College Football: Top-10 returning running backs for the 2026 season

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

The 2026 college football offseason is in full swing. With that, it’s time to start ranking the top-10 returning players at every single position.

Next up is running back. There isn’t a lot of depth at the position in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft, mainly due to how much talent is returning to college.

Below is a list of PFF’s top 10 returning running backs in college football, with an honorable mention nominee. Please note that the NFL projection was not taken into account in these rankings.

Click below to view our other position rankings

QB

1. Ahmad Hardy, Missouri

Hardy was outstanding as a true freshman at Louisiana-Monroe in 2024, earning an 89.0 PFF grade. Still, questions remained about how his game would translate to the SEC.

Those concerns were quickly answered. Hardy led the nation in yards after contact (1,181) while also leading the Power Four in rushing yards (1,648) and forced missed tackles (96). His 2,994 rushing yards since 2024 are 399 more than the next-closest back. Hardy’s 94.6 career PFF rushing grade is up there as well with some pretty massive names.

Highest PFF rushing grades since 2024

2. Kewan Lacy, Ole Miss

We go from Missouri’s current running back to a former one. Lacy transferred to Ole Miss after receiving just 23 carries with the Tigers as a true freshman. He was the ultimate workhorse for the Rebels as a sophomore, leading the FBS with 307 attempts.

Lacy’s 24 rushing touchdowns led all Power Four running backs while he was second in that group in rushing yards (1,564), yards after contact (1,010) and forced missed tackles (89). His 91.6 PFF rushing grade was sixth in America as well.

3. Caleb Hawkins, Oklahoma State

The only transfer on this list, Hawkins, followed head coach Eric Morris to Oklahoma State following an outstanding true freshman campaign at North Texas. Not only did he lead all running backs in the country with a 94.1 PFF rushing grade, but it was also the highest by a true freshman since PFF began charting college football in 2014. 

Hawkins also led the nation with 25 rushing touchdowns and was third in the FBS with 1,056 yards after contact. Not to mention, the freshman also tied for seventh among all running backs with 370 receiving yards. 

4. Jadan Baugh, Florida

Baugh impressed as a true freshman at Florida in 2024 with an 82.1 PFF rushing grade. He was even better as a sophomore this past season, placing 16th in the FBS with an 89.5 PFF rushing grade. 

No returning running back in the Power Four has been more valuable over the last two seasons than Baugh, according to PFF’s wins above average metric. His 65 forced missed tackles this year were also eighth in the nation.

5. Antwan Raymond, Rutgers

Raymond was Kyle Monangai’s backup at Rutgers in 2024 as a true freshman but still had a healthy 100 carries for 457 yards and eight touchdowns. With Monangai now on the Chicago Bears, Raymond took a massive leap in his sophomore year.

His 76 forced missed tackles were the fifth most in the FBS, while his 36 explosive runs were tied for the sixth most. Overall, his 89.0 PFF grade was 12th in the nation as well.

6. LJ Martin, BYU

Martin was productive at BYU through his first two seasons but made the leap to superstardom as a junior. He’s a human bowling ball at 6-foot-2, 220 pounds and was seventh in the country with 893 rushing yards after contact. Martin’s 1,299 rushing yards were also the most in the Big 12, as were his 56 forced missed tackles.

He had the opportunity to declare for the 2026 NFL Draft but decided to return to BYU for his senior campaign.

7. Nate Sheppard, Duke

Sheppard was only a three-star recruit coming out of high school but played like a five-star as a true freshman. He was sixth among all backs in the nation in PFF’s wins above average metric and eighth in PFF grade (89.5). Sheppard’s 63 forced missed tackles were ninth in the country, and he was second in the ACC in rushing yards (1,132).

If that’s not enough, his 286 receiving yards were sixth in the Power Four as well. Sheppard will be expected to carry Duke’s offense as a sophomore now that star quarterback Darian Mensah and star wide receiver Cooper Barkate both transferred to Miami (FL). 

8. Bo Jackson, Ohio State

Jackson had a lot of pressure on his shoulders for his true freshman season. Not only was he the top running back immediately for the defending national champions, but he was also following up a couple of 2025 top-40 picks in Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson. 

The former four-star recruit made sure their absences were hardly felt. Jackson’s 36 explosive runs were tied for the sixth most in America, while his 724 rushing yards after contact were 12th in the Power Four. His 76.9 PFF receiving grade was also seventh in the Power Four, while his 87.1 overall grade was 13th.

9. Isaac Brown, Louisville

Injuries limited Brown to only 100 carries this season following an outstanding freshman year in 2024. Even with the limited workload, the sophomore showed why he entered the season as PFF’s No. 2 running back in the country. 

Brown averaged 8.8 rushing yards and 5.33 yards after contact per carry this year, each good for second in the FBS. His 39% forced missed tackle rate also led all Power Four backs. Brown has averaged 7.8 yards per carry in his collegiate career, easily the best mark in the country.

Most yards per carry since 2024 (min. 200 attempts)

He’s a home-run threat every time he touches the football and can once again climb this list with a healthy junior campaign.

10. Mark Fletcher Jr., Miami (FL)

Fletcher became Miami’s workhorse back in his junior season and was a major reason why the Hurricanes advanced to the National Championship Game. His 92.0 PFF rushing grade was fifth among all running backs in the nation, while his 842 rushing yards after contact were 10th. Fletcher ripped off 36 explosive runs, good for sixth in the country. 

Even with a new-look offensive line, he should be expected to put up more big numbers in his senior campaign. 

Honorable Mention: Nate Frazier, Georgia

Frazier was Georgia’s leading rusher as a true freshman in 2024, rushing for 668 yards with an impressive 84.2 PFF rushing grade. He was even better as a sophomore, placing seventh in the country with a 90.0 PFF grade. Frazier’s 40 forced missed tackles were fourth in the SEC to a trio of top-five backs on this list in Ahmad Hardy, Kewan Lacy and Jadan Baugh. 

Since the Bulldogs now have a questionable receiving corps, expect Georgia to rely on Frazier much more as a junior.