RBU: Schools That Produce the Best Running Backs in the NFL

4. Ohio State Buckeyes

•Ezekiel Elliott (Cowboys)

•JK Dobbins (Ravens)

•Trey Sermon (49ers)

•Master Teague (Steelers)

Ezekiel Elliott has never recorded less than 979 yards on the ground in any of his six seasons in the NFL. He is a model of consistency when it comes to yards-per-carry and touchdowns. Over the past four seasons, he’s even begun mixing in great pass-catching numbers, as he’s caught 230 passes in that span. It could be argued that Elliott is entering the backend of his career, but he’s still reliable enough to be a primary running back in the league. Given the offense that he’s in, I expect to see more of peak Zeke in 2022. Another player looking to rebound in 2022 will be JK Dobbins. The Ravens’ top running back rushed for 805 yards and nine touchdowns as a rookie, before tearing his ACL a week before the 2021 season got underway. He returns to the top of the depth chart in a Lamar Jackson-led offense, which should be a great situation for the former Buckeye. Trey Sermon failed to live up to his preseason hype as a rookie, and while he may never ascend to the level that Elliott/Dobbins have and will, there’s no reason to believe Sermon can’t have a long career in the NFL. Master Teague was looking to earn a roster spot with the Steelers but unfortunately was carted off the field during practice recently. The Buckeyes are headed the wrong way on this list, but they still hold strong at the No. 4 spot for now.

3. Wisconsin Badgers

•Jonathan Taylor (Colts)

•Melvin Gordon (Broncos)

Melvin Gordon and Jonathan Taylor both put up some of the most prolific numbers ever at the running back position during their time with the Wisconsin Badgers. Gordon parlayed his collegiate success into a first-round selection by the then San Diego Chargers. Even though he has been in a committee seemingly his entire career, Gordon has still been a steady contributor in the NFL. In five of his last six seasons, Gordon has recorded at least 885 yards on the ground. The only one that he failed to reach this number in was the season that he held out for the first month. During his past two seasons with the Broncos, Gordon has become even more efficient. Jonathan Taylor went from dominating the Big Ten to dominating the NFL in two short years. Taylor showed flashes as a rookie, recording nearly 1200 yards while in a timeshare. Year two saw the powerhouse running back officially stamp his place among the best in the game. With over 1800 yards on the ground and 18 touchdowns, it is scary to think about how much better the 23-year-old can be in 2022. The Indianapolis Colts will continue running their offense through Taylor for the foreseeable future, so his arrow is pointing way up as he enters his third season in the league. If James White hadn’t retired, there’d be a real claim for Wisconsin to have a place in the top two on this list.