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Mike Marteny takes a look at the 10 best running backs based on fantasy potential after the first window of the 2025 college football transfer portal closed.
120 running backs have already entered the transfer portal during the first window. This is usually the window of most activity. More players enter the portal in December or January than at any other time of the year.
Several of those backs haven't picked a new home. UCLA's T.J. Harden is the most sought-after of them. UTEP's Ezell Jolly and Middle Tennessee State's Frank Peasant are players who could have an impact depending on where they go.
This window officially closed on January 19, but teams in the playoff had another 10 days to decide. The dust has finally settled a bit. Honestly, the portal is still going. Players can't "sign" with a new team officially until the window opens again. Let's take a look at which running backs who have already transferred will have the biggest impact on college football in 2025.
RB Transfer Impacts Last Season
I completely missed on Peny Boone last year. E.J. Smith was also a bust. Jonah Coleman was a good transfer but wasn't the best. Tawee Walker was good once he took the starting job. I had Quinshon Judkins and Woody Marks too low.
I ended up with Marcus Carroll too high. Utah would have been lost without Ja'Quinden Jackson. Trevor Etienne and Raheim Sanders played well when they played. Overall, it was a solid list of predictions. That's all I'm aiming for.
Once again, we have a lot of backs who could wind up in timeshares. Not every backfield will work like Ohio State's last year. It will likely be closer to Indiana or Nebraska. Both teams religiously used at least two backs in the rotation and often more. I will try to avoid those places unless it's an obvious win as Judkins was last year.
10. Sieh Bangura, Ohio (from Minnesota)
One year off not enough to slow me down… #backhome?? pic.twitter.com/wdPBYgge6X
— Sieh Bangura?? (@5iehBangura) December 31, 2024
Bangura was the 2022 MAC freshman of the year at Ohio. He ran for 811 yards and seven touchdowns in 2023 for the Bobcats, but as with much of the rest of that team, he fled for greener pastures. The pasture that Bangura landed in was full of manure.
Bangura only carried the ball four times in 2024 for a crowded Minnesota running back room. That transfer never made sense to me. Bangura going back to Ohio where he flourished for two years should help his now nonexistent draft stock.
9. Kanye Udoh, Arizona State (from Army)
ASU adds another stud to their RB room with the addition of Kanye Udoh.
Udoh ran for 1,117 yards and 6.2 yards per carry in 2024.
— WestCoastCFB (@WestCoastCFB) December 21, 2024
It's a wild world when a guy leaves the Army to go play college football somewhere else. Udoh is a little bit smaller than Cam Skattebo, but he's every bit the runner that Skattebo is. Udoh is a strong runner and a great blocker, which will keep him on the field most of the time.
8. Leshon Williams, Kansas (from Iowa)
LESHON WILLIAMS ???pic.twitter.com/KwQcXll1sf
— Hammer DAHN (@HammerDAHN) October 14, 2023
Williams was expected to be the RB1 for Iowa last year after running for 821 yards in 2023. It wasn't even Kaleb Johnson who started the season atop the Iowa RB chart. It was freshman Kamari Moulton. Johnson ended up seizing the job. Williams carried just 11 times in the first three games and decided to move on.
We saw how Kansas used Devin Neal last year. Williams should get as many carries as he can handle this year with Neal, possibly the best Kansas back since John Riggins, off to the NFL. Williams should break 1,000 yards this year.
7. Tawee Walker, Cincinnati (from Wisconsin)
BREAKING: Wisconsin RB Tawee Walker has committed to Cincinnati.
Walker this season for the Badgers had 190 carries for 864 YDS and 10 TD’s. pic.twitter.com/RGZfhu6gVD
— Barstool Cincinnati (@UCBarstool) January 7, 2025
Walker wasn't even offered a scholarship by Oklahoma after the 2023 season for some stupid reason, so he left. Wisconsin didn't even give him the starting job until Chez Mellusi stepped away, even though he was the better back from the outset.
Walker gets another lease for a Cincinnati team that loves to use running backs. Evan Pryor is likely to be the change-of-pace back, but Walker should finally be given a full workload over an entire season. I'm excited to see what he can do. I wish Oklahoma would have kept him.
6. Wayshawn Parker, Utah (from Washington State)
Utah Portal Commit Wayshawn Parker is doing things like THIS In his true freshman year! ??
— CTESPN Utah (@Ctespn_Utah) December 20, 2024
Parker behind that Utah line is going to be something to watch. The only reason I have him a little lower on the list is because of Devon Dampier. Dampier ran a lot at New Mexico last year. I would imagine that Utah won't ask him to as much, but it's still going to cramp Parker's stats a bit.
