Oklahoma’s addition of Cal transfer running back Jaydn Ott dramatically shifts power dynamics of the position in the SEC. The Sooners were looking for serious playmakers to help revamp an anemic offense, and Ott could quickly prove to be a game-changer.
The running back position was quietly lackluster last season in the SEC. Only three backs cleared 1,000 yards, and Tennessee’s Dylan Sampson was the only one to rank in the top 20 nationally in yards rushing per game. Complicating matters, five of the top six rushers from last season are now gone.
That said, there’s a formidable crop of young talent ready to ascend to stardom in the conference. LSU’s Caden Durham, Georgia’s Nate Frazier and Florida’s Jadan Baugh are rising stars. A few other players will soon return from injury and add some depth. Still though, are any good enough to unseat Ott?
As a note, we’re listing only one running back per school. Texas running backs Quintrevion Wisner and CJ Baxter both have serious cases to rank in the top five, but things will get a little weird if we’re digging down depth charts before touching on every team.
Here’s how we rank SEC running backs after Oklahoma’s addition of Ott.
1. Jaydn Ott, Oklahoma
Ott suffered through injuries all of last season. When he’s healthy, though, Ott is one of the nation’s most explosive players. As a sophomore in 2023, he exploded for 1,315 yards and 12 touchdowns at California to lead a surprising run to a bowl game. Ott will slot into Oklahoma’s lineup and give them the high-caliber offensive playmaker that they haven’t seen since Eric Gray and Marvin Mims graduated. The Sooners need him to stay healthy.
2. Caden Durham, LSU
Durham was a solid addition to LSU’s 2024 recruiting class, but showed upside of being one of the nation’s best players. He ran for at least 80 yards in four games despite inexplicably receiving only 11.7 carries per contest. Durham also proved himself as a pass-catching weapon with 260 yards receiving. If LSU’s offensive staff can get him more touches, Durham has All-SEC potential – and maybe more.
Texas A&M’s season started strong before careening off the rails in the final weeks. No coincidence, the Aggies were 8-1 with Moss in the lineup and finished the year 1-4 after he suffered a season-ending injury against South Carolina. In nine games, Moss rushed for 765 yards and 10 touchdowns on 6.3 yards per carry. His yards per carry has increased every season.
4. Quintrevion Wisner, Texas
Wisner stepped into the hole left by CJ Baxter’s season-ending injury and quietly delivered a breakout season to get Texas to the national semifinals. As a sophomore, Wisner ran for 1,064 yards and five touchdowns and added 311 yards receiving to lead the Longhorns in all-purpose yards. Baxter could retake the starting job when he returns from an ACL injury, but Wisner proved he has the skills to be one of the SEC’s best.
5. Nate Frazier, Georgia
Frazier stepped into the lineup last season when Trevor Etienne dealt with injuries and proved he had the goods to be Georgia’s next great running back. The freshman ran for 671 yards, including 82 and a score against Florida. He also averaged 7.8 yards per carry in the SEC title game against Texas. Georgia always works by committee, but Frazier will be the head of the snake.
6. Jadan Baugh, Florida
Baugh took a while to take over the starting job. When he did, it helped change Florida’s season. Baugh rushed for 520 yards and seven touchdowns in his final seven games after taking over as the Gators’ feature back, including 106 yards against Kentucky. He helped key upsets over Ole Miss and LSU, posting 71 all-purpose yards against the Rebels. At 6-foot-1 and 227 pounds, Baugh boasts a massive frame for his age.
Hardy put together a sensational freshman season at Louisiana-Monroe, exploding for 1,351 yards and 13 touchdowns to lead a resurgent Warhawks squad. Now, he’s taking his talents to Missouri and is in line to join a revamped offense. He gets knocked down the list a little bit because the jump from the Sun Belt West to the SEC is vast, but rushing for 60 yards and a touchdown against Auburn last year is a good sign.
Mississippi State was a mess last season, but Booth was a major bright spot. The Las Vegas native rushed for 759 yards and five touchdowns, and added another four scores receiving to finish second among pass catchers on the team. The rest of the roster still has a lot of work to do, but Booth gives Jeff Lebby someone to build around.
Dowdell was a physical beast for Nebraska last season and broke through for 614 yards and 12 touchdowns. Now, he joins a Kentucky squad that loves to tote the rock. Getting to play off rising star Jamarion Wilcox will only help matters.
Evaluating the Alabama running back room is quite difficult as the Tide move back to a more traditional offense after the departure of quarterback Jalen Milroe. Miller led Tide running backs with 668 yards and seven touchdowns, but received only 145 carries. He will have to up his production and efficiency next to expected starter Ty Simpson.
Diggs is a fascinating story after the LSU transfer missed the 2024 season with an injury. He posted 1,475 yards and 11 touchdowns in 22 games from 2022-23 at Notre Dame and LSU before getting hurt, and spent last season recovering. If he’s healthy, Diggs can end the year far higher on this list.
Faison was a big-time player at Utah State, clearing 1,100 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground under an interim coach. He’s now set to take the reigns at South Carolina next to dual-threat quarterback LaNorris Sellers. Faison rushed for a combined 278 yards against USC, Utah and Boise State, so he should be able to hold up.
Like Miller, Alexander was a secondary rusher behind quarterback Diego Pavia, who returns in 2025. Still, he was an exciting young player who rushed for 586 yards and added 238 receiving during a breakout campaign for the Commodores. Expect him to take another step.
Tennessee will run a legitimate three-headed system with Bishop, Peyton Lewis and Star Thomas in 2025, so don’t overthink Bishop’s individual ranking. If we were ranking running back rooms, the Vols would be top five. Bishop was another promising freshman who rushed for 65 yards against Oklahoma and 7.2 yards per carry against Alabama.
There weren’t many carries available behind Jarquez Hunter over the past two seasons, but Alston made the best of his with a career 5.2 yards per carry. He’s set to take on a much bigger role for the Tigers this fall. Additionally, he’ll be helped by the arrival of UConn transfer Durell Robinson, who had 731 yards and eight touchdowns as a redshirt freshman.
Russell is an exciting young back with a bright future. But compared to the rest of the SEC, he just lacks experience. The sophomore rushed for 354 yards on 5.3 yards per carry, and broke out for 175 yards against Mississippi State.
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