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RB Scouting Reports - 2025
Bird’s Eye View: Positional Analysis
This year's RB class has both high end, starting quality RBs but also tremendous depth. There are likely to be a few undrafted backs who get on the field in the NFL next season. The class is led by Heisman Trophy finalist Ashton Jeanty (Boise State) who looks like a Pro Bowl player, possibly as early as his rookie season. He is a Top 10 lock in April. Several other studs in this class include Kaleb Johnson (Iowa), Ollie Gordon (Oklahoma State), Omarion Hampton (North Carolina), Cam Skattebo (Arizona State), and Devin Neal (Kansas). There are are more than two dozen prospects who grade out as fourth round picks or better! This could be a class that gets remembered in the annals of the draft - it is that good.
Positional Grade: A
Kay'Ron Lynch Adams / Michigan State
Player Comparison:
Rico Dowdle / Dallas
Kay'Ron Lynch Adams / Michigan State
Transfer from UMASS (via Rutgers). Square, low built RB with a compact, solid build. Good vision. Nice jump cut. Very impressive burst when he sees daylight. Relishes contact – runs angry. Physical and churns legs through tackle attempts – makes DBs pay for the privilege. Breaks tackles easily due to superior contact balance, pad level, and leg drive. Lines up out wide in certain sets and runs solid routes against zone coverage. Relatively inexperienced in pass protection.
LeQuint Allen / Syracuse
6’ & ¼” / 195 / 32 & ½” Arms / 10 & ¼” Hands
Good height/frame with adequate mass. Upright, slashing running style. Very good vision for the cutback lane. Decisive runner with adequate pad level due to running style. Very good burst with a second gear when he sees daylight. Limited power and doesn’t gain much after contact. Feisty and competitive blocker in pass protection.
LeQuint Allen / Syracuse
Player Comparison:
Raheem Mostert / Miami
Micah Bernard / Utah
Player Comparison:
Craig Reynolds / Detroit
Micah Bernard / Utah
Good frame with adequate mass. Nice run vision. Lowers pads and runs with good forward lean. Versatile and has played numerous positions on offense and defense – willing and able to play many positions adequately. Physical runner who would prefer to run over you than by you. Powerful runner who drives legs and churns through contact. Patient runner with good vision. Limited lateral agility but can sidestep defenders and make them miss in the box. Adequate burst. Limited long speed. Reliable outlet receiver.
Tahj Brooks / Texas Tech
5’9 & 1/8” / 229 / 30 & ¾” Arms / 9 & 1/8” Hands
Thickly built RB with an average frame with very good mass and a powerful lower body. Runs with superb balance. Patient runner with very good vision. Excellent burst through the hole. Sneaky lateral agility and can make defenders miss in the hole. Nasty forearm. Runs angry – drives his legs and uses his body lean to gain maximum yards. Excellent pass protector – one of the best blocking RBs in his class. Sound and fundamentally sound route runner with nice hands for the outlet pass.
Tahj Brooks / Texas Tech
Player Comparison:
Kimani Vidal / LA Chargers
Quinton Cooley / Liberty
Player Comparison:
Austin Ekeler / Washington
Quinton Cooley / Liberty
Transfer from Wake Forest. Short but has a compact, muscle-filled frame. Very good vision for the cutback lane. Loose hips, light feet, and good ankle flexion allows him to have great lateral agility and cutting ability. Excellent burst. Very nice spin move. Physical inside runner who drives legs on contact.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt / Arizona
5’10 & ½” / 206 / 31 & 5/8” Arms / 8 & 7/8” Hands
​Transfer from New Mexico (via Alabama State). Looks the part with a solid frame and mass. Rushed for 106 yards and a TD in his only game before being declared ineligible by the NCAA and missed the rest of the 2024 season. Returned for the Shrine Bowl. Extremely fast in the open field with a tremendous second gear – explosive, game breaking burst and acceleration. Loose hips allow him to cut easily and create space. Quick and agile. Very little wear and tear – very good skills that need refinement due to relatively little college experience.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt / Arizona
Player Comparison:
Emari Demercado / Arizona
Donovan Edwards / Michigan
Player Comparison:
Darren McFadden / retired NFL RB
Donovan Edwards / Michigan
5’11” / 215 / 30 & ¼” Arms / 10” Hands
Ideal combination of height, frame, and mass. Has an upright, gliding style of running that provides good vision but also exposes his body to a larger target area for defenders to hit. Excellent burst through the hole. Elite deep speed – nearly impossible to catch from behind. Smooth, gliding strider with a running style similar to Eric Dickerson. Plays best against the best competition in the biggest games (see 2023 National Championship game performance v Washington) and seemingly disappears against less marquee opposition. Seemed to regress this last season where he could not stay healthy, and when he was healthy, clearly was the team’s second-best RB behind Kalel Mullings. Has never played up to his immense talent in Ann Arbor but there is not a more talented RB in this class and he is likely to get drafted based on upside and not production.
