Travis Etienne is the top option for a team looking to give its backfield a boost
Even though just one running back has been taken in the first round of each of the last two NFL drafts that doesn't mean the position is a complete afterthought in 2021. Travis Etienne will likely be the first running back to come off of the board but he may not be the only one taken when the first round takes place on April 29.
As part of Athlon Sports' 2021 NFL Draft Guide, we have ranked each position, including 25 running backs. How many of these are taking throughout the seven rounds is definitely worth watching. A total of 18 running backs were drafted last year, the fewest since 2010 (13).
2021 NFL Draft: Running Back Rankings
| Rk | Player | School |
| 1 | Travis Etienne | Clemson |
| 2 | Najee Harris | Alabama |
| 3 | Javonte Williams | North Carolina |
| 4 | Kenneth Gainwell | Memphis |
| 5 | Chuba Hubbard | Oklahoma State |
| 6 | Michael Carter | North Carolina |
| 7 | Pooka Williams Jr. | Kansas |
| 8 | Khalil Herbert | Virginia Tech |
| 9 | Jermar Jefferson | Oregon State |
| 10 | Rhamondre Stevenson | Oklahoma |
| 11 | Trey Sermon | Ohio State |
| 12 | Kylin Hill | Mississippi State |
| 13 | Jaret Patterson | Buffalo |
| 14 | Demetric Felton | UCLA |
| 15 | Javian Hawkins | Louisville |
| 16 | Elijah Mitchell | Louisiana |
| 17 | Larry Rountree III | Missouri |
| 18 | Stephen Carr | USC |
| 19 | Chris Evans | Michigan |
| 20 | Trey Ragas | Louisiana |
| 21 | Mekhi Sargent | Iowa |
| 22 | Caleb Huntley | Ball State |
| 23 | Gary Brightwell | Arizona |
| 24 | Rakeem Boyd | Arkansas |
| 25 | Stevie Scott III | Indiana |
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