Earlier this week, Oklahoma State Cowboys star running back Ollie Gordon II declared his intention to declare for the 2025 NFL Draft. While Gordon does not have the same draft stock as he did at the conclusion of last season’s remarkable campaign, he is still a top running back prospect who has the ability to make a difference at the NFL level.
Gordon accumulated 1,732 yards and 21 touchdowns on the ground in 2023 while adding 330 receiving yards and another touchdown through the air. This resulted in his winning the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and the Doak Walker (given to the nation’s best running back) awards. However, he struggled to find the same success in 2024, finishing the season with 880 rushing yards, 179 receiving yards, and 14 total touchdowns.
Social Media Reaction to Ollie Gordon II Declaring for NFL Draft
In response to his NFL Draft announcement, football fans have been quick to highlight how important it is for Gordon to leave the Cowboys, despite having one more season of eligibility at the college level.
“Finally getting out of that dumpster fire of a program,” one user detailed.
Finally getting out of that dumpster fire of a program
— CFB Tracker (@MatchupTracker) December 6, 2024
Another expressed how this decision did not come as much of a shock.
“Well that’s not a surprise to be honest,” they explained.
Well that’s not a surprise to be honest
— Jackson Johnson (@JacksonVOCFB) December 6, 2024
Where Will Gordon Be Drafted, and What Can He Bring to an NFL Franchise?
While it is still too early to know definitively where Gordon will be taken come next April’s draft, Pro Football Network’s Dalton Miller has him heading to the New Orleans Saints 188th overall (sixth round) in his latest seven-round NFL mock draft.
In many respects, Gordon going to New Orleans makes a lot of sense for both the player and the franchise.
From Gordon’s perspective, the Saints appear to be in the midst of a changing of the guard of sorts on both sides of the ball. The addition of Gordon, in addition to N.O.’s young star receivers Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed, could make the Saints one of the most exciting and explosive offenses in the entire league.
From the team’s perspective, the Saints will be looking for a natural replacement for star veteran running back Alvin Kamara in the coming years. Though he signed an extension through the 2026 season, there will be a running back vacancy soon that Gordon could instantly fill.
In his scouting report, Pro Football Network’s Ian Cummings highlighted how “Gordon is extremely adaptable, with high-level fluidity, creative instincts, spatial IQ, and vision. He can work efficiently behind the line but also has the improvisational ability to evade early contact threats, create for himself, and carve out paths upfield.”
“Going further, Gordon is a capable volume runner with great energy and stamina and some phase versatility. As a receiver, he can line up in different spots, make himself available, and provide value as a RAC threat. As a blocker, he’s alert and more than willing, and his tools serve him well,” he added.
Though it remains to be seen which team he will ultimately be drafted by, it is clear that Gordon could be a great fit for the Saints and make an instant impact at the professional level with his dynamism and versatility.