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Top 10 College Football RBs for 2025: The Game’s Most Dangerous Ball Carriers

Colin Lynch Written by Sports EditorColin Lynch
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Top 10 College Football RBs for 2025: The Game’s Most Dangerous Ball Carriers

An in-depth look at college football’s top 10 RBs entering the 2025 season, featuring their 2024 stats, breakout traits, and why each back stands out in a deep national landscape.

The running back position is once again the deepest, most compelling in college football as we head into 2025. While stars like Ashton Jeanty and TreVeyon Henderson are now in the NFL, the field is brimming with new challengers.

Players like Jeremiyah Love and Nicholas Singleton are atop early boards, but the real intrigue lies just below that headline tier. In this countdown, we spotlight the 10 backs poised to dominate in the fall, evaluating their 2024 production, physical traits, and schemes that can maximize their game-changing abilities.

Also, be sure to check out our rankings for the Top 10 College Football QBs in 2025.

Top 10 College Football RBs for 2025

10. Bryson Washington – Baylor

Washington enters 2025 as one of the most electric young backs in the country. After a redshirt year in 2023, he broke out last season with 1,028 rushing yards (5.9 YPC) and 12 touchdowns, while also contributing 217 receiving yards.

His late-season surge included multiple 100-yard games and revealed his explosiveness in Jake Spavital’s system. Washington’s blend of power, vision, and pass-catching makes him a prototypical modern back. With Sawyer Robertson opening up the passing game, Washington should find more room to operate.

9. Jonah Coleman – Washington

Coleman transferred from Arizona and made an immediate impact for the Huskies in 2024, becoming a stabilizing force in a transition year. He’s known for low pad level, strong contact balance, and the ability to break tackles in space. Coleman thrives in inside-zone concepts and is a reliable pass blocker. Expect him to be the focal point of Washington’s offense in 2025.

8. Tre Wisner – Texas

Wisner took a big leap as a sophomore, rushing for 1,064 yards on 226 carries while adding 311 receiving yards. What sets him apart is his versatility; he’s as comfortable bouncing to the edge as he is running between the tackles.

His ability to stay on the field for all three downs gives Texas a flexible weapon in an offense loaded with talent. Wisner’s vision and decision-making improved dramatically in 2024, helping Texas to a 10-win season. He enters 2025 with momentum and national recognition.

7. Kaytron Allen – Penn State

Allen is the power back in Penn State’s two-headed monster, rushing for 1,108 yards and 8 touchdowns last season. He also added 153 receiving yards and two scores, proving himself more than just a north-south runner.

His patience and footwork make him deadly in gap-scheme plays, while his lower-body strength allows him to churn out tough yards. Allen’s work ethic and durability have made him a staple in the Big Ten. With Nicholas Singleton drawing attention, Allen continues to quietly dominate.

6. Makhi Hughes – Oregon

Makhi Hughes arrives in Eugene with the résumé of a proven workhorse and the potential to be a game-changer in the Pac-12’s final season. The former Tulane standout rushed for 1,401 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2024, leading all returning FBS backs in total yardage and ranking top-10 nationally.

He’s logged back-to-back 1,300+ yard seasons, showing elite consistency and the ability to handle a heavy workload. Hughes also added 176 receiving yards and 2 scores, rounding out his profile as a dependable three-down threat. Per TruMedia, his 949 yards after first contact lead all returning players, highlighting his ability to thrive through traffic. As Oregon breaks in new quarterback Dante Moore, Hughes’ experience and production offer the Ducks a stabilizing force with All-American upside.

5. Desmond Reid – Pittsburgh

Desmond Reid wasted no time showing he belonged at the FBS level after transferring from Western Carolina to Pitt in 2024. Following offensive coordinator Kade Bell to the ACC, Reid emerged as one of college football’s most electric all-purpose weapons. The 5-foot-8, 175-pound spark plug totaled 1,704 all-purpose yards, including 966 rushing, 579 receiving, and 159 on punt returns, while scoring 10 total touchdowns despite missing two games due to injury. Reid’s impact was immediate: he posted three 200-yard all-purpose outings in his first four appearances with the Panthers.

