3. Rakeem Boyd, Arkansas
Sometimes there are hidden gems in college football. Boyd is one of those hidden gems because of the team he is on. Arkansas finished 2-10 for the second straight year in 2019. This marked their third straight losing season without a bowl game appearance.
Despite the 0-8 SEC conference record, Arkansas has one of the best running backs in the SEC. Boyd rushed for 1,133 yards and eight touchdowns. He is a big threat carrying the ball as he averaged 6.2 yards per carry last season. Boyd went over 100 yards in a game five times in 2019. This includes a 185-yard performance against Western Kentucky where he scored twice and carried the ball just eight times.
Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman will most likely increase Boyd’s workload in 2020. He carried the ball 184 times when he should be up in the 220 range. That is what to expect this season. The Razorbacks also have the luxury of being able to use their star back in the passing game. He is the type of player that can be the centerpiece of an offense and dominate.
Boyd is one of the top 10 running backs in the nation. He has a chance to be an early round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Boyd may be unknown because his team has not seen success, but that will not be the case this season.
