The usual NFL Draft may not be headlined by a running back anymore, but the 2025 NFL Draft may be different. That’s because of one man, and one man alone. His name: Ashton Jeanty.
He leads the nation’s running backs in every rushing category and leads these Draft RB Rankings all the same. The real race is for who is No. 2?
2025 Draft RB Rankings, 1-10
Just because Jeanty is the clear-cut No. 1 doesn’t mean that the others on this list are not good. In fact, had some of these backs entered the draft in previous years, they may have been at or near the top of their own draft classes.
Such is life in college football, and here are the top 10 for the 2025 NFL Draft.
10) Kaleb Johnson, Iowa
What a season it’s been for Iowa RB Kaleb Johnson. Not only was he a legitimate candidate for the Heisman Trophy early on this year, he’s also shown his abilities off on the grandest stage and against top-tier talent, putting himself firmly into the NFL Draft discussion.
Johnson is a big back at 6’0″, 225 pounds, and he plays like it. Yet, he has a nimbleness to his game when necessary. Johnson’s game compares to a dominant baseball pitcher who can throw a fastball just as well as he can throw a changeup.
He’ll blow through defenders with his strength or simply beat them to the end zone with speed. When it boils down to it, this is likely the lowest we’ll see Johnson ranked until he ultimately declares and turns pro.
9) Tahj Brooks, Texas Tech
A five-year player, Tahj Brooks has seen it all during his time at Lubbock. Speaking of wear on tires, Brooks certainly has a bit of wear on his, but he still presents a precise bowling ball of a back who bounces off contact and breaks tackles seemingly at will.
For all the carries in his career, Brooks has not missed any significant amount of time and has shown remarkable consistency in his outings. He isn’t a barn burner in terms of speed and likely won’t contribute a lot out of the backfield at the next level, but a two-down, change-of-pace back who essentially grants an NFL team at least 3-4 yards per carry is back in style.
8) TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State
On the opposite end of the spectrum than his counterpart at No. 10 here, TreVeyon Henderson could be considered an absolute dual-threat or a potential third-down receiving back at the NFL level due to his receiving talents. Henderson, when healthy, is a dynamic back with underrated speed and a decorated ability in space after the catch.
For Henderson, the concern with his game is that he may have reached his peak back during his record-breaking true freshman season in 2021. He hasn’t quite ‘failed’ to live up to the hype following that 15-touchdown season, but he also hasn’t put together the same level of dominance.
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When he is at his best, however, Henderson is far more than a receiving, dual-threat back. He’s a true speedster with great open-field elusiveness and a second gear obtainable in open space. He’ll bounce off tackles and weave his way with great vision through the offensive line.
Healthy, Henderson is a great blend of a new-age, today era NFL dual-threat back mixed with an old-school power back with surprising speed.
7) Kyle Monangai, Rutgers
Kyle Monangai didn’t come out of nowhere in 2023, but he did surprise some with his career year for Rutgers. In 2024, however, Monangai was the known commodity for the Scarlet Knights, and no matter what defenses did, he simply can not be stopped.
After an 8-TD season a year ago, Monangai has already surpassed that total in 2024 and has done so looking all the more impressive. Monangai is a ball of chaos heading toward any defender willing to stand in his way.
He blows through would-be tacklers with ease and has no trouble out-running defenders to the edge or in the open field. Monangai will fit brilliantly into a zone-read type offense where he can use his patience and midfield vision and should compliment a dominant receiving back in an NFL backfield quite nicely.
6) Le’Veon Moss, Texas A&M
We’ve seen the best version of Le’Veon Moss in 2024, exploding onto the scene after flashing his abilities a year ago. At 6’0″, 215 pounds, Moss has tremendous size for him also to present the speed he has.
There’s a quick first step to his game, and he uses that to his advantage to combine with his patience at the line of scrimmage. Moss has great vision and a top gear that will certainly make him a sought-after commodity in the draft.
There’s scheme versatility to his game as well as a high upside, as Moss is seemingly just scratching the surface of his abilities.
5) Ollie Gordon II, Oklahoma State
Ollie Gordon II may have found his stride in Week 8 against BYU, but it’s been a little too late to reclaim his spot any higher than No. 5 on our Draft RB Rankings for now. At 6’2″, 225 pounds, Gordon is as fast as he is strong and is as big as he is elusive.
There’s a completeness to his game, showing off his elusivness on the ground and through the air all the same. Gordon hauled in 39 receptions in 2023 and is on his way to clearing that total in 2024 if his usage continues to rise.
Gordon is a menace to bring down at the point of attack and it routinely takes multiple defenders to tackle him. He’ll be a unique draft evaluation due to his dominant 2023 season and questions around his usage in 2024, but the talent Gordon possesses is not in question.
4) Nicholas Singleton, Penn State
A known RB factory, Nicholas Singleton is next up from Penn State. Singleton stands tall at 6’1″ and 225 pounds, routinely using that size to his advantage, but it’s his elusiveness at that size that really throws defenders for a loop.
Singleton has a brilliant first step in the hole or on the outside and presents a quick twitch for a bulky back like him. Somehow, he plays smaller than he is when necessary, squirting through the tiniest gaps in front of him before hitting his top speed and out-running the defense.
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He has great hands, hardly ever losing grip of it and is a willing contributor in pass protection, giving him an advantage over most backs in this class. Singleton rounds out his skill set with a great game in the open field off of receptions to boot.
3) Omarion Hampton, North Carolina
A documented dual-threat out of the backfield, Omarion Hampton has been the lone bright spot in an otherwise dark season for the Tar Heels. He’s caught over 20 passes out of the backfield in each of the past two seasons and ran for a whopping 1,500 yards a year ago.
He’s well on his way to reach that total once again and has scored nearly 30 touchdowns on the ground before hitting 2.5 years in the lineup. Hampton is 6’1″ and 220, presenting himself as a straight-line bruiser through contact.
And yet, Hampton’s game is more about making defenders miss in space all the same. There isn’t any holes in Hampton’s games at this point.
2) Quinshon Judkins, Ohio State
The most elusive back not-named Ashton Jeanty is certainly Quinshon Judkins. He hasn’t quite had that breakout performance at Ohio State just yet, mainly because he hasn’t had to, but we know it’s there after his years at Ole Miss.
Following two straight seasons of at least 1,100 yards and 15 touchdowns, Judkins’ has been used far less at Ohio State, and by design. It’s a long haul that we’ve projected for the Buckeyes in 2024 and Judkins will be needed for a long Playoff run.
At 6’0″ and 219 pounds, with his moves and top speed next to Henderson, this is the best duo we’ve seen in college football in some time. Judkins is electric with the ball in his hands, bouncing off arm tackles or spinning away from contact all the same.
Featuring him in either facet behooves any offense that will be fortunate enough to draft him.
1) Ashton Jeanty, Boise State
It’s simple really, the best player in college football in 2024 is also the best prospect at his position in the 2025 NFL Draft. Ashton Jeanty entered the season after being named a College Football Network First Team All-American a year ago and he’s shattered even the loftiest of expectations in 2024.
After hauling in 44 receptions a year ago, Jeanty has shown he has the ability to take games over with his legs and on the ground even more so than anyone anticipated. He’s a bruising back with speed to spare, routinely drawing the easiest comparison of all the running backs in this class: Jeanty is a mix of Brian Westbrook and Alvin Kamara.
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Midway through October, Jeanty is averaging a ridiculous 9.9 yards per carry, a testament to his ability to utilize his vision, burst, speed, twitch, elusiveness, and balance through contact weekly.
Jeanty is must-watch TV and the only back in this draft class that likely hears his name called in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
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