As we transition to the 2025 NFL Draft cycle, who are the preliminary top-10 running back prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft class? A year after what was, on the surface, an underwhelming 2024 group, the 2025 class could make up for the blip.
Way-Too-Early Top 10 RB Prospects in 2025 NFL Draft
Only four RBs were selected in the Day 2 range in the 2024 NFL Draft, the lowest figure since 2021. Only one back—Texas’ Jonathon Brooks—was selected before Round 3, marking the first time since 2003 that two or fewer backs went within the top 64.
After a 2023 cycle that boasted Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs — two prospects deemed “special” — the 2024 class was a visible letdown. Luckily, for teams still in need of talent in the RB room, the 2025 NFL Draft class might be able to fill the gaps.
10) Devin Neal, Kansas
Devin Neal had a strong case to declare for the 2024 NFL Draft but returned to school to close out his storied career with the Jayhawks. His marks from 2023 — 203 carries for 1,280 yards and 16 touchdowns — will be tough to beat, but he can do it.
At 5’11”, 208 pounds, Neal is a compact, well-leveraged runner with great explosiveness, snappy corrective athleticism and footwork, and a willingness to finish forward as a rusher. If he can stay steady amidst an offensive coordinator change, he can bolster his stock.
9) Nicholas Singleton, Penn State
Nicholas Singleton has the name recognition, and he has the talent. As a former five-star recruit, he’s been heavily anticipated as a 2025 NFL Draft prospect. With more refinement, he can ride his size, athleticism, and contact balance to an early selection.
Singleton’s production took a dip in 2023, but there’s hope that the Nittany Lions’ playmaker can experience a resurgence in 2024 with Andy Kotelnicki as his coordinator. Kotelnicki helped engineer success for Neal at Kansas in the years prior.
8) Damien Martinez, Miami (FL)
The Miami Hurricanes’ offense will be a must-watch unit in 2024. At quarterback, the team has Cameron Ward, one of the top riser candidates in the 2025 NFL Draft. And at running back, the Hurricanes recently scored a commitment from Oregon State’s Damien Martinez.
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In 2023, Martinez rumbled for 1,185 yards and nine touchdowns on 194 carries. He uses his 6’0″, 232-pound frame to sustain volume, but he quietly has extremely impressive throttle control, freedom of motion, and angle freedom on cuts for his size.
7) Jaydn Ott, California
California’s offense doesn’t always get much press, but Jaydn Ott can change that. Ott has been productive from the start. As a freshman in 2022, he caught 46 passes, proving his receiving mettle. And in 2023, he logged 1,315 yards and 12 scores on 246 carries.
Ott doesn’t have great size or mass, but he’s a patient, measured runner who can manage lanes from the backfield with steady footwork. Once he unleashes and opens his strides to attack those lanes, his long-strider speed can flip the field in an instant.
6) Trevor Etienne, Georgia
Trevor Etienne, the younger brother of Jacksonville Jaguars star Travis Etienne, will have all eyes on him as he carries the torch at the RB position for the Georgia Bulldogs. Etienne transferred to Georgia after logging 753 rushing yards and eight scores at Florida in 2023.
At 5’9″, 205 pounds, Etienne wins — first and foremost — with his speed, burst, and agility. He also has solid vision, creative instincts, and contact balance for his size. To go Round 1 like Travis did, Trevor must prove more as a receiver, but the physical talent is present.
5) Ashton Jeanty, Boise State
Ashton Jeanty might be the best 2025 NFL Draft RB prospect you’ve never heard of. To almost no national fanfare, Jeanty logged almost 2,000 total yards from scrimmage in 2023 and found the end zone 19 times. Last year, 1,347 of his yardage output came on the ground.
Of all the 2025 NFL Draft-eligible backs, Jeanty has one of the cleanest profiles. At 5’9″, 210 pounds, he has good natural leverage, and he’s an energized short-strider, but what makes his game so alluring is the efficiency and urgency with which he works upfield and gains speed.
4) Omarion Hampton, North Carolina
The North Carolina offense may have lost Drake Maye and Tez Walker to the NFL, but it’ll still be very much worth watching in 2024, and Omarion Hampton is a big reason why. Hampton racked up 1,504 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2023, and he’ll be relied upon even more this year.
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At 6’0″, 220 pounds, Hampton is among the most imposing spectacles in the early 2025 NFL Draft RB class. He’s big, tough, and physical in tight spaces, but he also has the vertical explosion to capitalize on tight creases and flashes impressive cutting ability at his size.
3) TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State
TreVeyon Henderson — who broke out with 1,560 yards and 19 total touchdowns as a freshman phenom — would’ve been my RB1 had he declared for the 2024 NFL Draft. Given his high-flying stock and his medical history, his decision to return was surprising, and now Quinshon Judkins will be eating into his volume.
Nevertheless, as a prospect, little has changed regarding Henderson. At 5’10”, 213 pounds, he brings the natural leverage and power of a volume back, but he also has elite explosive athleticism, vertical speed, and stellar receiving chops. He can be a quality modern RB.
2) Ollie Gordon II, Oklahoma State
Ollie Gordon II is just now entering his first season of eligibility for the NFL Draft. Still, he’s already a top contender for RB1 after amassing 285 carries, 1,732 yards, and 21 scores in a Doak Walker Award-winning 2023 campaign. Past the rushing production, he also caught 39 passes for 330 yards.
Athletically, Gordon might not be the superlative member of the 2025 RB class. Yet, at 6’1″, 211 pounds, he has enough functional explosiveness as a long-strider, and he’s a supremely elastic and malleable short-area mover with rare cutting flexibility and flow.
1) Quinshon Judkins, Ohio State
As the 2025 NFL Draft cycle begins, the RB1 mantle is up for grabs. However, few RB prospects have had as strong a case as Quinshon Judkins over the past two seasons. In two years at Ole Miss, the former three-star eclipsed 3,000 total yards from scrimmage and found the end zone 34 times.
There are times when Judkins’ vision can be a bit more consistent, but the SEC standout has an energized running style that can be imitated by few, and he’s versatile across running schemes. At Ohio State, he’ll be tasked with sustaining his high-level production.
Honorable Mentions
- CJ Donaldson, West Virginia
- Donovan Edwards, Michigan
- Jaylin Lucas, Florida State
- Jo’Quavious Marks, USC
- Kaleb Johnson, Iowa
- Roman Hemby, Maryland
- Nathan Carter, Michigan State
- Phil Mafah, Clemson
- Tahj Brooks, Texas Tech
- Raheim Sanders, South Carolina
KEEP READING: Top 100 NFL Prospects to Watch in 2025 NFL Draft
Other 2025 NFL Draft Position Rankings
Check out our other way-too-early position rankings for the 2025 NFL Draft:
- Top 10 Quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL Draft
- Top 10 Wide Receivers in the 2025 NFL Draft
- Top 10 Tight Ends in the 2025 NFL Draft
- Top 10 Offensive Tackles in the 2025 NFL Draft
- Top 10 Cornerbacks in the 2025 NFL Draft
- Top 10 EDGEs in the 2025 NFL Draft
- Top 10 Defensive Tackles in the 2025 NFL Draft
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