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

While the 2024 NFL Draft running back class might not have any elite prospects in it, it does have several players who could be great value picks. One of those players is Oregon’s Bucky Irving who has the versatility to make an impact in the run and pass game. Another prospect who fits this bill is USC’s MarShawn Lloyd who is one of the most physical runners in this year’s class.

2024 NFL Draft Class: Running back rankings No. 1-4

1. TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State
Draft Grade: Second Round: While no running back has a first-round grade on my draft board, my number one running back TreVeyon Henderson should be a top 50 selection. The reason I am so high on Henderson is the explosiveness he shows for a 212-pound back which has helped him average 6.3 yards per carry during his Buckeye career. In addition to his speed, Henderson is also a physical runner who consistently runs behind his pads. The biggest concern with him is that he has been injury-prone the last two years missing significant time both years. He also needs to be more consistent in the passing game both as a receiver and blocker.

2. Bucky Irving, Oregon
Draft Grade: Second Round: One of my favorite running backs in the 2024 NFL Draft is Oregon’s Bucky Irving. What is so impressive about Irving is his ability to help out in both the run and passing game. As a runner, he shows good vision and the quickness to get through the hole. In the passing game, he has put up impressive production having accounted for 53 receptions this season. An issue NFL scouts will have with him is his lack of size as he comes in at only 5-foot-10 and 195 pounds. However, for a smaller back, he shows impressive contact balance and caused 61 missed tackles this year.

3. Trey Benson, Florida State
Draft Grade: Third Round: Going into the 2023 season expectations were high for Florida State running back Trey Benson who broke the Pro Football Focus record by forcing 0.51 missed tackles per rush and also led the ACC with an average of 6.46 yards per carry in 2022. However, 2023 was a bit of a disappointing year for him as he only had one 100-yard rushing game and also saw a drop in rushing yards and yards per carry. As a pro prospect, he is a physical back and also has the speed to break off the long run.

4. MarShawn Lloyd, USC
Draft Grade: Third Round: A sleeper in this year’s running back class is USC’s Marshawn Lloyd who is one of the most physical backs in the 2024 NFL Draft. His physical running style combined with his ability to keep his feet moving on contact has allowed him average an impressive 7.1 yards per carry this year. In addition to his pure power, he also shows impressive footwork for a player with his running style. One concern with him is he has only had one season with over 600 rushing yards and he has never had more than 116 carries in a season.

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.

2024 NFL Draft Class: Running back rankings No. 9-12

9. Dillon Johnson, Washington
Draft Grade: Fifth Round: Dillion Johnson had a strong season for Washington after transferring from Mississippi State. In his one season with the Huskies, he ran for 1,113 yards with 15 carries going for over 15 yards. His best game of the year was easily his against USC who he rushed for 256 yards and four touchdowns against. When evaluating his running style the first thing that stands out is how physical he is. He does a great job of keeping his feet moving on contact and it is tough for a single defender to take him down. What will likely cause him to slide to the third day of the 2024 NFL Draft is his lack of elite speed and elusiveness.

10. Jaylen Wright, Tennessee
Draft Grade: Sixth Round: While Tennessee’s Jaylen Wright saw limited touches this year when he did get the ball he made the most of it. On his 137 carries he averaged 7.4 yards per carry which led all FBS running backs who had at least 100 carries. His biggest positive as a player is his impressive speed which saw him break off numerous long runs this year. An area he will need to improve in though is his vision as he tends to miss running lanes. He also needs to improve on his technique when it comes to pass blocking.

11. Braelon Allen, Wisconsin
Draft Grade: Sixth Round: A player I am much lower on than other people is Wisconsin’s Braelon Allen. The biggest reason for this is his lack of explosion as a runner. He tends to take a while to get up to top speed and he also doesn’t have the speed to break the long run in the NFL. Another reason I am not very high on him is his questionable vision as a runner. On the positive side, he does run with good power but is in nowhere near the type of powerful runner Derrick Henry is, who he has been compared to. Scouts will also like that he was more involved in the passing game this year recording a career-high 28 receptions.

