Pewter Report analyzes the top players in the 2023 NFL Draft with its position previews – energized by CELSIUS, the official energy drink of Pewter Report. Scott Reynolds continues the previews with the running back position, and a comprehensive look at what the Bucs have and what they need at running back. Reynolds also provides a detailed list of this year’s top running backs and offers up the Bucs draft needs and the annual Pewter Report Bucs’ Best Bets – the most likely running back for the Bucs to select in Rounds 1-3, and in Rounds 4-7.

What The Bucs Have At Running Back

Bucs RB Rachaad White – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Tampa Bay began the 2023 offseason by releasing Leonard Fournette, the team’s starter over the last two years. Fournette disappointed last year and the team needed to save some salary cap space.

The Bucs intend on giving Rachaad White, last year’s third-round pick, the first crack at the starting job. White can do it all – run, catch the ball and pass protect – and should be a great fit for Dave Canales’ new offense, which features more wide zone runs like he ran at Arizona State.

Ke’Shawn Vaughn, a third-round pick in 2020, is in a contract year and has improved behind the scenes, but just hasn’t had many opportunities. He will vie for the backup job with newcomer Chase Edmonds, who brings quickness and is a good cutback runner. Edmonds is trying to get his career back on track after underwhelming stints in Miami and Denver. Patrick Laird, who was on the practice squad last year, rounds out the current depth chart.

What The Bucs Need At Running Back

Tampa Bay does not need to select a running back this year. The team could opt for an undrafted free agent like Central Michigan’s Lew Nichols III or Shepherd’s Ronnie Brown. But if the Bucs’ draft plans include using on a pick on a running back, it will likely be on an angry runner on Day 3. Dave Canales has had success with those types of runners like Chris Carson, a seventh-round pick, in Seattle, in addition to Thomas Rawls, an undrafted free agent.

But the Bucs could be tempted to take a speedster like Alabama’s Jahmyr Gibbs, whom the team has shown a great deal of interest in, with a second-round pick, or Texas’ Roschon Johnson in the third round. Considering the Bucs already have three backs they are fond of on the active roster, they might not want to use a high pick on a player that might be RB4. There is value in adding another rookie runner to the mix this year, as Rachaad White will be the only Bucs back that is under contract next year.

Top Running Backs In 2023 NFL Draft

*Important Note: These players are NOT listed in the order of Pewter Report’s ranking for them. Rather, the numbers are provided to show you the rough order in which we expect them to come off the board during the draft.

1. Texas RB Bijan Robinson – Junior – 5-11, 215, 4.46

Drafting a running back in the first round has proven to be bad value in the present-day NFL – unless that runner is a generational talent. Robinson has elite traits and is one of the rare running backs to earn a first-round grade. He’s a big back with a favorable mix of speed, vision, elusiveness, tackle-breaking ability and great hands.

Robinson totaled 3,410 yards and 33 touchdowns while averaging 6.3 yards per carry in three years at Texas. He also hauled in 60 catches for 805 yards and eight touchdowns with a gaudy 13.4-yard average. Robinson is a versatile, every-down weapon with the frame to touch the ball 30 times per game at the next level. Even if he’s there at No. 19, it’s unlikely the Bucs draft Robinson, as the team has more pressing needs.

2. Alabama RB Jahmyr Gibbs – Junior – 5-9, 199, 4.36

Alabama RB Jahmyr Gibbs – Photo by: USA Today

Gibbs has been likened to Saints Pro Bowler Alvin Kamara, and that’s actually a great comparison. The former Georgia Tech back transferred to Alabama and had an even better season in 2022 with 926 yards rushing and seven touchdowns while averaging 6.1 yards per carry. He also hauled in 104 catches for 1,217 yards (11.7 avg.) and eight touchdowns in his three-year collegiate career.

