Top Running Backs for NFL Draft 2025

Frank Coyle/ Publisher 

The running back position made an incredible comeback in 2024 with several high profile NFL runners switching teams and having breakout seasons. NFL veterans Saquan Barkley, Derrick Henry, Josh Jacobs, Aaron Jones, Joe Mixon and Tony Pollard all left in Free Agency and made major impact on their new offenses with all producing impressive numbers and becoming key performers on playoff clubs, except for Pollard. The position has been diminished over the past decade with virtually all performers failing to obtain a second contract, even after getting the Franchise tag for one season. Barkley and Henry were the key catalyst on the Eagles and Ravens run to the Conference championship games. Barkley hopes to complete his season with a final performance in Super Bowl LIX vs the Kansas City Chiefs.

This year’s rookie running back class is a strong group with at least one prospect, Ashton Jeanty expected to be selected in the first round. Several other runners, Johnson, Hampton, Sampson and Skattebo are expected to be chosen on the 2nd day of the draft process and in the top overall 100 selections. Expect many surprise NFL runners chosen in the final rounds with a few winning starting jobs over their careers. Running backs usually make a quick impact in the NFL where their natural talent rise quickly to the occasion and win key roles in an NFL offense.

 Draft Insiders’ will publish Positional Rankings for every position this week after the Senior Bowl and East-West Shrine games

 Top Running Backs (25)

  1 Ashton Jeanty            Boise State                    Jr         5-9       210

2 Kaleb Johnson            Iowa                               Jr         6-0       225

3 Dylan Sampson          Tennessee                     Jr         5-10      210

4 Omarion Hampton    North Carolina            Jr         6-0       220

5 Cameron Skattebo    Arizona State                Sr         5-10      220

6 RJ Harvey                    UCF                               Sr         5-8       205

7 TreVeyon Henderson  Ohio State                  Sr         5-10      215

8 Tahj Brooks                 Texas Tech                  Sr         5-9       230

9 Quinshon Judkins     Ohio State                    Jr         5-10      220

10 DJ Giddens                Kansas State               Jr         6-0       215

11 Trevor Etienne          Georgia                         Jr         5-9       205

12 Jonah Coleman         Washington                 Sr.        5-9        230

13 Kyle Monangai          Rutgers                        Sr         5-9       210

14 Devin Neal                  Kansas                        Sr         5-11      220

15 LeQuint Allen Jr.        Syracuse                    Sr         6-0       205

16 Ja’Quinden Jackson  Arkansas                    Sr         6-2        225

17 Jacory Croskey-Merritt   Arizona                Sr         5-10      205

18 Jarquez Hunter         Auburn                        Sr         5-9       210

19 Ollie Gordon             Oklahoma State           Jr         6-1       235

20 Donovan Edwards     Michigan                     Sr         5-11      215

21 Damien Martinez       Miami                          Jr         5-11      225

22 Raheim Sanders       South Carolina            Jr         6-0       225

23 Phil Mafah                Clemson                       Sr         6-0       235

24 Kalel Mullings           Michigan                     Sr         6-2       235

25 Woody Marks           USC                               Sr         5-10      215

Senior Bowl – East-West Games

Draft Insiders’ – Frank Coyle / Head scout
www.draftinsiders.com

The two main All-star weeks concluded with over 200 prospects showcasing their potential in front of hundreds of NFL personnel men. The Senior Bowl / East-West weeks highlight over 60% of NFL Draft selections chosen every April. This year should be no differnet for the NFL Draft 2025. We had several scouts at both events and every practice session.

The Senior Bowl game was one of the more exciting contests in recent memory with last minute dramatics concluding another interesting week. The one on one drills earned several players high grades which might carry them into the first round after impressive sessions vs top competition.

The East-West week showcased many talented prospects with critical matchups over the practices. They will have a huge impact again on the NFL Draft. Last year, 57 prospects were selected in the NFL Draft 2024. Unfortunately, this year the East team was shutout with inconsistency and penalties the primary reasons. The shutout highlights the difficulty trying to implement an offense in just a week where personnel changes over the practices due to injuries and players opting out of the game.

The Senior Bowl game lost 35 players to opting out of the main event after participating in most of the practices. The East-West game also sustained personnel losses which hurt the rhtymn of the contest.

