Look, the 2024 draft was a weird one for anyone who loves a good old-fashioned bell-cow back. For the first time in what felt like forever, we didn't see a single runner go in the first round. Not one. It felt like the NFL was collectively telling every college running back to just sit tight and wait. Honestly, it was a bit of a slap in the face to a position that used to define the league.
But that doesn't mean the talent wasn't there. It just means the value has shifted, and if you weren't paying attention to how these 2024 NFL draft running backs were being evaluated, you probably missed the real story. Teams weren't looking for the next Saquon Barkley or Bijan Robinson; they were looking for specific puzzle pieces to fit into very specific systems. It’s kinda fascinating when you dig into the "why" behind the wait.
The Long Wait for Jonathon Brooks
Jonathon Brooks was the consensus RB1 for most of the draft cycle, yet he had to sit there and watch 45 other names get called before the Carolina Panthers finally pulled the trigger at pick 46. Why? The ACL. Plain and simple. He tore it in November, and in a league where "availability is the best ability," that’s a massive red flag.
Despite the injury, Brooks is basically a clone of Jamaal Charles if you squint hard enough. He’s smooth. He’s got that "wiggle" that makes defenders look like they're trying to tackle a ghost. At Texas, he was averaging 6.1 yards per carry before his knee gave out. The Panthers didn't just draft a runner; they drafted a potential three-down focal point for Dave Canales’ new offense. But don't expect him to be the savior on Day 1. Recovery takes time, and the NFL is a different beast than the Big 12.
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Trey Benson and the Arizona Gamble
Then you've got Trey Benson, who went to the Arizona Cardinals at pick 66. Benson is a "traits" guy. If you were building a back in a lab, he’d look a lot like Benson—6 feet tall, 216 pounds, and a 4.39 40-yard dash. That’s elite speed for a guy that size.
- The Upside: He’s a tackle-breaking machine.
- The Concern: He only had one game with more than 20 carries in college.
Some scouts were worried about his vision. They'd say he spends too much time looking for "greener grass" instead of just hitting the hole that's actually there. In Arizona, he’s playing behind James Conner, which is actually the perfect situation. He doesn't have to be "the guy" immediately. He can learn when to bounce it outside and when to just lower his head and get the dirty three yards.
The Michigan Workhorse: Blake Corum
Nobody has more "football character" than Blake Corum. The guy was the heartbeat of Michigan’s national championship run. He scored 27 touchdowns in a single season! Think about that. That’s almost two touchdowns every single week.
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When the Los Angeles Rams took him at 83, it raised some eyebrows because they already have Kyren Williams. But Sean McVay loves guys who understand blitz protections and can finish a drive. Corum is short (5'8") but he’s built like a fire hydrant. He’s not going to outrun an NFL secondary, but he will absolutely embarrass a linebacker who takes a bad angle in the red zone. He’s the ultimate "reliable" back in this 2024 class.
Why the League Soured on "Star" Backs
You've probably noticed that teams just don't want to pay running backs anymore. This draft was the culmination of that trend. We saw guys like Jaylen Wright (Tennessee) and MarShawn Lloyd (USC) slide further than their highlights suggested they would. Wright is a home-run hitter—25% of his carries went for 10+ yards—but teams are scared of "system" backs.
The Tennessee offense is so spread out that Wright often saw "light boxes" (fewer defenders near the line). NFL scouts kept asking: "Can he do this when there are eight guys in the box and a 300-pound defensive tackle is staring him in the face?" That uncertainty is why he lasted until the 4th round.
Making Sense of the 2024 Crop
If you’re looking at these 2024 NFL draft running backs for your fantasy team or just to understand your favorite team's roster, you have to stop thinking about them as superstars. Think of them as specialists.
- Audric Estimé (Denver): He’s a thumper. He’s slow (4.71 40-yard dash), but he’s basically a human bowling ball.
- Bucky Irving (Tampa Bay): He’s the opposite. Tiny, shifty, and a great receiver. He’s a change-of-pace weapon.
- Braelon Allen (NY Jets): He was only 20 years old on draft day. He’s massive (235 lbs) and serves as the perfect "thunder" to Breece Hall’s "lightning."
The narrative that this class was "weak" is sort of a lie. It was just different. It lacked the blue-chip prospect at the top, but the depth in the middle rounds was actually pretty decent. Most of these guys are going to be valuable contributors in a committee, which is exactly how the modern NFL works anyway.
To really track how these guys are doing, watch the snap counts, not just the yards. In the 2024 season, we saw Benson and Corum slowly integrated into their offenses. Brooks had the toughest road due to the PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) list, but his talent is undeniable once that knee is 100%.
If you want to keep an eye on who might break out next, pay attention to the "dead zone" of the draft. Ray Davis in Buffalo and Tyrone Tracy Jr. with the Giants are two names that scouts loved because of their versatility. Tracy, specifically, is a converted wide receiver. In a league that's obsessed with "positionless" players, he might end up being the biggest steal of the entire 2024 running back class.
Next Steps for Evaluation:
- Check the weekly snap share for Jonathon Brooks to see if the Panthers are finally trusting him as a three-down back.
- Monitor red zone touches for Blake Corum; his value is tied almost entirely to his ability to sniff out the goal line.
- Look for missed tackles forced (MTF) stats for Trey Benson to see if his college elusiveness is actually translating to the faster pro game.