NFL Draft: Previewing Packers’ Running Back Prospects

The Green Bay Packers signed Josh Jacobs, released Aaron Jones and re-signed AJ Dillon. Chances are they’ll add another running back – perhaps early – in the 2024 NFL Draft. Here are our top candidates.

Texas running back Jonathon Brooks / Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman

GREEN BAY, Wis. – With Josh Jacobs and AJ Dillon serving as the new tandem at running back, the Green Bay Packers will be able to lean on a pair of powerful runners.

Where’s the speed? The home-run hitter? The ability to shake a defender on third-and-8 to gain a first down?

Whether it’s one of their four Day 2 choices or deep into Day 3, there’s little doubt the Packers will draft a running back in the 2024 NFL Draft.

“I’m a big believer you need to have multiple running backs to carry the ball,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said recently at the NFL Annual Meeting. “Certainly, Josh has proven that he can, but I think in a perfect world, we’d be splitting those carries up between two and three backs, not just one.”

If the Packers draft a running back, will it be a case of best player available? Or will general manager Brian Gutekunst target an explosive, change-of-pace back?

Here are our NFL Draft running back rankings. Ours slant more toward speed and pass-catching ability.

A couple notes: Several backs might not be on Green Bay’s draft board because of height/weight/athletic deficiencies. Most of those players do not appear in this story, with Blake Corum an exception because of name value. Analytical stats are from Pro Football Focus and Sports Info Solutions.

1. Jonathon Brooks, Texas

6-foot 3/8, 215 pounds. 9 1/4 hands. DNP 40, NA RAS (ACL)

Brooks stepped in for Bijan Robinson and rushed for 1,139 yards (6.1 average) and caught 25-of-29 passes for 286 yards (11.4 average) before he suffered a torn ACL. At one point, he rushed for 100-plus yards in six of eight games and rushed for 98 and 99 yards in the others. He said he’ll be ready for the start of training camp. He is the best natural runner in the draft and will arrive with a decent base in pass protection. He had 266 career touches.

Of 47 running backs with at least 100 rushing attempts, he was ninth with 3.91 yards after contact per carry. Per 100 touches, he broke 16 tackles and forced 14 missed tackles. He fumbled once. Of 51 running backs who were targeted at least 17 times, he was 10th with 1.50 yards per pass route. He had two drops (7.4 percent).

2. Jaylen Wright, Tennessee

5-10 1/2, 210 pounds. 9 3/8 hands. 4.38 40. 9.81 RAS.

Wright is one of the most explosive backs in the draft. After breaking out in 2022, he had a big-time final season with 1,013 rushing yards (7.4 average) and 22 receptions for 141 yards (6.4 average). He led the draft class in yards per carry. Wright had six 100-yard games in 2023 but also was limited to 22 yards by Alabama. Out of the top-tier backs, he’s probably the best in pass protection. He has the potential to be a do-it-all, three-down back. He finished with 398 career touches.

Of 47 running backs with at least 100 rushing attempts, he was second with 4.35 yards after contact per carry. Per 100 touches, he broke 20 tackles and forced 11 missed tackles. He fumbled one time. Of 51 running backs who were targeted at least 17 times, he was 14th with 1.32 yards per pass route. He had one drop (4.3 percent).

3. Trey Benson, Florida State

6-foot 1/4, 216 pounds. 9 1/4 hands. 4.39 40. 9.76 RAS.

Benson rushed for 990 yards (6.4 average) in 2022 and 906 yards (5.8 average) in 2023. During that final season, he rushed for 14 touchdowns and caught 20 passes for 227 yards. His lone 100-yard game was exactly 200 yards against Virginia Tech. He was the only running back in FBS with an 80-yard run and an 80-yard catch. He’s a plus-pass protector. He had 349 career touches.

Of 47 running backs with at least 100 rushing attempts, he was 21st with 3.53 yards after contact per carry. Per 100 touches, he broke 15 tackles and forced seven missed tackles. Not only did he not fumble in 2023, he didn’t fumble in three seasons. Of 51 running backs who were targeted at least 17 times, he was 11th with 1.46 yards per pass route. He had three drops (13.0 percent).

4. MarShawn Lloyd, USC

5-8 3/4, 220 pounds. 8 3/4 hands. 4.46 40. 8.62 RAS.

After three nondescript seasons at South Carolina, Lloyd transferred to USC for his final season. He set a career high with 820 rushing yards (7.1 average, which ranked second in the draft class) and added 13 receptions for 232 yards. He had two 100-yard rushing games but had just 54 yards on 17 carries vs. Oregon and UCLA to end the season. He finished with 325 career touches. Only Michigan’s Blake Corum and Wisconsin’s Braelon Allen had more reps on the 225-pound bench press. That should help him as a pass protector.

