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Top-5 Buckeyes Running Backs in the Modern Era of Ohio State Football

Anthony Moeglin · Roundtable Sports

Tue, Jun 16, 2026 ·

4 min read

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Pick a position for Ohio State, and there have been elite players at it who have thrived in the Scarlet and Gray for most of the Buckeyes' recent history.

These exercises can be manipulated in many different ways. For me, we are going to look at just the modern era of Ohio State football , and for that, we will go back 30 years and cap the evaluation there.

Players like Eddie George, Archie Griffin, or Tim Spencer can't quite qualify for this evaluation.

From 1996 through today, the Buckeyes have had a very healthy pipeline at the position. The Buckeyes get to recruit in the best pools in the country, but that is only half the battle. When the players get to Columbus, Ohio State has to develop them. They haven't had any problem doing that.

Here are my Top-5 Running Backs since 1996.

5. Carlos Hyde

Carlos Hyde was a warrior in his four-year Ohio State career. Hyde was an absolute workhorse for the Buckeyes in his four years.

He had carries from 2010 through 2013, but his freshman season was by far his least productive. From his sophomore campaign through his senior year, he carried the ball over 100 times in three consecutive years. The crowned jewel of his career was his final season in 2013. Hyde had 1,521 yards and 15 touchdowns on 208 carries.

Over his career, he had over 3,000 yards, he averaged 6.1 yards per carry, and had a staggering 41 total touchdowns on the ground and through the air. He was a key member of the end of the Jim Tressel era and the beginning of the Urban Meyer era, and they were some of the best teams in Ohio State History.

4. Chris "Beanie" Wells

Chris "Beanie" Wells was the heart and soul of the Ohio State team from 2006-08, and when Buckeyes fans think about the early 2000s era, Wells comes to mind. Although he played in three seasons, he did the majority of his damage in his junior and senior seasons.

It was in those years that he went over 1,000 yards. In 2007, he was at his best. He carried the football a staggering 274 times and rushed for 1,609 yards and 15 touchdowns. He did all of that in 13 games, which comes to a 21 carry, 123 yards, and one touchdown per game average. In 2008, he propelled the Buckeyes to the National Championship game against LSU, where he rushed for 146 yards and one touchdown on 20 carries.

Wells was special in his time in Columbus, and for that, he is the No. 4 modern-era running back.

3. TreVeyon Henderson

TreVeyon Henderson is down as one of the top running backs ever in the history of the Ohio State program . He was absolutely one of the main reasons why the Buckeyes went on to win the National Championship in 2024.

Over his career, he played for four seasons and had a fascinating career. His freshman year was arguably his best season in college as he finished the 2021 season with 1,248 yards on 183 carries and 15 touchdowns on the ground. He added 312 yards and four scores in the air.

Then, sophomore and junior seasons took a step back while senior year, he got back to his normal self. He had just north of 1,000 yards on 7.1 yards per carry to go along with 10 touchdowns en route to the National Championship.

2. Ezekiel Elliot

For many Buckeye fans, Elliot is their favorite Buckeye of all time . He is synonymous with one of the greatest plays in Ohio State history when he went 85 yards through the "heart of the south" to seal Ohio State's win over the No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide.

Elliot had some of the best runs throughout his career, and it led to one of the best careers ever. Three seasons, 592 carries, 3,961 yards, 43 touchdowns, and one National Championship.

It was a tough debate, but he settled at No. 2 on my list of modern Buckeye running backs.

1. JK Dobbins

J.K.All.Day is what rings through most people's minds when they think of JK Dobbins.

It's very important not to think of NFL Dobbins when remembering just how good he was in college. Three straight seasons of some of the best running back play that you will ever see. He never had a season of less than 1,000 yarsd an his final year in 2019, he scampered for 2,003 yards and 21 touchdowns on the ground.

Over his three-year career from 2017 to 2019, he had 725 carries for 4,459 yards and 38 touchdowns on the ground to go along with 645 yards and five touchdowns through the air. He was special as a Buckeye and one of the greatest backs of this era, and one of the greatest backs of all time.

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