30 Best College Running Backs of All-Time
Career Statistics
- Games: 44
- Carries: 790
- Rushing Yards: 4,450
- Rushing Yards Per Game: 101.1
- Rushing Yards Per Season: 1,112.5
- Rushing Touchdowns: 47
- Yards Per Carry: 5.6
- Receptions: 19
- Receiving Yards: 190
- Receiving Touchdowns: 1
- Notable: All-American 1982
One of the most highly recruited players in the nation, Eric Dickerson made waves when he decided to sign with SMU instead of Texas A&M after committing to the Aggies early in his high school senior season. Dickerson shared playing time early in his career with the Mustangs and gained 477 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 115 carries as a freshman in 1979. The following season, Dickerson emerged as the team’s primary ball carrier, and he ran for 928 yards and scored five touchdowns, and caught his first and only career TD pass.
As a junior in 1981, Dickerson became one of the best running backs in college football in a second-team All-American season where he piled up 1,428 rushing yards and scored 19 touchdowns. Dickerson was named a consensus All-American as a senior after gaining 1,617 yards on the ground on only 232 carries (7.0 yards per carry) and scoring 17 TDs.
That performance made Dickerson SMU’s all-time leading rusher (he also became the all-time leader in Southwest Conference history), and his 80 career touchdowns tied the great Doak Walker for the most in school history. He finished third in the voting for the Heisman Trophy behind legendary stars Herschel Walker and John Elway and was selected second overall in the 1983 NFL Draft.
Next: Derrick Henry