5. Justice Haynes, Michigan (from Alabama)
Jordan Marshall and Justice Haynes will be one of if not the best RB duo in the country next year. https://t.co/nymoQDTwKJ
— Snyds ✨️〽️ (@ChopChop570) January 1, 2025
This is exactly what worries me. Michigan is a run-first offense that can sustain two productive backs, as it did in 2023 and Ohio State did last year. It's a copycat league. Expect more teams to do this, further devaluing running backs in DFS and fantasy leagues.
Despite Jordan Marshall's 100-yard game in the ReliaQuest Bowl against Alabama, I would still expect Haynes to be the first option. Michigan may decide to deploy him like Quinshon Judkins last year and use Haynes mostly as the receiving back (17 receptions at Alabama last year). Whatever the case, Haynes should be productive.
4. Roman Hemby, Indiana (from Maryland)
Hoosiers get a big pickup in Roman Hemby.
Over his career at Maryland, he ran for 2,347 Yards, 22 TD’s, and an average of nearly 5.0 yards per carry. #IUFB #NeverDaunted pic.twitter.com/EcbsUpQdnS
— hoosiersrecruiting (@recruitsindiana) December 23, 2024
Justice Ellison and Kaelon Black are still in the backfield, but I expect Hemby to be the featured back in this offense. At 6-foot and 208 pounds, he's a load to bring down. There will be plenty of carries to go around in the Indiana offense again this year. Hemby should get the first crack at them after his career at Maryland.
He'll be a perfect pairing with Cal transfer Fernando Mendoza in the backfield. We saw how good Hemby was with Taulia Tagovailoa in his two years at Maryland. We'll see similar numbers in Bloomington this year.
3. Fluff Bothwell, Mississippi State (from South Alabama)
Mississippi State lands 4⭐️ South Alabama Transfer Fluff Bothwell. In his Freshman season the 5'10, 220lb RB racked up 830 yds and 13 TDs.
BIG get for Lebby pic.twitter.com/g2bD0G3oJI
— Davis Wade Stadium (@DWadeStadium) December 25, 2024
Everyone knew that Fluff was going to transfer out of Mobile after the first month of the season. Mid-majors are the new junior colleges in the NIL era. Some may say that the bidding has been going on since then. It's not like it's illegal or anything.
The Bulldogs offense is still a work in progress after Michael Van Buren Jr. left for LSU. Freshman Xavier Gayten will likely push Bothwell for carries, but I still expect Fluff to be the focal point of an offense that will run more than usual.
2. Ahmad Hardy, Missouri (from Louisiana-Monroe)
New Missouri commit RB Ahmad Hardy @Ahmadhardy29 was a player I started paying attention to early on in the season and boy is this guy hard to bring down.
Hardy had 94 missed tackles forced according to @PFF The Tigers are getting a good one! #TransferPortal pic.twitter.com/2J4u10bzH4— Bryan (@BGauvin23) December 19, 2024
The Warhawks would have been lucky to win three games without Hardy. The freshman ran for 1,351 yards and 13 touchdowns in leading Monroe to a bowl game.
Missouri loses Brady Cook, but Penn State transfer Beau Pribula could be a Cook-type player. He looked good in limited action last year. Hardy will take over for Nate Noel and Marcus Carroll.
The Tigers do have a habit of rotating backs, but a guy like Hardy isn't going to rot on the bench. He's in the same vein as Bothwell. Both are a touch undersized at 5-foot-10, but both weigh in at over 200 pounds (205 for Hardy, 219 for Bothwell) and still maintain good speed. They are going to be fun to watch in the SEC this year.
1. Rahsul Faison, South Carolina (from Utah State)
Utah State running back Rahsul Faison has heard from Georgia, Florida State, Utah, UCF, Iowa State, Cincinnati, UNC, Cal, Kansas State and Kentucky since entering the portal.
Repped by @BNM_777k. Faison rushed for 1,845 yards last 2 seasons.
More: https://t.co/wMrfFrdlE6 pic.twitter.com/Jj9afkUYii
— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos_) December 24, 2024
You can tell a lot about how good a back is by who's calling him in the portal. That's quite a list. Faison was the lone bright spot for the Aggies last year in a trying season after a promising 2023 campaign.
Faison will take over for Raheim Sanders, who was very productive when he was on the field. He just had trouble staying there. Faison is a fast and durable hybrid back, as are the rest of the top three on this list.
The Gamecocks are trending up with LaNorris Sellers back after a superb freshman season. Faison will be the guy who helps them leap into the playoff if their defense holds up (which it should).
Honorable Mention: Terion Stewart, Virginia Tech (from Bowling Green); Qua Ashley, Louisville (from Kennesaw State); Ismail Mahdi, Arizona (from Texas State); Kevorian Barnes, TCU (from UTSA); Makhi Hughes, Oregon (from Tulane); Dante Dowdell, Kentucky (from Nebraska); Malik Sherrod, Boise State (from Fresno State); Star Thomas, Tennessee (from Duke); Dominic Richardson, New Mexico State (from Baylor); Sevion Morrison, Tulsa (from Kansas)
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