While the NFL’s situation with its running backs is grabbing many football headlines in July, there are a few SEC running backs who will likely join that exclusive fraternity next season. The SEC’s top two running backs are some of the best in the entire country. The only conference that has better running backs returning in 2023 is the Big 10. With so much change and uncertainty at the quarterback position in the SEC, these running backs have an opportunity to carry a much larger workload in 2023. But which team can claim that they do indeed have the best SEC running back for the 2023 season?
Best SEC Running Backs Returning In 2023
5. Jase McClellan – Alabama
Stop if you have heard this one before: a stand-out player for Alabama is gone to the NFL and the previous No. 2 on the depth chart should be pretty good because they were a top 100 recruit coming out of high school. Such is the case (again) for the Tide with their talented running back Jase McClellan. Last season, even with Jahmyr Gibbs starting all year, McClellan was very productive as the second-string running back. He finished the season with 655 yards rushing and seven touchdowns. McClellan also added 14 receptions for 174 yards and three touchdowns. As Nick Saban mulls over who he will peg as the week one quarterback starter, expect McClellan to be a focal point for the Tide.
4. Jaylen Wright – Tennessee
While it is the downfield passing that gets the attention in Tennessee’s offense, it is the rushing game that is the critical factor to success. When the Vols were held to just over two yards a carry (on 42 rushing attempts) against Georgia, everyone saw how ugly it got. Quarterback Joe Milton and his arm will get all the attention this year (for good reason). But, it will be vital that Jaylen Wright has a true breakout season in 2023. Last season, Wright was Tennessee’s leading rusher with 875 yards on 146 carries and added 10 touchdowns. Much like Tennessee’s passing offense, Wright has the speed to explode for game-breaking type runs. He fished the season fifth in the SEC with five rushes over 30 or more yards and third in the league with two 50+ yard rushes. Head Coach Josh Heupel knows Wright has to take an even bigger step forward this year if the Vols are going to build off of their best season since 2001.
3. Ray Davis – Kentucky
Our next outstanding running back on this countdown to the best SEC running back returning in 2023 is wrapping up his college career with his third different program. Ray Davis started his college career at Temple, where he spent two seasons before transferring to Vanderbilt. His 2021 season was cut short due to injury, but he had a very productive year last year for the Commodores. Davis finished fourth in the SEC and 33rd nationally in rushing yards per game (86.8). He also became the 10th Commodore to rush for 1,000 yards in a single season. Davis brings his 31 career games of experience to Lexington this Fall. Kentucky has never been shy about utilizing a bell cow at the running back position. If Davis stays healthy, head coach Mark Stoops and his Wildcats could find themselves close to the top of the SEC East.
2. Raheim “Rocket” Sanders – Arkansas
No doubt that Raheim Sanders has the best nickname of the SEC running backs. And with a nickname like Rocket, he did not disappoint in 2022. He finished second in the SEC in rushing yards (1,443) and third in rushing touchdowns (10). His rushing yard totals are the fourth-most by a Razorback all-time. It was the explosive plays though that truly defined Sander’s season. He had a total of 16 carries that went for 20 or more yards in 2022. That many explosive runs were the second most in the Power Five. Sander’s productivity landed him on the All-SEC second team in 2022. Sanders has played in all 26 games since he stepped on campus in 2021. With another healthy season, Sanders should find himself alongside Darren McFadden and Felix Jones in the Arkansas record books for career accomplishments.
The Best SEC Running Back is Quinshon Judkins – Ole Miss
Quinshon Judkins isn’t just the best SEC running back returning in 2023. He very well might be the best running back in the country. As a freshman last season, he led the SEC in rushing yards (1,567) and rushing touchdowns (16). Both were new single-season rushing records at Ole Miss and earned him first-team All-SEC honors. Judkins also ranked in the Top 10 in the FBS in rushing attempts, yards, forced missed tackles, and yards after contact. Judkins also recorded 91 combined rushing first downs and touchdowns. That was good enough for fourth most in the country.
The coveted benchmark of 2,000 yards is legitimately in play. It would be the first time a SEC running back has hit that mark since 2015 when Derrick Henry rushed for 2,219 yards. The most recent players to rush for over 2,000 yards all did so in 2019: Chuba Hubbard, J.K. Dobbins, Jonathan Taylor, and Malcolm Perry. He would also become the 36th player in college football history to eclipse 2,000 rushing yards in one season. Judkins thrived in Lane Kiffin’s offense in 2022 and it should be no different in 2023.
Photo courtesy: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports
