From 2010 to now, here's a look at the 10 best Power 5 running backs of the decade in college football: Career stats (2009-11): 771 carries, 5,082 yards, 53 TDs; 51 catches, 586 yards, 4 TDs; PR TD, Accomplishments: Heisman Trophy finalist (2010); First-team All-American (2010, 2011); First-team All-Pac-10/Pac-12 (2010, 2011); Doak Walker Award (2010); Pac-10/Pac-12 champion (20092011); Pac-10 Offensive Freshman of the Year (2009). Robinson was a five-star recruit in the 2020 class, according to 247Sports, and dazzled down the stretch of his true freshman campaign. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Auburn has had two Heisman Trophy winners that have played the quarterback position, with numerous others guiding the Tigers to championships and big wins. The Tigers have had quarterbacks go on to the NFL, while others are still coaches in the college game. Defensive line has been a point of emphasis for Auburn in the 2024 recruiting class. After beginning the season with four healthy tailbacks and one of the SECs best fullbacks, the Tigers c The Tigers were nowhere near the spotlight when the 2010 season began, but thanks to Newton, they owned it when the year concluded. An All-American in 1964, Frederickson had the best season of his career, winning the SECs Jacobs Award as the conferences best blocking back while finishing second in Heisman voting. The 2020 four-star recruit who ranked 40th nationally, according to 247Sports was easily among the most elusive ball carriers in college football last year. One of the league's best running backs during his heyday, Alexander averaged 1,500 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns per season from 2001-05. Mason took home the SECs Offensive Player of the Year award in 2013 along with a first-team All-SEC selection. After dealing with injuries as a junior, Jackson took over the football world in 1985. His strongest season was his senior year in 1997 where he guided the Tigers to the SEC championship game. Alston also is only a true freshman, so unless he has a Hunter-like jump, he may be relegated to clean up duty alongside Ingram. Since the 1960s when players began specializing in offense or defense, the running back position has provided college football with some of its biggest stars of all time. The former SEC Newcomer of the Year eclipsed the 1,000 rushing yard mark this past season, and he is poised for a monster season in 2022. Craig was not going to unseat Pat Nix from the starting position, but with the running skills that Craig possessed, HC Terry Bowden found a fit. Frederickson was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1994. The 2021 college football season kicks off in just over 100 days, and we at PFF are here to get you ready for it. WebHis final year on campus is what makes him one of the best backs in SEC history. Or write about sports? Having a back with Borghi's receiving chops and speed is a huge plus. Gamebreakers. What I Dont Like: Splitting carries between Tank Bigsby and Jarquez Hunter is already going to be tough this season, so adding a third man to the rotation consistently would be quite a task. Here's an overview of Auburn's 2023 running back room (scholarship players only) as it currently sits: Hunter took a dip in YPC as his freshman season progressed, but he broke out this past season with three hundred-yard performances over the final three games of the year - including two huge games against Texas A&M and Alabama. Why he's here: Perhaps the most underrated SEC running back of all-time, I'm not going to underrate the Cedartown, Ga., native here. See our list of forfeits and vacated games for more details. Brooks was named first-team All-SEC as a senior, averaged nearly 110 yards per game for his career and had more than 1,200 yards in each of his final two seasons. All-purpose threats. He went No. He is the clear favorite to claim the title of No. WebTre Mason, Auburn Mason had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2012 and 2013, when he led Auburn to the BCS championship game. . We'll start by ranking the top 10 returning players at each position and naming one sleeper who could make some noise this season. Cameron Newton was the most electric player in college football in his one season with the Tigers. What I Dont Like: Limited snaps have not allowed Ingram to play to his full potential. The duo, along with Damari Alson, Sean Jackson, and Jordan Ingram gives Sign up for the Auburn Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. Auburn has a history of success at the running back position. However, Elliott scored 58 career touchdowns to Dobbins' 38 despite 132 fewer carries in only two years as a starter. Campbell managed to finish his career No. