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The running back position has been devalued in the wide-open modern NFL game, but it appears we'll still see at least one ball carrier selected in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
While it looked like only one was going to be taken on the first day of the three-day event, another RB is beginning to get real first-round buzz.
Who are the top running backs prospects in the 2023 draft class and how many of them will be selected in the first round on Thursday night? Let's dive in.
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Top 2023 Draft RB Prospects
Texas' Bijan Robinson, Alabama's Jahmyr Gibbs, UCLA's Zach Charbonnet, Texas A&M's Devon Achane, and Tulane's Tyjae Spears are the consensus top-five running backs according to MockDraftDataBase.com.
Bijan has been a popular name since his freshman season at Texas and is viewed as a can't-miss prospect, Gibbs is an electric receiving back with a smaller build (199 pounds), Charbonnet has adequate size (214) and has receiving skills, Achane has sub-4.4 speed, and Spears was a top-five rusher in college football last season.
All of these five guys seem to be locks to go in the first three rounds, but not all have a chance to be selected on Thursday night.
How Many Running Backs Will Be Taken in the First Round?
According to DraftKings Sportsbook, the total is set at 1.5 running backs to be taken in the first round. Over 1.5 RBs sits at (-180) odds, a climb from the last few weeks. Robinson is a virtual lock to be selected in the first round and Gibbs has begun to climb into the late-first round in recent mock drafts. Gibbs is currently favored (-175) to be taken in round one.
Charbonnet is the third-most likely RB to be taken inside the top 31 picks, but his odds sit at (+1100). That said, it looks like we'll see no fewer than one, but no more than two RBs hear their names called on the opening day of the draft.
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