D.J. Giddens carrying the ball (Charlie Riedel/AP Photo)

Each year, teams are able to find quality runningback play from players drafted in later rounds. There are a lot of talented backs around the NFL and in the draft with a limited amount of touches to go around. So a lot of times this hinges on opportunity, as well as the team’s surrounding offense and scheme. There are several backs in this year’s class I believe have the ability to continue this trend.

D.J. Giddens, RB, Kansas State

Key Info:

Height: 6’1”

Weight: 212

Age at Draft: 21

Career Stats: 518 Att, 3,088 Yds, 23 TDs, 3 Fum. 58 Rec, 682 Yds, 4 TD.

2024 Season Stats: 206 Att, 1,343 Yds, 7 TDs, 2 Fum. 20 Rec, 258 Yds, 1 TD.

Background: 

Giddens is a former unranked recruit from Kansas who walked on at Kansas St. He redshirted his first season seeing no action. During his redshirt freshman season, he served as the team’s no. 2 RB getting work throughout the season and producing well in his role with over 600 total yards and 6 TDs. In his redshirt sophomore season, he took over starting duties with a well-rounded strong season accounting for over 1,500 total yards and 13 TDs. He returned for his redshirt junior season to build off the success he had in previous seasons accounting for roughly 1,600 total yards and 8 TDs, earning All-Conference honors.

Projection:

Giddens is a good rotational running back in an Inside Zone or Gap run scheme with starting 3-down back upside. He wins with his very good athletic ability, contact balance, and elusiveness to make many defenders miss and generate YAC. He’s a smart player with good vision and patience in the run game. He has a unique ability at his size to find tight run lanes and not just duck through them but stay balanced and keep running. He’s a skilled route runner with good instincts as a receiver, though he needs to iron out his effort and hands. He processes well as a pass blocker, but he needs better technique and physicality at the point of attack. He has three-down ability if he develops those deficiencies. Overall he’s a skilled back who should quickly find a sizable role in an offense and eventually become a starter.

Trevor Etienne, RB, Georgia

Key Info:

Height: 5’8.5”

Weight: 202

Age at Draft: 20

Career Stats: 370 Att, 2,078 Yds, 23 TDs, 4 Fum. 62 Rec, 432 Yds, 1 TD.

2024 Season Stats: 122 Att, 603 Yds, 9 TDs, 2 Fum. 32 Rec, 194 Yds.

Background:

Etienne is a former 4-star recruit from Louisiana with offers from many top FBS schools, ultimately attending Florida; brother of former Clemson, and current Jacksonville Jaguars RB, Travis Etienne. As a freshman, he played in a rotational role accounting for a little under 800 yards and 6 TDs. As a sophomore, he again played in a rotational role accounting for over 900 yards and 9 TDs. Following his sophomore season, he entered the transfer portal as a 4-star recruit ranked third overall among RBs, committing to Georgia. He was the starting runningback when healthy, producing well with just under 800 yards and 9 TDs. He has experience as a kick returner.

Projection:

Etienne is a good rotational runningback or adequate starting third-down back in any run scheme with starting three-down back upside. He wins with his very good athletic ability and burst combined with good vision and ability to force missed tackles. He processes the pass rush and blitz well and holds up as a blocker; he’s functional as a receiver making him a capable third-down back. His size is his main drawback, but his solid functional strength and combo of his athleticism and intelligence give him three-down potential despite his size limitations.

Bhayshul Tuten, RB, Virginia Tech:

Key Info:

Height: 5’9”

Weight: 211

Age at Draft: 22

Career Stats: 600 Att, 3,584 Yds, 40 TDs, 9 Fum. 87 Rec, 865 Yds, 9 TDs.

2024 Season Stats: 183 Att, 1,150 Yds, 15 TDs, 4 Fum. 23 Rec, 81 Yds, 2 TDs.

Background:

Tuten is a former unranked recruit from New Jersey who had just one offer from North Carolina A&T where he’d attend school. During his true freshman season, he served as a reserve back seeing most of his production come as a receiver, as well as serving as a kick returner. In his sophomore season, he became the starter, breaking out and dominating the FCS level with 1,700 total yards and 17 TDs; he earned FCS All-American and All-Conference honors. After this breakout season, he entered the transfer portal and was ranked a 3-star prospect. He initially committed to Boston College before flipping to Virginia Tech. He immediately became the starter and continued the success that he had at the FCS level accounting for 1,100 total yards and 12 TDs while averaging just under 30 yards per return with 2 TDs as a kick returner; he earned All-American honors as a Kick Returner and All-ACC honors as both a Runnningback and All-Purpose Back. He returned to Virginia Tech for his senior season continuing his role as a starter where he accounted for over 1,200 total yards and 17 TDs; he earned All-ACC 2nd team honors.

Projection:

Tuten is a good rotational runningback or an adequate starting third-down back in an Outside Zone run scheme with three-down back potential. He wins with his game-breaking burst and speed combined with his good vision and toughness to finish runs through contact. He’s both elusive and powerful making him unpredictable and hard to bring him down with his versatility of running styles. He also defies tackling angles with his breakaway speed. He’s a smart runner who sets up blocks and finds run lanes consistently maximizing the yardage gained. In the pass game, he processes well and is a very willing and physical blocker allowing him to hold his ground long enough; he generates yards after the catch and flashes his potential as a receiver, but some drops and lack of usage in his last season as a receiver makes his receiving ability up in the air. He proved to be a dynamic kick-returner and should continue that in the NFL. He needs to clean up his ball security, it was a notable issue his past two seasons. Overall he’s a dynamic athlete and runner who should find a role early on and could develop into a starting back with three-down capability as he continues to grow on the field.

Jo’Quavious ‘Woody’ Marks, RB, USC:

Key Info:

Height: 5’10”

Weight: 215

Age at Draft: 24

Career Stats: 611 Att, 3,057 Yds, 31 TDs, 3 Fum. 257 Rec, 1,504 Yds, 5 TDs.

2024 Season Stats: 198 Att, 1,133 Yds, 9 TDs, 1 Fum. 47 Rec, 321 Yds.

Background:

Marks is a former 4-star RB recruit from Georgia with offers from many top P4 teams, ultimately committing to Mississippi State. As a true freshman, he had a large role in the offense mainly as a receiving back recording 62 catches, 3 TDs and over 500 total yards. This role carried over for his sophomore season recording 78 catches and 460 yards with another 465 yards on the ground. His junior and senior seasons with Mississippi State were more of the same. After his four seasons, he entered the transfer portal being ranked as a 4-star prospect, transferring to USC. He started in his lone season with the Trojans and broke out on the ground rushing for over 1,100 yards and 9 TDs, and continuing his success as a receiver with 47 receptions and 321 yards.

Projection:

Marks is an adequate starting third down back and a good backup runningback in a Gap or Inside Zone run scheme, with three-down potential. He wins with his very good mental processing and vision as a runner to maximize yardage gained as well as his very good ability as a receiver out of the backfield. He should find a role quickly as a receiver but needs to further develop his blocking to strengthen his ability as a third-down back. He is a good athlete, especially changing direction with very good elusiveness to make defenders miss. His patience along with his good burst and tough running makes him a talented runner. He has the potential to be a very good starting third-down back and overall good contributing runningback.

With the resurgence in the value of runningbacks, I believe each of these prospects are currently being undervalued compared to consensus and have the chance to be impactful players. Teams now should be 2-3 backs deep on the depth chart with each being capable to serve a role. If you can find good backs without spending high draft capital, you not only have the luxury of the lesser contract and lesser value spent, but it allows a team to add more talent to the room.