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Nix carries a career record of 19-0-1 as a starter. Collins left after his junior year with 3,703 career rushing yards second all-time in program history. 5 overall in the 2005 NFL draft, playing seven years in the pros. The former five-star dubbed as the next Adrian Peterson, Fournette only started 24 games of the 31 he appeared in during his short-lived tenure and still managed 19 games over 100 yards rushing including outings of 284, 244, 233, 228 and 212. Fournette was a one-man wrecking crew and his sophomore season in 2015 was eye-opening in the SEC. It is not a secret that Auburns coaching staff is looking to run the ball early and often this season. 9 position for the Tigers with all-time yardage and completions. Brooks was the third-highest-graded ball carrier in the FBS from 2018 to 2019 and established himself as one of the top breakaway threats at the position. Find the rest of PFFs top returning college players series here: He opened his Bulldogs career with 1,385 at the time joiningHerschel Walker as the only true freshmen to reach 1,000. Statistics, wins, the awards circuit all that stuff matters here. Tre Mason (2011-13) A two-year starter for the Tigers, Mason posted more than 1,000 yards in both his sophomore and junior seasons. On the field, the former four-star running back had a breakout season during his senior year at Woodward Academy in Georgia. Career stats (2014-17): 947 carries, 5,621 yards, 60 TDs; 79 catches, 814 yards receiving, 4 TDs, Accomplishments: First-team All-Pac-12 (2015); Second-team All-Pac-12 (2014, 2017); Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year (2014); Pac-12 career rushing touchdowns leader (60). Whitlow wasnt Auburns only departure as Malik Miller decided to leave the program as well. Like Campbell, Jacksons career was worth the wait. The list is based on a bevy of factors, including. 87,451), NFL/AFL stats for Auburn Tigers players at Pro-Football-Reference, Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Wednesday, January 18, 11:40AM. Auburn has a long history of producing elite running backs but none were better than Bo Jackson. After a bombardment of distractions that occurred surrounding his recruitment to Mississippi State and Auburn, Newton pushed forward meticulously, guiding the Tigers to a national title in 2010. Shaun Shivers may have only been used as a role player, but he has thrived in that role, averaging 5.3 yards per carry and should earn some carries early on when the younger guys are still learning the offense. 2 in completions, completion percentage, passing yardage and completions. His 2004 performance landed him at the No. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Although, there may be someone on the depth chart that could potentially take those passing snaps away from Hunter. And remember, this has nothing to do with pro potential. The perfect weapon in the Ducks' NASCAR offense, James often touched it three or four consecutive plays and would wear down linebackers trying to wrap him. Craig sits at the No.1 spot for the Tigers single-season passing yards mark and completions in a season. Auburn running back Tank Bigsby (4) runs the ball during Auburn football A-Day spring game at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, April 17, 2021. You can also follow JD on Twitter@jdmccarthy15, Sign up for the Auburn Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. Auburn learned an important lesson last year. Tidwell led the country in total offense a second time in 1949 as a senior. *All of these career numbers are his high school stats over the course of 50 games. Listing the 10 best quarterbacks in history is never an easy task with so much talent that has taken the field. Adam Sparks, Adam Cole Tank Bigsby has made it official: Hes going pro. There is a considerable amount of talent that Hugh Freeze and Philip Montgomery are going to have at their disposal. His bruising frame (5-foot-9, 230 pounds) could be utilized in short-yardage situations, if Freeze were to end up using him. put together a 16-year NFL career and possibly more, as the soon-to-be 38-year-old hasnt officially retired yet we now get to see his son dominate in the collegiate ranks. This includes 30 players taken in the first round and four overall number one picks: Cam Newton in 2011, Aundray Bruce in 1988, Bo Jackson in 1986, and Tucker Frederickson in 1965. The Auburn Tigers football program of Auburn University has had 290 players drafted into the National Football League since WebVisit ESPN to view the Auburn Tigers team stats for the 2021 season. That total was the second-highest in SEC history until Henry and Leonard Fournette raced past it in 2015. 