This running back class genuinely has a chance to go down as not only one of, but possibly the best of all time. This draft is stacked up and down with talented players that could make an immediate impact in the NFL, headlined by the most impressive running back prospect of the modern era. Here is my personal attempt to rank all of these outstanding prospects.
1. Ashton Jeanty – Boise State
Age: 21 | Height/Weight: 5’9″, 215 lbs
2024 Stats: 374 carries, 2,601 yards, 29 TD | 7.0 YPC
Value: Top 10 Pick
Ashton Jeanty had one of the most dominant running back seasons in college football history. With 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns on the ground, he carried Boise State’s offense and cemented himself as a rare talent. He combines elite contact balance with sharp vision and anticipation, allowing him to consistently slip through traffic and finish runs strong.
Jeanty has explosive burst and legitimate breakaway speed—he can house it from anywhere. He’s a proven workhorse with durability, solid in pass protection, and a capable receiving threat out of the backfield. He regularly falls forward and keeps momentum through contact, finishing every run like a pro.
Concerns are minimal and mostly nitpicking. At 5’9″, he’s slightly undersized for the heavy workload he’s taken on, which could raise long-term durability questions. He can also benefit from being more patient behind the line and has shown occasional ball security issues when fighting for extra yardage. Still, Jeanty is as close to a “perfect” prospect as you’ll find at RB—his tape is electric, and the impact is immediate.
2. Omarion Hampton – North Carolina
Age: 22 | Height/Weight: 6’0″, 220 lbs
2024 Stats: 281 carries, 1,660 yards, 15 TD | 5.9 YPC
Value: Round 1
Hampton is a violent finisher who thrives on physicality. He consistently falls forward and rarely goes down on first contact. What separates him from other power backs is the burst—he hits the hole with urgency and quickly reaches the second level.
He has excellent contact balance and reliable hands in the passing game. He’s also a willing, physical pass blocker. His directional control and ability to shift his momentum without wasted movement help him maximize gains and extend plays, even in tight windows.
Hampton isn’t overly elusive, relying more on strength and momentum than pure wiggle. While his long speed is solid, he’s been caught from behind on breakaway runs. Still, he projects as a true three-down workhorse with a well-rounded, punishing game. He isn’t quite at the level Jeanty is, but he should be viewed as an overall elite prospect in this draft class.
3. TreVeyon Henderson – Ohio State
Age: 22 | Height/Weight: 5’10”, 210 lbs
2024 Stats: 144 carries, 1,016 yards, 10 TD | 7.1 YPC
Value: Late Round 1 – Early Round 2
Henderson might have the best first-step acceleration in the class. His ability to explode through tight lanes and turn them into massive gains is elite. He has exceptional contact balance in traffic and fights for extra yards with urgency.
He sees the field well, especially at the second level, where his burst and long speed make him a home-run threat. His lateral quickness is incredibly efficient, making him elusive without wasted motion. Henderson is also the best pass blocker in this class—despite his frame, he anchors and holds his ground against blitzers.
Injuries have impacted his career—he missed time in 2022 and 2023—but 2024 was his most efficient season. He can be too aggressive in the backfield, trying to make a play rather than taking what’s there, and sometimes bounces outside too quickly. Still, when healthy, Henderson is an explosive, do-it-all back who could be a major NFL asset.
4. Kaleb Johnson – Iowa
Age: 21 | Height/Weight: 6’1″, 225 lbs
2024 Stats: 240 carries, 1,537 yards, 21 TD | 6.4 YPC
Value: Round 2
Kaleb Johnson was the entire Iowa offense in 2024 and thrived under a heavy workload. His vision and ability to set up blocks are very pro-ready, and he runs with consistent power. Arm tackles don’t bring him down, and he falls forward on nearly every carry.
He’s one of the best red zone backs in the class—strong, decisive, and always pushing for six. Though his top-end speed isn’t elite, he had plenty of explosive gains. He does get tracked down on longer runs and lacks twitch and agility in space.
He’s not going to juke defenders, but he’ll run through them. Pass protection is his biggest area of concern and needs real refinement. However, his size and running style scream feature back, and he could thrive in a downhill, power-based scheme at the next level.
5. Quinshon Judkins – Ohio State
Age: 21 | Height/Weight: 6’0″, 220 lbs
2024 Stats: 194 carries, 1,060 yards, 14 TD | 5.5 YPC
Value: Round 2
Judkins is a technician. His contact balance is among the best in the class, and he thrives in short-yardage and red-zone scenarios. He’s smart, with great vision and field awareness, and consistently makes the right reads—especially on cutbacks.
He rarely fumbles and has shown solid receiving ability. Judkins isn’t afraid of contact and routinely lowers his shoulder to fight for yardage. Combine numbers surprised many—he tested better than expected, hinting at more athleticism to unlock.
Still, his pass protection remains spotty and needs work. His efficiency dips against top-tier defenses, and he gets caught from behind on long runs more often than you’d like. He can also be too patient at times, waiting too long for holes to develop. But the skillset and upside are there—he’s a high-floor back with more potential than he’s shown.
