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2025 NFL Draft Preview: Ashton Jeanty to Lead the Rebirth of the Running Back?

Photo of Scott Kacsmar Scott Kacsmar11/04/2025 - 02:59 pm
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MARCH 1: Ashton Jeanty #RB15 of Boise State stands on the field during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 1, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
(Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images)

With less than two weeks to go now, the 2025 NFL Draft could see teams reach at quarterback and wide receiver given the importance of finding those players at cost. But the NFL has gone through an extended period where running backs were no longer receiving lucrative deals or going that high in the draft.

After the 2024 NFL season, we could see a rebirth of the running back position, or at least a resurgence in teams using decent capital to spend on a workhorse back.

In his first season with the Eagles, Saquon Barkley rushed for over 2,000 yards on the way to a Super Bowl win, and he just became the first running back in NFL history to sign a contract worth over $20 million per season.

Derrick Henry had a big impact on the Ravens’ offense as well, helping Lamar Jackson to career-best numbers. There were other backs who changed teams and had productive playoff seasons too, including Josh Jacobs (Packers), Aaron Jones (Vikings), Joe Mixon (Texans), and J.K. Dobbins (Chargers).

With defenses adjusting to take away the deep pass so much, it was only a matter of time before some teams started countering with more runs, and the key change was less committee approach and more runs from the same back. The 2024 season saw six backs reach 300 carries, which is more than the last three seasons combined (five).

There’s a running back in the 2025 draft class, Ashton Jeanty, who figures to be the highest pick at running back since Barkley went No. 2 overall to the Giants in 2018.

But don’t misunderstand the lessons learned in the 2024 season. A quality running back can still make a team better, but it’s a luxury pick for a team that’s already stacked if you’re spending a premium on a position where you can easily find serviceable play in cheaper ways.

The Eagles and Ravens were already playoff teams and Super Bowl contenders before Barkley and Henry joined them. Barkley’s rushing was literally the only part of the Eagles that didn’t have a good game in the Super Bowl blowout over the Chiefs.

The problem with spending a really high draft pick on a running back is those teams usually don’t have the offensive line and/or quarterback in place to really make the most of it. Jeanty is likely the only back who will command attention for a top pick this year, but it’ll be interesting to see if teams are more willing to use their second-round picks on backs after seeing the success so many had last year.

Just remember, ground game success starts in the trenches.

Using the prospect rankings from NFL Mock Draft Database, we are going to look at the top five running backs this year who are ranked among the top 60 prospects, how their skills might translate to the NFL, and which team would be the best landing spot for them.

1. Ashton Jeanty (Boise State) – No. 7 Overall Prospect

Maybe the days of hyping up running backs aren’t fully back, because I have yet to see the vaunted “Ashton Jeanty is the best running back prospect since Adrian Peterson” headline this offseason. That was a staple for many top backs in drafts in the 2010s.

But if there is one thing most people agree on in the 2025 draft, Ashton Jeanty is the top dog at running back in this class. A lot of people felt he deserved the Heisman Trophy over Travis Hunter, who largely won it because of what he did at two positions.

Jeanty just had one of the most dominant college football seasons ever for a back with 2,601 yards, 7.0 yards per carry, and 29 rushing touchdowns for Boise State. That’s a big step up from his 2023 season where he was actually impressive as a receiver (43 catches for 569 yards and 5 touchdowns) while rushing for 1,347 yards and 14 touchdowns too. That was the most receiving yards by any running back in the nation in 2023, so he’s got hands too.

Jeanty is only 5’8”, so he’s smaller than the likes of Saquon Barkley (6’0”), Adrian Peterson (6’1”), Todd Gurley (6’1”), Derrick Henry (6’2”), Nick Chubb (5’11”), etc.

But you are getting a big-play threat with Jeanty, who also knows how to be physical despite his compact frame. He’ll create yards after contact:

Jeanty has drawn comparisons to LaDainian Tomlinson. He’s potentially a very fun back at the pro level, and similar to Barkley going to the Eagles, you just hope he can land with a team that will maximize his talent instead of sticking him behind a line that will get him crushed in the backfield right as he touches the ball dozens of times in a season.

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MARCH 1: Ashton Jeanty #RB15 of Boise State stands on the field during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 1, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
(Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images)

Best Fit – Las Vegas Raiders (No. 6 Pick)

There is plenty of intrigue over where Jeanty will land in the draft. He has -250 odds at Bet365 to go in the top nine picks. However, he is only +750 to be a top-five pick in this draft class.

You have to think the top three picks will be some order of quarterback Cam Ward, edge rusher Abdul Carter, and Travis Hunter. But the first real pick where you think Jeanty could be in play is, funny enough, the Giants at No. 3. Would there be anything funnier than seeing them panic and take Jeanty that high after the Barkley move blew up in their faces? But again, it can’t be said enough that the Eagles had the offensive line and quarterback to get the most out of Barkley.

If the Giants kept him and paid him for 2024, they’d never get anywhere near a 2,000-yard Super Bowl season like he had for a division rival. We have enough proof from 2018-23 with the Giants to know this is the truth. The Giants weren’t wrong to let Barkley go, but they also aren’t well off enough to justify taking another back this high given their flaws.

