An Early Look at 2021 Running Backs

With the 2019 college football season over and all underclassmen having made their decisions, it is time to start prepping for your annual devy drafts. It is never too early to start looking ahead to get an edge on your leaguemates in order to dominate your leagues.

In the second part of this series, we look at the top ten running backs in my 2021 running back rankings. This class isn’t getting as much hype as the 2020 class, but after digging a bit deeper it has some very nice prospects that need to be rostered in all of your devy leagues.

Click here to see part one, an early look at the 2021 Quarterbacks.

1. Chuba Hubbard, RB Oklahoma State

As of now, it looks like we might have a three-way battle for the top spot of the 2021 running back class. Edging out for the number one spot right now is Hubbard. He exploded onto the scene in 2019 with over 2,000 rushing yards, over 20 rushing touchdowns, and added another 23 catches for 198 yards. Hubbard is an incredible athlete and uses his blend of speed and acceleration to be a real home run threat. Along with good vision and upside in the passing game, he is my top running back for next year.

There's a reason Chuba Hubbard leads the FBS in rushing ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/r2NYzyma70

— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) September 29, 2019

2. Travis Etienne, RB Clemson

Just missing out at the top is the surprise returner, Etienne, who elected to go back to school for his senior year. The biggest reason for not having him at number one is he isn’t as good of a pass catcher as Hubbard is, right now, but he did improve greatly at catching the ball in 2019. You will not find a player with a more explosive burst. His ability to get up to speed quickly is like no one else. He could very easily take the top spot on this list by the end of next year.

3. Najee Harris, RB Alabama

Another surprise returner is Alabama’s Harris. He is quickly becoming one of my favorite prospects to watch on tape. His blend of size, power, and athleticism is surreal. He makes plays that guys his size should not be able to make. There is some concern over his long speed, but not enough to lower him any farther than third. He runs well through the tackles, has plenty of power, and can catch the football. He has all the makings of a three-down back.

https://twitter.com/RayGQue/status/1177748333907107841?s=20

4. Max Borghi, RB Washington State

Borghi was the biggest loser as the top three above all decided to go back to school. Had it not been for that, he would be my top-ranked player on the list. He is without a doubt the best pass-catching running back on this list, with 139 catches in just two years at Washington State. Do not let his small size scare you away either – he has plenty of power to fight through contact and shed would-be tacklers.

5. Zamir White, RB Georgia

The next in line to come out of the running back university is Georgia’s White. He has been hampered with injuries and buried on a crowded depth chart, but will be the top running back in Georgia’s offense in 2020. Now healthy, we will see just what the former number one ranked running back prospect can do. With great power and acceleration, all we need to do is see him stay healthy.

6. CJ Verdell, RB Oregon

My biggest riser over the past few weeks is Oregon Ducks running back Verdell. He runs with exceptional power and contact balance for someone who is just 5’9”. His 210-pound frame makes him built very tough, but doesn’t take away from speed and acceleration. He has the potential to break off long runs at any time, just like he displayed against Utah this past season.

Oregon’s run game & CJ Verdell were on 🔥 tonight! pic.twitter.com/eDZp1Vug43

— Stadium (@Stadium) December 7, 2019

7. Trey Sermon, RB Oklahoma

Another player who is extremely talented but shares a crowded backfield is Oklahoma’s Sermon. He is an elusive runner with good lateral quickness and great contact balance. However, he lacks speed and acceleration. Once up to speed he is fine, but he doesn’t have much burst out of the hole. His receiving ability gives him upside as a three-down back at the NFL level.

8. Kylin Hill, RB Mississippi State

Hill comes in a little lower on the list than others may have him. The addition of Mike Leach should certainly help his stock this year and display his good pass-catching ability, but I still have concerns. Hill’s injury history is worth noting as well as his long speed. He does have very good power and burst through the line of scrimmage.

9. Master Teague, RB Ohio State

Teague is one of the hardest guys in this class to rank. He was an excellent prospect coming out of high school but has not yet been given a ton of opportunity to display his talents. That should change in 2020 with JK Dobbins no longer in the picture. He has great speed – reportedly running a 4.3 40-yard dash coming out of high school – and also possesses great power. It will be great to finally see what he is capable of this coming season in an offense led by returning quarterback Justin Fields.

Master Teague ripped off a 73-yard run for another @OhioStateFB score. pic.twitter.com/Tknq8Ajl8n

— Ohio State on BTN (@OhioStateOnBTN) October 19, 2019

10. Keaontay Ingram, RB Texas

Rounding out the top ten is one of 2019’s biggest let downs. Ingram was expected to dominate carries for Texas this past year but ended up losing work to Roschon Johnson, which capped his upside in 2019. That being said his upside is still worthy of being included in the top ten. He is a terrific pass catcher and has great contact balance. He has a ton of skill and will have a chance to prove again in 2020 why he can be the best running back on the team.