The College Football Playoff is underway, but so is #DraftSZN. While mock drafts are fun exercises, 2025 NFL Draft rankings are the backbone of any big board. So, which ankle-breaking and brain-bruising RBs lead one of the deepest classes in recent memory?
2025 Draft RB Rankings | 10-1
NFL Draft rankings remain fluid as we gather more information through the all-star circuit, pro days, and NFL Combine, but the top and bottom of the class have begun to separate.
Ashton Jeanty is the unquestioned RB1 — glad we are all on the same page. Now, we can discuss who fills out 2-10 in our 2025 NFL Draft RB rankings.
RBs Just Outside the Top 10
- Raheim Sanders, South Carolina
- Jordan James, Oregon
- Kyle Monangai, Rutgers
- Jaquez Hunter, Auburn
- RJ Harvey, UCF
10) Phil Mafah, Clemson Tigers
At 6’1″ and 230 pounds, Phil Mafah is an issue in the open field. As Clemson’s unquestioned RB1 in 2024, he showcased his all-around skill set that translates to the NFL. He has the speed to fash defenses, the size to wear them down, and the versatility to execute multiple run concepts and catch out of the backfield.
9) Brashard Smith, SMU Mustangs
Brashard Smith might be a polarizing prospect to some as a converted WR, but the New York Giants’ Tyrone Tracy Jr. has certainly quelled some of those concerns this year. Still, at a listed 5’10” and 196 pounds, Smith is rather thin at the position.
That shouldn’t matter as the lightning to someone else’s thunder. While the SMU back has breakaway speed that will have coaches drooling, he’s more than just a speed threat. As a former WR, he has the routing-running ability, hands, and ball skills to be flexed out wide. He’s also a dangerous kick returner, as evidenced by his 98-yard house call in his final season with the Miami Hurricanes.
But wait, there’s more! Smith has exceptional vision and patience behind the line of scrimmage, as well as the quick twitch and elusiveness to press holes and bounce outside. His film is marred by some missed cutbacks, false steps, and a tendency to look for the big play instead of plowing forward, but Smith has the skill set to do significant damage in today’s game.
8) Bhayshul Tuten, Virginia Tech Hokies
Bhayshul Tuten’s production stands out even with a glaring flaw: nine fumbles over 400 touches in the last two seasons. While that kind of ball security is concerning, it’s also one of the most coachable aspects of a running back’s game, making his upside all the more enticing.
Tuten’s game is defined by an explosive burst at the first level, a powerful lower body that absorbs and deflects contact, and the breakaway speed to leave defenders chasing. He’s a consistent problem for the first tackler, and though sparingly used in pass protection, he’s shown he’s more than willing to throw his body into the fray when called upon.
Versatility also plays into his favor, as Tuten thrived in a balanced attack at North Carolina A&T before dominating in Tech’s zone-heavy scheme.
7) Cam Skattebo, Arizona State Sun Devils
Cam Skattebo is one of the most relentless runners in the 2024 class, combining urgency and physicality on every snap. He thrived as Arizona State’s workhorse, surpassing 300 touches while consistently punishing defenders with his downhill running style.
Skattebo excels at maintaining a low pad level, making him a nightmare to bring down, and he averaged nearly five yards after contact on third-down carries alone this season. He thrives between the tackles with decisive acceleration and light feet that allow for late adjustments. While he has enough patience to bounce outside occasionally, his lack of elite speed makes him less suited for wide-zone schemes that demand perimeter explosiveness.
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However, Skattebo’s biggest concern is ball security (10 fumbles over the last three years). His pass protection and receiving game also need refinement. While he’s flashed potential as a pass catcher, much of his production came on flares and pseudo-screens. In pass protection, he’s capable of delivering crushing blocks but must improve his consistency in recognizing and engaging defenders.
Overall, Skattebo is a physical tone-setter with excellent contact balance, vision, and a no-nonsense running style that screams “old school.” Though he may lack top-tier athleticism, his versatility and toughness could make him a valuable complementary piece in an NFL backfield.
6) DJ Giddens, Kansas State Wildcats
At 6’1” and 212 pounds, DJ Giddens brings a rare blend of size and explosiveness to the RB position. His lower-body fluidity allows him to seamlessly cut laterally, leaving defenders grasping at air as he slips through tight seams in the defense.
