Georgia Tech's running back unit is singled out as the best in college football in the new issue of Sporting News magazine.

SN insider Matt Hayes picks his top five units at every position in the latest issue, which hits newsstands later this week. The Jackets, who return SN preseason first-team All-American Jonathan Dwyer, beat out Oklahoma State, LSU, Oregon and Virginia Tech for the top spot.

Tech ran for 273.2 yards a game in Paul Johnson’s first season as coach, led by Dwyer, who emerged as one the nation's best backs as a sophomore. Dwyer, the 2008 Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year, led the ACC and ranked 17th nationally in rushing (107.3 ypg) and finished with 1,395 rushing yards on the season. He rushed for 100 yards in a game nine times, tying the school record and scored 12 touchdowns.

“He’s a good player,” Johnson said of the rising junior from Kell High School in Marietta. “If Jon has the same kind of year that he had last year, he’s probably a first-round draft pick.”

The Jackets also return junior Lucas Cox and sophomores Roddy Jones, Embry Peeples and Marcus Wright.
In addition, Louisville transfer Anthony Allen, who rushed for more than 1,000 yards in two seasons with the Cardinals, will be eligible this fall.