Former Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty’s final college season was historic.
He set a Boise State record and finished No. 2 in NCAA history with 2,601 rushing yards. He also ranked No. 2 in the country with 29 rushing touchdowns on his way to finishing as runner-up in Heisman Trophy voting.
Jeanty is set to begin his NFL career this year after the Las Vegas Raiders made him the No. 6 overall pick in the draft. That leaves Boise State with a major hole to fill on offense as the calendar flips to a new season.
The Broncos aren’t going to replace Jeanty’s production with one running back. They might be able to with a talented stable of backs carrying the ball behind an offensive line that returns four starters, including left tackle Kage Casey, who has a chance to be a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
A Career Rejuvenation For Malik Sherrod?
The elder statesman in the running backs room is sixth-year senior Malik Sherrod, who joined the Broncos this year after five seasons at Mountain West rival Fresno State.
Sherrod is an explosive, versatile back who can be as much a threat in the passing game as he is in his more traditional role as a shifty halfback with breakaway speed. In 2023, he led Fresno State with 966 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground and caught 44 passes for 260 yards and a touchdown.
Sherrod showed off his big-play potential with a 65-yard touchdown run in Boise State’s spring game in April. He finished the game with 76 yards on just three carries.
The 5-foot-8, 177-pound native of Oxnard, California, was bit by the injury bug last season. He appeared in just four games but still finished the season with four rushing touchdowns.
Jambres “Breezy” Dubar’s Potential
Junior running back Jambres “Breezy” Dubar has shown flashes of what he’s capable of the past two seasons, but he was buried on the depth chart behind Jeanty and George Holani and battled a nagging injury last season.
He’s still looking for his first 100-yard game in college, but he put up 91 yards against New Mexico in 2023 and one of his two rushing touchdowns last season was a game-winner at Wyoming.
Dubar was a four-star recruit and ranked No. 19 nationally at his position by 247Sports following his senior season at Anna High School in Texas. He posted 2,812 rushing yards and 39 touchdowns in his final two high school seasons.
Sire Gaines & Dylan Riley Could Emerge
Boise State has, by all indications, two young stars in the running backs room. On some teams, redshirt freshman Sire Gaines and sophomore Dylan Riley would fill complementary roles behind the veterans. That may not be the case on The Blue.
Gaines showed the world what he can do in just three games last season. He racked up 110 yards on 12 carries and 44 yards on three catches in the Broncos’ season-opener at Georgia Southern. He also scored touchdowns on a 38-yard rush and a 17-yard catch.
The 6-foot, 209-pound native of Perris, California, posted 156 yards on 20 carries before suffering a season-ending injury against Portland State. He missed spring practice this year while recovering but posted on X in April that he’s healthy and ready to return.
Riley also gave fans a glimpse of what’s to come last season, mostly on a 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against Utah State. He also racked up 96 rushing yards and two touchdowns on just six carries against Portland State, including a 64-yard touchdown.
Riley stole the show in Boise State’s spring game, scoring two touchdowns and having a 47-yard score wiped out because of a penalty. He’s fun to watch when he gets the ball in open space.
Gaines and Riley both had productive high school careers. Riley posted 2,059 yards and 29 touchdowns on the ground as a senior at Rancho Verde High School in California. He finished his career with 4,181 rushing yards and 46 touchdowns.
Gaines put up 1,685 yards and 27 touchdowns as a senior at Orange Vista High in California. He finished his career with 5,021 all-purpose yards.
