2025 NFL Mock Draft: 10 Rookie Running Back Landing Spots

April 2, 2025

Aidin Ebrahimi's running back-only 2025 NFL Mock Draft. NFL Draft projections for RBs Ashton Jeanty, Omarion Hampton, Quinshon Judkins, and more for 2025.

The 2024 NFL season saw the revival of the running back position. Saquon Barkley is the best player in the league and led his team to a Super Bowl win, Derrick Henry ran for over 1,900 yards, and other RBs dominated as well.

A total of five backs rushed for over 1,400 yards in 2024. The last time this happened was in 2012. Things are about to get even better for the RB position, as many great prospects will get drafted in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Without further ado, let's predict where the top 10 running backs prospects will be taken in the 2025 NFL Draft. Keep in mind that this mock is done without accounting for draft-day trades.

First-Round NFL Draft Running Backs

12. Dallas Cowboys - Ashton Jeanty - Boise State

This is written in the stars. The best RB prospect in years, who was just 27 rushing yards away from breaking Barry Sanders' record for the most rushing yards in an FBS season, is ready to take the NFL by storm. Dallas seems like the perfect fit.

#Cowboys I still got Ashton Jeanty as my RB1 out of this draft 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/I9oY29VeQO

— Law Nation Sports (@LawsNation) March 23, 2025

The Cowboys hadn't had an elite running back since they re-signed Ezekiel Elliott to a $50 million contract, and despite having great rosters from 2021 to 2023, they couldn't make it to the NFC Championship Game.

Their lackluster rushing attack was a big reason why, as an older Elliott and Tony Pollard couldn't help the team get over the hump. Jeanty will immediately become one of the most marketable stars in football as a Cowboy and will extend their contending window.

21. Pittsburgh Steelers - Omarion Hampton - UNC

Despite putting up good raw stats in his four years as a Steeler, the team finally decided to move on from Najee Harris due to his poor playoff performances and lack of efficiency.

It will head into the draft with Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell as the main RBs, which is simply not good enough for a team that has run the ball 1,520 times since Ben Roethlisberger's retirement, the fifth-highest mark in the league in that span.

Hampton is quite similar to Harris but possesses one ability that separates him from the Steelers' ex-lead back: his ability to break tackles. He can easily become the next great workhorse Steelers back.

Second-Round NFL Draft Running Backs

41. Chicago Bears - Quinshon Judkins - Ohio State

After two great years at Ole Miss, Quinshon Judkins transferred to Ohio State and went on to win the national championship. Judkins ran for 100 yards and scored three times in the big game, showing his clutch gene and ability to perform when the lights are at their brightest.

Quinshon Judkins committed to Ohio State just seconds after Michigan won the National Championship.

Then, one year later, in the National Championship, Quinshon Judkins scored 3 TD to lead Ohio State to victory.

Legend.

— Sam Block (@theblockspot) February 1, 2025

This is perfect for a Bears team that is gunning for a playoff spot after making some great additions to the O-line this offseason.

51. Denver Broncos - Cam Skattebo - Arizona State

Some say this is too high for Skattebo, but never underestimate Sean Payton's love for a back who can catch the ball. Skattebo was an under-recruited RB who had to earn his stripes in the FCS before transferring to Arizona State in 2023.

Skattebo's never-say-die attitude helped him become the starting back, and he went off in 2024, rushing for 1,711 yards and 21 TDs while also adding 605 receiving yards and three receptions for touchdowns.

Skattebo isn't built like your average NFL back, but his attitude and production are undeniable.

Third-Round NFL Draft Running Backs

65. New York Giants - Kaleb Johnson - Iowa

Is Tyrone Tracy Jr. the RB of the future in New York? It's a bit hard to say. Sure, he had solid stats as a rookie, but betting on him as the RB1 moving forward would be risky.

Kaleb Johnson has elite vision.

Johnson put up 1715 total yards in 2024 with 23 TDs and zero fumbles(!!)

It’s hard not to see a bit of Le’Veon Bell with the way he excels in a zone run scheme.

Day 2 talent and my RB3 ♨️ pic.twitter.com/9FP5DbdSTD

— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) February 2, 2025

The team could create a two-headed monster at the running back position by drafting Kaleb Johnson out of Iowa to share snaps with Tracy. Johnson can score a touchdown on any given play with his speed and ability to break tackles, which can help a Giants team in desperate need of touchdowns.

71. New Orleans Saints - Dylan Sampson - Tennessee

Alvin Kamara isn't getting any younger, and Kendre Miller hasn't worked out in his first two years. The Saints are stuck in no man's land and could use an exciting new RB, and Dylan Sampson could be a great fit for them.

The elusive back ran for 1,491 yards and 22 scores in his senior year at Tennessee, with his lack of height being the only major concern.

Later-Round NFL Draft Running Backs

133. Kansas City Chiefs - TreVeyon Henderson - Ohio State

TreVeyon Henderson got off to a flying start as a freshman at Ohio State, rushing for 1,248 yards and 15 touchdowns. Unfortunately, injuries hampered him in each of the next two seasons, which caused him to lose carries to the recently transferred Quinshon Judkins.

Henderson and Judkins are the college version of Gibbs and Montgomery pic.twitter.com/a6K7y3Kz95

— THE Bunch of Nuts Podcast (@bunch_nuts) January 15, 2025

Despite that, Henderson still ran for over 1,000 yards, which helped his squad win the national championship. He can add some explosiveness to the Chiefs, who desperately need explosive playmakers after two years of a stagnant offense.

If he works out, the Chiefs will become unstoppable.

143. Las Vegas Raiders - Devin Neal - Kansas

Don't let his lackluster NFL Combine performance fool you; Devin Neal is the real deal. Neal arrived at Kansas alongside head coach Lance Leipold, and they managed to turn the school's football fortunes around.

Kansas is no longer just a basketball program, and it can thank Neal's two consecutive 1,200-yard, 16-touchdown seasons for that. The Raiders have a lot of needs, and running back is certainly one of them, as they ranked dead last in rushing yards last year.

If they can fill some of the holes on their roster in the first four rounds before grabbing a great runner like Neal in the fifth round, their fortunes will turn around very quickly.

179. Cleveland Browns - Jordan James - Oregon

Much like the Raiders, the Browns have many holes to fill, and running back is certainly one of them. Bucky Irving dominated the NFL as a rookie last year, and his former backup at Oregon, Jordan James, picked up right where Irving left off.

This year's Bucky Irving could be Bucky's backup from Oregon, Jordan James.

James was a fun watch from 2024. He's got teleportation-like lateral movements and elite acceleration and deceleration.

Like Irving, he bombed the Combine. But a name to know going into the Draft. https://t.co/NuMG43lerj

— Dave Kluge (@DaveKluge) March 18, 2025

James ran for 1,267 yards and 15 touchdowns, and despite a poor performance at the combine, his first down rate on 38 percent of his career carries and zero career fumbles make him an intriguing pick for a lifeless Browns offense.

189. Indianapolis Colts - LeQuint Allen - Syracuse

There will likely be a few more running backs taken from this pick to the final pick of the draft, but we'll end things with Allen, the 10th RB selected in this mock.

Jonathan Taylor is still a force to be reckoned with, but his concerning injury history and lack of good backups should tempt the Colts to take a running back, particularly one with good receiving ability.

Allen might not be the most athletic back in the world, but his great receiving ability (521 yards in 2024) can make him a solid weapon to help Anthony Richardson.

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