Trevor Etienne / Georgia
5’8 & ½” / 202 / 29 & ¼” Arms / 9 & 5/8” Hands
Transfer from Florida. Decent size – built low to the ground. Very quick and sudden with a very good burst. Very good vision for the cut back lane. Light feet and loose hips aid his lateral agility. Flashes elite stop/start elusiveness. Runs behind his pads and drives legs on contact – falls forward consistently. Hands are inconsistent and is prone to concentration drops. Brother, Travis plays in the NFL (Jaguars). Misses a lot of time with nagging injuries. Suspended for season opener (DUI) – character needs to be checked out. Performance on the field has yet to match his athleticism – intriguing upside to be tapped if he can stay healthy and motivated.
Trevor Etienne / Georgia
Player Comparison:
Travis Etienne / Jacksonville
Ollie Gordon / Oklahoma State
Player Comparison:
Rhamondre Stevenson / New England
Ollie Gordon / Oklahoma State
6’1 &1/8” / 233 / 32 & ¾” Arms / 9 & ¼” Hands
​Ideal combination of frame and well-distributed mass. Very powerful runner who is very difficult to bring down when he is moving vertically – best chance to stop him is to make him move lateral to the LOS. Drops pads and delivers blows while running the ball. Very good vision. Great burst through the hole. Surprisingly light feet and has an effective jump cut. Very good hands and can snag the off-target pass. Very good long speed and he can bust through pursuit angles. Lacks much experience as a route runner. Needs development in pass protection skills to stay on the field on third down. Led FBS in rushing in 2023 (1,732 yards / 6.1 YPC / 21 TDs). Had a disappointing season in 2024 as Oklahoma State struggled to a 3-9 season and rushed for 880 yards on 190 carries (4.6 YPC) and 13 TDs.
Omarion Hampton / North Carolina
Prototypical frame and mass. Powerful runner who runs low and behind his pads – consistently falls forward. Runs with excellent pad level. Churns legs through contact and breaks tackles easily – YAC monster. Nearly impossible to stop in short yardage situations. Good vision, decent lateral agility, and a great burst through the hole. Gives effort in pass protection but needs work in sustaining blocks better. Soft hands and can extend and snag balls thrown outside the frame of his body. Most effective going forward and can be neutralized if you can get him running parallel to the LOS.
Omarion Hampton / North Carolina
Player Comparison:
James Conner / Arizona
RJ Harvey / UCF
Player Comparison:
Kyren Williams / LA Rams
RJ Harvey / UCF
5’7 & ¾” / 207 / 30 & ¼” Arms / 8 & 5/8” Hands
Transfer from Virginia. Compact frame with solid mass. Powerful runner with great contact balance. Can move the pile with his leg drive and strength. Good vision, excellent lateral agility including an effective jump cut, and great burst through the hole or to the corner. Good hands out of the backfield. Inexperienced in pass protection. Former high school QB with natural running instincts. Finished third in FBS in rushing in 2024, running for 1,577 yards (6.8 YPC) and 22 TDs.
