Ranking the Big Ten’s top five running backs for 2024

The Big Ten Conference has produced some great running backs over the years and this upcoming season should be no exception.

Today we’re ranking the top five running backs in the Big Ten for the 2024 season.

5. Jordan James (Oregon)

Last season, the Oregon Ducks had one of the most explosive offenses in college football, scoring 44.2 points per game. Bucky Irving was the leading running back with over 1,000 yards and 12 touchdowns, and right behind him was James, who rushed for 12 touchdowns and 891 yards.

He will take over the lead back position when Irving moves on to the NFL. James, who is entering his junior season, could quickly climb up those rankings. It’s rare to find a back with the explosiveness and pass-catching skills he possesses. And with a 160-touch difference between Irving and James in 2023, he’s expected to make a huge jump in touches this season.

4. Kyle Monangai (Rutgers)

Last season, there was one running back in the Big Ten who rushed for more yards than Blake Corum, and that was Rutgers running back Kyle Monangai, and he did it with 16 fewer touches. Yet he still had nearly 60 more touches than any other running back in the Big Ten not named Corum.

As Rutgers moves to a more professional offense now that quarterback Gavin Wimsatt is no longer in the program and Minnesota transfer Athan Kaliakmanis takes over, it will be interesting to see how that changes Monangai’s deployment in 2024.

3. Quinshon Judkins (Ohio State)

The Ohio State Buckeyes have signed by far the best running back in the portal this season in Judkins, a transfer from Ole Miss. By Big Ten standards for 2023, Judkins would have had the most attempts (271), the third-most rushing yards (1,158) and the second-most touchdowns (17) in the conference in 2023.

The question is how his game will play out in a split backfield. Judkins only averaged 4.3 yards per carry in 2023 after averaging 5.7 yards per carry in 2022. Regardless, Judkins should have a better offensive line and a stronger offense than he experienced at Ole Miss. He’ll likely be RB2 in Columbus, but he could very well be one of the best running backs in the conference.

2. Donovan Edwards (Michigan)

It’s finally time for Edwards to become the star back of the Michigan Wolverines. When he took on that role in 2023, he showed what he could do against some of the best teams in college football. Of course, the back-to-back home visits to Columbus against Ohio State are particularly notable. But it was in the last three games this season with Corum that Edwards recorded 520 of his 872 rushing yards.

Last season was a step back for Edwards, but his opportunities were limited by the return of Corum. He never had more than 14 rushing attempts in a single game, which could be why his yards per run dropped from 7.1 in 2023 to just 4.2 in 2024.

If Edwards is on form and feeling it, there is probably no better running back in college football; his two touchdowns on six carries in the National Championship proved that. My question is, how quickly can he find that as the primary ball carrier in 2024 and what does that look like over a full season?

1. TreVeyon Henderson (Ohio State)

When healthy, Henderson has been one of the best running backs in the country over the past three seasons. As a freshman, Henderson had his most impressive season: 1,560 all-purpose yards and 19 touchdowns. Since then, a mix of injuries and other running backs on the team have dampened his productivity.

Still, Henderson is one of the nation’s best pass receivers. He averaged 12.1 yards per catch on 19 passes caught last season and could see more action this fall. Once again, Henderson will compete with a top-tier player like Judkins for touches, but Day is known for overworking his best players. I expect Henderson to see a lot of touches in 2024.