Giddens is a nightmare for second-level defenders, using deceptive eye/head movement to manipulate pursuit angles and create explosive plays. While his top-end speed isn’t elite, it’s more than enough to house chunk runs when he hits open space.
However, Giddens’ game has significant rough edges. His vision and decision-making can be inconsistent and slow, causing him to miss opportunities at the line of scrimmage. Add in struggles with pass protection — particularly at his size — and a concerning drop rate, and it’s clear he has some work to do before becoming a reliable three-down option.
5) Quinshon Judkins, Ohio State Buckeyes
Quinshon Judkins plays with flashes of creativity and wiggle, but his game comes with some limitations. While he shows natural instincts as a runner, he isn’t overly fluid, and his explosiveness doesn’t quite match that of his backfield partner, TreVeyon Henderson.
Judkins brings power to his game, often falling forward for extra yards and pushing piles, but he lacks elite contact balance to consistently shake off tacklers. His vision remains a work in progress, occasionally missing lanes that could maximize his runs.
Out of the backfield, Judkins is a capable pass catcher but falls short of being dynamic in that phase. Paired with underwhelming pass protection, it’s clear Judkins isn’t a top-five RB prospect, but he’s still worth a Day 2 selection.
Judkins has let the ball hit the turf just three times on over 750 career touches, owns impressive footwork behind his blockers, and profiles as an NFL starter — just with a capped ceiling.
4) TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State Buckeyes
Speaking of Ohio State RBs…
TreVeyon Henderson’s injury history could drop him lower than his talent warrants in the NFL Draft, but whoever selects him will get a steal. Stout pass blocker? Check. Home-run speed? Check. Agility and acceleration to drop defenders to their knees? Discount double-check.
He isn’t quite as decisive in zone schemes vs. man/gap, but when healthy, Henderson is a game-changer capable of flipping the field on any given touch.
3) Kaleb Johnson, Iowa Hawkeyes
How running backs use their feet — get out of here, Rex Ryan — translates from level to level. Kaleb Johnson’s footwork is a masterpiece: fluid, precise, AND perfectly suited for Iowa’s wide-zone rushing scheme.
His ability to seamlessly find and attack creases is a direct result of his flexibility and knack for keeping his body aligned with his footwork. While he doesn’t flash the elite explosiveness of some other backs, Johnson’s vision and ability to manipulate defenders at the second level make him a constant threat to break off big runs.
What holds him back in the rankings are his limited opportunities as a pass catcher and some inconsistency in his pass-protection technique. Nevertheless, offenses that put on emphasis on north-to-south-style rushers will love Johnson’s skill set.
2) Omarion Hampton, North Carolina Tar Heels
Omarion Hampton not only took the torch from Javonte Williams — he snuffed it out and lit his own. His dense frame and explosive burst make him a nightmare for defenders in open rushing lanes.
Hampton is as well-rounded as they come, pairing natural hands with a strong track record in pass protection. His ability to force missed and broken tackles is elite, consistently punishing would-be tacklers at every level.
Although Hampton isn’t quite as creative as some others in the class and has some room to grow with his patience and vision, he’s simply built to be a starting RB in the league.
1) Ashton Jeanty, Boise State Broncos
Saquon Barkley was an athletic marvel. Bijan Robinson’s role at Texas elevated him into rarefied air. Yet, neither was as complete as Ashton Jeanty coming out of college. If you ignore his amusement park height restriction (5’9″), Jeanty has no real weaknesses.
In 2023, he led all running backs in receiving yards, showcased elite awareness in pass protection, and demonstrated a vision that could only be described as upper echelon. Whether stringing together Marshawn Lynch-style broken tackles or breaking away with his explosive long speed, Jeanty is the complete back.
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He quite literally carried the Boise State Broncos to the CFP, and while the offensive line has done its job, Jeanty has had no issue creating his own holes.
With a compact frame, low center of gravity, soft hands as a receiver, playmaking ability in the open field, and the physical prowess to shed arm tackles and cut through the line like butter, Jeanty is a top-10 overall prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft.
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