College Football: Top 15 running backs entering 2018, ranked

UNLV’s diminutive halfback broke out in a big way in 2017. After tallying a respectable 1,142 rushing yards in his first two seasons of action in Las Vegas, Thomas easily topped that number in his junior season alone. He ran for 1,336 yards last season on an impressive 6.3 yards per carry and added 17 scores.

He’s not just feasting on mid-major competition, either – in his last two games against Power Five opponents – UCLA and Ohio State – Thomas averaged 98 yards rushing per game on 6.3 yards per carry.

He was named First Team All-Mountain West for his efforts in 2017. He’s been banged up this offseason and was held out of the spring game, but if he’s 100 percent in 2018, Thomas could lead the Rebels back to a bowl for the first time since 2013. With his blazing speed and experience as a kick returner (he returned 12 kicks as a freshman) and receiver (he’s amassed 326 receiving yards during his college career), he could find himself on the radar of NFL teams as well.