On3’s Jesse Simonton has started releasing position group rankings for next season this week. The rankings are meant to reflect not just the ten best players at the position, but also factor in the depth of the unit.
On Tuesday, Simonton ranked the Buckeyes as the fourth-best running back unit trailing only Michigan, Alabama, and Penn State.
After an injury-riddled season at running back last season, the Buckeyes come into next season with a lot of depth and options. If both are fully healthy, Treveyon Henderson and Miyan Williams will enter the season as first and second on the depth chart.
Henderson arrived at Ohio State with a lot of hype surrounding him as the top-ranked back in the 2021 class. He quickly showed he was worth the hype rushing for 1,248 yards and 15 touchdowns as a true freshman.
TreVeyon Henderson pic.twitter.com/4U3VEPQ5Zy https://t.co/ogsR9lijwt
— Mr. Ohio (@MrOH1O) August 12, 2022
Unfortunately, last season he lacked explosiveness for much of the season as he was dealing with a foot injury throughout the season that kept him sidelined for five games. If he’s able to stay at 100 percent throughout this season, he’ll get the most touches in this offense.
Williams also dealt with injuries last season including a lower leg injury that heavily hindered him in the Michigan and Georgia games.
MIYAN WILLIAMS SEE YA LATER ✌️ pic.twitter.com/AaNt8zsOfZ
— Barstool Ohio State (@BarstoolOSU) September 3, 2021
He showed last season, however, that regardless of whether Henderson is healthy or not he’ll still get his fair share of carries. He was very efficient as a runner, breaking tackles at a high rate and leading the team with 14 rushing touchdowns.
Henderson and Williams will likely be 1-2 on the depth chart if healthy. However, there are at least two more intriguing options that will compete for consistent touches in this offense and more solid depth pieces beyond that.
Evan Pryor 👀 pic.twitter.com/fxJ2Z2pVuQ
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) April 16, 2022
Evan Pryor is a former top 100 player and sixth-ranked running back in the 2021 class. Unfortunately, he tore his ACL in fall camp last season and missed the whole year. Pryor is an electrifying back and has the talent to get touches in this offense.
The Dallan Hayden Game™️ pic.twitter.com/NCtrOry60D
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) November 20, 2022
Dallan Hayden is another very good option at running back, stepping up numerous times last season when Henderson and Williams were dealing with injuries.
As a true freshman, Hayden ran for a total of 553 yards and five touchdowns on 111 carries. This included three games of over 100 rushing yards, with a 146-yard three-touchdown performance against Maryland.
Chip Trayanum is a transfer from Arizona State who originally intended to switch positions to linebacker. However, after some injuries at running back last season, he switched back. He ended up getting some action as he had 14 carries for 83 yards in the Michigan game. He presents a good depth option as a power back.
The remaining four running backs are Cayden Saunders, TC Caffey, Will Hartson, and Chase Brecht. They aren’t likely to get significant playing time but are solid depth options to have on the roster.
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