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<p>College football fans, we&rsquo;re ranking the best Florida Gators running backs of all time. It includes every starting running back&nbsp;throughout Florida Gators history, including current running backs and past ones. This&nbsp;<a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-florida-gators-quarterbacks/ranker-college-football?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Florida football roster</a>&nbsp;has famous All-Americans, Florida running backs in the NFL, and Gators players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Featuring some of the greatest college running backs of all time, the best Florida RBs include Errict Rhett, Emmitt Smith, Chris Rainey, and Matt Jones.</p>

<p>Who are the&nbsp;<a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-nfl-running-backs-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">greatest running backs</a>&nbsp;in Florida Gators history? Add your favorites if they&rsquo;re not all on this list of <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-university-of-florida-football-players-of-all-time/ranker-college-football?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">University of Florida football</a> players who have played as running back.&nbsp;</p>


List of All Florida Gators Running Backs, Ranked Best to Worst

The Best Florida Gators Running Backs of All Time

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Emmitt Smith

Emmitt James Smith III (born May 15, 1969) is a former college and professional American football running back who became the National Football League's (NFL) all-time leading rusher during his fifteen seasons in the league during the 1990s and 2000s.
Smith grew up in Pensacola, Florida and became the second-leading rusher in American high school football history while playing for Escambia High School. Smith then attended the University of Florida, where he set numerous school rushing records over a three-year college career with the Florida Gators. After being named a unanimous All-American in 1989, Smith chose to forgo his senior year of eligibility and play professionally. He came back and completed his college coursework, graduating from the University of Florida in 1996.
The Dallas Cowboys selected Smith in the first round of the 1990 NFL draft. During his long professional career, he became the NFL's all-time rushing leader with 18,355 yards, breaking the record formerly held by Walter Payton, and played for three Super Bowl-winning Dallas Cowboys teams. He also holds the record for career rushing touchdowns with 164. Smith is the only running back to ever win a Super Bowl championship, the NFL Most Valuable Player award, the NFL rushing crown, and the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player award all in the same season (1993).  He is also one of four running backs to lead the NFL in rushing three or more consecutive seasons, joining Steve Van Buren, Jim Brown and Earl Campbell.  Smith led the league in rushing and won the Super Bowl in the same year three times (1992, 1993, and 1995) when to that point it had never been done.  Smith is also one of only two non-kickers in NFL history to score more than 1,000 career points (the other being Jerry Rice).  Smith was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006.
Smith played thirteen seasons with the Cowboys and two with the Arizona Cardinals. While playing for Dallas, Smith plus quarterback Troy Aikman and wide receiver Michael Irvin were known as "The Triplets," and they led their team to three Super Bowl championships during the 1990s.

Fred Taylor

Frederick Antwon Taylor (born January 27, 1976) is a former college and professional American football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for thirteen seasons during the 1990s and 2000s.  He played college football for the University of Florida, and was recognized as an All-American.  Taylor was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars with the ninth overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft, and played for the Jaguars and New England Patriots of the NFL. Taylor is a member of the 10,000 yard rushing club.

Errict Rhett

Errict Undra Rhett (born December 11, 1970) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons during the 1990s and early 2000s.  Rhett played college football for the University of Florida, and was recognized as an All-American.  A second-round pick in the 1994 NFL Draft, he played professionally for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns of the NFL.

Percy Harvin

William Percival Harvin III (born May 28, 1988) is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at Florida, when the Gators won the BCS National Championship in 2006 and 2008, and was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL) in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft. Harvin also played for the Seattle Seahawks, New York Jets and Buffalo Bills. He was named the Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2009 and won Super Bowl XLVIII with the Seahawks in 2013 over the Denver Broncos. He attended and played football for Landstown High School in Virginia Beach, where his team won the high school state championship in 2004.

Neal Anderson

Charles Neal Anderson (born August 14, 1964) is an American former college and professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons during the 1980s and 1990s.  Anderson played college football for the University of Florida.  He was a first-round pick in the 1986 NFL Draft, and he played professionally for the Chicago Bears of the NFL.

