There are a host of freakishly talented runners entering college football this year, and while they may not open 2018 as starters, they will definitely showcase their abilities and make coaches think long and hard about keeping them on the bench. Most college teams are mimicking their NFL counterparts and using a multi-pronged rushing attack, and that's where a lot of these freshmen will make their bones.
What follows is a ranking of the top 10 Impact Freshman running backs for 2018. These aren't necessarily the top 10 backs inked in the recruiting season, but the 10 with the best mix of talent and opportunity, with a chance to get on the field early. Positional ranking is included.
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| Miami's Lorenzo Lingard (Palm Beach Post) |
1. Lorenzo Lingard/Miami Fla. (RB2) -- The Hurricanes have a deep running stable, but none of the choices are as electrifying as Lingard, who could have a Cam Akers effect on the ground game. The five-star back is a mix of power and speed, and has the wiggle to make defenders miss. Whether or not he opens the year as a starter, he will be in the mix -- and could very well be the top dog by the end of the season.
2. Ricky Person Jr/North Carolina State (RB4) -- Person was in for spring ball and has already worked his way up to second on the depth chart, behind Reggie Gallaspy II, who was productive behind Nyheim Hines last season. A four-star talent, Person is a good bet to steal carries from Gallaspy, and his burly frame could make him an enticing goal line option, too.
3. Zamir White/Georgia (RB1) -- A five-star speedster with a huge upside, White would vie for major playing time had he not torn his ACL in his final high school campaign. He is expected to be healthy by the beginning of the season, and the coaching staff will likely ease him into things. But once he gets going, they may have no choice but to feed the beast. He and D'Andre Swift could form another Chubb-Michel powerhouse for the Bulldogs ground game.
4. Keaontay Ingram/Texas (RB6) --The Longhorns put together one of the best recruiting classes in the nation, and Ingram was one of the spotlight players. A four-star 6-1, 190-pounder, Ingram is good catching passes and has the quickness to get outside the tackles, which means he's the every-down back Texas has lacked the past few seasons. Ingram has great initial explosion and lateral quickness, and loves making defenders miss. If Texas' offense takes that next step, it will be in large part due to Ingram.
5. Fabian Franklin/TCU (RB13) -- A former Mississippi State commit, Franklin flipped late and gives the Horned Frogs a shifty, elusive back who should vie for early playing time. Darius Anderson is the incumbent, but there isn't much experience behind him, leaving the four-star Franklin in line for a pretty big role.
6. Brock Sturges/Arizona State (RB29) -- A dearth of backfield experience in Tempe -- QB Manny Wilkins is the team's leading returning rusher -- means work is there for the taking. Eno Benjamin was part of last year's class, but the three-star Sturges, who reminds some of former ASU star runner Demario Richard, was up to second team and could make the starting position a tough decision for the coaches.
7. Christopher Brown Jr/Cal (RB23) -- It's unlikely that anyone usurps starter Patrick Laird as the Bears primary ballcarrier, but offseason attrition means that the backup spot is up for grabs, and Brown has the size and quickness to get a good amount of work on an experienced offensive unit that has a real chance for improvement in 2018.
8. Ricky Slade/Penn State (RB3) -- Miles Sanders is the starter and ready for a breakout, but he'll need a rest, and when he gets one it could very well be Slade getting the reps. Built low to the ground, the five-star back has home run speed and could steal more and more carries as the season progresses.
9. Jeremy Banks/Tennessee (RB16) -- There will be open auditions for just about every job as first year coach Jeremy Pruitt attempts to assess his squad. Banks, a 6-2, 215-pound bruiser, is a four-star talent who loves playing physical and picking up yards after contact. His blue collar style should endear him to Vols Nation rather quickly.
10. Anthony "Pooka" Williams/Kansas (RB20) -- One of Louisiana's best, the four-star Williams could be the best runner the Jayhawks have had since Tony Sands ran wild in Lawrence. Williams, who had offers from LSU and Nebraska, is lightning fast and a good target out of the backfield, and should be able to get into the Kansas backfield rotation sooner rather than later.
Just Missed: Max Borghi/Washington State (RB41); Master Teague/Ohio State (RB11); Isaiah Woullard/Ole Miss (RB131); Kelan Walker/Houston (RB39); Nolan Edmonds/Minnesota (RB28); Jermar Jefferson/Oregon State (RB41)
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