Rival Views: Farrell, Gorney debate top running back honors

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Rivals.com national recruiting director Mike Farrell and national recruiting analyst Adam Gorney don’t always see eye to eye. In this edition of Rival Views, the two debate the top running back in college football this fall.

I’m going to go in a different direction and pick the guy I think will have the best season among the big-name backs and that’s Royce Freeman. I don’t think Christian McCaffrey can match what he did last year, Leonard Fournette is banged up early, Dalvin Cook has had some minor injury issues in the past that could sidetrack him and Nick Chubb has a shaky offensive line.

I had Freeman No. 6 in my preseason Farrell50, not far back from McCaffrey (No. 4), Fournette (No. 3) and Cook (No. 2), and based on what I’ve seen early this season, Freeman will have the best year. He doesn’t get the attention many of the others get, but Oregon churns out 1,700-plus-yard runners consistently like few other teams and that up-tempo offense leads to numerous opportunities for big plays against tired defenses. Freeman will have another amazing season and could push for 2,000 yards on the ground.

Dalvin Cook is the best running back in college football and I still believe there is a real possibility he’s the first player at his position taken in next year’s NFL Draft, even before LSU’s Leonard Fournette.

Cook can do it all and has already shown it this season.

In the opener against Ole Miss, Cook had pedestrian rushing numbers of 91 yards on 23 carries as the Rebels loaded the box and dared new Florida State QB Deondre Francois to throw the ball. Francois did just that and hit Cook seven times for 101 yards.

In total, Cook finished with 192 total yards, more than anyone else in that game by 71 yards. That’s pretty impressive since everyone on the field, in the stands and watching on TV knew Florida State wanted to get the ball to Cook and nobody on Ole Miss could stop him.

He’s a dynamic runner between the tackles, he can break big runs to the outside, he’s difficult to tackle and he’s a serious threat catching passes out of the backfield. He’s a dynamic running back who can do it all and who could be in for a huge week against a tough Louisville team, too.