Conference USA Football: Top 8 Running Backs To Watch in 2025

While the offseason is still very much in full swing, the countdown till the 2025 college football season is on as we’re less than 90 days until Western Kentucky and Sam Houston State kickoff the Conference USA slate from Houchens-Smith Stadium.

As has been the case throughout college football, there has been plenty of player movement, which leads to CUSA being up for grabs from top to bottom in the league.

This year’s group doesn’t include a returning 1,000-yard rusher, but features several emerging talents and transfers who will look to make their mark in the league.

Let’s take a look at our next set of offseason position power rankings, which spotlights the running back position in CUSA.

Here’s an offseason ranking of CUSA’s backs.

1.       Cam Cook – Jacksonville State

The TCU transfer enters his first season with the defending CUSA champs after two seasons with the Horned Frogs. He was his former team's leading rusher last year with 460 yards on 119 carries with nine touchdowns. Cook was formerly the No. 23 running back in the nation at Texas' Stony Point High School.

2.       Omiri Wiggins – Louisiana Tech

Wiggins is a rising junior for the Bulldogs this season after being the team's leading rusher in 2024. He finished his first DI campaign 527 rushing yards and four rushing scores on 111 attempts, he also caught 20 passes for 126 yards and two touchdowns.

3.       Kejon Owens – FIU

If FIU want to make the most of Willie Simmons' first season as head coach, they'll need the help of fifth-year running back Kejon Owens. Owens, a Miami Central product has 198 career carries at FIU for 928 yards and 11 touchdowns.

4.       Hahsaun Wilson – UTEP

Wilson is a South Carolina native who transferred to UTEP this offseason after four seasons at Charlotte. He was the 49ers leading rusher in 2024 with 91 carries for 559 yards and seven touchdown rushes.

5.       Elijah Green – Sam Houston State

The Bearkats add some Power Conference talent to their backfield this year, their first season under the direction of Phil Longo. Green spent four seasons at North Carolina where he appeared in 26 games with 156 carries for 664 yards and eight touchdowns. He then transferred to Indiana for 2024, but used his redshirt and did not appear in a game for the Hoosiers.

6.       Jo’Nathan Silver – Delaware

Silver enters his fourth season with Delaware in 2025, which will be the Blue Hens' first at the FBS level. The New Jersey native had career highs of 70 carries, 462 yards, and four touchdowns in 2024, averaging 6.6 yards per carry.

7.       Vaughn Blue – Liberty

The Flames will look to Blue to take on more responsibility this season after the departures of Quinton Cooley (CFL) and Billy Lucas (Transfer Portal). Blue carried 35 times for 207 yards and a touchdown last season. As a team, the Flames averaged 5.6 yards per rush last season.

8.       Jekali Middlebrook – Middle Tennessee State

Middlebrook rushed for 273 yards on 60 carries and two touchdowns to go with 22 receptions for 163 yards and a TD last season as a redshirt freshman. With more experience, the CUSA All-Freshman selection should see his workload increase.

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