A Hater’s Guide to the 2024 Rookie Running Back Class
Last year, following the NFL Draft, everyone was all happy and excited about each and every single landing spot and team draft. As a pessimist, I was disgusted. I wanted to write a series destroying the optimistic, happy-go-lucky, narratives that were permeating the fantasy and real-life football spaces. I attacked the 2023 quarterback class, the running backs, the wide receivers, and the tight ends and the series was well-received by many, so here I am again this year, with all my reasons why this entire 2024 draft class stinks.
2.14, Jonathon Brooks, RB CAR
Why does anyone spell Jonathan, “Jonathon”? With Bryce Young completing only 59.8% of his passes last year (48th out of 50 qualifying QBs), the Panthers looked to solidify the offense around him. Returning from a November 11th torn ACL, even if Brooks is fully healthy this season, there is almost no way he doesn’t see stacked boxes right out of the gate as Young strikes no level of fear in opposing defenses.
3.02, Trey Benson, RB ARI
Last season, between six running backs on the Cardinals roster, they collectively amassed 84 total targets and 66 receptions. In a PPR world, what is Benson’s reception ceiling in this offense? 20? 17?
3.19, Blake Corum, RB LAR
Everyone knew Corum was heading to Los Angeles! Oops, right city, right stadium, wrong team. Now you get to play behind the rusher with 2023’s third-most rushing yards.
3.25, MarShawn Lloyd, RB GB
Frank Gifford came out of USC in 1951. OJ Simpson was a USC draftee in 1969. Marcus Allen was drafted out of USC in 1982. USC’s Reggie Bush was drafted in 2006. So, it’s been about 20 years since a decent NFL running back came out of Southern California; maybe there’s a chance for Lloyd to be the next one. For a program that began in 1888, only pumping out four viable NFL running backs over that time is astonishing.
4.20, Jaylen Wright, RB MIA
Wright, a fourth-round pick, only has to surpass last year’s explosive third-round pick De’Von Achane, the 21-touchdown-scoring veteran Raheem Mostert, and coach’s favorite Jeff Wilson Jr to become the Dolphins’ RB3 in 2024.
4.25, Bucky Irving, RB TB
Rachaad White secured 64 receptions last season – good enough for the fourth-most among running backs. I’m sure the Buccaneers intend for the 5’9″, 192-pound Irving to be the thunder to White’s 6-foot, 214-pound lightning; oh, wait a minute, that’s not how that works. I have no clue how they plan on deploying Irving since White is better at everything Irving is good at.
4.27, Will Shipley, RB PHI
Between Jalen Hurts and new addition Saquon Barkley, Shipley will see exactly three red zone carries this season. At the same time, stealing seven percent of the running back targets from Kenneth Gainwell. Enjoy your first of many RB5 seasons.
4.28, Ray Davis, RB BUF
Although he is only 24 years old, somehow, Ray Davis looks like one of the oldest players in the NFL. Davis looks like he could be the father of a guy you would address as Mr. Davis.
Image from Vanderbilt website.
4.29, Isaac Guerendo, SF
Christian McCaffrey was second in the NFL with 272 carries last season. He was fourth in targets and third in receptions. Even if the 49ers gave Guerendo every touch that went to other backs on the roster in 2023, that would only result in 121 carries and 12 targets – that’s with a 100% replacement rate of every single back not named CMC on the roster, which we know is never going to happen.
4.34, Braelon Allen, NYJ
The Jets already have one of the best running backs in football in Breece Hall and used a fifth-round pick on Izzy Abanikanda last year. So, of course, it was time to add another running back to this team. Allen might have been a first-round pick in 1993, but as I glance at my calendar, it appears to be 2024, making a punishing, early-down bruiser essentially worthless in general but even more worthless behind Breece Hall.
5.12, Audric Estime, RB DEN
When you can add the running back with the slowest 40-yard dash time at the combine, you’ve just gotta do it.
5.30, Rasheen Ali, RB BAL
This would be an exciting pick if the team didn’t just sign volume monster Derrick Henry in the off-season. Or if rookie Keaton Mitchell didn’t explode on the scene a year ago, averaging 8.4 yards per carry before getting injured. Or if long-time Raven Justice Hill didn’t just have his best season with the team. Once Mitchell is fully recovered, Ali will be free to enjoy his weekends as he won’t be traveling with the game-day roster.
5.31, Tyrone Tracy Jr, RB NYG
The Giants had such a hole at wide receiver that they decided to draft wide receivers at running back, too.
5.32, Keilan Robinson, RB JAC
I knew Robinson existed, but in all of my off-season studies of mock drafts, I can’t remember seeing him drafted in any mock drafts. So, of course, the Jags pulled the trigger on him, closing out the fifth round.
5.38, Isaiah Davis, RB NYJ
The Jets already have one of the best running backs in football in Breece Hall and used a fifth-round pick on Izzy Abanikanda last year. So of course, it was time to add another back to this team. Oh, wait, they just did this in the previous round. I hope Davis is a special teams standout.
6.05, Kimani Vidal, RB LAC
I’m sure you’re well aware of the Troy-NFL player pipeline. Courtesy of Ourlads.com, you can see the current Troy Alumni in the NFL. Truthfully, since we have heard of Kimani Vidal, he’s already the most successful player on this list, so he’s got that going for him.
6.10, Jase McClellan, RB ATL
You know who I don’t want to be? The third running back on a team with arguably the best young running back in all of football being backed up by one of the more capable backups in all of football, too. McClellan has an incredible future on the Falcons’ practice squad and as part of the weekly scout team.
6.29, Jawhar Jordan, RB HOU
Allow me to quote the great Lance Zierlein from his overview of Jordan: “Unlike most smaller backs, Jordan isn’t sudden or explosive.” Ah yes, that’s what we love to see: an unexplosive, 5’9″, 193-pound back who runs a 4.56-forty on a team that just gave Joe Mixon a three-year, $27-million contract extension with $13 million in guarantees.
6.32, Dylan Laube, RB LV
ESPN and Google don’t even care enough about him to get his thumbnail image correct. The last New Hampshire running back to make it to the NFL was so good that he was asked to play defensive back (Jerry Azumah).
As you can see, we won’t have a single viable fantasy rookie running back in 2024. It’s a hard truth to accept, but here we are. There is no path to success for anyone this year. I mean, we all should’ve known this already based on what we’ve seen in our drafts. Sorry for you and your late-firsts and early-seconds, where you can select one of the “top” backs this year. As we know from years past, that is always the range we want to see running backs come off the board, not in the early or mid-first. Yuck, who wants those guys?
- 2024 Off-Season Mock Drafts: Wrapping up The Series – Then vs Now - June 29, 2024
- Off-Season Mock Drafts: Rookie Tier Movement - June 22, 2024
- Off-Season Mock Drafts: Single QB Start-Up Results - June 15, 2024
