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As the college football season inches closer, it’s time to look at the best ten at each position group, based on this season’s outlook.
First up is the running back position. Running backs can be key to a team’s offensive success, and some can even help teams reach the College Football Playoff.
Before diving into the top ten, here are some honorable mentions and backs that just missed the cut and are worth keeping an eye on:
- Cam Edwards, Michigan State
- Raleek Brown, Texas
- Jalen Buckley, Western Michigan
- Jaden Baugh, Florida
- Wayshawn Parker, Utah
- King Miller, USC
- DeSean Bishop, Tennessee
- Makhi Hughes, Houston
- Hollywood Smoothers, Texas
- Caden Durham, LSU
10. Cam Cook, Senior, West Virginia Mountaineers
Cam Cook rushed for 1,659 yards and 16 touchdowns at Jacksonville State last season. Now, he returns to the Big 12 with West Virginia. He previously spent two seasons at TCU and helped the Horned Frogs secure a 9-4 record in 2024.
Last season, Cook rushed for 100 or more yards in 10 of the 13 games played, including a career-high 218-yard game against Sam Houston. He became the first Gamecock player in 20 years to rush for 100 yards in seven straight games. With his great vision, speed, and physicality, his performance earned him Conference USA Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year honors.
This season, Cook joins head coach Rich Rodriguez and offensive line coach Rick Trickett. Trickett coached the line that helped Cook hit the 1,600-yard mark at Jacksonville State. Together again, the two will look to replicate that success in Morgantown. Rodriguez and Trickett’s previous WVU run game also showed how well this pairing can fit Cook’s style.
Cook also enters this offseason on the Preseason All-Big 12 team, underscoring the talent he’ll bring to the backfield for the Mountaineers.
9. Wayne Knight, Redshirt Senior, UCLA Bruins
Redshirt senior Wayne Knight followed former James Madison Head Coach Bob Chesney after he took the UCLA job, bringing his breakout form to Los Angeles. Knight spent four seasons at JMU under both Curt Cignetti and Chesney. Last season, he broke out with 1,373 yards and nine touchdowns.
He posted five 100-yard games in 2025. Most notably, he ran for 212 yards against Troy in the Sun Belt Championship Game. As a result, his season helped spur the Dukes to the No. 12 seed in the College Football Playoff. He also earned an All-Sun Belt first-team selection and a second-team All-America nod to cap off his redshirt junior season.
Entering 2026, he’ll move from the Sun Belt to the physical Big Ten with the Bruins, looking to help their offense improve while continuing to climb the ladder of success.
8. Cameron Dickey, Junior, Texas Tech
After spending a season behind Taj Brook, Cameron Dickey took a massive leap as a sophomore. Last season, he rushed for 1,124 yards and scored 14 times, earning All-Big 12 second-team honors and Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week twice after his performances against Kansas and BYU.Against the Jayhawks in a 42-17 victory, Dickey exploded for 263 yards and two touchdowns, showing his ability to take over a game. And against the Cougars, Dickey rushed for 121 yards and a touchdown in a 29-7 win.
Entering 2026, the Red Raiders will lean heavily on Dickey to control the tempo of the game. With the quarterback position unsettled following the
Brendan Sorsby situation, he’ll be the stability the offense needs to succeed in the Big 12.
7. Isaac Brown, Junior, Louisville Cardinals
Despite missing four games this season, Isaac Brown finished with 884 yards and seven touchdowns, nearly eclipsing 1,000 yards. He finished 2025 on the third-team All-ACC, and in 2026 he’ll have the ability to build upon his success.
Against Boston College, Brown rushed for 205 yards and a touchdown in a 38-24 win, and the performance was part of a three-game stretch of 100-yard games before going down with an injury. Brown’s dominance against the Eagles earned him
Doak Walker and ACC National Running Back of the Week.
Should Brown make the first-team All-ACC jump, the Cardinals could be the surprise team competing for an ACC title.
6. Mark Fletcher Jr., Senior, Miami Hurricanes
In his junior season, Mark Fletcher Jr. helped the Miami Hurricanes make an impressive run to the National Championship before falling to the Hoosiers 27-21. Despite the loss, Fletcher impressed, rushing for 1,192 yards and 12 touchdowns.
In the College Football Playoff run, Fletcher ran for 100 or more yards in three out of the four games, including a 172-yard performance in the opening matchup of the College Football Playoff against the seventh-seeded Texas A&M Aggies. His 133-yard game against sixth-seeded Ole Miss in a 31-27 win sent the Hurricanes to the National Title Game.
In the offseason, Miami reloaded its roster to make another run, and for Fletcher, it will be an opportunity to continue his postseason mastery.
