Running backs have taken a hit in value in recent NFL drafts, but with two (Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs) being selected in the top 12 in 2023, perhaps a resurgence is coming. The early returns on the potential draft class of 2024 aren’t so strong, but there are some impressive talents to watch in the upcoming college season.
These are very fluid rankings. In general, these are early impressions about the NFL potential of players who still have a considerable amount of football to play before they’re drafted. The RB position in particular lends itself to players rising or falling rapidly on one season, so don’t expect the final rankings in April to look anything like this.
After watching enough to get a baseline feel for the players, and in talking with some NFL-employed scouts, here is an early listing and my preliminary ranking for the running backs in the NFL draft class of 2024.