Ranking Alabama football strongest position groups ahead of 2026 season: Running Backs

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Najee Harris and Josh Jacobs were the last two explosive running backs for Alabama football, while Brian Robinson Jr. was the last 1,000-plus yard rusher for the Crimson Tide.

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Alabama fans desire a return to an effective rushing attack, but it starts with Ryan Grubb (offensive coordinator) and Adrian Klemm (offensive line coach). 

The Tide also needs a productive campaign from Robert Gillespie, Alabama’s running backs coach, if it wants to have balance on offense. Kalen DeBoer has a roster of talented running backs, but will one emerge as the featured player or will it be a group by committee?

In continuing our series of ranking the strongest positional units for Alabama, we now break down the running backs.

-Positional Ranking: [9]

-Strengths: Depth, experience, versatility, power, speed

-Weaknesses: Pass blocking, uncertainty in having a featured runner

-Analysis:

Jam Miller was productive in his tenure at Alabama, but injuries limited him from having a 1,000-yard rushing campaign for the Crimson Tide.

He got selected to the New England Patriots in the seventh round of this recent NFL Draft; however, Alabama returns experience at the position.

Daniel Hill, a rising junior, enters his third season as a product from Meridian, Miss.

The 6-foot-1 specimen dropped eight pounds in the spring, decreasing from 244 to 236.

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Hill gained speed, explosiveness, and subtle quickness in his cuts from dropping bad weight.

He had a really good spring and seven total touchdowns in 2025.

Kevin Riley and AK Dear gained valuable experience last season. 

Riley, a Tuscaloosa (Ala.) native, had 59 carries for 224 yards and two touchdowns in 11 games. 

He came to the Tide in its 2024 signing class with speed, but he developed power in 2025. Riley had several moments of running between the tackles and pass blocking. He is also good in the receiving game with 19 catches for 176 yards and a touchdown. Some looked at Riley as the second best back in the room last year.

He added another gear to his game in the spring.

Dear, a second-year player from Mississippi, came in as a four-star in the 2025 class.

The 6-foot-1, 214-pounder has all the potential to be elite, yet he needs more time on task. He played five games last year and his role increased late in the season. Dear finished with 140 yards rushing and three touchdowns on 19 carries. He also caught three passes for 18 yards. Alabama fans wanted to see more of Dear in 2025; nevertheless, a good performance through preseason camp should reward him with more time.

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EJ Crowell and Trae’shawn Brown came in the 2026 class as true freshmen.

Crowell, an Alabama native, arrived as an elite five-star.

He suffered a soft tissue injury during spring practice, but he has the star power to be electric.

The 5-foot-11, 221-pounder earned “Mr. Football” honors for the state of Alabama via Jackson High School for his efforts in 2024. Crowell totaled 2,632 yards rushing and 35 touchdowns on 209 carries as a junior.

He totaled 1,964 yards rushing with 31 touchdowns as a sophomore to guide Jackson to a 4A state championship.

Alabama’s coaching staff sees Crowell as a special talent, but we will see if he emerges as the starting running back.

Brown, a three-star, came late in the Tide’s recruiting cycle from Texas.

He turned a lot of heads in spring practice and has characteristics that resemble former Alabama standout, Josh Jacobs.

Brown had an impressive senior season at Huntsville High School, collecting 1,362 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns.

He also had 13 catches for 204 yards, while eclipsing the 100-yard rushing mark in seven of 11 games during the 2025 season. Pass blocking is an area that Alabama’s running backs have to work on.

Should they improve in this area and pop out a featured back, this season will be very entertaining for the running game. 

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Stephen M. Smith is a team writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine.  You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.