5. Nate Sheppard, Sophomore, Duke Blue Devils
In his freshman season, Nate Sheppard took the ACC by storm, carrying the ball 200 times and rushing for 1,132 yards and 11 touchdowns. He was picked as a Freshman All-American by The Athletic and earned second-team All-ACC by the league and the Associated Press.
Sheppard had three 100-yard games, including a 168-yard game against Syracuse and a 171-yard game against Arizona State in the Sun Bowl. His ability to handle a heavy workload and make big-time plays this early points to a strong career ahead. With that foundation, he is positioned to keep building on those early gains.
With the departure of various Duke offensive weapons, including Derian Mensah, Copper Barkate and Que’sean Brown, Sheppard will be relied on to lead the offense and keep them on target. Building on that expanded role, should his receiving stats take the expected leap, he’ll be a tough back to stop.
4. Waymond Jordan, Senior, USC Trojans
After two seasons at Hutchinson Community College, Waymond Jordan transferred to USC last season. Before a season-ending ankle injury sidelined Jordan, he was on pace to surpass 1,000 yards with ease, totaling 576 yards in six games.
He had two 100-yard games against Georgia Southern and Michigan State. Against the Eagles, he went for 167 yards, and against the Spartans, he ran for 157 yards. These types of games earned him a spot on Sports Illustrated’s Midseason All-American Second Team.
Under the direction of Lincoln Riley, Jordan could easily rebound and be in contention for the Doak Walker Award and help USC find a new level of success.
3. Kewan Lacy, Junior, Ole Miss Rebels
After his freshman season at Missouri, Kewan Lacy transferred to Ole Miss and made an immediate impact. He rushed for 1,567 yards and 24 touchdowns amid a coaching change and a quarterback change that unfolded throughout the season. He also finished on the All-SEC first team ahead of backs like Arkansas’ Mike Washington Jr., Tennessee’s DeSean Bishop and Georgia’s Nate Frazier.
Under new head coach Pete Golding, who replaced Lane Kiffin Last season, Lacy proved that he can be trusted to put the game on his shoulders and win games. He boasted seven 100-yard games, including a two-game stretch where he went for 367 yards in late November against Florida (224 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-24 win) and Mississippi State (143 yards and a score in a 38-19 victory).
With quarterback Trinidad Chambliss returning alongside Lacy, the duo can not only apply pressure on defenses, but it also sets him up to succeed again. Lacy’s center of gravity, toughness, quickness and change of direction make him a tough running back to tackle. That skill set will be crucial for Ole Miss to compete in the SEC.
2. Caleb Hawkins, Sophomore, Oklahoma State Cowboys
After an electric freshman season at North Texas, Caleb Hawkins transferred to Oklahoma State to follow his former head coach, Eric Morris. Under Morris’s guidance, Hawkins went for 1,434 yards and 25 touchdowns. Hawkins finished as the American Conference Rookie of the Year and an All-Conference first-teamer.
In 2025, Hawkins had six 100-yard games, including three in a four-game stretch in November. He went for 197 yards against Navy, 189 yards versus the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and 186 yards against Temple. He capped that dominance with a 198-yard performance against San Diego State in the Isleta New Mexico Bowl.
This season, he’ll get to team up with his former quarterback, Drew Mestemaker, forming a formidable backfield for the Cowboys. As a result, Hawkins could easily be a top-three candidate for the Doak Walker Award and a contender for the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year award.
1. Ahmad Hardy, Junior, Missouri Tigers
Ahmad Hardy undoubtedly takes the No. 1 spot on this list after totaling 1,649 yards and 16 touchdowns last season. That season earned him a spot as a finalist for the Doak Walker Award before he lost out to Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love. Despite losing the Doak Walker Award, he was still named an All-American by the Football Writers Association of America and was on the All-SEC team.
He also put together eight 100-yard games, including two with 200 or more rushing yards. He rushed for 250 yards against the Ragin’ Cajuns on Sept. 13, then followed that with a 300-yard game against Mississippi State on Nov. 15. Hardy also had four multi-touchdown games, including those two performances.
Entering 2026, Hardy can not only secure a Doak Walker Award, but he also has the potential to compete for the Heisman Trophy. For new transfer Austin Simmons, having Hardy can help him adjust and open up more gaps for his superstar back.
With that support, Hardy has the potential to rush for 2,000 yards this season, and if he does, he’ll join
30 other backs, including Barry Sanders, Ashton Jeanty, and Derrick Henry.
The post Top 10 Running Backs Entering the 2026 College Football Season appeared first on The Lead.
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