Oct 4, 2014; Knoxville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers running back Jalen Hurd (1) runs the ball against the Florida Gators during the second quarter at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
It’s tempting to rank Tennessee higher on this list given Jalen Hurd and Alvin Kamara are former five-star players that match up as well or better with the top two options at LSU or Auburn, among others, but the fact of the matter is that the Vols finished 13th in the SEC and 92nd in the country in rushing yards per game last season with 146.4 per contest.
Of course, that number even factors in the 469 yards that quarterback Josh Dobbs – the team’s second leading rusher in 2014 – contributed across the last six games of the season.
Hurd was solid as a true freshman. The 6-foot-3, 221-pound Hendersonville, Tennessee native ran for 899 yards and five touchdowns on 190 carries, and had four 100-yard games (against Georgia, South Carolina, Kentucky and Iowa) as well as 97 yards against Oklahoma.
Kamara, who began his college career at Alabama, spent a year in junior college before transferring to Tennessee. Kamara, a 6-foot, 200-pound Norcross, Georgia native, is faster than Hurd and the two should provide the Vols with a nice thunder-and-lightning combo. They’ll have the benefit of running behind an improving offensive line that returns four starters from last year’s squad.
Senior Justus Pickett (22 carries, 64 yards) and incoming freshman John Kelly are likely to compete for the third-string spot.
Next: 5. LSU