Ja'Quinden Jackson / Arkansas
6’1 & 5/8” / 225 / 33” Arms / 9 & ½” Hands
Transfer from Utah (via Texas). Recruited to play QB but converted to RB at Utah. Excellent frame and mass with a powerful lower body. Nice lateral agility. Developing vision. Very good burst. Balanced and brings his pads on contact – very hard to knock off his feet. Relishes contact and runs with very good power. Tough and physical runner with a nose for the end zone. Limited experience as a route runner or a pass blocker and may be limited to early downs and goal line situations early in his career.
Ja'Quinden Jackson / Arkansas
Player Comparison:
Gus Edwards / LA Chargers
Ashton Jeanty / Boise State
Player Comparison:
Joe Mixon / Houston
Ashton Jeanty / Boise State
Average height and frame with solid, well-distributed mass. Excellent vision. Limited wiggle but knows how to get skinny and reduce surface area to be hit. Excellent burst through the hole or to the corner. Incredibly strong with superb contact balance – discards arm tackles easily. Squats over 500 lbs. Tacklers consistently fall off attempts to tackle his body – almost like he is covered in grease. One of the best inside runners to enter the draft in years. Very good deep speed to run through pursuit angles. Good receiver out of the backfield with soft hands. Very good ball handler who displayed some ball security issues against Penn State. Needs development in pass protection as he was not required to block for his QB much. A first-round lock in April.
Kaleb Johnson / Iowa
Possesses ideal frame and mass. Runs with excellent pad level and balance. Very good burst through the hole or to the corner. Good vision and cutting ability. Drops pads and delivers blows on inside runs – very good leg drive. Runs with outstanding pad level. Good run instincts, especially near the end zone or first down marker. Soft hands. Excellent long speed.
Kaleb Johnson / Iowa
Player Comparison:
Chuba Hubbard / Carolina
Montrell Johnson / Florida
Player Comparison:
Alvin Kamara / New Orleans
Montrell Johnson / Florida
5'11 & 1/4" / 214 / 30 & 3/4" Arms / 9 & 1/8" Hands
Transfer from Louisiana. Good size and frame with solid musculature throughout his body. Had arthroscopic knee surgery at beginning of August yet started the season opener against Miami. Very good vision. Very effective burst with the speed to hit the corner and take the ball the distance. Possesses light feet and loose hips which gives him very good lateral agility and cutting ability. Excellent long speed – runs through pursuit angles. Rushed for over 3,000 yards in college.
Corey Kiner / Cincinnati
5’8 & ½” / 212 / 30 & 7/8” Arms / 7 & 5/8” Hands
Transfer from LSU. Average height/frame with solid mass. Very small hands – could lead to ball security issues at the NFL level. Very good vision for the cutback lane. Loose hips, light feet, and solid lateral agility. Very good burst when he sees daylight. Powerful runner due to leg drive and pad level – very effective at breaking tackles. Ineffective in pass protection due to lack of strength and poor technique.
Corey Kiner / Cincinnati
Player Comparison:
Dameon Pierce / Houston
Phil Mafah / Clemson
Player Comparison:
Isaiah Davis / NY Jets
Phil Mafah / Clemson
6’ & ¼” / 238 / 32 & ¼” Arms / 9 & ¼” Hands
​Very good-sized RB with solid mass throughout his body. Strong and powerful inside runner with enough agility and change of direction to get outside. Very good burst. Solid vision for the cutback lane. Physical and tough inside runner with very good contact balance. Has been the primary ball carrier for the Tigers for the last two-plus seasons and the first option in short yardage situations. Durability has been good until this year where the physicality of his style has started to take a toll on his availability and effectiveness this season – will require shoulder surgery in the off season.
Jo'Quavious 'Woody' Marks / USC
5’10” / 215 / 29 & ½” Arms / 9 & 1/8” Hands
Transfer from Mississippi State. Good size – has added functional weight to his frame. Very good vision and burst. Extremely experienced and well rounded – a complete back who can carry the ball inside and out, catch the ball, and is a competitive pass blocker. Very good route runner. Dangerous with the ball in space. Has a lot of wear and tear due to heavy use but has been durable throughout career. Ready to contribute from day one in the NFL. Ability in space may make him a dangerous option as a slot receiver in the NFL.