While not the biggest back, Gibbs’ speed in the open field and his natural receiving ability will be coveted by NFL teams. His skill set is perfect for today’s NFL, which asks a lot of running backs in the passing game on third down. Gibbs will likely be a second-round pick. There’s a chance the Bucs draft him, as the team had a formal interview at the NFL Scouting Combine and had him in for a Top 30 visit.

3. UCLA RB Zach Charbonnet – Senior – 6-0, 214, 4.53

Charbonnet is a bruising running back with great contact balance. He gets to full speed quickly and has the talent to elude would-be tacklers or barrel through them. The Michigan transfer had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons for the Bruins and averaged 7.0 yards per carry his senior season. Charbonnet totaled 39 rushing touchdowns in four years between Michigan and UCLA.

Despite being a bigger back, Charbonnet is a smooth receiver. He totaled 75 catches for 589 yards (7.9 avg.) in four years. He’s a complete back that figures to be a Day 2 pick.

4. Texas A&M RB Devane Achane – Junior – 5-8, 188, 4.32

Achane is one of the smaller running backs in this year’s draft class, but he’s also the fastest. With track star speed, he’s a weapon in space as a runner and as a receiver. Achane ran for 2,376 yards and 21 touchdowns (6.4 avg.), in addition to catching 65 passes for 554 yards (8.5 avg.) and five scores.

Achane is a high-character team leader. While he doesn’t have the frame to be an every-down back in the NFL, his value as a receiver and his ball security (only two fumbles) make him a Day 2-worthy selection.

5. Auburn RB Tank Bigsby – Junior – 5-11, 210, 4.45

With a name like Tank, Bigsby better be able to break tackles. And he certainly can break some tackles with his NFL-ready frame. He’s a power runner with good contact balance and he averaged 1,000 yards on the ground over the last two years at Auburn. Bigsby is more of a north-south runner who would excel in a gap scheme rather than a wide zone offense.

In addition to his workmanlike running style, Bigsby can also catch the ball, evidenced by 62 catches for 448 yards in his Tigers career. But with only a 7.2-yard average, he doesn’t have the creativity with the ball in his hands, or the make-you-miss quality that other backs possess. Bigsby a Day 2 pick, likely in the third round.

6. Tulane RB Tyjae Spears – Junior – 5-10, 201, 4.52

Spears wasn’t a full-time starter until his fourth year, when he exploded for 1,581 yards and 19 touchdowns on 229 carries (6.9 avg.). He ran for 200 yards and four touchdowns in a thrilling, come-from-behind win over USC in the Cotton Bowl. Spears is a very creative, elusive runner with surprising power and contact balance. He also has good hands, catching 48 passes for 564 yards (11.8 avg.) and three touchdowns.

With his ability to play all three downs, there is a place for Spears in the modern day NFL. If he was bigger, he would be a second-round pick, but he’s more likely a third-rounder.

7. Texas RB Roschon Johnson – Senior – 6-0, 219, 4.58

Texas RB Roschon Johnson – Photo by: USA Today

Johnson started off as a quarterback before transitioning to running back in college. He spent the last three years as the backup to Bijan Robinson, but didn’t transfer or complain about his lack of playing time. Texas coaches rave about his leadership and his team-first attitude. When Johnson did touch the ball, he made things happen, rushing for 2,190 yards and 23 touchdowns (5.6 avg.) in four years.

He also caught 56 passes for 420 yards (7.5 avg.) and three TDs. Johnson runs with a nice mix of power and agility. He’s got decent speed, but he’s not a burner. Still, he has a skill set that warrants a third- or fourth-round pick. Johnson could be in the Bucs’ draft plans, as the team had him in for a Top 30 visit.

8. TCU RB Kendre Miller – Junior – 5-11, 215, (N/A)

Miller was a quality rotational runner until 2022, when he burst into the scene with a 1,399-yard season where he scored 17 touchdowns and averaged 6.2 yards per carry. Miller suffered a late-season knee injury in the college football playoffs that required surgery, so he was unable to run the 40-yard dash. But he’s not the fastest back. Instead, he uses power and the ability to always fall forward to pick up yards.

