Eagles draft: Six running back options to add behind Saquon Barkley and Kenneth Gainwell

Don’t sleep on running back as a need for the Eagles heading into the draft.

It’s not the most pressing need. For the immediate future, Saquon Barkley is poised to hold down the starting role, inking a three-year, $37.75 million deal in free agency. But Barkley is 27 years old and has dealt with various injuries throughout his career. Can he stay healthy while shouldering a heavy workload as an every-down back?

If not, there’s cause for concern. The depth at the position mostly starts and ends with Kenneth Gainwell, although Tyrion Davis-Price is an intriguing practice-squad candidate. The Eagles haven’t drafted a running back since Gainwell in the fifth round, No. 150 overall in 2021 out of Memphis, marking their longest stint without taking one since 2013-15.

This is a good draft to need a depth back and not an immediate starter. Unlike last year’s draft, which featured Bijan Robinson (No. 8 overall, Atlanta Falcons) and Jahmyr Gibbs (No. 12, Detroit Lions), the 2024 class lacks a first-round talent.

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Here’s a look at the options in the position group:

Jonathon Brooks, Texas

Brooks was the successor to Robinson at Texas last season, but he saw his first year as the starter cut short when he tore his ACL halfway through. Still, Brooks is one of the top running back prospects — if not the top — because of his strong all-around game, which fits well in any scheme. Plus, he has racked up only 238 carries through three seasons (187 last season for 1,139 yards and 10 touchdowns), so he should have plenty of mileage left on his body with a full recovery.

Brooks’ vision and patience separate him from his peers. He’s adept at identifying holes at the line of scrimmage and cutback lanes at the second and third levels of the defense. Brooks remains balanced through contact despite his long and light frame for a running back at 6-foot, 216 pounds. His short-area speed shows up in a number of areas of his game, whether he’s beating defenders to the edge or accelerating out of cuts to make them miss.

Brooks was mostly a receiving option out of the backfield early in his career, but he has shown the potential to take on more at the next level. The biggest question he’ll have to answer is if he can return to pre-injury form. He’s expected to come off the board sometime in the late second to early third round.

Jaylen Wright, Tennessee

Throw on Wright’s tape and you’ll quickly learn why he was a decorated track athlete in high school. His 4.38 second 40-yard dash time (No. 2 among running backs at the 2024 combine) translates into the explosiveness in his game. He had three carries of at least 50 yards last season, including a 76-yard touchdown run against Georgia. But it’s not just his straight-line, big-play speed that turns heads. Wright boasts an explosive first step to evade tackles and reach the next level of the defense, too. At 5-10½, 210 pounds, Wright also excels in pass protection because of his strength.

Wright, 21, was a one-year starter at Tennessee and collected 368 carries through three seasons (137 for 1,013 yards in 2023). He isn’t as experienced as other running backs in his draft class, but doesn’t have as much wear-and-tear on his body. Given his youth and his elite speed, Wright figures to be one of the early running backs to hear their names called, potentially in the third round.

Trey Benson, Florida State

Benson, who turns 22 in July, began his career at Oregon. He suffered a knee injury in practice toward the end of his freshman season, which limited him the following year and ultimately led to his transfer to Florida State. He rebounded and quickly became the starting back in coach Mike Norvell’s offense through two seasons.

His linear speed (4.39 second 40) and athleticism at his size make him one of the best running backs in the class. At 6-0, 216, Benson possesses staggering straight-line speed, which was evident in both of his 80-yard touchdowns (one rushing, one receiving) in 2023. But he tends to bounce outside to try to win the footrace rather than use his vision to find cutback lanes. Although he’s relatively tall for a running back, Benson exhibits balance to stay upright through contact and the power to bounce off tackles.

Benson has the athleticism to succeed at the NFL level. Plus, he’s young and still relatively inexperienced (316 carries for 1,918 yards and 24 touchdowns in his college career). However, his vision will need to improve to become a lead back.

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Blake Corum, Michigan

Despite being one of those shortest running backs in this year’s class at 5-8, 205 pounds, Corum has been one of the most productive. Last season at Michigan, the 23-year-old set the school’s single-season rushing touchdown record (27) and was the only player in the FBS to score in every game. That performance came on the heels of a meniscus tear late in the 2022 season.

Corum isn’t a home-run hitter with long speed like some of the others at the top of the class. However, he has great agility and vision. With his low center of gravity, Corum can maneuver through narrow rushing lanes and maintain his balance through contact to extend runs. Despite his size, Corum is quite strong (27 repetitions on the bench press at the combine), which shows up in short-yardage situations. How much will his compact size and his heavy workload over the last three seasons (649 carries) impact where teams rank him on their draft boards?

» READ MORE: Eagles could draft a running back, and MarShawn Lloyd compares to D’Andre Swift

MarShawn Lloyd, Southern California

Lloyd, who grew up an Eagles fan in Wilmington, is among the better athletes in this year’s draft class at running back. The 23-year-old doesn’t have the elite top speed that some of the others possess (4.46 second 40), but he’s still a dynamic runner capable of switching fields to take it to the house. A one-year starter at Southern California, Lloyd uses his quick feet to string together cuts and force missed tackles. He’s also a talented receiver out of the backfield (13 receptions for 232 yards in 2023).

But like Benson, Lloyd also tends to bounce to the outside in search of the big play instead of identifying a cutback lane. Lloyd has a lengthy injury history, dealing with various ailments in each of his three years at South Carolina (including a torn ACL in 2020) and his lone season at USC. As a result, Lloyd had only 291 career carries. Although he is a gifted athlete, his past injuries and average vision could take a toll on his draft stock.

Braelon Allen, Wisconsin

At 6-1, 235, Allen is as big as they come (95th percentile in both height and weight among running backs, according to MockDraftable. He was originally recruited to Wisconsin as a prospective safety or linebacker, but he ultimately stuck at running back to fill a need at the position.

Could Allen be the sleeper pick in this year’s class? He doesn’t have the elite athleticism or vision that some of his peers possess, so he projects as a late Day 2 or early Day 3 pick. However, his rare size could set him up for NFL success as a complementary back capable of excelling in the red zone. Additionally, Allen just turned 20 years old in January, making him the youngest player in the draft class. His youth could help extend his career at a position that typically sees players decline before they turn 30.