Tale of the Tape: Knowing the basics of Buckeyes running backs

COLUMBUS — Ohio State has the best top-end talent of any running back room in the country.

No program can match the top two of TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins, two sure-thing superstars in the sport.

But the intrigue only begins there. Ohio State must find more than just two backs who can help them carry the load for the offense this fall.

Lettermen Row is in the early stages of Running Backs Week, a weeklong series that will dive deep into the room, the contenders for carries and much, much more. Let’s get it started with a basic primer, going through just who these four running backs are — and why they might deserve carries come September.

Fourth-year running back TreVeyon Henderson

Height: 5-foot-10

Weight: 208 pounds

High school: Hopewell (Hopewell, Virginia)

On3 Ranking: Henderson was the No. 20 overall player, No. 1 running back, and No. 1 player in Virginia.

On3 Industry Ranking: Henderson was the No. 19 overall player in the country, the No. 1 running back and No. 1 player in Virginia in the class of 2021.

Picked Buckeyes over: Michigan, Oklahoma, Virginia, Georgia and nearly every other major program in the country

Career stats: Henderson has 446 carries for 2,745 yards and 32 rushing touchdowns, along with 50 catches for 569 yards and five touchdowns receiving during his time at Ohio State.

Biggest strength: Everything. When healthy, TreVeyon Henderson is one of the best running backs in the country. Period. He showed it during his freshman year, when he ran for more than 1,200 yards and took over as the unquestioned starting running back, and again in spurts during an up-and-down junior season. If he stays healthy, he can do it all for Ohio State. If you had to pick one major strength, Henderson has potentially the best burst into the open field of all college football running backs.

Third-year back Quinshon Judkins

Height: 6 foot

Weight: 219 pounds

High school: Pike Road (Pike Road, Alabama)

On3 Ranking: Judkins was the the No. 25 running back and No. 18 player in Alabama.

On3 Industry Ranking: Judkins was the No. 488 overall player, No. 37 running back, and No. 22 player in Alabama in the class of 2022, according to the On3 Industry Ranking.

Picked Buckeyes over: Plenty of schools tried to land Judkins from the transfer portal. He chose Ohio State as part of a quiet portal recruitment.

Career stats: Judkins has 545 carries for 2,725 yards and 31 rushing touchdowns, along with 37 catches for 281 yards and three touchdowns receiving during his time at Ole Miss.

First-year running back James Peoples

Height: 5-foot-10

Weight: 203 pounds

High school: Veterans Memorial (San Antonio, Texas)

On3 Ranking: Peoples was the the No. 160 player in the country, the No. 10 running back and No. 25 player in Texas in the class of 2024.

On3 Industry Ranking: Peoples was the No. 119 overall player, No. 8 running back, and No. 18 player in Texas in the class of 2024, according to the On3 Industry Ranking.

Picked Buckeyes over: Texas, TCU, Oklahoma, Alabama and Oregon

On3 Scouting Summary: High-floor back with a well-rounded skill set. Measured in at around 5-foot-10, 195 pounds prior to his senior season. Has a muscled, rocked up build. Has a developed lower body. Shows quick feet and a strong initial burst. Explosive in and out of his cuts. Uses his lateral agility to make quick moves and juke defenders in space. Shows good vision and sets up his blocks. Slips out of tackles. Runs through contact and falls forward. Effectively weaves through traffic in working to the second level. Has the movement skills to be an effective route-runner out of the backfield. Productive on a per game basis over his high school career. Missed much of his senior season due to injury, but finished with 894 yards and 10 touchdowns on 92 carries in five games. Does not play top competition on Friday nights. Has some tightness in his hips and can increase his stride length and top end speed to pull away once in the open field. Skill set lends itself to being a solid between the tackles option who can provide every down value with continued development in the passing game. -On3 Director of Scouting Charles Power

First-year running back Sam Williams-Dixon

Height: 5-foot-11

Weight: 203 pounds

High school: Pickerington North (Pickerington, Ohio)

On3 Ranking: Williams-Dixon was the No. 38 running back and No. 21 player in Ohio in the class of 2024.

On3 Industry Ranking: Williams-Dixon was the No. 773 overall player, No. 64 running back, and No. 29 player in Ohio in the class of 2024, according to the On3 Industry Ranking.

Picked Buckeyes over: Rutgers, Tennessee, Kentucky and Penn State