12. Blake Corum, Michigan
Draft Grade: Sixth Round: The most overrated running back in the 2024 NFL Draft is Michigan’s Blake Corum, The reason for this is he has yet to regain the explosiveness he had before suffering a season-ending knee injury last year. This is evident by his lack of big plays this year having only broken off one run over 40-yard long and seeing his average yards per carry drop to 4.7 compared to the 5.9 he had last season. A couple of other concerns I have with him is how well he holds up in the passing game as both a blocker and receiver out of the backfield. He is also an older player who will be 24 next season. If Corum can bounce back to his 2022 form he could be a solid rotational back, but that risk is worth more of a late-round selection than the third-round grade other draftniks are giving him.

2024 NFL Draft Class: Running back rankings No. 13-16

13. Jonathon Brooks, Texas
Draft Grade: Sixth Round: The only reason why Jonathon Brooks is rated this low is that he suffered a season-ending torn ACL. When healthy Brooks is easily a second-day pick due to his downhill running style that routinely saw him pick up the tough yards. He also has the speed to break off the long run which helped him average 6.1 yards this season and over 6 yards per carry all three years he has been at Texas. The biggest issue with him will be overcoming his season-ending injury by the start of training camp. Another concern scouts will have with him though is that he has an upright running style that can lead to him taking big hits.

14. Blake Watson, Memphis
Draft Grade: Seventh Round : A smaller back who has put up impressive production at the Group of Five level is Blake Watson. Watson who spent his four seasons at Old Dominion rushed for 2,144 yards and 14 touchdowns while also hauling in 60 receptions during his time with The Monarchs. This season was his first at Memphis and he was able to post his second 1,000-yard rushing season and also set a career high with 50 receptions. As a pro prospect, he is a quick back who shows surprising power. Look for him to make it as a rotational back in the NFL.

15. Emani Bailey, TCU
Draft Grade: Seventh Round: Another running back who had a breakout season is Emani Bailey. This season Bailey set career highs in carries, yards, and receptions. As a runner, he is a one-cutback who shows the ability to bounce off defenders. While he has a good chance of making it as a backup in the NFL, his lack of agility could limit his production at the next level.

16. Jase McClellan, Alabama
Draft Grade: Seventh Round: While Jase McClellan has put up only average production look for him to get looks late in the NFL Draft. The main reason for this is he is a downhill runner who has the power to blow through tacklers and also the speed to break off the big run. He also shows good hands in the passing game despite not many passes being thrown his way. One more positive with him and one that could earn him a spot in the NFL is he does a great job of covering kicks. On the downside, he is a straight-line runner who does not avoid many tacklers. He also has battled his share of injuries including the current ankle injury he is dealing with and a torn ACL in 2021.

2024 NFL Draft Class: Running back rankings No. 17-20

17. Donovan Edwards, Michigan
Draft Grade: Seventh Round: A running back who had one of the most disappointing years is Michigan's Donovan Edwards. This season he saw his rushing totals drop by 609 yards and yards per carry decrease by 3.6 yards per carry from last year. He did see an increase in receiving production though catching a career-high 30 passes. This lack of production and his lack of power as a runner are two reasons why he will fall to the late part of the 2024 NFL Draft. He may be able to find a role at the next level as pass-catching back at the next level though.

18. Frank Gore Jr., Southern Miss
Draft Grade: Seventh Round: The last running back to earn a draftable grade on my board is Frank Gore Jr. Gore who has rushed for 2,513 yards and 19 touchdowns is an elusive back that is a threat in the open field. He is also a reliable target out of the backfield having caught 27 passes this year. While scouts will be impressed with his ability to make defenders miss and soft hands they will have some concerns. The biggest concern will be his lack of size at only 5-foot-8 and 195 pounds. Another concern is he is not the most powerful runner who goes down on first contact too often. He also lacks the elite speed you want to see from a back his size.

19. Dylan Laube, New Hampshire
Draft Grade: Free Agent: A player who could earn a draftable grade with a good Senior Bowl week is Dylan Laube. What sticks out about his game is his versatility. Last season, he led the team in rushing yards with 749 yards and rushing touchdowns with nine. He also led the team and had the most receptions of any running back on my 2024 NFL Draft board with 68 receptions. However, his most impressive numbers come as a kick returner. The All-American kick returner averaged 31.1 yards per kickoff return and had one touchdown. If that were not enough he also averaged 11.3 yards with one touchdown on 16 punt returns.

20. Daijun Edwards, Georgia
Draft Grade: Free Agent: Georgia’s Daijun Edwards is an overlooked back despite rushing for over 750 yards each of the past two seasons and leading the team this season with 818 rushing yards. Edwards is more of a physical running back than someone who is going to blow scouts away with his speed.