Last season, the running back position took the nation by storm thanks to Ashton Jeanty. Do the top returning running backs for 2025 have a clear-cut leader and potentially a Heisman candidate? Or like the changing of the times, is it more of a running-back-by-committee approach to our rankings?
12) Eli Heidenreich, RB, Navy
If you’re not aware of who Eli Heidenreich is or are unsure as to his legitimacy on this list of the top 100 returning college football players, go throw on some Navy Midshipmen tape and be prepared to have your world shook. Heidenreich is a 6’0”, 201-pound force of nature with rare athletic capabilities.
An adept rusher with the vision and contact balance to rip of chunk plays, he’s also a dangerous factor in the receiving game who has the spatial awareness and body control to make some highlight-reel catches.
11) Desmond Reid, RB, Pittsburgh
If you look up the definition of an all-purpose running back in the 2025 college football dictionary, there’s a good chance that you’ll find a picture of Pittsburgh Panthers’ Desmond Reid alongside the description.
When Reid wasn’t rushing for 100+ yards in a game (which he did four times, including the bowl game against the Toledo Rockets), he was registering 100+ yard receiving outings (vs. North Carolina and Clemson) and even hit triple digits for rushing and receiving against the Cincinnati Bearcats.
10) Darius Taylor, RB, Minnesota
When healthy, Darius Taylor is one of the top running backs in college football. He missed half of what should have been a 1,000+ yard freshman campaign and followed up last year with five 100+ yard outings and was just 14 yards shy of the elusive 1,000 yards.
He’s a big-play threat who eats up ground without being the fastest back in the country while being able to lower the shoulder and break tackles to grind out extra yardage after contact. Last year, he demonstrated his receiving ability, too.
9) Jonah Coleman, RB, Washington
Consistently one of the most underrated running backs in the country, Jonah Coleman had a stellar season amongst a difficult first season in the Big Ten for the Washington Huskies.
The former Arizona running back tallied a career-high 1,053 rushing yards and surpassed his career touchdown total in just one season with 10 rushing scores. He’s never averaged less than five yards per carry and is a monster who breaks tackles and adds yardage after contact for fun.
8) Kanye Udoh, RB, Arizona State
You don’t simply replace an impact player like Cam Skattebo, but the Arizona State Sun Devils dipped into the transfer portal and pulled out a rare commodity in Kanye Udoh. The former Army Black Knight back is a 6’0”, 215-pound ball of fury who is coming off the first 1,000+ yard season of his career.
He’s a bruiser with the speed and contact balance to rip off big plays, and half of his 2024 production came after contact. He will also prove valuable as a blocker for quarterback Sam Leavitt. Don’t sleep on his impact.
7) Caden Durham, RB, LSU
LSU Tigers running back Caden Durham was a top 10 fastest prospect in the 2024 recruiting class and immediately set about showcasing that speed on Saturdays. He’s much more than just a pace back, however, with the ability to break tackles with impressive strength and contact balance.
He’s equally adept at receiving back, adding further to his value. If LSU runs the ball more in 2025, his production should rocket.
6) Isaac Brown, RB, Louisville
The 2025 college football season will be stacked at the running back position, and Isaac Brown is a name that should be heard a lot during the fall. He’s fresh off a commanding freshman campaign where he paced the Louisville Cardinals offense with 1,173 rushing yards at 7.11 yards per carry with 11 touchdowns.
A true pace back, Brown earned CSN Freshman All-American honors for his performances and is on an upward trajectory.
5) Nicholas Singleton, RB, Penn State
It says Nicholas Singleton in the header here, but really it should be a hybrid between Singleton and teammate Kaytron Allen. The two Penn State Nittany Lions running backs combined for over 2,200 yards and 20 touchdowns last fall as a legitimate thunder and lightning backfield.
While Allen is favored by some Penn State fans, Singleton is clearly the more talented of the two, with his receiving prowess set to be more important than ever to quarterback Drew Allar’s success this fall.
4) Makhi Hughes, RB, Oregon
The Oregon Ducks offense lost playmakers at every position, but their ground game shouldn’t skip a beat after luring former Tulane Green Wave running back Makhi Hughes to Eugene. Hughes earned a CSN All-American honorable mention after rushing for 1,401 yards (10th nationally) and 15 touchdowns.
MORE: 2025 Way-Too-Early College Football Top 25 Power Rankings
One of the fastest running backs in college football (verified by Reel Analytics) he has the vision and drive to get the job done anywhere on the field.
3) Fluff Bothwell, RB, Mississippi State
There are a number of elite Group of Five running backs making the jump to the Power Four level, and Fluff Bothwell is one of the best of them. He came up just shy of 1,000 yards for the South Alabama Jaguars but averaged 7.5 yards per carry while leading the Sun Belt with 13 rushing touchdowns and earning CSN Freshman All-American honors.
His speed makes him difficult to track down in the open field, and his contact balance ensures broken tackles are commonplace. The Mississippi State Bulldogs’ offense got a lot more exciting with his offseason acquisition.
2) Ahmad Hardy, RB, Missouri
Ahmad Hardy led all freshmen running backs with 1,351 rushing yards for the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks last fall, and he returns to college football in 2025 with the Missouri Tigers, looking to prove himself at the SEC level.
He’s one of the most elusive players you’ll see this coming season while having the strength to stiff-arm the best defensive players attempting to stop him. He’s easily one of the top running backs in the country, and his impact is being felt in recruiting for the team he departs.
1) Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
No returning running back in the 2025 college football season had more rushing touchdowns last fall than Notre Dame Fighting Irish star Jeremiyah Love. Meanwhile, only one other back who carried the ball over 150 times in 2024 averaged more than his 6.9 yards per carry. Furthermore, no other returning back registered more than the Notre Dame running back’s four rushes of over 60 yards last fall.
The most impressive thing amongst the statistical accolades Love amassed last season is that they don’t define his contributions to the sport. The Notre Dame back has explosive, home-hitting capability, but his lower body strength and contact balance make him a dangerous short-yardage threat. He’s also an adept pass catcher, making him a practically unstoppable offensive weapon.
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