Bucky Irving and MarShawn Lloyd should be good value picks in the 2024 NFL running back draft class

2024 NFL Draft Class: Running back rankings No. 5-8

5. Will Shipley, Clemson
Draft Grade: Third Round: Another running back who had a bit of a down year is Clemson’s Will Shipley who saw a dip in production this year after being the only player in the country with 1,150+ rushing yards, 200+ receiving yards and 300+ KR yards in 2022. This production does highlight why he will likely be a day two pick though which is his versatility. He shows good contact balance, has the vision to consistently find open running, and also does a good job of attacking the ball in the air as a receiver. One more positive with him is he has great character and is someone his coaches rave about.

6. Audric Estime, Notre Dame
Draft Grade: Fourth Round: Notre Dame running back Audric Estime had one of the best seasons of any college football running back this year rushing for 1,341 yards and graded out as Pro Football Focuses top running back. Estime was able to pile up these impressive statistics due to his downhill running size which combined with his 227-pound frame made him extremely hard to tackle. In addition, to his strength, he also possesses impressive quickness for a bigger back evidenced by the 20.9 MPH he ran on an 80-yard vs North Carolina State. He may be limited due to a gap-running scheme though since he is a stiff runner and will have trouble making the cuts needed to play in a zone-blocking scheme.

7. Jawhar Jordan, Louisville
Draft Grade: Fifth Round: One of the most dynamic playmakers in the 2024 NFL Draft is Louisville’s Jawhar Jordan. This season he had five games where he rushed for over 110 yards in a game and that number would have been higher if not for the hamstring injury he battled at the end of the year. What makes Jordan such a threat is his blazing speed that rarely sees him get caught once he is in the open field. He also is a shifty runner who is extremely hard to bring down in the open field. A couple of concerns with his game though are his lack of size (5-10 180), his lack of power as a ball carrier, and the fact he will be 25 years old next season.

8. Ray Davis, Kentucky
Draft Grade: Fifth Round: Perhaps no running back had a better game than Ray Davis’s game against Florida rushing for 280 yards and tying a school record with four touchdowns on the day. Unfortunately, though Davis had some games where he wasn’t much of a factor rushing for under 60 yards in four games, and was held to under 4 yards per carry against some of the toughest teams he faced including Alabama, Tennessee, and Georgia. When looking at how his game translates to the next level a few traits he has working in his favor include his aggressive running style, patience as a runner, and his ability to help out in the passing game.