The 2025 NFL Draft may be short on quarterbacks, with Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders among the only names standing out, but the running back class is shaping up to be a good one. Many RBs are projected to go as early as the top 10 in the first round, with Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty even being predicted to go No. 1 overall in some mock drafts.
However, NFL analyst Daniel Jeremiah believes only certain teams should target running backs in the first round, while others should focus on building the rest of their roster first.
Why Only Certain Teams Should Pick RBs Early in the 2025 NFL Draft
Jeremiah released his top 50 prospects for the 2025 NFL Draft, and his top 10 had an equal number of running backs and quarterbacks, with the former ranked higher. However, the NFL Media analyst believes only those teams should invest a high pick in an RB that have a squad where the rookie’s carries matter.
“If you are going to invest a high pick in a running back, I want all of his carries to matter; in other words, I want to have the team built, and then when I insert him, I’ve got a 5-to-8-year window here; I want all those carries to count.”
“If I’m a terrible team and I take a running back, I’m going to waste three years of carries, and then I won’t have enough left when my team is ready to compete.”
Daniel jeremiah with the best take i’ve heard on drafting running backs early from the national level pic.twitter.com/AGhDJtHSUs
— John Sheeran (@John__Sheeran) March 1, 2025
Jeremiah is right, and one example we may have seen in recent years is the New York Giants and Saquon Barkley. The Giants drafted him No. 2 overall in the 2018 draft, and while his performances were solid, they never won anything with him.
Barkley signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024, and the rest, as they say, is history. He broke the NFL record for single-season rushing yards — including playoffs — and led Philly to the Super Bowl win.
Running Backs Predicted to Go in First and Second Round of 2025 NFL Draft
In PFSN’s latest seven-round mock draft by Jacob Infante, several running backs are projected to be picked in the first and second rounds.
Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty is projected to be drafted 12th overall by the Cowboys, while Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson is going 46th overall to the Chicago Bears.
North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton is predicted to be picked 51st overall by the Denver Broncos, while Quinshon Judkins of Ohio State is going 52nd with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Here’s what Infante had to say about each of these picks.
On Jeanty: The Dallas Cowboys’ run game was quite ineffective in 2024, and ownership certainly has a love for big-name talent. It seems like the perfect marriage to see America’s Team end up with the top running back in college football.
Ashton Jeanty put up video-game numbers for Boise State this year. He’s an intelligent runner with the agility, contact balance, ball-carrier vision, and value on passing downs needed to project as a high-impact starter in the backfield.
On Johnson: With the Bears having acquired an extra second-round pick by trading back in Round 1 of this hypothetical, they would have an opportunity to give new head coach Ben Johnson a strong running back tandem like what he had in Detroit.
Kaleb Johnson is a big-bodied, powerful running back with the strength and contact balance to be the “Knuckles” to D’Andre Swift’s “Sonic.” He also has the ball-carrier vision in between the tackles and the straight-line explosiveness needed to project as a quality starting back in the NFL.
On Hampton: As previously mentioned, the Broncos would be wise to spend draft capital heavily on offensive weapons for Nix. If Javonte Williams walks in free agency, they’ll need to bring another running back into the mix.
Omarion Hampton is a speedy running back with a prototypical build, with the north-south ability to just hammer open running lanes in between the tackles. He would be a good complement to what Denver currently has in their backfield with Jaleel McLaughlin and Audric Estimé.
On Judkins: Najee Harris is slated to hit free agency this offseason, and with bigger needs on the Steelers’ roster, they might be better off saving the money and drafting his replacement at running back instead.
Quinshon Judkins would be a strong addition to the Steelers’ backfield, as he has the ball-carrier vision and big-play speed to make him a threat just about any time he touches the ball.