Rivals Rankings Week: Breaking down the 2024 RBs
With the updated Rivals250 being unveiled Tuesday, it's time to dive into the position rankings. The offensive position rankings are being released today, and next up are the running backs.
UPDATED 2024 RANKINGS: Pro-Style QB | Dual-Threat QB | All-Purpose Back | Running Back | Wide Receiver | Tight End | Defensive Tackle | Strongside Defensive End | Weakside Defensive End | Outside Linebacker | Inside Linebacker | Cornerback | Safety
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RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK
Sunday: Who should be No. 1?
Monday: Five-star countdown | Meet the new five-stars
Tuesday: Rivals 250 released | Ten prospects on the verge of five-star status | Gorney's thoughts
Wednesday: Offensive position rankings released | QB rankings spotlight | RB rankings spotlight | WR/TE rankings spotlight | OL rankings spotlight
Thursday: Defensive position rankings released | DL rankings spotlight | LB rankings spotlight | DB rankings spotlight
Friday: State rankings released | Who will finish as top RB?
Saturday: Rankings Roundtable
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1. No. 1 at the position: Kameron Davis
The Florida State commit remains the No. 1 running back in the 2024 class, but the conversation has heated up about some others as the recruiting cycle heads through the summer.
Kameron Davis accounted for more than 3,800 yards playing quarterback and running back in his junior season. Plus, he has the body type – shorter, stout and muscular – to withstand the hits.
But Michigan running back Jordan Marshall, four-star Taylor Tatum (who has USC and Oklahoma among his favorites), Penn State pledge Quinton Martin and Georgia pledge Chauncey Bowens are storming up the charts and making a push for No. 1.
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2. Two teams to watch: USC and Georgia
The Trojans signed two four-star running backs from the state of Texas last recruiting cycle, and they could be going back to the well again in 2024.
USC has already landed a commitment from Bryan Jackson out of McKinney, Texas, and it looks like the leader for Taylor Tatum, especially after a recent visit back to Los Angeles. The Longview, Texas, standout will be at his other favorite this weekend (Oklahoma) for the ChampU BBQ, so that will be something to watch, but the Trojans are out in front.
As for Georgia, the Bulldogs flipped four-star Chauncey Bowens from Florida over the weekend and there were some rumors that Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei’s Nathaniel Frazier was not far behind. That could still be the case as Frazier loved his trip to Athens, but Alabama, Oregon and others are pursuing as well.
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3. Three players in the spotlight: Jordan Marshall, Jerrick Gibson, Darrion Dupree
Marshall has largely stayed out of the limelight this offseason and he has a reputation for not really talking much about his recruitment. But he might be the best running back in the class. The Cincinnati Moeller standout is outstanding on tape, he's fast and difficult to tackle, and could be a future star for the Wolverines.
In all the talk of other top running backs, Gibson should not be forgotten. He’s still arguably the best player at his position in the entire class. He has the physical makeup to be special and Texas feels like it’s going to parachute back into the state of Florida to land the Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy standout.
Dupree is definitely one of the more interesting backs in the class – if not the most discussed. The four-star all-purpose back could be a key cog in Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell’s first full recruiting class and a new-look option in the Badgers’ backfield. But Illinois and others are not giving up on the Chicago Mt. Carmel standout.