The Patriots are another team that should probably focus on the trenches first, or possibly beefing up the defensive line interior (Mason Graham) with the No. 4 pick. I know Mike Vrabel had Derrick Henry in Tennessee to rely on, but this would be a shocking pick.

The Jaguars hold the No. 5 pick and reportedly like Jeanty, but they should just let Travis Etienne handle the load in a contract year.

Then when you get to No. 6, Jeanty is the odds-on favorite to go to the Las Vegas Raiders. They are -140 at Bet365 to go with Jeanty. It makes sense too. We know Pete Carroll loves a good running game and a good back when you go look at his career peaks at USC (Reggie Bush) and Seattle (Marshawn Lynch). They could help Geno Smith with a consistent threat out of the backfield, and they’re in a division where you’re going to have to score points to deal with those AFC West teams.

It’s certainly not a pick to hate for the Raiders, who likely will miss out on the top quarterback (Cam Ward), the top WR/CB (Hunter), the top edge rusher (Abdul Carter), and maybe the top offensive tackle (Will Campbell) and defensive tackle (Mason Graham). They don’t need a tight end like Tyler Warren when they just got Brock Bowers last year.

But to play devil’s advocate, what happens if the Raiders pass on Jeanty? The Jets (No. 7) could be interested in building around Justin Fields with a dynamic runner, though I’m not sure they don’t already have that potential with Breece Hall if he stays healthy. The Panthers (No. 8) have a lot of backs already and the Saints (No. 9) could be looking at quarterbacks.

The team that allegedly loves Jeanty is Chicago at No. 10, and the Bears would be one of the most interesting teams with him given the offensive vision new coach Ben Johnson has. Remember, the Lions used a fairly high pick on Jahmyr Gibbs in 2023 when most disagreed, and he made that work out really well in a tandem with David Montgomery in Detroit.

However, Johnson is a smart guy who has been saying virtually all the right things this offseason. It would seem logical that he must know a big reason Detroit had the success it did was the offensive line featuring one of the best tackles (Penei Sewell) and the rest of the unit being so well built too. He doesn’t have that yet in Chicago, which was killed by its offensive line last year.

The Bears have put in work to retool that line already, but the No. 10 pick could be another golden opportunity to improve it. If we learned anything from the 2024 Bears, it’s that you can’t trust gaudy skill players on paper to lead to good results on the field with this kind of line.

That’s why I have to think that even if Jeanty is available, the Bears are going elsewhere. But it could be quite the pick if they hit on their free agents on the line and Johnson coaches up Caleb Williams in Year 2.

The 49ers (No. 11) still have Christian McCaffrey even if he’s going through some serious injuries and is only getting older. That’d be a luxury pick for a roster that simply isn’t all that anymore.

But the latest Jeanty should possibly go is No. 12 when the Dallas Cowboys are on the clock. We know owner Jerry Jones is spoiled by a workhorse back going back to the Emmitt Smith era. The Cowboys missed out on Derrick Henry last year when they needed a Tony Pollard replacement, and while Rico Dowdle proved to be solid, he’s in Carolina now.

The Cowboys’ current running back depth chart includes some washed-up backs like Javonte Williams (Broncos) and Miles Sanders (Eagles-Panthers). That’s not going to scare anybody like Jeanty could in an offense that has some stars like Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, and some recent first-round picks on the left side of the line. This can definitely work.

I don’t like how much I’m agreeing with the betting chalk on this draft already, but Jeanty to the Raiders makes the most sense. Then should that fail, it’s either Chicago or Dallas most likely.

2. Omarion Hampton (North Carolina) – No. 24 Overall Prospect

The other running back prospect expected to land in the first round this year is North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton. He spent three years at the school and rushed for over 1,500 yards in each of the last two seasons, so he’s hardly a one-year wonder. In fact, he averaged 5.9 yards per carry and scored 15 rushing touchdowns in both seasons, so he was very consistent from 2023 to 2024 despite losing his NFL-caliber quarterback (Drake Maye).

Hampton is a bigger back than Jeanty at 6’0” and he plays the game with physicality. He’s also skilled enough to be a receiving weapon with 67 catches in 2023-24 combined.

Expected to go later than Jeanty by practically every soul on Earth, Hampton could be the kind of back who benefits from going to a team that’s already playoff caliber.

Best Fit – Denver Broncos (No. 20 Pick)

Everyone and their mother has been mocking Hampton to the Broncos at No. 20, and once again, I like the pick. However, it’s possible he won’t be there by the time Denver picks.

As we just looked at with Jeanty’s market, the Cowboys could be players at No. 12 for a running back. They may not see it as a bigger value than upgrading their WR2 to get a better player that complements CeeDee Lamb, but it’s not impossible that they’d take Hampton if Jeanty is off the board.

The Dolphins (No. 13) could benefit from a downhill brute like Hampton to pair with the speed of De’Von Achane, but they have more pressing needs. The Colts (No. 14) still have Jonathan Taylor and the Falcons (No. 15) have Bijan Robinson, so that’s a no-go.

