2. Carson Steele, junior
This season, Steele has been productive in and efficient in an offense that’s been anything but. The Ball State transfer has run for 745 yards on 143 carries, an average of 5.2 yards per carry, with six touchdowns.
He’s been just as efficient with his workload as he was in the MAC, which is a good sign for interested NFL teams. He’s also shown the ability to catch passes with 14 grabs for 120 yards and two scores.
Running backs have the best chance to be valued by the NFL if they haven’t worn a lot of tread off the tires. With just three seasons of college football and only one in a Power-5 conference, Steele is about as fresh as they come. A year of Big Ten wear and tear next season won’t be good news for his draft stock.