Woody Marks / USC
Player Comparison:
Roschon Johnson / Chicago
Damien Martinez / Miami, Fl
Player Comparison:
David Montgomery / Detroit
Damien Martinez / Miami, Fl
5’11 & 1/8” / 226 / 32” Arms / 8 & ½” Hands
​Transfer from Oregon State. Possesses the desired frame and mass for inside running – plenty of body armor. Physical and powerful runner who grinds through tackle attempts and is a load to take down. Runs with excellent pad level. Good vision for the cutback lane with enough agility to cut and go. Deceptively fast burst. Power is minimized when he is caught running parallel to the LOS. Not overly experienced in route running but has soft hands and is a reliable outlet receiver. Experienced and reliable in pass protection.
Devin Neal / Kansas
5’10 & ¾” / 220 / 30” Arms / 8 & 3/8” Hands
Good size – solid frame and mass. Former 5-star and top RB recruit in the nation. Very good balance and light feet with very good agility. Patient runner with very good vision. Runs with great pad level. Very good burst through the hole or to the corner. Surprisingly good run power. Very good contact balance and hard to knock off his feet. Deceptively fast and can run through pursuit angles. Not used much in the passing game but displays good hands and is dangerous in the open field. Lacks much experience in pass protection.
Devin Neal / Kansas
Player Comparison:
Josh Jacobs / Green Bay
Dylan Sampson / Tennessee
Player Comparison:
Isiah Pacheco / Kansas City
Dylan Sampson / Tennessee
Good frame with adequate mass. Displays light feet and the ability to bounce inside or out to avoid contact. Physical and does not shy away from contact – churns legs and pushes the pile. Very good contact balance. Patient runner with very good vision. Excellent burst. Good receiver out of the backfield. Very good long speed and he can pull away from defenders. Very little wear and tear on his body and is relatively healthy after the best season of his career in 2024. Needs additional reps as a pass protector.
Raheim 'Rocket' Sanders / South Carolina
6’ / 224 / 31 & 7/8” Arms / 9 & ¼” Hands
Transfer from Arkansas (via Oklahoma). Excellent size – large frame with solid mass and a powerful lower body. Runs with very good balance and forward lean. Powerful runner who can be his own blocker and churn through arm tackles. Very good vision. Nice cutting ability. Very good burst through the hole or to the corner. Good long speed – deceptively fast. Shows promising ability as a receiver but lacks experience running routes and will need additional reps. Needs continued development in pass protection. Has missed chunks of time during his career due to injuries and his medical evaluation will have a substantial impact on his draft positioning.
Rocket Sanders / South Carolina
Player Comparison:
Kenneth Walker / Seattle
Cam Skattebo / Arizona State
Player Comparison:
John Riggins / NFL Hall Of Fame
Cam Skattebo / Arizona State
Transfer from Sacramento State. Good frame and mass with a thick lower body. Lost weight since the 2023 season and looks much quicker. Runs low to the ground and follows his blocks well – good vision. Not overly elusive but capable of side-stepping defenders. Superb contact balance – churns through tackle attempts. Good burst. Physical and delivers blows on contact. Bring your pads on contact or you are toast as a defender. Very good receiver out of the backfield capable of snagging off-target passes. Good deep speed but can be caught from behind. Special teams stalwart who excels on kick coverage duties. Lacks experience as a pass protector.
Brashard Smith / SMU
5’9 & ¼” / 195 / 30 & ¾” Arms / 8 & ¾” Hands
Transfer from Miami, Fl. Average height with a thin build. Has experience at WR, RB, and KR. All-ACC in 2023 as a returner. Very quick – light feet and loose hips – can change directions easily. Very good burst through the hole. Good vision. Light on his feet while going through the hole – difficult to get a clean shot on. Accelerates quickly through the hole and reaches top end speed quickly. Lacks size, strength, and power desired for inside running. Soft hands out of the backfield. Quality route runner. Explosive potential with the ball in the open field.
Brashard Smith / SMU