1984 NFL supplemental draft of USFL and CFL players, "1984 NFL Supplemental Draft of USFL and CFL Players", Chris Woods NFL Football Statistics | Pro-Football-Reference.com, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Auburn_Tigers_in_the_NFL_Draft&oldid=1091251999, Lists of National Football League draftees by college football team, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 3 June 2022, at 04:12. Best game of career: Vs San Jose State (9/10/22) - 2 carries, 38 yards, This may be the most intriguing pickup of Auburn's 2023 recruiting class. Only Vaughn and North Carolinas Michael Carter earned grades above 85.0 as both a runner and receiver in 2020. Do you have a blog? It was the SECs third-best single-season rushing total at the time. The fifth-year senior played in 26 games over four seasons and served primarily as a third-down back and goal-line option. 4. And a good feel he has. But in Alabamas share-the-carries system, that was Henrys lone 1,000-yard season. Stan White led the Tigers during one of the best times for the Tigers. Some might consider this ranking disrespectful, as Hall led the country with 1,562 rushing yards in 2020, but lets not forget that he also saw 28 more carries than any other back and was one of six backs with over 200 carries. Rodriguez finished as the second-highest-graded running back of the 2020 season (92.4) and ranked second to UNC's Javonte Williams among Power Five backs in percentage of runs that picked up a first down or touchdown (41%). When 1999 rolled around, Leard returned to the helm and helped guide the Tigers for two more seasons. Please check your email for a confirmation. He had more than 1,100 yards in his final six games, including a combined 499 in the SEC and BCS championship games (and an SECCG record 304 yards against Missouri that year). Career stats: 3,831 yards rushing, 45 TD; 342 yards receiving, TD. Collins improved every year and he opened his Razorbacks career with 1,026 yards. He is only a few years removed from a 1,000 yard rushing season at St. Pauls in one of the toughest classifications in Alabama. Derick Hall is headed to the projected Super Bowl winner in this latest mock draft. Nick Saban looks to continue this run at head coach, starting with a return to the mountaintop in 2020. He will have one year of eligibility in Bloomington. Slack is in the top 10 for passing yards, completions and completion percentage for the Tigers all time. Please check your email for a confirmation. Career stats (2009-12): 924 carries, 5,140 yards, 77 TDs; 59 catches, 598 yards receiving, 6 TDs, Accomplishments: Doak Walker Award (2012); Heisman Trophy finalist (2011); Consensus All-American (2011, 2012); AmecheDayne Running Back of the Year (2011, 2012); First-team All-Big Ten (2011, 2012); Jim Brown Award (2011, 2012); Archie Griffin Award (2011); Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year (2011); Big Ten Champion (2010, 2011, 2012). The Mississippi native brings a unique mix of size and speed that complimented nicely to the Auburn offense. That streak ended in 2018 and it took until this past season for the Tigers to return to the 1K status. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Robinson was also productive on the receiving front with 1.63 yards per route run and 10 total receptions resulting in a 10-plus yard gain. After rushing for 1,213 yards as a sophomore (256 against Alabama) as the Tigers nearly won the national title, he battled injuries for much of his junior season before exploding as a senior: 1,786 yards, 17 touchdowns and the narrowest of Heisman wins over Iowas Chuck Long. However, being the feature back is not guaranteed as back-to-back carries of 41 and 70 yards made up over 25% of his total yards. He led the country in yards per game at 162.75 almost 15 more than Henry. He holds Auburn records for career rushing yards and yards per game and still holds the SEC record for yards per attempt (min. Career stats (2014-16): 616 carries, 3,830 yards, 40 TDs; 41 catches, 526 yards receiving, TD; KOR TD, Accomplishments: Consensus All-American (2015); First-team All-SEC (2015); Second-team All-SEC (2016). Fans should be excited about Hunter's return and should expect him to continue to improve upon the standard that he has set as an explosive, shifty back that's hard to bring down. This may be the most talent Auburn has had in the running back room in some time but it also faces the most questions. What we know for sure is that Auburn will have a new lead back after JaTarvious Whitlow decided to transfer from the program after leading the team in rushing the past two seasons. Looking at the history books and success that the Tigers have had on the gridiron, here are the top 10 quarterbacks in school history. No FBS running back churned out 10 or more yards on a higher rate of carries over that period than Brooks (23.4%). The 6-foot-3, 240-pound bulldozer saved his best when Alabama needed it most, rushing for over 200 yards in four of his final nine games including a 44-carry, 271-yard explosion in an Iron Bowl win at Auburn. