This year’s running back class was particularly deep, and that was shown in the 2025 NFL Draft, as 25 were drafted in total, with 12 going in the first four rounds.
Let’s look at the running backs selected in the 2025 NFL Draft, evaluating their raw ability and how it will play out for the team that drafted them.
1. Ashton Jeanty, Boise State | Las Vegas Raiders
Round 1, Pick 6
Ashton Jeanty was the clear-cut RB1 in this year’s class, and it would have been a major upset if he fell outside of the top 10.
Jeanty’s final college season was the stuff of legend. He posted 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns en route to a runner-up finish in Heisman Trophy voting.
Drafting a running back this early would usually have detractors, but Jeanty is different. He drew comparisons to a modern-day Barry Sanders, and his production in 2024 followed suit. Jeanty’s level of competition could be scrutinized, but he has the profile to be just as impactful in the NFL, especially with a Las Vegas Raiders offensive line that was trending up last year.
2. Omarion Hampton, North Carolina | Los Angeles Chargers
Round 1, Pick 22
The clear RB2 in this year’s class was Omarion Hampton, but there was a debate about whether he’d go in the first or second round.
He is a workhorse running back who posted 1,660 yards and 15 touchdowns on 281 carries in 2024. Hampton added 38 receptions, 373 yards, and two receiving scores in his final college season.
From a bird’s-eye view, this pick is quite simple. The Los Angeles Chargers have revamped their offensive line, and Jim Harbaugh greatly values the running game. He gets an explosive, high-end volume back under contract for at least four years. This was perhaps a slight reach in a deep RB class, but Hampton can put up big numbers in Greg Roman’s scheme with his seam-splitting speed, vision, and downhill physicality.
3. Quinshon Judkins, Ohio State | Cleveland Browns
Round 2, Pick 36
One of the two Ohio State ball carriers expected to go highly, Quinshon Judkins, was the first running back taken on Night 2.
Judkins split carries with the next guy on this list in the Buckeyes’ national championship 2024 season, but he posted 1,060 yards and 14 rushing touchdowns while adding 22 catches, 161 yards, and two receiving scores.
Judkins has the ideal volume-back build; he’s incredibly physical and can function as an explosive carving knife with his speed, vision, and bend. He can be a good player, but better options might’ve been available.
4. TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State | New England Patriots
Round 2, Pick 38
TreVeyon Henderson was the other Ohio State running back in this year’s draft and was selected just two picks after his running mate.
Henderson finished his college career with 1,016 yards and 10 rushing scores. He burst onto the scene with a big freshman year. Injuries limited him the next two years, but he finished well in 2024.
At around 5’10”, 202 pounds, Henderson is a compact, low-to-the-ground runner with stellar slashing explosiveness, one-cut agility, finishing physicality, and receiving versatility. He’s a ready-made pass-catching threat and a bouncer as a pass blocker, a trait that’ll help improve Drake Maye’s pocket security.
5. RJ Harvey, Central Florida | Denver Broncos
Round 2, Pick 60
RJ Harvey wasn’t one of PFSN’s top 10 running backs in this year’s draft but was taken late in the second round.
He finished college with 1,577 yards and 22 rushing touchdowns in 2024. Harvey added 20 receptions, 267 yards, and three receiving scores.
At 5’8”, 205 pounds, Harvey is one of the most elusive, instinctive, and dynamic runners in the class, and he has budding pass-game versatility as a RAC threat, too. On the surface, some will call this a reach, but it could pay unexpected dividends early on.
6. Kaleb Johnson, Iowa | Pittsburgh Steelers
Round 3, Pick 83
Kaleb Johnson rounded out PFSN’s top five running backs in this year’s class but was the sixth taken. He leaves Iowa after 1,537 yards and 21 rushing touchdowns in 2024.
A clean projection for zone-rushing systems, Johnson should fit beautifully in Arthur Smith’s wide-zone offense. Even after Jaylen Warren signed his restricted free agent tender, the Pittsburgh Steelers badly needed another running back with Najee Harris departing.
Johnson won’t be the bellcow right away, but it wouldn’t be shocking to see him usurp Warren atop the depth chart by the end of his rookie season. The Iowa back compensates for a lack of breakaway speed with excellent vision and creative instincts.
