TJ Harden

Harden was essentially stuck in a committee in the 2023 season with Carson Steele. Steele got the upper hand with 11 more carries on the year and 20 more rushing yards, but Harden's athleticism got him two more touchdowns. With Steele moving on to the NFL, Harden has the chance for a breakout season as he could get the bulk of reps on the ground. In a backfield that wasn't solely his during the 2023 campaign, Harden was still able to register 827 yards and eight touchdowns rushing. Second on the running back depth chart is the ever-versatile Keegan Jones, who played wide receiver last season but returned to the backfield this season after a brief foray in the transfer portal, though the team added another experienced back in Jalen Berger to fill out the depth. Harden has done a great job in exploiting defenses and being a star on the field even when he wasn't the sole rusher for UCLA, so this year could be huge even if Harden doesn't completely dominate the carry share.