Miller has limited receiving skills, but his power and craftiness are enough for him to carve out a career in the NFL as a starter or a reserve. Miller will likely be a third- or fourth-round pick.

9. Pittsburgh RB Israel Abanikanda – Junior – 5-10, 216, 4.44

Abanikanda has tantalizing breakaway speed that allowed him to rip off several long touchdowns in college. But those holes and alleys won’t be there nearly as regularly in the NFL. While he has good speed and elusiveness, Abanikanda lacks power and contact balance despite his muscular frame.

He ran for 1,431 yards and 20 touchdowns last year while averaging 6.0 yards per carry. The Pitt star is a limited receiver and that won’t do him any favors on draft day. Abanikanda is likely a Day 3 pick and a fourth-round selection.

10. Ole Miss RB Zach Evans – Junior – 5-11, 202, 4.50

Evans split time with Kendre Miller at TCU before transferring to Ole Miss for his junior season, where he ran for 936 yards and nine touchdowns while averaging 6.5 yards per carry. He comes with some medical and character questions that need to be investigated, but he is a good creator with the ball in his hands, and has underrated hands.

Evans is best suited to be a change-of-pace back at the next level and a likely Day 3 selection. Tampa Bay had a Zoom meeting with Evans prior to the draft and he could be a potential Bucs draft pick.

Best Of The Rest

11. Illinois RB Chase Brown – Senior – 5-9, 209, 4.43

The twin brother of Illinois safety Sydney Brown, Chase Brown is a muscular, compactly built runner with 3,558 yards and 18 touchdowns in five years at Illinois. He had breakthrough season last year, when he carried the ball 328 times for 1,643 yards (5.0 avg.) and caught 37 passes for 240 yards (9.0 avg.) and three TDs. Brown will be a good, productive, rotational back in the NFL and a Day 3 pick.

12. Oklahoma RB Eric Gray – Senior – 5-9, 207, 4.62

Gray is a versatile back that can run the ball and catch equally as well. He ran for 1,366 yards and 11 touchdowns (6.4 avg.) as a senior, in addition to catching 33 passes for 229 yards. He totaled 99 catches for 827 yards (8.4 avg.) and five TDs as a receiver out of the backfield. Gray is a limited athlete with average speed, which makes him a Day 3 pick.

13. UAB RB Dewayne McBride – Junior – 5-10, 209 (N/A)

McBride had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons for the Blazers, including a 1,713-yard campaign in 2022 where he ran for 19 touchdowns and averaged 7.4 yards per carry. McBride is a no-nonsense power back with enough speed and elusiveness in the open field to break off some big runs. While his innate contact balance is a plus, his lack of receiving ability is a minus. McBride caught just five passes for 29 yards in college and is a Day 3 selection.

14. Kansas State RB Deuce Vaughn – Junior – 5-5, 179, 4.56

Vaughn had back-to-back seasons where he averaged nearly 1,500 yards rushing, and he totaled 34 rushing touchdowns at K-State. At 5-foot-5, his size is a major drawback, and he lacks elite speed (4.56). But Vaughn is a quick, shifty, elusive runner with enough power to slip some tackles. He’s also a fantastic receiver with 116 catches for 1,280 yards (11 avg.) and nine TDs in three years. He met with running backs coach Skip Peete and could be a Bucs draft option in the fifth round.

15. East Carolina RB Keaton Mitchell – Junior – 5-8, 179, 4.37

East Carolina RB Keaton Mitchell – Photo by: USA Today

Mitchell is undersized, but one of the fastest and most explosive running backs in this draft class. He ran for back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, including 1,452 yards in 2022 with 14 TDs and averaging 7.2 yards per carry. Mitchell is an accomplished receiver with 60 catches for 580 yards and three TDs in three seasons with the Pirates. His frame won’t allow him to be a feature back at the next level, but he could be an effective change-of-pace back as a Day 3 pick.

