Projecting Every Conference's Best RBs in 2025 CFB Season

The conclusion of spring practice doubles as the moment to truly begin preparing for the next season of college football.

Yes, a majority of player movement happens in the winter. However, the transfer portal—although it's always lingering—keeps spinning into the spring, and that whirlwind of activity is now slowing significantly.

Finally, we can start building out expectations for a new year.

Bleacher Report embraces this slower time of the calendar with an annual tradition of predicting the best units at each position. The picks are based on a mix of past production and projections for the 2025 campaign.

Note: Oregon State and Washington State are considered as part of the Mountain West due to its affiliate agreement with the conference.

AAC: Memphis Tigers

In true offseason fashion, we start with a genuine dart throw. Every notable running back from the American in 2024—and I mean every single one—either has since transferred or used up their eligibility.

So, which program do you trust?

I'll lean toward Memphis, which returns Greg Desrosiers Jr. and Sutton Smith. The former ended last season in impressive fashion, and the latter is set to reclaim a spot in the rotation after a knee injury sidelined him in 2024.

C-USA: Liberty Flames

Consider this largely a vote of confidence in Jamey Chadwell, the young head coach with a fun, ground-focused offensive system.

Liberty needs to replace Quinton Cooley and Billy Lucas, who finished mere yards shy of 2,000 combined in both 2023 and 2024. However, the Flames can turn to returning players Juju Gray and Vaughn Blue as their top runners.

Throw in the assortment of Caden Williams, Darius Copeland and Evan Dickens, and Liberty isn't short on options this season.

MAC: Western Michigan Broncos

Quietly boasting one of my favorite units in the country, Western Michigan reloaded at the position through the portal.

The marquee player is Cole Cabana, who didn't play often at Michigan yet brings huge upside to Kalamazoo. Plus, the Broncos added JUCO standouts Devin Miles and Ofa "Lolo" Mataele after both registered 1,200-yard seasons.

They're all fighting for snaps with Jalen Buckley. He went for 1,000 yards in 2023 and tallied 683 during an injury-shortened 2024 campaign.

MWC: Boise State Broncos

Yes, I know Ashton Jeanty is gone. You certainly won't be hearing as much about Boise State's offense in 2025, but it should be excellent again.

Last season, Sire Gaines and Malik Sherrod both missed significant time with injuries. Gaines notched a 100-yard performance in his college debut, though, and Sherrod—who recently transferred from Fresno State—had assembled a breakout season with 1,226 scrimmage yards in 2023.

No matter if the Broncos wind up with a true featured runner or a timeshare, their backfield has immense potential this season.

Sun Belt: James Madison Dukes

James Madison has weathered the transfer-fueled storm in the aftermath of Curt Cignetti's departure for Indiana and remains built for success.

While the arrival of mobile quarterback Matthew Sluka also helps, the Dukes are loaded alongside him. They saw George Pettaway rush for 980 yards and five touchdowns last season as he replaced Ayo Adeyi, a 1,000-yard runner at North Texas who essentially missed the campaign with a lower-body injury.

Throw in 449 yards from reserve back Wayne Knight, and JMU's roster showcases a great mix of depth and upside.

Louisville has a compelling case after Isaac Brown and Duke Watson combined for a very efficient 1,770 yards as freshmen. If you prefer the Cardinals here, I wouldn't care to form an intense argument.

Miami, nevertheless, should be a monster again.

Last season's ACC leader in yards per carry and per game, the Hurricanes return physical runner Mark Fletcher Jr. and speedy back Jordan Lyle. They played behind 1,000-yard rusher Damien Martinez yet together had 1,007 yards and 13 touchdowns for a powerful offense.

In addition, Miami just landed star North Dakota State transfer CharMar Brown. He put up 1,181 yards and 15 scores in 2024, winning the Jerry Rice Award as the best freshman in the Football Championship Subdivision.

Not really a surprise here, right?

Penn State boasts Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen, two rising seniors who have guided the backfield since 2022.

Singleton has surpassed 1,000 yards from scrimmage in all three seasons and totaled 40 touchdowns on the Nittany Lions. Allen has rushed for at least 867 yards in every year, scoring 28 times as well.

Along with quarterback Drew Allar, these veteran backs are vital pieces of the program's all-in pursuit of a national championship in 2025.

Oregon is close behind Penn State after bringing in Tulane standout Makhi Hughes to share the backfield with Noah Whittington.

You could probably head in several directions for the Big 12, but Baylor deserves strong consideration for this projection.

Early in 2024, the Bears had a quiet running game. During the second half of the campaign, however, they unleashed a powerful rushing attack that sparked the team's streak of six straight wins to reach a bowl.

The main contributors—Bryson Washington and Dawson Pendergrass—both return after scurrying to nearly 1,700 yards combined with 18 scores.

Baylor, which returns four starters on the offensive line and signed two 4-star runners in the 2025 class, is built to excel on the ground this fall.

While new quarterback Arch Manning is the featured attraction on the Texas offense, these running backs are keys to the Longhorns' success.

Last season, the offense dealt with a string of injuries at the position. That setback led to a breakout year for Quintrevion Wisner, who rushed for 1,064 yards and totaled 1,375 from scrimmage with six touchdowns.

Wisner may still cede the lead duties to CJ Baxter. He scampered for 659 yards as a true freshman but missed 2024 with a knee injury.

Jerrick Gibson, a rising sophomore, will likely round out the Horns' rotation after providing a solid 377 yards in his reserve role.