Of 47 running backs with at least 100 rushing attempts, he was eighth with 3.97 yards after contact per carry. Per 100 touches, he broke 25 tackles and forced 17 missed tackles. Both figures lead the draft class. He fumbled three times, which perhaps is a byproduct of having smaller-than-desire hands. Of 51 running backs who were targeted at least 17 times (that was Lloyd’s number), he was 19th with 1.22 yards per pass route. He had one drop (7.1 percent).

5. Audric Estime, Notre Dame

5-11 3/8, 222 pounds. 10 1/4 hands. 4.61 40. 6.58 RAS.

After a breakthrough 920 rushing yards in 2022, Estime ran for 1,341 yards (6.4 average) and 18 touchdowns and caught 17 passes for 142 yards (8.4 average) in 2023. He had six 100-yard games, capped by a 238-yard domination of Stanford in his final career game. He broke 11 tackles in that game. He’s got 399 career touches.

Of 47 running backs with at least 100 rushing attempts, he was fourth with 4.27 yards after contact per carry. Per 100 touches, he broke 15 tackles and forced eight missed tackles. He fumbled once. Of 51 running backs who were targeted at least 17 times, he was 15th with 1.30 yards per pass route. He had zero drops. Really, he was a total afterthought as a receiver but has shown promise. His giant hands probably factored in the fumble and drop numbers. For teams looking for a big back, he will rank toward the top of the list.

6. Blake Corum, Michigan

5-foot-7 3/4, 205 pounds. 9 hands. 4.53 40. 8.28 RAS.

Corum was the driving force behind the Michigan offense and the perfect running back for Jim Harbaugh. He rushed for 952 yards as a sophomore, 1,463 yards as a junior and 1,245 yards and 27 touchdowns for the national champions in 2023. For his career, he rushed for 3,737 yards (5.5 average) and caught 56 passes (7.3 average). It’s perhaps noteworthy his yards per carry went from 6.6 in 2021 to 5.9 in 2022 and 4.8 in 2023. He’s got a whopping 731 career touches. With his height, he might not be a consideration for the Packers.

The deeper-dive numbers are not impressive. Of 47 running backs with at least 100 rushing attempts, he was 44th with 2.42 yards after contact per carry. Per 100 touches, he broke five tackles and forced five missed tackles. He fumbled three times. Of 51 running backs who were targeted at least 17 times, he was 35th with 0.87 yards per pass route. He had one drop (5.9 percent). He’s not much of a pass protector.

7. Tyrone Tracy, Purdue

5-foot-11 1/8, 209 pounds. 9 1/8 hands. 4.48 40, 9.78 RAS.

Tracy is one of the more unique players in this draft class. He spent four years as a receiver at Iowa, which included career highs of 36 receptions for 589 yards in 2019, before transferring to Purdue for his final two years. A coaching change for the 2023 season led to Tracy switching to running back for his sixth and final season. “I was a little skeptical at first,” Tracy said at the Scouting Combine. “I didn’t know if he was trying to say I’m not a good receiver, or ‘Hey, man, we actually think you can do this.’”

He could actually do this. Tracy ran for 716 yards (6.3 average) and caught 19 passes for 132 yards (6.9 average). Down the stretch, he rushed for 122 yards against Minnesota and 160 against Northwestern. Tracy finished with 259 career touches, with 132 last year, so that he’ll turn 25 in November is rather unimportant. Not surprisingly, he is raw as a runner and pass protector.

Of 47 running backs with at least 100 rushing attempts, he was first with 4.44 yards after contact per carry. Per 100 touches, he broke 17 tackles and forced 11 missed tackles. He did not fumble. Of 51 running backs who were targeted at least 17 times, he was 22nd with 1.07 yards per pass route. He had two drops (9.5 percent).

8. Will Shipley, Clemson

5-foot-11, 206 pounds. 9 5/8 hands. 4.45 40, 9.58 RAS.

Shipley ran for 2,748 yards and caught 85 passes in three seasons. In 12 games in 2023, he rushed for 827 yards (5.0 average) and caught 31 passes for 244 yards (7.9 average). He’s a willing pass protector but not big or strong enough. He had 611 career touches on offense. Shipley will bring added appeal with a 26.6-yard career average as a kickoff returner. He had zero touchdowns in that phase, so that impressive average speaks to consistent production.

Of 47 running backs with at least 100 rushing attempts, he was 34th with 2.92 yards after contact per carry. Per 100 touches, he broke 10 tackles and forced nine missed tackles. He fumbled three times (after coughing it up four times in 2022). Of 51 running backs who were targeted at least 17 times, he was 25th with 0.99 yards per pass route. He had three drops (8.8 percent).