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NCAA player performance data. // Okla. / Texas // ND // USC. White will be remembered for his wins and his time with the Auburn Sports ISP Network. Watch more top videos, highlights, and B/R original content, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. There's also the possibility of adding some more depth via the transfer portal - Mississippi State running back Dillion Johnson may be added to this list here in the next couple of weeks. No College Football Hall of Fame eligibility for Stetson Bennett? Cobb has some serious potential to become a great weapon in Hugh Freeze's offense. Ben Leard had an on-again-off-again love affair with the Auburn fanbase. Jackson still holds the record for total rushing yards (4,303), rushing yards per game for a career (113.2), and most 100-yard games (21). Jackson was drafted into the NFL twice (including No. And remember, this has nothing to do with pro potential. (Allen Eyestone / Palm Beach Post / USA TODAY Network). As we look back on the players who defined greatness in the backfield from 2010 to now, determining what gave them the edge over others whether that be total yards, touchdowns or impact was an extreme challenge given the host of options to pick from. We are entering the post-Tank Bigsby era of Auburn football. He entered his sophomore season as the talk of the SEC and was even better. Bigsby was one of the most impressive true freshmen of the 2020 class, finishing as the fifth-most valuable first-year non-quarterback in the country, per. It wasnt all that spectacular, either, as he fumbled on one of his 10 carries en route to a 57.2 PFF grade for the day. What I Dont Like: As much as Bigsby has shined on the field over the last two seasons, the biggest question will be if the star running back can stay healthy. Best game of career: Vs Alabama State (9/27/21) - 10 carries, 38 yards, 1 touchdown, The best quarterbacks available in the transfer portal, Baumhowers to provide NIL deal for Auburn's offensive line, ESPN analyst believes this transfer quarterback would fit well in Hugh Freeze's offense, Offensive lineman Connor Lew flips from Miami to Auburn, Coastal Carolina QB Grayson McCall taking visit to Auburn. Jarquez Hunter should be the lead man in the backfield next season, but what does the RB room look like. Leard finished his career No. He ran for 1,816 yards that final season, breaking Bo He also is quietly found at the No. Contact/Follow us@TheAuburnWireon Twitter, and like our page onFacebookto follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. All signs point towards yes, and there's reason to believe that OC Philip Montgomery and HC Hugh Freeze will be excited about using him. Georgia rallies, survives on missed field goal to beat Ohio State, reach national title game. Here's an overview of Auburn's 2023 running back room (scholarship players only) as it currently sits: Jarquez Hunter, Jr. Hunter took a dip in YPC as his Some school's results have been altered by retroactive NCAA penalties. Yes, you read that correctly: Allgeier had only 26 career carries entering the 2020 season but still managed to finish the year with a 93.1 rushing grade, the second-best behind Javonte Williams. Newton continues to electrify the game of football in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers. Featuring some of the greatest college running backs of all Do you have a sports website? What we know for sure is that Auburn will have a new lead back after JaTarvious Whitlow decided to transfer from the program after leading the team in rushing the past two seasons. We support responsible gambling. https://auburnwire.usatoday.com/lists/auburn-football-ranking-the-running-backs-on-2020-depth-chart/, Auburn offers brother of former Tigers player, SEC Basketball standings entering week of Jan. 17, Ranking every SEC recruiting class after early signing day, Auburn vs. LSU: Stream, injury report, broadcast info for Wednesday's game, A look at Auburn Football's 2023 schedule, College Football analyst calls Auburn's transfer haul "the best class in the SEC", Behind Enemy Lines: Auburn-LSU preview with LSU Wire's Tyler Nettuno, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Served primarily as a starter led Auburn auburn running backs last 10 years the SEC and was better... Season, but what does the RB room look like was eye-opening the... Freeze were to end up using him of NCAA player performance data TheAuburnWireon Twitter, and opinions final. Adam Sparks, adam Cole Tank Bigsby has made it official: Hes going pro task with much! 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