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Justin looks at the top running back prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft. What are the best landing spots in the draft for these young RBs?
The 2024 NFL Draft is fast approaching. This year's draft class is filled with talented players, especially at the running back position, where there might not be a standout star, but there are a lot of really solid players.
There are a number of places where each running back could land, but not all of those places are the perfect spot for them. Some teams are better suited as a home for these young runners.
Let's take a look at the top running backs in this class and figure out what teams would be the best option for them.
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Blake Corum
Cleveland Browns
Nick Chubb is still in Cleveland, but you can't help but think that the veteran running back is nearing the end of his useful period in the NFL. While the Browns have a solid group backing him up with Jerome Ford, Nyheim Hines, and D'Onta Foreman, the team lacks a potential long-term option at running back.
Blake Corum may or may not be that option, but the Browns should take a chance on him and see. The team has shown over the past few seasons that it's at its best when it can rely on a strong run game, and Corum would be a strong option as the team looks toward the future.
One Of The Greatest Plays In Michigan History
Blake Corum Owns Bama
Blake Corum Is A College Football Legend GO BLUE
— Will Johnson Enjoyer (@WillJEnjoyer) April 19, 2024
While Corum isn't the most explosive back in the world, he's a consistent runner with the patience to pick his spot and wait for plays to develop. He can also provide some good pass blocking for Cleveland. No, he's not the physical specimen that Chubb is, but he'll be a productive NFL back.
Jonathon Brooks
New York Giants
With Saquon Barkley gone, the Giants are set to enter 2024 with Devin Singletary at running back, which would be fine if there was a reliable backup behind him. That's not the case, though, as the G-Men have Gary Brightwell, Eric Gray, and Deon Jackson backing up Singletary.
Texas running back Jonathon Brooks isn't the strongest runner, but his speed makes him a nice change of pace for a Singletary-led backfield. He can make plays in space and should be able to make plays in the passing game.
Jaylen Wright
Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers signed J.K. Dobbins on Wednesday, but that doesn't solve the team's issues at running back. The team is relying on a pair of former Ravens: Dobbins and Gus Edwards. While both players can be reliable players for the Chargers, they aren't the long-term answers. Although Edwards has had a chance to show he can be a lead back, he's been too one-dimensional to really excel, and injuries have continually hampered Dobbins.
Tennessee running back Jaylen Wright would bring some needed speed to this backfield. He's not going to pound out yardage between the tackles, but if the Chargers can scheme him into open space, he can make some pretty big plays.
Bucky Irving
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers have a running back room filled with solid guys who are also just...well, solid guys. Chuba Hubbard ran for 902 yards last year, but he's not some irreplaceable juggernaut. He's a good back who contributed positive things to a team that needed what he brought. Miles Sanders, meanwhile, was brought in to be the team's lead back, but he finished with less than half of Hubbard's yards and ran for just 3.3 yards per carry.
If there’s an under the radar - Kyren Williams type of back in the 2024 NFL Draft it’s Bucky Irving from Oregon. His 85 receptions the last two seasons were the most among RBs in FBS. pic.twitter.com/60heUJPM6q
— Kyle Lindemann (@LuckIsMadeFF) April 8, 2024
Carolina is a great spot for a rookie running back to come in and make a difference. Oregon's Bucky Irving could carve out a nice role here. He's undersized, but his acceleration makes him a really good pass-catching back. The Panthers had the 11th-fewest running back targets last season, so adding a talented player like Irving could really help expand the repertoire for quarterback Bryce Young. Having a reliable check-down option out of the backfield would help him get the ball out quicker and potentially keep him from leading the NFL in yards lost to sacks for the second year in a row.
Ray Davis
Las Vegas Raiders
With Josh Jacobs gone, the Raiders are turning to Zamir White at running back, with Alexander Mattison serving as the primary backup. White rushed for 451 yards in 2023, with a lot of that production coming over the final four games of the season. White rushed for 69 or more yards in all four of those contests, including a pair of games with over 100 yards.
He looked like someone who could handle the workload as a lead back, but that was also a very small sample size. If I'm the Las Vegas Raiders, I'm still looking to add running back depth later on in the draft.
That's where Kentucky's Ray Davis comes in. The 5-foot-8 back doesn't have the build or the speed to be a lead back, but he's a physical runner considering his size who can make an impact in the passing game, where he excels as a pass blocker and adds significant value as a pass catcher.
Trey Benson
Green Bay Packers
The Packers brought in Josh Jacobs to replace Aaron Jones, but Jacobs has a lot of wear on his tires, with 1305 carries through the first five seasons of his NFL career. That number ranks second to Derrick Henry among all backs over the past five seasons. The Raiders used Jacobs a lot, and it's fair to wonder just how much longer he has left as an elite back now that he's in Green Bay. His backup, A.J. Dillon, is coming off a season where he averaged a career-worst 4.3 yards per carry, so while the Packers' running back situation might look fine, it's a little more tenuous than it appears.
In 2022, Trey Benson broke the PFF elusive rating record at 226.6 despite tearing his ACL, MCL, LCL and meniscus less than 1 year before
This guy forced a missed tackle on 40% of his career touches and it's like none of you care
My RB1 in this class and surprised people aren't… pic.twitter.com/cPLhvxGx5S
— Corey Buschlen (@FootballStock) April 17, 2024
I'm not saying the team needs to go running back in the first or second round of the draft, but adding a player like Trey Benson in the third or later would be great for both the Packers and Benson. Benson is a strong back with the ability to hit his holes and explode for positive gains. Learning behind Josh Jacobs would be great for his long-term development. He isn't really much of a pass catcher, the the Packers wouldn't be asking him to fill that role. He's an ideal early-down option if Jacobs gets injured or if the team moves on from Jacobs in a couple of years.
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