The Cardinals (No. 16) have too many needs to be going after a running back. The Bengals (No. 17) have basically tied their cap to four players, so they better shop for defense or an offensive lineman with this pick.

The Seahawks (No. 18) should feel okay with Kenneth Walker, but he needs to stay healthy. The Buccaneers (No. 19) should be pleased with Bucky Irving after the rookie year he had.

Okay, maybe there isn’t much of a concern about the Broncos not being able to stay put at 20 and take Hampton. It’s really just worrying about the Cowboys at No. 12.

The truth is Sean Payton loves himself a premium back even if the undrafted Pierre Thomas was one of his best players. But he’s had loaded college backs like Reggie Bush and Mark Ingram when he was with the Saints. Denver let Javonte Williams go, and he was never the same after his injury. Jaleel McLaughlin isn’t a big workload back.

There’s a fit here for Hampton. If it doesn’t happen, then don’t be shocked if the Steelers (No. 21) show some interest after letting Najee Harris go to the Chargers.

3. TreVeyon Henderson (Ohio State) – No. 42 Overall Prospect

The No. 3 and No. 4 ranked backs in this class just so happened to power the running game for the 2024 champions from Ohio State. TreVeyon Henderson was not the team’s leading rusher, but he was the most explosive with 7.1 yards per carry as he rushed for 1,016 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also showed more of a receiving acumen than Quinshon Judkins.

Henderson was a 4-year player for the Buckeyes, and he was the school’s leading rusher as a freshman in 2021 with 1,248 yards when he played with C.J. Stroud as his quarterback. Henderson was limited to eight games due to injury in 2022 and 10 games in 2023 before a full season last year.

He’s a 5’10” speed back who may not be able to carry a full load, but one thing you don’t always associate with such a player is great blocking. Henderson has been praised for his pass protection, which could be a huge deal in making him a three-down back in the NFL:

Best Fit – Chicago Bears (No. 39 or No. 41 Pick)

When you start looking for second-round teams for Henderson, the Bears could certainly take Henderson at No. 39 to be Ben Johnson’s Jahmyr Gibbs if they don’t end up getting Ashton Jeanty in the top 10 picks. They also hold the No. 41 pick with the Saints picking in between, so this is definitely territory for him.

Likewise, if the Jets (No. 42) and Cowboys (No. 44) don’t land Jeanty early, Henderson is there as a backup option in the second round. There’s probably zero chance he lasts pasts No. 51 when the Broncos are on the board, assuming they don’t already get Hampton in the first round.

4. Quinshon Judkins (Ohio State) – No. 53 Overall Prospect

Is a team’s best back the one who gets the most carries? That’s how it works most of the time, so it’s interesting to note that Quinshon Judkins led the Buckeyes with 194 carries for 1,060 yards last year. He just didn’t hit as many big plays as Henderson, but he still averaged a solid 5.5 yards per carry.

Judkins was a transfer from Ole Miss where he rushed for 1,567 yards as a 2022 freshman, so he’s used to being the top back. He also rushed for 1,158 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2023.

Judkins may offer less in the receiving game than the other top backs in his class, but he’s a potential workhorse and an aggressive runner with solid athleticism scores in his own right.

There is some data out there that Judkins struggled to break tackles at Ohio State, but he didn’t face the same issues at Ole Miss. It says more about his usage patterns compared to the slashing Henderson for the Buckeyes:

That’s why fitting a role is so important. If a team drafts Judkins to be their physical runner and pair him with a speed back, that should be a competent backfield just as it was for the national champions.

Best Fit – Kansas City Chiefs (No. 63 Pick)

With the Chiefs picking No. 63 and needing to boost their running backs and the running game, Judkins would be a great way to replace what Kareem Hunt gave them last year with youth.

But it’s very possible Judkins isn’t there at No. 63. The Bengals could be looking at him as a true Joe Mixon replacement at No. 49, and Seattle (picks No. 50 and 52) might see him as a good pairing with Kenneth Walker’s athleticism.

5. Kaleb Johnson (Iowa) – No. 58 Overall Prospect

Kaleb Johnson played three seasons at Iowa and got his biggest role in 2024 when he set career highs with 240 carries, 1,537 rushing yards, 21 rushing touchdowns, and he caught 22 balls for 188 yards.

Johnson is a bigger back (6’1”) who plays with finesse and patience.

He’s one of the more volatile backs in this class as some think he’s as good as RB3, and others have said he’s a liability in pass protection and not quick enough to be dynamic in the NFL. Some scouts also prefer Arizona State back Cameron Skattebo, who is the No. 80 prospect in this class.

But we’ll see who is right in a couple of years.

Best Fit – Cleveland Browns (No. 67 Pick)

With Nick Chubb about to turn 30 and coming off that serious 2023 injury, the Browns could use some youth in their backfield at the top of the third round. Johnson has shown good vision and workhorse ability to be a player worth taking a low risk on at this portion of the draft.

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Photo of Scott Kacsmar Scott Kacsmar11/04/2025 - 02:59 pm