Over the years, there have been a multitude of SEC running backs that have seen success during their college careers. Several running backs that were trailblazers at the position were Herschel Walker, Bo Jackson, Shaun Alexander, Emmitt Smith, and Joseph Addai. Each of which were able to have success for their respective college teams and translate their achievements to the next level.
Several programs that have developed some of the top running backs in the last decade are the Alabama Crimson Tide, LSU Tigers, and Georgia Bulldogs.
Roll Tide Wire ranks the top 10 SEC running backs from the last decade.
10. Josh Robinson, Mississippi State Bulldogs
In 2014, the Mississippi State Bulldogs had the one of the best seasons in program history. A key reason for that was Mississippi State’s offensive attack led by quarterback Dak Prescott and running back Josh Robinson. Robinson was known as the “bowling ball”. His downhill rushing style is one that many SEC football fans will recall. As a junior, Robinson had 1,203 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. The best game of Robinson’s career came against Kentucky during his junior season. He had 23 carries for 198 yards and two touchdowns. The Louisiana native kicks off the list of the top SEC running backs in the last decade at No. 10.
The main reason that former Georgia Bulldogs running back Todd Gurley is at No. 9 on this list is because he played one season in the last decade. His junior year and final season in college came in 2014. Gurley was a workhorse during his junior season despite playing in just six games due to injury. He had 123 carries for 911 yards and nine touchdowns. At that pace, he was on pace to have over 1,800 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns over the course of a full season.
Gurley was a key piece of the Bulldogs backfield and was the first of several Georgia tailbacks to have success in the last decade.
8. Ralph Webb, Vanderbilt Commodores
Over the years, the Vanderbilt football program has struggled to sustain success. One player that was able to provide a sense of consistency for the Commodores was running back Ralph Webb. In four seasons with the Commodores, Webb had 931 carries for 4,173 yards and 32 touchdowns. The best season of his college career came in 2016 during his junior season. He had 250 carries for 1,283 yards and 13 touchdowns. Following the season, he was named as a Second-team All-SEC selection. Webb will go down as one of the best ball carriers in Vanderbilt football history.
One of the most interesting college careers that I have seen in recent memory is Alvin Kamara’s. The Georgia native began his college career with the Alabama Crimson Tide. After one season with the Crimson Tide, Kamara transferred to Hutchinson Community College. He spent one season there before transferring to the Tennessee Volunteers.
In two seasons with the Volunteers, Kamara made quite the name for himself. He had 210 carries for 1,294 yards and 16 touchdowns. Despite starting in eight of the 24 games that he played in, Kamara performed well enough to make this list. His ability to affect the game as both a runner and pass-catcher is second to none. The interesting thing about Kamara is that he is a balanced, all-around back. That is what made him so special during his time in Knoxville.
The Arkansas Razorbacks have had multiple elite running backs over the years. Former running backs Darren McFadden and Felix Jones helped pave the way for future backs. One of which was former four-star recruit Alex Collins. The Florida native had an impressive college career to say the least. In three seasons in Fayetteville, Collins had 665 carries for 3,703 yards and 36 touchdowns. After the conclusion of his junior season, Collins was named a Second-team All-SEC selection. He was a workhorse and made things difficult on opposing defenses during his time as a Razorback.
5. Najee Harris, Alabama Crimson Tide
The Alabama Crimson Tide have been known to produce some of the best running backs. One of those running backs that was able to develop and produce for the Crimson Tide was former five-star recruit Najee Harris. The California native spent four seasons in Tuscaloosa. Harris played in 55 games in four seasons. He was quite the workhorse in Alabama’s backfield. Over the course of his college career, Harris has 638 carries for 3,843 yards and 46 touchdowns. One of the more impressive statistics is the fact that Harris also reeled in 80 receptions for 781 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Harris was a unanimous All-American and Doak Walker Award winner in 2020. In addition, he finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting. Harris was an all-around back that found multiple ways to impact the game. That is what made him such a valuable asset to Alabama’s offense during his college career.
One of the top-ranked recruits to ever come out of the state of Louisiana was five-star running back Leonard Fournette. Despite fielding offers from a multitude of power-five programs, Fournette chose to commit to the LSU Tigers. In three seasons in Baton Rouge, Fournette rushed for 3,830 yards and 40 touchdowns.
As a junior, Fournette was named a First-team All-SEC selection and Consensus All-American. He had the ability to make opposing defenses pay with his physical rushing attack. Fournette is arguably one of the most physically imposing ball carriers in SEC history.
3. Benny Snell Jr., Kentucky Wildcats
One of the best tailbacks in Kentucky Wildcats football history was Benny Snell Jr. The Ohio native spent three seasons in Lexington and created a lot of value for himself. In three seasons with the Wildcats, Snell Jr. had 737 carries for 3,873 yards and 48 touchdowns. In 2018, Snell Jr. became one of four running backs to rush for over 1,000 yards in three consecutive seasons. The other three were Herschel Walker, Darren McFadden, and Herschel Walker. Not to mention, he is the school’s all-time rushing yards leader.
Snell Jr. may be the best tailback in program history and makes a strong case to be one of the best overall players in program history given his resume.
2. Nick Chubb, Georgia Bulldogs
There is no denying the fact that Herschel Walker is the best running back that ever wore a Georgia Bulldogs uniform. However, a strong case could also be made for Georgia native and former five-star recruit Nick Chubb. In four seasons in Athens, Chubb rushed for 4,769 yards and 44 touchdowns. During his senior season, Chubb passed former SEC running backs Kevin Faulk and Darren McFadden to become the conference’s second in all-time rushing yards. The only player that he trailed was Walker.
Chubb tied Walker’s record of 13 consecutive 100-yard games as a sophomore. That is a very impressive feat to accomplish for a sophomore. Needless to say, Chubb makes a case to be one of the best running backs in SEC history.
In 2015, former Alabama Crimson Tide running back Derrick Henry became the seventh running back from the SEC to win the Heisman Trophy. The Florida native broke Herschel Walker’s record for most rushing yards in a single season as a junior. In addition, he also received several prestigous awards following his junior season. He was named the winning recipient of the Doak Walker Award, Maxwell Award, and Walter Camp Award.
Over the course of his college career, Henry tallied 3,591 rushing yards and 42 touchdowns. Henry makes a strong case to be the best running back in Alabama football history. His powerful rushing attack presented a lot of problems for opposing defenses. Defesine coordinators would be forced to stack the box to try and neutralize Henry. Oftentimes, that didn’t even work. For these reasons, Henry comes in at No. 1 on the list of former SEC running backs in the last decade.
This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: Ranking the top 10 SEC running backs from the last decade