16. Georgia RB Kenny McIntosh – Senior – 6-0, 204, 4.62

McIntosh is a solid, but unspectacular running back. He lacks elite traits that have made other Georgia running backs more desirable at the next level. McIntosh’s best season came as a senior, when he ran for 829 yards and 10 touchdowns (5.5 avg.), while catching 43 passes for 504 yards (11.7 avg.) and a pair of scores. His average speed (4.62) makes him a Day 3 pick, likely in the fifth or sixth rounds.

17. Syracuse RB Sean Tucker – Junior – 5-9, 207, (N/A)

Tucker had a pair of 1,000-yard seasons at Syracuse and he totaled 27 touchdowns on the ground in three years. While he caught 64 passes for 622 yards and four TDs, he had 10 drops, which is concerning. Tucker was flagged for a medical issue at the Combine and was unable to work out. He’s projected as a late-round pick as a result.

18. Kentucky RB Chris Rodriguez Jr. – Senior – 5-11, 217, 4.51

Rodriguez played for five seasons at Kentucky where he ran for 3,644 yards and 32 touchdowns (6.2 avg.). He’s a big, bulldozer back who runs with power and not much finesse. Rodriguez is tough and fights for yards, but his drawback is in the passing game, where he caught just 20 passes for 116 yards (5.8 avg.) and three touchdowns in his career. That makes him a two-down back in the NFL and a late-round pick.

19. Northwestern RB Evan Hull – Senior – 5-10, 209, 4.47

Hull was a two-year starter at Northwestern, where he ran for 1,009 yards and seven touchdowns (5.1 avg.) as a junior and 913 yards and five scores (4.1 avg.) as a senior. He brings value as a receiver, where he caught 94 passes for 851 yards (9.1 avg.) and four scores – most of which came in the last two seasons. Hull is a hard-nosed, versatile back who could be a late-round value.

20. Minnesota RB Mohamed Ibrahim – Senior – 5-7, 203, (N/A)

Including a redshirt season, a medical redshirt year and a COVID super senior season, Ibrahim was at Minnesota for six years. He had three 1,000-yard seasons, and saved his best for last with 1,665 yards and 20 touchdowns on 320 carries (5.2 avg.). Ibrahim is a power back with runs with authority and has had success in a zone scheme. He only totaled 22 catches for 145 yards (6.6 avg.) and is 25 years old. That makes him a likely sixth- or seventh-round pick.

Bucs’ Best Bets: Running Back

Bucs’ Best Bet – Rounds 1-3: Texas RB Roschon Johnson

Tampa Bay has more pressing needs than running back on Day 1 and Day 2. But if a running back is in the Bucs’ draft plans and they want to grab a premier rusher, Texas’ Roschon Johnson makes a lot of sense. Dave Canales wants a physical back who can break tackles, and the powerful Johnson did that an amazing rate last year.

Because he served as Bijan Robinson’s backup, Johnson has plenty of tread left on his tires as he heads to the NFL. Johnson has great hands and a firm understanding of the passing game from his roots as a quarterback. He is a great leader and teammate and could be the perfect back to pair with Rachaad White for the long-term.

Bucs’ Best Bet – Rounds 4-7: Minnesota RB Mohamed Ibrahim

It’s more likely that the Bucs use their draft capital on other positions with early picks and save drafting a running back until late on Day 3. If the Bucs’ draft plans call for selecting an angry runner, Minnesota’s Mohamed Ibrahim could be targeted in the sixth round. At 5-foot-7, 209 pounds, Ibrahim is a bowling ball who runs with power and authority.

He has a no-nonsense running style that allows him to break tackles and pick up a lot of yards after contact. He’s more slippery than fast, and he has a nose for the end zone near the goal line. Ibrahim is an older, more mature player at age 25, which could help his transition to the pros – even if it means a shorter NFL shelf life.