7. Bhayshul Tuten, Virginia Tech | Jacksonville Jaguars
Round 4, Pick 104
The Virginia Tech product was not on PFSN’s top 10 running backs list, but Bhayshul Tuten went at the top of the fourth round. He posted 1,159 yards and 15 rushing scores in 2024, while adding 23 receptions and two receiving touchdowns.
One of the top NFL Combine standouts, Tuten is an intriguing, dynamic running back. Tuten comes with home run speed after running an obscene 4.32-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine while weighing 206 pounds.
8. Cam Skattebo, Arizona State | New York Giants
Round 4, Pick 105
Cam Skattebo was arguably the toughest running back in this year’s class and was the eighth ball carrier selected. Skattebo posted 1,711 yards and 21 rushing touchdowns in Arizona State’s 2024 playoff season. He added 45 catches, 605 yards, and three receiving scores.
Skattebo is a powerful runner who breaks tackles and excels in tight lanes. He’s a rare specimen and a bruiser in the ground game, but he’s also proven to be a capable weapon catching passes out of the backfield.
9. Trevor Etienne, Georgia | Carolina Panthers
Round 4, Pick 114
Trevor Etienne was never a big producer over his three years in college, but he joins a crowded backfield in Carolina. In his one year at Georgia, Etienne totaled 609 yards and nine rushing touchdowns.
He’s a shifty runner with good vision but a bit undersized. He also lacks play strength, which causes him to struggle in pass protection. His speed and elusiveness after the catch as a receiver make him an enticing prospect.
10. Jo’Quavious Marks, USC | Houston Texans
Round 4, Pick 116
Jo’Quavious “Woody” Marks played four years at Mississippi State before transferring to USC in 2024. He posted 1,133 yards and nine touchdowns last season, while adding 47 receptions and 321 receiving yards.
Marks has a strong, compact build and brings significant receiving production, piling up 261 career receptions in college. He also demonstrates strong hands, with only one drop on 54 targets last season. Although he’s an older rookie (he’ll be 25 at the start of the season), Marks could bring some receiving value and take the load off Joe Mixon.
11. Jarquez Hunter, Auburn | Los Angeles Rams
Round 4, Pick 117
Jarquez Hunter’s production improved each of his four years at Auburn, and he finished college totaling 1,201 yards and eight touchdowns.
This pick seemed a bit early for Hunter, as guys like Dylan Sampson and DJ Giddens were still on the board. However, the Auburn product is a tone-setter who runs with physicality. He also has good vision and instincts as a runner. He may never become a lead back, but he has the skill set to make plays in both the run and pass game. He should be a solid rotational back to help spell Williams.
12. Dylan Sampson, Tennessee | Cleveland Browns
Round 4, Pick 126
Tennessee’s Dylan Sampson was the sixth and final running back taken in the fourth round. The true junior led the SEC in carries (258), yards (1,491), and rushing touchdowns (22) in his final college season.
Sampson is undersized (5’8 1/8″, 200 pounds), but he’s a dynamic playmaker with a huge chunk of his yards in 2024 coming after contact. He possesses elite quickness and is a threat to score whenever he touches the ball. If he can clean up the fumbles, he and Judkins could be a formidable backfield duo for Cleveland for years to come.
Other Running Backs Drafted in the 2024 NFL Draft
13) Jordan James, Oregon
Round 5, Pick 147 | San Francisco 49ers
14) Jaydon Blue, Texas
Round 5, Pick 149 | Dallas Cowboys
15) DJ Giddens, Kansas State
Round 5, Pick 151 | Indianapolis Colts
16) Ollie Gordon II, Oklahoma State
Round 6, Pick 179 | Miami Dolphins
17) Devin Neal, Kansas
Round 6, Pick 184 | New Orleans Saints
18) Kalel Mullings, Michigan
Round 6, Pick 188 | Tennessee Titans
19) Tahj Brooks, Texas Tech
Round 6, Pick 193 | Cincinnati Bengals
20) Damien Martinez, Miami (FL)
Round 7, Pick 223 | Seattle Seahawks
21) Brashard Smith, SMU
Round 7, Pick 228 | Kansas City Chiefs
22) Kyle Monangai, Rutgers
Round 7, Pick 233 | Chicago Bears
23) LeQuint Allen, Syracuse
Round 7, Pick 236 | Jacksonville Jaguars
24) Phil Mafah, Clemson
Round 7, Pick 239 | Dallas Cowboys
25) Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Arizona
Round 7, Pick 245 | Washington Commanders