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SEC Football: Ranking the Top 10 Running Backs entering 2023 season

By Elliot Reeder

OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI - NOVEMBER 12: Quinshon Judkins #4 of the Mississippi Rebels carries the ball during the game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on November 12, 2022 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)
OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI - NOVEMBER 12: Quinshon Judkins #4 of the Mississippi Rebels carries the ball during the game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on November 12, 2022 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images) /
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Auburn Tigers running back Jarquez Hunter (Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images) /

4. Jase McClellan – Alabama

2022 Stats: 112 carries, 655 rushing yards, 14 receptions, 174 receiving yards, 10 total TD’s

After being the #2 RB for Alabama behind Jahmyr Gibbs (who is off to the NFL) last season, McClellan now seems destined to step into the spotlight in year #4 in Tuscaloosa. McClellan has 175 carries, 1,091 rushing yards, 25 receptions, 272 receiving yards, and 16 total TD’s for his career while averaging 6.2 yards per carry. McClellan has performed well in his role throughout his career and will now get rewarded with the opportunity to likely be the feature back for Alabama. McClellan was named preseason second team All-SEC.

The thing that could work against McClellan (as with several others we have already mentioned on this list) is that Alabama has a loaded backfield. Roydell Williams, Justice Haynes, Jam Miller, and Richard Young will all likely get a decent amount of carries this season. The Tide are also seemingly returning a bit to their “old days”/early Saban era style of play (more of an emphasis on physicality, the running game, and defense), which should bode well for McClellan.

3. Jarquez Hunter – Auburn

2022 Stats: 104 carries, 668 rushing yards, 17 receptions, 224 receiving yards, 9 total TD’s

After sharing the backfield and splitting carries the last two years with Tank Bigsby, Jarquez Hunter will now get to step into his own as Auburn’s go-to back and earns himself a spot in our top three on this list. The rising junior has career numbers of 193 carries, 1,261 rushing yards, 6.5 yards per carry, 29 receptions, 285 receiving yards, and 13 total touchdowns. Hunter ranked third in the SEC last year in yards per carry in 2022.

The former three-star has exceeded his recruiting profile so far in his career, somewhat surprisingly taking a fair number of carries away from the immensely talented Bigsby. Most people expected Bigsby to be a workhorse back the past two seasons, but Hunter’s talent necessitated that he get a lot of carries as well. Now Hunter gets his chance as the #1 guy. Hunter was named preseason third team All-SEC.

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