Risers In The CFB Saturdays College Football RB Rankings

With a few weeks of the season in the books and an opportunity to see how players have developed we have updated the College Football RB rankings. A few notes before we discuss the rankings themselves.

• The rankings will be updated throughout the season.
• Players who have not played college football are not eligible for the rankings.
• Players are graded on their college ability, not their pro potential.
• We are judging players on their film, production and physical tools.

You can view the College Football RB Rankings here.

Here is a look at a few of the running backs who have made big moves up in the rankings

Breece Hall – Iowa State

When we did our preseason rankings, we mentioned how much we loved Hall’s running style, but the production just wasn’t there to warrant having him higher on the list. We labeled him a “potential riser” and Hall has put that talent to work and produced despite the inconsistencies in the passing game and offensive line play this season. He has all of the traits a great running back needs. His vision helps him pick and choose running lanes, he has the power to break tackles and punish defenders but also has the quick feet and balance to change directions and make would be tacklers miss. Hall is a talented player who has continued to improve his game, the results have been incredible.

Hall averaged less that five yards per carry and just under 75 yards per game in 2019. He has significantly improved those numbers in 2020. Through five games, Hall is leading the country with 143.2 rushing yards per game and is third in the country with nine rushing touchdowns. He is averaging 6.3 yards per carry and has broken 100 yards rushing and scored at least one touchdown in every game this season. He looks stronger and more confident as a runner in 2020 and has blossomed into one of the best running backs in the country. Iowa State’s passing attack has been inconsistent this season, allowing teams to focus on Hall more, but that has not stopped him from performing on a weekly basis.

Khalil Herbert – Virginia Tech

Herbert’s transfer from Kansas to Virginia Tech was expected to give the Hokies running game a boost. He has become one of the top running backs in college football and has been a force in the Hokies backfield over the early part of the season. Herbert has a mature running style, he is patient at the point of attack, allowing the play to develop before accelerating through the hole. Herbert has the power to break tackles and enough speed to take a long run the distance. He runs with good balance making it difficult for defenders to get him to the ground. He has been everything the Hokies could have hoped for when he transferred into the program.

Herbert averaged almost nine yards per carry in 2019 before opting to sit out the rest of the season and transfer after four games. He has picked up right where he left off in 2020, he has 75 carries for 656 yards and 5 touchdowns through five games, averaging 8.8 yards per carry. He has also contributed big plays as a receiver catching 5 passes for 114 yards and another touchdown. Herbert has certainly provided a boost to the Hokies running game, he is on pace to become the first Virginia Tech running back to break 1,000 yards rushing since 2015. Herbert is clearly a transfer portal success story and one of the best running backs around.

Deuce Vaughn – Kansas State

Vaughn was not a highly touted recruit, he is smaller than the typical college running back (5’5″ 168 lbs) but has already made a big impact in 2020. He has excellent acceleration, showing the ability to shoot through an opening and get downfield before defenders can react. Vaughn changes directions well which has helped him make tacklers miss and create separation as a receiver. Vaughn may look like a scat back, but he runs with good power for someone his size and will run through arm tackles and make plays between the tackles. As dangerous as Vaughn is as a runner, he is equally impactful as a receiver, creating separation and catching the ball well. Kansas State has been able to use Vaughn’s versatility and make him a focal point of their offense early in his career.

Defenses have had a difficult time accounting for Vaughn because he is so effective as a runner and a receiver. He has rushed for 309 yards and 4 touchdowns on 61 carries and has caught 13 passes for 360 yards and another touchdown. With over 300 yards as a receiver and over 300 as a runner through five games, Vaughn makes it impossible for the defense to prepare for him. He is an all purpose weapon, Kansas State just has to get him touches on offense, they have gotten him 74 touches this season and Vaughn is averaging 9 yards per touch. Vaughn is an all purpose player, who will be a headache for every defensive coordinator on Kansas State’s schedule.

Tank Bigsby – Auburn

From the moment Bigsby arrived at Auburn he was expected to make a major impact as a true freshman. He was one of the top running back recruits in the country and played a position of need for the Tigers. Sure enough, in just a few games Bigsby has emerged as Auburn’s primary ball carrier and a star in the making. He runs with attitude, powering through defenders and getting yards after contact. Bigsby has good running instincts, showing an innate ability to find open space and pick up big yardage. He has the speed and quickness to turn the corner as well, making Bigsby a complete running back who is tough to contain.

Bigsby didn’t get much work the first two weeks of the season, the last three weeks he has been making up for the lost time. He has run for over 100 yards three weeks in a row and has scored his first three touchdowns of the season. Through five games, Bigsby now has 432 rushing yards on 74 carries and those three touchdowns. Add in his 11 catches for 84 yards as well as his work as a kick returner and it’s easy to see Auburn wants to put the ball in his hands as much as possible. The Tigers have been up and down so far in 2020, Bigsby’s strong running should help the team find stability the rest of the way.

Kyren Williams – Notre Dame

Williams has exploded on the scene in his second season after receiving just four carries as a true freshman in 2019. He worked hard in the off-season to get in the best possible shape and improve his speed and quickness, the hard work is now paying off. He was the catalyst for the offense in the season opener against Duke and has continued his strong play since. He has shown good running instincts picking and choosing his way behind a good offensive line to chew up yardage. Williams runs with a good blend of speed and power that allows him to break big plays but also fight for extra yardage. He has also been effective as a receiver out of the backfield, creating mismatches in the passing game and capitalizing on those opportunities. Williams has become the lead back for the Fighting Irish in a deep position group.

Notre Dame has played five games so far this season and Williams has carried the ball more than twice as many times as any other runner on the team. He has made those carries count as well, gaining 524 yards and 5 touchdowns on his 90 attempts. He has also been a steady contributor as a receiver out of the backfield, catching 10 passes for 156 yards. Williams is one of a few talented options in the backfield but he has separated himself from his peers on the field and should continue to get plenty of touches going forward. That should work out pretty well for Notre Dame as well.

Click here for the complete Top 25 RB Rankings.

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ISU vs. OSU 2019-10-26 image taken by Daniel Hartwig is licensed under CC BY 2.0.