9. Ray Davis, Kentucky

5-foot-8 3/8, 211 pounds. 8 7/8 hands. 4.52 40, 5.41 RAS.

Re’Mahn Davis played two seasons at Temple, two seasons at Vanderbilt and his final season at Kentucky. He had big years for Temple (936 yards in 2019), Vanderbilt (1,042 yards in 2022) and Kentucky (1,129 yards in 2023). During that final season, he set career highs in rushing yards, average (5.7), rushing touchdowns (14), receptions (33), receiving yards (323), receiving touchdowns (seven) and total touchdowns (21). He had only three 100-yard games; 280 yards came against Florida. He had 840 touches in five seasons and will turn 25 in November. Despite the experience, he’s not very good in protection.

Of 47 running backs with at least 100 rushing attempts, he was 11th with 3.81 yards after contact per carry. Per 100 touches, he broke 11 tackles and forced 12 missed tackles. He fumbled only once. Of 51 running backs who were targeted at least 17 times, he was 17th with 1.28 yards per pass route. He had two drops (5.9 percent).

10. Isaac Guerendo, Louisville

6-foot-0, 221 pounds. 9 1/4 hands. 4.33 40, 9.90 RAS.

Stuck on the bench (or the trainers room) at Wisconsin, Guerendo transferred to Louisville for his final season and perhaps saved his NFL career. He rushed for 810 yards (6.1 average) and 11 touchdowns and caught 22 passes for 234 yards (10.6 average). Every number at Louisville beat his career numbers for the Badgers. In the bowl game, he put an exclamation point on things with 161 yards and three touchdowns on the ground and five receptions for 42 more yards. He’s also got a career average of 23.0 yards per kickoff return. Guerendo finished with 273 career touches. His size, speed and all-around skill in the passing game are salivating. The injury history (hamstring and foot) is unnerving, which is why he’s not higher on this list.

Of 47 running backs with at least 100 rushing attempts, he was sixth with 4.11 yards after contact per carry. Per 100 touches, he broke 16 tackles and forced seven missed tackles. He had only one fumble. Of 51 running backs who were targeted at least 17 times, he was fifth with 1.70 yards per pass route. He had one drop (4.3 percent).

11. Blake Watson, Memphis

5-foot-9 1/2, 200 pounds. 8 3/4 hands. 4.40 40, 8.91 RAS.

After five seasons at Old Dominion, Watson transferred to Memphis for his final season. He rushed for 1,152 yards (6.0 average) and 14 touchdowns and added a superb 53 receptions for 480 yards (9.1 average). A receiver in high school, any third-down role will have to be as a receiver. His four 100-yard rushing games include a game against North Texas in which he rushed for 169 and caught for 100. He finished with 649 career touches.

Of 47 running backs with at least 100 rushing attempts, he was 13th with 3.74 yards after contact per carry. Per 100 touches, he broke 13 tackles and forced nine missed tackles. He fumbled two times. Of 51 running backs who were targeted at least 17 times, he was ninth with 1.51 yards per pass route. He had two drops (3.6 percent). In the draft class, he was second in receptions and first in receiving yards.

12. Braelon Allen, Wisconsin

6-foot-1 1/4, 235 pounds. 9 1/ 4 hands. DNP 40. NA RAS (chose not to go through testing)

An in-state recruit, Allen added his name to the long lineage of tremendous Wisconsin runners. In three seasons, he rushed for 3,494 yards. The Badgers switched to a spread offense in 2023. Allen fit right in. He rushed for 984 yards (5.4 average) and 12 touchdowns and caught a career-high 28 passes (but for only 132 yards, a 4.7 average). In his final game, he rushed for 165 yards against Minnesota. The youngest player in the draft is practically a ready-made pass protector. Allen had 646 career touches.

Of 47 running backs with at least 100 rushing attempts, he was 12th with 3.77 yards after contact per carry. Per 100 touches, he broke 13 tackles and forced seven missed tackles. For his size, the broken-tackle rate is disappointing. He’s AJ Dillon 2.0 from that perspective. He fumbled four times, a sharp increase over his one in 2022. Of 51 running backs who were targeted at least 17 times, he was 41st with 0.73 yards per pass route. He had one drop (3.4 percent).

13. Dylan Laube, New Hampshire

5-foot-9 7/8, 206 pounds. 9 1/4 hands. 4.54 40, 8.78 RAS.