       We will have extensive Senior Bowl and East-West coverage from practices in the February Newsletter out this week.

#1 February Newsletter – New Three Round Mock Draft / Extensive Review of Senior Bowl & E-W Prospects

#2 Prospect Positional Rankings Document – Top 300 Rankings
Available This  week – Special Deluxe Package $59.95 – Order Today

Key Upcoming Dates

Feb. 9 – Super Bowl LIX  – Kansas City Chiefs vs Philadelphia Eagles

Feb 22 – HBCU Legacy All-Star Game – 4 pm – New Orleans, La – NFL Network

Feb 24-March 3 – NFL Scouting Combine (Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana)

March 12 – 2025 League Year – Free Agency signing and Trading Period begins at 4:00 p.m., est   

** April 24-26 – Annual Selection Meeting – NFL Draft (Green Bay, Wi) **
NFL Draft 2025

Senior Bowl 2025 – Game Feb. 1 2025

Mobile, Al – 2:30 pm est – NFL Network

Scouting Senior Bowl Prospects

Frank Coyle /Staff – draftinsiders.com

 Players to Watch
    Practice results

 Defensive Players

Edge Mike Green – Marshall was explosive on the snap to pressure the pocket consistently with surprisingly good power. He made plays along the line and held up OK vs the run with a good overall effort that improved his stock.

Edge Landon Jackson – Arkansas had a solid week of practices and helped his cause. He showed speed off the edge to be a pass rusher with the ability to convert to power at the top of the arc. He can also counter inside. He shows the ability to anchor and hold the point to be an every down end in a either pro set.

Edge Donovan Ezeiruaku – Boston College flashed elite quickness on the snap and gained penetration often. He made plays along the line and held up adequately vs the run, showing quick hands and a good counter move which improved his stock. He pushed the pocket well with well-developed rush moves.

DT Darius Alexander – Toledo played strong on the inside. He had an impressive week and showed he can be a force in the middle with the ability to stack and hold the point vs the double team and also to push the pocket. With similar results at the NFL Combine, his draft status will continue to rise.

LB Nickolas Martin – Oklahoma St showed quickness on the snap and the speed to make plays along the line. He held up well vs the run, though his hand technique and his ability to stack needs work to improve his stock. He is developing in his drops in coverage and has the look of a starting pro backer.

LB Jack Kiser – Notre Dame is a tough mobile defender with the speed to make plays at the sidelines. He has the talent to drop in coverage and sit in zone areas. He helped his cause with interesting versatility.

February Newsletter – New Three Round Mock Draft & Top 150 Value Board – Prospect Positional Rankings – Top 300 Rankings
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CB Azareye’h Thomas – Florida St is a big athlete with both quickness and speed that translates well to the field. He can blanket receivers in coverage with fluid hips and the recovery speed to make up for mistakes. He needs to pick up the ball quicker to use his length and athleticism along with technique work and play recognition development. He held up well in key matchups over the week that improved his stock further.

CB Jacob Parrish – Kansas St displays smooth footwork in his basic technique, with a low backpedal and flexible hips. He was very good in coverage and read routes properly with the reactions to close on the ball. He showed sure tackling skills, though needs to improve his ability to get off blockers.

CB Darien Porter – Iowa State combines good AA with the prototypical measurables for the position. He will battle receivers effectively for the ball when he reads the route properly and gains positioning. His initial reads and overall instincts need some development to put himself in position to play early as a pro. His recovery speed is good to match up in man situations in the deep zones.

S Keondre Jackson – Illinois St has good athleticism and moves well with speed and instincts to carry out his assignments. He is tough at the line of scrimmage with the range to pursue and finish with sure tackling. He displays fine athleticism to cover wide receivers and tight end in zone coverage. Needs work on his man coverage skills. Top special teams defender.

S Sebastian Castro – Iowa runs to the ball well and is a sure tackler who takes sound angles. He has good speed and range to cover sideline to sideline and matches up well in zone coverage. He is a prospect to watch at the NFL Combine.

Frank Coyle is a longtime member of the FWAA and a voter for the Heisman Trophy, Outland Trophy, Bronko Nagurski, Jim Thorpe, Fred Biletnikoff and Eddie Robinson awards annually for 30 years. He has been a 20-year Scouting consultant for the Senior Bowl.