NFL Analysis

3/13/24

5 min read

2024 NFL Draft: Ranking 7 Best Power Runners in This Year’s Class

By Sports Info Solutions

Wisconsin running back Braelon Allen runs toward a Northwestern defender
Wisconsin Badgers running back Braelon Allen (0) rushes with the football as Northwestern Wildcats defensive back Devin turner (9) defends during the first quarter at Camp Randall Stadium. (Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports)

With the 2024 NFL Draft almost upon us, it’s time to look at some of the top traits of this year’s draft-eligible players.

While this year’s draft doesn't have the star-studded talent at the top of the running back class like last year's did, there are still some effective runners. This running back group features players of every make and model and specifically has a solid group of big backs who can punish defenders with power and physicality. 

With that in mind, let’s examine the seven best power runners entering the draft.

Note: All stat rankings have a minimum rushes threshold of 100 rushes. Stats and ranks as of March 12, 2024.

Best Power Rushers in 2024 NFL Draft

7. Dillon Johnson, Washington

After watching Dillon Johnson run, it is easy to see why two words that popped up in his scouting report were “tenacity” and “gritty.” While Johnson, who measured at 6-foot-0, 217 pounds at the combine, isn’t as bulky as some of the other runners on this list, he runs strong and shows nothing short of a love for contact. 

After transferring to Washington from Mississippi State last offseason, Johnson had a productive year for the Huskies as a key member of their high-powered offense. He finished fourth in the Pac-12 in broken tackles (28) and led the conference in rushing touchdowns (16).

6. Carson Steele, UCLA

Before last season, Carson Steele transferred to UCLA after spending the first two years of his college career terrorizing the MAC at Ball State. While at Ball State in 2022, Steele led the nation in yards after contact (1,114) and broken tackles with 62, nine more than second place. 

While his numbers dipped in 2023, Steele continued his hard running in the Pac-12. He recorded a top-five finish in the conference in yards after contact and ended the year with the second-most broken tackles at 32.

5. MarShawn Lloyd, USC

Our scouts billed Marshawn Lloyd as “a strong, compact, high-motor back,” which is a perfect description of the 5-foot-9, 220-pound battering ram. After transferring from South Carolina to the other USC last offseason, Lloyd put together a fantastic 2023 campaign. 

Lloyd averaged 4.3 YAC/attempt last season, good enough for third in the country. He also proved how hard he is to take down, registering a broken or missed tackle on 37.1 percent of his rushes, which was the nation’s second-highest rate.

4. Trey Benson, Florida State

Florida State had a star-studded roster this past season, and the team's running back room was no exception. Our scouts described Trey Benson as a “powerful, downhill runner,” and he received high grades in contact balance and power. 

In 2022, Benson balled out for the Seminoles to the tune of top-five nationwide finishes in broken/missed tackle percentage (fifth, 31.4 percent), Total Points per play (fourth) and YAC/attempt (third, 4.2). Benson’s power, combined with his total skill set, earned him our RB1 spot in this class. 

3. Kendall Milton, Georgia

Georgia is notorious for pumping out talented, hard-nosed running backs, and Kendall Milton jumps from their ranks in our most powerful runners list. 

Milton is a big-bodied, physical back who plowed his way to 4.2 YAC/attempt, which ranked top five nationally last season. He also ranked second among all running backs in Total Points per play in 2023.

2. Braelon Allen, Wisconsin

Braelon Allen is easily the biggest running back in our draft rankings. Standing at 6-foot-1 and tipping the scales at 235 pounds, Allen is bigger than many modern linebackers and uses his bulk to run over and past the opposition. 

Our scouts graded him a “6” in power and contact balance. He backed this up by averaging 3.6 yards after contact per attempt (YAC/attempt) in 2023, good enough to be ranked in the top 20 nationally.

1. Audric Estime, Notre Dame

At 5-foot-11 and 221 pounds, Audric Estime has the proportions of a bowling ball, and that shows when he carries the ball. Our scouts labeled Estime as “a powerful, downhill runner,” with strengths in “punishing power” and “breaking through first contact,” which is backed up by tape and stats.

Last season, Estime ranked top 20 in the nation in broken tackles with 32 on his way to a top-three finish in rushing touchdowns (18). He also boasts the highest Total Points per game rate among all of the running backs in our draft rankings (4.4). 

This article was written by Jeremy Percy.

Tags: Audric Estime, Braelon Allen, Carson Steele See More

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