Laube was a finalist for the Walter Payton Award, which goes to the best player in FCS. As a senior, he rushed for 749 yards (4.7 average) and nine touchdowns and caught 68 passes for 699 yards (10.3 average) and seven touchdowns. Laube was an All-American running back, all-purpose player and return specialist as a fifth-year senior, when he led the nation with 209.5 all-purpose yards per game, was second with 18 total touchdowns and third with 31.1 yards per kickoff return. He also was first in the conference with 11.2 yards per punt return. In Week 2 against Central Michigan, he caught 12 passes for 295 yards. The Danny Woodhead comparison is cliché but accurate.

In five seasons, he rushed for 2,773 yards, including 1,205 in 2022, and caught 171 passes, with 49 in 2022. He finished with 727 career touches and will turn 25 in December.

Laube averaged 2.57 yards after contact per rushing attempt and 1.96 yards per pass route. He fumbled twice and had five drops (5.7 percent). It’s tough to compare FBS to FCS but Laube would have ranked 41st in yards after contact per running play and second in yards per route.

14. Dillon Johnson, Washington

5-foot-11 5/8, 217 pounds. 9 3/8 hands. 4.68 40. 6.78 RAS.

After three role-playing years at Mississippi State, Johnson landed at Washington for 2023 and rushed for 1,195 yards (5.1 average) and 16 touchdowns and added 24 receptions for 190 yards (7.9 average). He finished with 635 career touches, with his 173 receptions highlighted by 65 in 2021. He is a ready-made third-down back. If only he were faster. His lack of speed could take him off Green Bay’s board.

Of 47 running backs with at least 100 rushing attempts, he was 33rd with 3.00 yards after contact per carry. Per 100 touches, he broke 12 tackles and forced six missed tackles. He fumbled two times. Of 51 running backs who were targeted at least 17 times, he was 32nd with 0.88 yards per pass route. He had zero drops. In the draft class, he had the second-most receptions without a drop.

15. Isaiah Davis, South Dakota State

6-foot-0 1/4, 218 pounds. 10 1/4 hands. 4.57 40, 8.85 RAS.

Davis helped power the Jackrabbits to back-to-back FCS national championships with 1,451 rushing yards (5.8 average) and 15 touchdowns in 2022 and 1,578 rushing yards (6.7 average) and 18 touchdowns in 2023. He added 21 receptions in 2022 and 23 in 2023. He averaged 98.9 rushing yards per game for his career, including 100-plus in his last three. Davis finished with 729 career touches. He’ll need to improve in pass protection.

Davis averaged 3.97 yards after contact on running plays and 1.04 yards per route on passing plays. Obviously, this is an apples-and-oranges comparison but he would have ranked eighth and 22nd, respectively, among FBS running backs in this draft class in those categories. He fumbled once in 2023 and three times in three years and two drops (6.7 percent) in 2023.

16. Jase McClellan, Alabama

5-foot-10 3/8, 221 pounds. 10 1/4 hands. DNP 40. NA RAS (foot)

McClellan in four seasons rushed for 1,981 yards. In 2023, he set career highs with 890 rushing yards, eight rushing touchdowns and 15 receptions. He averaged 4.9 yards per carry and 9.1 yards per reception. McClellan had two 100-yard games and hammered away at Michigan’s powerful defense for 87 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries. He finished with 395 career touches.

Of 47 running backs with at least 100 rushing attempts, he was 25th with 3.20 yards after contact per carry. Per 100 touches, he broke 18 tackles and forced nine missed tackles. Regardless of draft status, only five players in the nation had more carries without a fumble. In fact, he fumbled only once in his career. Of 51 running backs who were targeted at least 17 times, he was 36th with 0.84 yards per pass route. He had one drop (6.7 percent).

17. Michael Wiley, Arizona

5-foot-10 1/2, 210 pounds. 9 1/4 hands. 4.51 40, 7.19 RAS.

Wiley rushed for only 1,712 yards in five seasons. He had a breakout 2022 with 771 rushing yards (6.8 average) and 36 catches. In 10 games in 2023, he rushed for 311 yards (4.4 average) but caught 28 passes for 306 yards (10.9 average) and five touchdowns. He had 459 career touches, including 97 receptions in his last three.

Wiley averaged 3.44 yards after contact. Had he had enough carries to join our 47 running backs with at least 100, he would have ranked 22nd. Of 51 running backs who were targeted at least 17 times, he was first with 2.22 yards per pass route. He had two drops (6.7 percent) in 2023 and zero fumbles his last two years. If he can become more consistent in protection, he could be a steal.

The NFL Draft countdown clock in Campus Martius in Detroit is counting down the days to April 25. / Mandi Wright / USA TODAY NETWORK

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