Earnest Graham

Earnest Graham, Jr. (born January 15, 1980) is an American former college and professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons.  He played college football for the University of Florida, and was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 2003.  Graham became a favorite among Buccaneers fans, coaches, and fellow players for his hard work and team-first attitude.After football, Graham became involved in various local business ventures. He also served as the head football coach at North Fort Myers High School from 2014 until 2018.  In February 2019, Graham was announced as the new Head Coach and Director of Football Operations at Evangelical Christian School in Fort Myers, Florida.

Jeff Demps

John L. Williams

John L. Williams (born November 23, 1964) is an American former college and professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons during the 1980s and 1990s.  Williams played college football for the University of Florida.  A first-round pick in the 1986 NFL Draft, he played professionally for the Seattle Seahawks and the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL.

Chris Rainey

Chris Rainey is a professional football player.

Mike Gillislee

Michael B. Gillislee Jr. (born November 1, 1990) is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He played college football for the University of Florida. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the fifth round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Gillislee attended DeLand High School in DeLand, Florida. He recorded 900 rushing yards as a sophomore and over 1,200 yards as a junior. As a senior, he rushed for 1,149 yards on 227 carries for a 5.1-yard average. He was considered a four-star recruit by Rivals.com and was rated as the seventh-best all-purpose running back prospect in the nation.

La'Mical  Perine

Ciatrick Fason

Ciatrick Antione Fason (born October 29, 1982) is an American former college and professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for two seasons during the early 2000s.  Fason played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he played professionally for the Minnesota Vikings of the NFL.

Terry Jackson

Terry Jackson is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the fifth round of the 1978 NFL Draft. He played college football at San Diego State.
Jackson also played for the Seattle Seahawks.

Matt Jones

Matthew Jones (born April 22, 1983) is a former American football wide receiver and former sports radio personality. He was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft, and also played for the Cincinnati Bengals. He played college football at Arkansas.

James Jones

James Jones, Jr. (born December 6, 1958) is a former professional American football running back and kick returner in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at Mississippi State University.

Jordan Scarlett

Lorenzo Hampton

Lorenzo Timothy Hampton (born March 12, 1962) is an American former college and professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for five seasons during the 1980s.  Hampton played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he played professionally for the Miami Dolphins of the NFL.

Larry Dupree

Jimmy DuBose

Jimmy DeWayne DuBose (born October 25, 1954) is an American former college and professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for three seasons during the 1970s.  DuBose played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he played professionally for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the NFL.

Willie McClendon

Willie Edward McClendon (born September 13, 1957) is a former American football running back in the National Football League. Selected in the 1979 NFL Draft, he played for the Chicago Bears from 1979 to 1982.  He is the father of former Bears wide receiver, and current University of South Carolina wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator Bryan McClendon.  Both father and son attended the University of Georgia.
McClendon was elected to the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame and was inducted in February 2015.

Robert Gillespie

Robert Nolan Gillespie (born November 2, 1979) is an American football coach and former  player. Gillespie played in the National Football League (NFL) for two seasons in the early 2000s with the Washington Redskins and Jacksonville Jaguars.  He played college football for the University of Florida.

Kelvin Taylor

Elijah Williams

Elijah Elgebra Williams (born August 20, 1975) is an American former college and professional football player who was a defensive back and kick returner in the National Football League (NFL) for four seasons during the late 1990s and early 2000s.  Williams played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter he played professionally for the Atlanta Falcons of the NFL.

DeShawn Wynn

DeShawn Wynn (born October 9, 1983) is an American professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for four seasons.  He played college football for the University of Florida, and was a member of a BCS National Championship team.  He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft, and has also played for the New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers of the NFL.

Tony Green

Anthony Edward Green (born September 26, 1956) is an American former college and professional football player who was a kickoff returner and running back in the National Football League (NFL) for two seasons during the late 1970s.  Green played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he played professionally for the Washington Redskins, New York Giants and Seattle Seahawks of the NFL.

College football fans, we’re ranking the best Florida Gators running backs of all time. It includes every starting running back&nbsp;throughout Florida Gators ...