COLLEGE FOOTBALL'S SPRING POWER RANKINGS: TOP 15 RUNNING BACKS FOR 2024

With spring practice is in full swing across the nation for nearly all 134 college football teams, it's never too early to start thinking about the 2024 season and some of the top running backs returning on campus. Two of the nation's top rushers from '23 - Missouri's Cody Schrader and Troy's Kimani Vidal - have both moved on to the NFL, but the talent isn't lacking with returning options in '24.

Doak Walker Award winner Ollie Gordon II is back at Oklahoma State, with Ohio State's tandem of Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson headlining the next running backs in the pre-spring running back list.

With spring practice in mind, Athlon Sports takes a look at the top 15 running backs returning in college football for 2024. Keep in mind, this list will change several times during the offseason with names moving up and down based on spring performance and other factors before the start of next year.

College Football's Spring Power Rankings: Top 15 Running Backs for 2024

Note: Rankings are pre-spring and subject to change later this summer

1. Ollie Gordon II, Oklahoma StateGordon II was a driving force behind Oklahoma State's in-season improvement and trip to the Big 12 title game. In his first year as the team's No. 1 back, Gordon II averaged 123.7 rushing yards a game and finished second nationally with 21 scores on the ground. The Texas native recorded 1,732 rushing yards overall, including back-to-back 200-yard efforts against West Virginia and Cincinnati. Gordon also chipped in 39 receptions.

2/3. Quinshon Judkins/TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio StateHowever you want to order Judkins and Henderson is completely acceptable, as these two backs are the next in line after Gordon in the running back rankings. Judkins transferred to Ohio State after two standout seasons at Ole Miss. The Alabama native ran for 1,565 yards and 16 scores as a true freshman in '22 and posted 1,158 yards and 15 rushing touchdowns last fall. Henderson has rushed for 2,745 yards and 32 scores in 31 games with the Buckeyes.

4. Omarion Hampton, North CarolinaHampton quietly finished 2023 ranked fifth in the nation in rushing yards per game (115.7) and with 1,504 yards over 253 carries. The North Carolina native reached paydirt 15 times and also caught 29 passes for 222 yards. Hampton rushed for 234 yards in a win against Appalachian State and also posted a string of six 100-yard efforts during the year, including 178 versus Clemson in mid-November. With quarterback Drake Maye off to the NFL, Hampton should be an even bigger cog in the Tar Heels' offense this fall.

5. Tahj Brooks, Texas TechAfter rushing for 1,538 yards and 10 touchdowns last season, Brooks became the first Texas Tech player to cross the 1,000-yard rushing mark since DeAndre Washington posted 1,492 yards in '14. Brooks finished second in the Big 12 (conference-only games) with an average of 130.6 rushing yards a contest and (per PFF) recorded 998 of those yards after contact.

6. Ashton Jeanty, Boise StateThanks to the one-two punch of Jeanty and George Holani, Boise State finished seventh nationally (214.9 yards a game) in rushing offense and won the Mountain West Championship. Holani is off to the NFL, but Jeanty returns to anchor the Broncos' ground attack this fall. The Florida native ran for 1,347 yards and 14 touchdowns on just 220 carries and added 43 receptions for 569 yards and five scores last year.

7. Donovan Edwards, MichiganPutting Edwards this high is a bit of a projection considering he doesn't have the proven production compared to some of the names ranked lower on this list. However, as limited time has showed in recent years, Edwards has the talent to rank among the best in college football. The Michigan native ran for 991 yards and seven touchdowns (7.1 yards per rush) as the No. 2 option to Blake Corum in '22 and ran for 497 yards and five scores in a similar role last season. With Corum off to the NFL, Edwards is slated to see a significant uptick in carries.

8. Jaydn Ott, CaliforniaOtt is one of college football's most underrated playmakers after leading the Pac-12 in all-purpose yards (135.7 a game) last season. The junior-to-be paced California's offense with 1,315 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns and caught 25 passes for 169 yards and two scores. Ott also saw time on special teams late in the season, which included a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against UCLA.

9. Trevor Etienne, GeorgiaEtienne switched sides in the Florida-Georgia rivalry this offseason. After two years in Gainesville, Etienne opted to transfer to Athens for a chance to lead the Bulldogs' backfield. With Kendall Milton and Daijun Edwards off to the NFL, the Louisiana native should become the go-to back for coach Kirby Smart. Etienne rushed for 1,472 yards and 14 touchdowns and caught 30 passes for 238 yards and a score since '22 with the Gators.

10/11. Kaytron Allen/Nicholas Singleton, Penn StateSimilar to the Ohio State one-two pairing of Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson, the order is up for debate. But no matter whether you think Allen or Singleton should go ahead, these two will form one of the nation's top tandems in '24. Allen led the team with 902 yards last year, but Singleton paced the Penn State ground game in '22 with 1,061 yards.

12. Devin Neal, KansasNeal has been flying under the radar on a national level the last few seasons but should finally start to get his due as an All-America candidate in '24. After running for 707 yards and eight scores as a freshman in '21, Neal has posted back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns. Additionally, he's collected 53 receptions over the last three years.

13. Damien Martinez, Oregon StateAfter leading the Beavers with 982 rushing yards as a freshman in '22, Martinez was even better as a sophomore. The Texas native ran for 1,185 yards and nine scores in 12 appearances and recorded six games of at least 100 yards on the ground.

14. RJ Harvey, UCFHarvey teamed with quarterback John Rhys Plumlee to power a UCF rushing attack that averaged 228.2 yards a game last season. Even with Plumlee departing, the Knights should have one of the Big 12's top rushing attacks after Harvey ran for 1,416 yards and 16 scores in '23.

15. Kyle Monangai, RutgersMonangai delivered a breakout season for the Scarlet Knights in 2023, rushing for 1,262 yards and eight scores on 242 attempts.

Some names to watch in the next tier: Rocket Sanders, South Carolina; DJ Giddens, Kansas State; Makai Hughes, Tulane; Phil Mafah, Clemson; Noah Whittington/Jordan James, Oregon; Peny Boone, Louisville; Marcus Carroll, Missouri; Ismail Mahdi, Texas State; Quinton Cooley, Liberty;

Steven Lassan is the senior college football writer and editor for AthlonSports.com. Follow him on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

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