he’s not particularly close to that. That’s how full the coffers are at the running back position next season.”
10) DeWayne McBride, UAB Blazers
As Renner states, McBride is a true unknown, but his sheer ability warrants a spot on the list.
“McBride is the wild card in the running back class,” believes Renner. “The former three-star recruit had only three Power Five offers coming out of high school (Lousiville, Purdue and Rutgers) yet hit the ground running as five-stars tend to do.
“He amassed 439 yards on 47 carries as a freshman in the coronavirus-shortened 2020 season. For an encore, he went for 1,366 yards on only 204 carries (6.7 yards per) for a 90.5 rushing grade as a sophomore. At 5-foot-11 and 215 pounds, he ticks the size box for the position wholesale. All too often McBride sticks out like a sore thumb athletically in the open field against his level of competition.”