2016 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings - RB
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theScore's draft prospect rankings are compiled by NFL editor Dan Wilkins. A list of top players available within each position group can be found at the links below.
Offense
QB | RB | WR | TE | OL
Defense
EDGE | DL | LB | CB | S
Running backs
| Rank | Player | School |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ezekiel Elliott | Ohio State |
| 2 | Derrick Henry | Alabama |
| 3 | Paul Perkins | UCLA |
| 4 | Kenneth Dixon | Louisiana Tech |
| 5 | Jonathan Williams | Arkansas |
| 6 | Jordan Howard | Indiana |
| 7 | Devontae Booker | Utah |
| 8 | Alex Collins | Arkansas |
| 9 | C.J. Prosise | Notre Dame |
| 10 | Kenyan Drake | Alabama |
- Ezekiel Elliott is far and away the top running back in this class. The Ohio State star makes the jump to the NFL boasting a truly complete skill set, making it easy to understand why he's so widely considered a generational talent. Elliott should be quick to emerge as the featured ball carrier, and quite possibly one of the league's top overall playmakers, for whichever team takes him in the top half of the opening round.
- Checking in at No. 2 is a complete freak of nature in Derrick Henry. He'll instantly be the NFL's most imposing back from a purely physical standpoint, and his combination of speed and physicality will make him a nightmare to tackle. The questions for him in the NFL, though, will be whether he has the lateral movement skills necessary to get to the second level with a line less dominant than Alabama's.
- After sitting out the entire 2015 season with a foot injury, Jonathan Williams appears unlikely to hear his name called any earlier than the middle rounds. But that just means a team is going to find itself a steal on Day 2 or 3. Williams is another running back who can be a three-down player at the next level, demonstrating both the ability to create plays for himself in the running game and contribute as a receiver out of the backfield.
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