Top 5 Rookie Running Back Prospects: 2025 NFL Draft Rankings

Who are the top five running back prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft? Joey Pollizze looks at why these five running backs will be selected first in the upcoming draft.

We are just a few days away from the 2025 NFL Draft. The first round will take place on Thursday, April 24, and the ensuing rounds will follow on April 25 and April 26. That means plenty of teams are finishing up their big boards as we speak and are starting to narrow down their first-round selections.

When looking at this entire draft, the one thing that sticks out is how deep this running back class is. Several running backs are capable of being three-down backs in the NFL. So, if any NFL team is looking to upgrade their running back room, this is certainly the draft to do so.

But who are the top five running back prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft? Let's dive in and find out. 

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5. Quinshon Judkins

Ohio State running back Quinshon Judkins is one of the few backs in this draft class with three strong college seasons. Judkins ran for 1,567 yards and 16 touchdowns as a true freshman at Ole Miss in 2022 and followed up that campaign by running for 1,158 yards and 15 touchdowns in his sophomore season with the Rebels.

With back-to-back elite years for Judkins, he decided to transfer to Ohio State for his junior season. Although he split opportunities with TreVeyon Henderson in that Buckeyes backfield, the Alabama native still rushed for 1,060 yards and 14 touchdowns across 16 games. He also reeled in 22 passes for 161 yards and two touchdowns in the passing game.

Those three college seasons have made Judkins one of the top running back prospects in the class. He ran an official 4.48 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, and his explosiveness was definitely on display in the national championship game against Notre Dame. The 21-year-old ran 11 times for 100 yards with three total touchdowns in the win. 

Quinshon Judkins is a RB prospect in the 2025 draft class. He scored a 9.90 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 23 out of 2099 RB from 1987 to 2025.https://t.co/jjj9Mq4HmT pic.twitter.com/lpLBaxuw0M

— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 8, 2025

There's no doubt that Judkins has the potential to be a really good running back in the NFL one day. He has elite vision and is one of the more athletic runners in the entire class. As a result, we should expect the Ohio State product to go somewhere in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft. He has met with the Cowboys, Broncos, Browns, Bengals, Giants, and Texans over the past few weeks.

4. Kaleb Johnson 

Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson wasn't a major factor in his first two college seasons. He rushed for a combined 1,242 yards and nine touchdowns in those two years. However, the 6-foot running back really made a name for himself in his final college season with the Hawkeyes. The 21-year-old totaled 1,725 yards from scrimmage with 23 touchdowns.

It was a strong all-around season for the Ohio native. He led the Big Ten in both rushing yards (1,537) and rushing touchdowns (21) while having eight 100-yard games on the year. Following that strong campaign, Johnson's draft stock has risen. We are now looking at a potential second-round grade for Johnson.

The Iowa running back is not your typical early round back who has speed. Instead, Johnson likes to bully his way through defenders and is one of the most physical running backs in this year's draft class. He ranked sixth in yards after contact (1,060 yards) and averaged 4.42 yards per attempt after contact last season.

Kaleb Johnson has met with at least a quarter of the league in his pre-Draft process 👀 https://t.co/DWmXNP9gdo pic.twitter.com/bVFH3Y53vM

— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) April 14, 2025

Johnson will be a nice addition to any team that drafts him in the second round. With a 6-foot, 225-pound build, he draws similarities to both David Montgomery (5-foot-10, 225 pounds) and James Conner (6-foot-1, 229 pounds). However, the Iowa star is a bit quicker than both after running a 4.57 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. So, look for the 21-year-old to be that bruising type back in the NFL.

3. TreVeyon Henderson

Henderson is one of the most gifted runners in this year's draft class. Although he missed time in both 2022 and 2023 due to injuries, the Ohio State running back showed his potential in all four college seasons. He ran for 1,248 yards and 15 touchdowns as a true freshman in 2021 while leading the Big Ten in yards per carry (6.8).

His next two years weren't as strong for him, but he still combined for 1,754 yards from scrimmage and 18 total touchdowns in 2022 and 2023. Then, we saw Henderson put together the most efficient rushing season of his college career in 2024. Even though he split time with Judkins in that Buckeyes backfield, the 22-year-old still rushed for 1,016 yards and 10 touchdowns.

While Henderson did not necessarily put up elite college numbers like the others on this list, his talent cannot be questioned. His 7.1 yards per carry ranked first in the Big Ten last year, and his 4.43 yards per attempt after contact ranked toward the top among all FBS running backs. Therefore, the Ohio State product could find himself going early in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Henderson ran a 4.43 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine this past spring and even hit a top speed of 23.38 mph on that run, according to Next Gen Stats. That speed will be a real weapon for any team that selects him in the upcoming draft. Although he is projected to be a second-round pick, we could see him creep into the back end of the first round.

2. Omarion Hampton

North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton was not talked about as a high draft pick before the 2024 season began. However, following another strong college campaign, Hampton will almost certainly be a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

He rushed for 1,504 yards and 15 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2023 and then ran for 1,660 yards and 15 touchdowns this past college season. With consecutive 1,500-yard, 15-touchdown seasons, Hampton showed his potential to be a Day 1 starter in the NFL. The North Carolina native was also utilized a bit in the receiving game, totaling 38 catches for 373 yards and two touchdowns in 2024. 

Hampton's 2024 season was truly special. He led the ACC in rushing, ranked second in yards after contact (1,222), 10th in missed tackles forced (73), and tied for fourth in carries of 15-plus yards (26). Given those numbers and his versatility, it's hard to imagine the North Carolina running back not going in the first round of the draft. 

💨💨 40th career TD for @OmarionHampton

3rd all-time at UNC. #UNCommon

📺 https://t.co/S6uFAb11so https://t.co/mudO60J2YV pic.twitter.com/vOadz80x3j

— Carolina Football (@UNCFootball) November 30, 2024

According to reports, Hampton has visited with the Bears, Cowboys, and Steelers in recent weeks. Chicago owns the 10th overall pick in the upcoming draft, Dallas picks shortly after at 12th overall, and Pittsburgh comes in at 21st overall. All three places are potential landing spots for the 22-year-old.

1. Ashton Jeanty

There's no doubt that Boise State product Ashton Jeanty is the best running back prospect in this year's draft. He just had one of the best seasons for a running back in college football history and will likely be selected very early in the first round.

Jeanty ran 374 times for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns this past year while also adding 23 catches for 138 yards and one touchdown in the passing game. Although those numbers weren't good enough for him to win the Heisman Trophy, his 2024 season was one for the record books. His 2,601 rush yards were the second most all-time in a season in FBS history, only behind Barry Sanders' 2,628 yards back in 1988. 

That makes Jeanty a potential generational talent in this year's draft class. He has blazing speed, and opposing defenders have a hard time bringing him down on the first try. The Boise State superstar ranked first in missed tackles forced (152), yards after contact (1,970), and carries of 15-plus yards (36) last season. 

Therefore, we could see Jeanty go as high as sixth overall to the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2025 NFL Draft. The 21-year-old has been linked to the Raiders for quite some time now, and Las Vegas appears to be the likeliest landing spot for the running back. If the Raiders do pass on him at sixth overall, look for the Bears (No. 10 overall) or the Cowboys (No. 12 overall) to scoop him up shortly after. 

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