6. Dylan Sampson – Tennessee
Age: 20 | Height/Weight: 5’8″, 200 lbs
2024 Stats: 258 carries, 1,491 yards, 22 TD | 5.8 YPC
Value: Round 2 – Round 3
Dylan Sampson is lightning in a bottle. His burst is elite, and his speed allows him to reach top gear almost instantly. He’s agile and elusive with incredible horizontal quickness, capable of embarrassing defenders in space.
Despite his smaller frame, Sampson breaks tackles with surprising strength and racked up a ton of yardage after contact. His vision and quick decision-making make him extremely effective in tight quarters, and he’s dependable in crunch-time situations.
He’s very undersized leading to some durability red flags projecting forward. He’s not yet a proven receiving threat and can struggle with trusting his interior vision—he bounces outside prematurely. Ball security is also a big concern with Sampson having a tendency to put the ball in harms way fighting for yardage. Even with those flaws, his upside is massive, and he can be a game-changing rotational piece or even develop into a lead back if he holds up.
7. Cam Skattebo – Arizona State
Age: 23 | Height/Weight: 5’11”, 220 lbs
2024 Stats: 293 carries, 1,711 yards, 21 TD | 5.8 YPC
Value: Round 3
Cam Skattebo is a downhill brawler with surprising versatility. He thrives in short-yardage and goal-line situations and consistently fights for extra yards even when going down. His contact balance stands out—he’s hard to bring down on first contact—and he has the discipline to let plays develop before bursting through.
What makes Skattebo unique for his size is his ability as a receiver. With over 600 receiving yards in 2024, he’s a true weapon out of the backfield. His lateral agility is underrated, and he’s capable of making defenders miss in space, something you don’t usually see from power backs.
However, there are real concerns. Ball security is a major red flag, as fumbles have plagued him throughout his career. He lacks top-end speed and will get tracked down on longer runs. Pass protection fundamentals are poor—he struggles to anchor or identify blitzers. Skattebo profiles best as part of a committee, ideally paired with a speedster change of pace back to complement his game.
8. DJ Giddens – Kansas State
Age: 21 | Height/Weight: 6’1″, 210 lbs
2024 Stats: 205 carries, 1,343 yards, 7 TD | 6.6 YPC
Value: Round 3 – Round 4
DJ Giddens is one of the most elusive backs in this class. His sudden jump cuts and ability to redirect his momentum without losing speed allows him to create opportunities that don’t exist. He sees creases early and explodes through them, with smooth, agile movement and excellent short-area burst.
His ball security is elite, and his contact balance helps him churn out extra yardage. Giddens has flashed receiving ability, though he’s had some drop issues. Speed and vision give him the upside of a big-play threat who can kill defenses on the perimeter.
Giddens is a liability in pass protection and will need serious coaching at the next level. Also, despite his solid frame, he’s not as powerful a runner as expected—he prefers finesse over finishing through defenders. Still, the tools are all there for a team to develop into a versatile backfield weapon.
9. RJ Harvey – Central Florida
Age: 24 | Height/Weight: 5’8″, 205 lbs
2024 Stats: 232 carries, 1,577 yards, 22 TD | 6.8 YPC
Value: Early Day 3
RJ Harvey is a blur. With a 4.40 forty time and film to back it up, Harvey is one of the fastest backs in the class. He combines that speed with excellent elusiveness, making defenders miss with ease in space. His vision and patience allow him to trust his blocks and strike at the right time.
He’s reliable with the ball, rarely fumbling, and has soft hands that make him a natural in the passing game. He proved he can handle a heavy workload and be a go-to option.
His age limits his long-term ceiling slightly, but more pressing is his size. He lacks the frame to hold up in pass protection and may struggle in short-yardage situations. Still, Harvey has enough burst, wiggle, and versatility to be an impact contributor early.
10. Bhayshul Tuten – Virginia Tech
Age: 22 | Height/Weight: 5’10”, 205 lbs
2024 Stats: 183 carries, 1,159 yards, 15 TD | 6.3 YPC
Value: Early Day 3
Tuten is a jet on wheels. He ran a 4.32 and it shows—he’s an absolute burner who can flip the field in seconds. His acceleration is eye-catching, and he uses it well behind patient footwork and solid vision to wait for blocks to develop.
He’s deadly in the screen game and has proven ability as a returner, giving him added value to special teams early in his career. He’s also shown toughness between the tackles, not afraid to lower the shoulder and grind for extra yards.
That said, his efficiency didn’t quite match others in this range. He can be too hesitant at the line, waiting for a perfect look rather than trusting his instincts. Pass protection is also a major weakness. While he’s got real upside, he’ll need refinement and likely begins his NFL career in a specialized role.
RBs 11 Through 20:
- Damien Martinez – Miami
- Tahj Brooks – Texas Tech
- Ollie Gordon II – Oklahoma State
- Jaydon Blue – Texas
- Jacory Croskey-Merritt – Arizona
- Corey Kiner – Cincinnati
- Trevor Etienne – Georgia
- Devin Neal – Kansas
- Lan Larison – UC Davis
- Montrell Johnson Jr. – Florida
Check out the top QB prospects here:
Photo Credits: Yard Barker, KTVB, Forbes, Vikings Wire, KCRG, WesternSlopeNow, Off The Hook Sports with Dave Hooker, ESPN, The 33rd Team, The Draft Network
