On Tuesday, BYU running back Aidan Robbins declared for the NFL Draft. Robbins, who transferred to BYU from UNLV, missed a large portion of the 2023 season due to injury. When he was fully healthy in November, Robbins was effective. He finished with 485 yards on 101 carries. Robbins was a standout performer in BYU's narrow loss to Oklahoma. In that game, Robbins ran for a career high 182 yards on 22 carries.
With Robbins out of the picture for the 2024 season, running back has become a major need for BYU. Four running backs got carries for BYU in 2023: LJ Martin, Aidan Robbins, Deion Smith, and Miles Davis. Aidan Robbins is moving on to the NFL. Deion Smith is out of eligibility and will not be on the roster in 2024. Miles Davis entered the transfer portal.
LJ Martin is one of BYU's best players after leading the Cougars in rushing as a true freshman. He will be relied on heavily next season. The depth at running back, however, is a concern. Running backs take a lot of hits and you need at least three, sometimes four to survive a season.
Aidan Robbins was honored on Senior Day. He hasn't announced his plans for next season, but we're assuming that he will return to BYU for the purposes of this article. If Robbins decides to take his talents to the NFL, the need for more running backs would become even more critical.
Without Davis and Robbins in the fold, BYU is down to three scholarship running backs for 2024: LJ Martin, Hinckley Ropati, and Nukuluve Helu.
Hinckley Ropati suffered a season-ending injury at the start of Fall camp and did not play in 2023. Ropati has suffered multiple season-ending injuries during his time at BYU. At this point in his career, it's difficult to count on him being healthy in 2024. If he is, he brings a unique skillset to the room. But as they say, the best ability is availability.
Helu is a super talented player that has the talent to contribute, but he's so talented that he might be pulled to the defensive side of the ball. Helu was recruited as a running back and linebacker coming out of high school.
Given Ropati's injury history, there's a scenario where LJ Martin could be the only scholarship running back available next year. Therefore, BYU needs to add more bodies to the running back room. Last year, BYU running backs coach Harvey Unga pulled some rabbits out of his hat and completely revamped his room with the additions of Robbins, Martin, and Smith.
Can he do it again? Time will tell, but there's no shortage of options. As of Thursday evening, more than 60 running backs had entered the transfer portal since last week.
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