His versatility made him a mismatch nightmare out of the backfield and in the slot. He finished fifth nationally in all-purpose yards per game (154.9) and heads into 2025 as the centerpiece of Pitt’s offense. If healthy, Reid could be one of the most productive and entertaining players in the country.

 

4. Ahmad Hardy – Missouri

Ahmad Hardy wasted no time making his presence felt at the college level. As a true freshman at Louisiana-Monroe in 2024, he rushed for 1,351 yards and 13 touchdowns on 237 carries—producing eight 100-yard games despite facing stacked fronts nearly every week. A relative unknown coming out of high school, Hardy quickly became one of the most coveted backs in the transfer portal before landing at Missouri.

At 5-foot-10, 205 pounds, Hardy excels at creating yardage after contact, finishing the season with 1,012 yards after contact, one of just seven FBS players to eclipse 1,000 in that category. He also forced 91 missed tackles, trailing only Ashton Jeanty and Cam Skattebo nationally. With Kewan Lacy transferring to Ole Miss, Hardy enters 2025 as Missouri’s clear lead back and could emerge as one of the SEC’s most productive runners.

 

3. Isaac Brown – Louisville

A rising star, Brown racked up over 1,100 total yards and 13 touchdowns in 2024, becoming Louisville’s most consistent offensive weapon. His tape shows excellent balance, acceleration, and a relentless motor.

Brown has emerged as a true three-down back, trusted in short-yardage, red-zone, and passing situations. Analysts love his football IQ and ability to anticipate blocks. With another offseason to refine his body and game, Brown could be the ACC’s best back in 2025 and will battle Desmond Reid of Pitt for that title.

2. Nicholas Singleton – Penn State

Since arriving at Penn State as a five-star recruit in 2022, Nicholas Singleton has done nothing but meet expectations—and now returns for his senior season with a national title in sight. After helping the Nittany Lions reach the College Football Playoff semifinals in 2024, Singleton is back to anchor an offense poised for another run.

He rushed for 1,099 yards and 12 touchdowns last season on just 172 carries, while also contributing 375 receiving yards and 5 scores through the air. Despite consistently splitting backfield duties, Singleton has amassed 4,673 all-purpose yards, second among all returning FBS backs behind only Ashton Jeanty, and 41 career touchdowns. He’s averaged just 12.2 carries per game during his career, yet his efficiency and explosiveness have never wavered. Whether it’s on the ground, through the air, or on kick returns, Singleton remains one of the most complete and dangerous backs in the country.

1. Jeremiyah Love – Notre Dame

In just his sophomore season, Jeremiyah Love blossomed into the centerpiece of Notre Dame’s offense and one of the most explosive backs in the country. Love rushed for 1,125 yards and 17 touchdowns on only 163 carries, averaging 6.9 yards per carry, a mark bested by only Ashton Jeanty and Isaac Brown among FBS backs with at least 150 attempts.

At 6-foot, 212 pounds, he blends power and elusiveness, capable of grinding for tough yardage or breaking off game-changing plays. His eight touchdowns of 30+ yards in 2024 led all returning Power Five backs. He also flashed versatility as a pass-catcher, hauling in 28 receptions for 237 yards and two scores, and has spent time at wide receiver in spring practice, signaling a potential expansion of his role in 2025. With Love at the helm, Notre Dame’s offense may be more dynamic than ever.

Colin Lynch Written by Sports EditorColin Lynch
Colin Lynch covers the NFL, MLB and WNBA for Heavy.com, with a focus on the New England Patriots. His sports coverage has been featured on The Sports Daily and Basketball Insiders, as well as FanSided's Chowder & Champions. A New Hampshire native and former D1 baseball player at St. John's University, Colin was drafted by the San Diego Padres in 2008 and enjoyed a four-year professional baseball career.
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