Top Five NFL Draft Running Back Prospects of 2025

January 26, 2025

John breaks down his five best running back prospects for 2025, including some massive sleepers and big surprises in the upcoming NFL Draft class.

The 2024 regular season is over for both college football and the NFL, meaning many are already looking forward to the 2025 NFL Draft. Shrewd fantasy managers who play in Dynasty leagues or even those looking to get an edge in redraft formats would do well to gather as much information as possible.

An important note we have here is that you shouldn't be attached to consensus. I'm not, either. This piece is the result of over 100 hours of film study and zero attention paid to other rankings, scouting reports, or the like. I'm trusting my eyes and my eyes only here.

Those benefitted RotoBaller's readers greatly when I basically begged people to trade for Brian Thomas Jr., calling him a league winner after Week 2. And he was the WR1 in PPR over the fantasy playoffs. My Rookie Report column will be a crucial column for you in 2025 -- we identified Bucky Irving as an elite trade target early as well. So, let's dive in.

1. Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina Tar Heels

This may be a surprising pick to some. Surely, it must be Jeanty at the top, right? Not necessarily. There are a few reasons why we like Hampton over the Heisman candidate. A statistical comparison would tell you Jeanty is far ahead, but he also played in a much easier conference.

Hampton is also a plug-and-play, immediate workhorse back at the next level. He stands at 6-foot-0 and weighs 220 pounds, and has fantastic strength. He looks like a tank when he runs the ball and plays like one, though he has great intelligence at the position and knows how to utilize his blocks effectively.

Omarion Hampton has great vision paired with great patience. He waits for a hole to open and hits it quickly. His film is filled with short gains through the tiniest of creases as well.
He has verybgood contact balance and drives through arm tackles. pic.twitter.com/iAwcOlGkbX

— Thomas Martinez (@BoltsDraftTalk) January 5, 2025

His combination of vision and decisiveness is an offensive coordinator's dream. He should be highly productive from the outset. And his size should allow him to be a constant threat to score at the goal line. He likely will be a better goal-line RB than Boise State Broncos RB Ashton Jeanty, considering the size advantage.

Omarion Hampton is yet another reason why you don’t need to draft a RB inside the damn Top-15 (Yes Even Ashton Jeanty)

6’1” 220+ with hands and wheels. Hampton is a certified stud. David Johnson 2.0 in the making. #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/NzXKvFMvgX

— Ray G (@RayGQue) December 1, 2024

He's also fantastic as a receiver and quickly turns upfield after making catches to provide explosive gains. This is an underrated aspect of his game, and he actually has room to grow here. We expect him to be used more as a pass-catcher than initially expected.

Omarion Hampton pic.twitter.com/AOI0TAWuPh

— Cleb (@kielpro88) January 8, 2025

Another underrated aspect of his game is that we rarely see him make a bad decision. He regularly sets up downfield blockers to fail and often doesn't need to worry about forcing missed tackles when he makes his early cuts and puts linebackers and defensive backs on skates.

5 TDs. 253 all-purpose yards.

OMARION HAMPTON, EVERYBODY 😳👏

📺 @accnetwork x @UNCFootball
pic.twitter.com/8A0ZNTd7a6

— ACC Football (@ACCFootball) November 2, 2024

Like Jeanty, he doesn't have elite breakaway speed. But it's hard to see him being taken off the field much. Fantasy football-wise, he will likely be a better pick than Jeanty value-wise, simply because the massive hype surrounding the Boise State back will push up his draft stock.

Omarion Hampton (#UNC RB) reminds me a lot of Josh Jacobs.

Doesn’t have elite breakaway speed, but is a no nonsense runner who is tough as hell to tackle.

I like the fit with the Chargers. Don’t mind having to watch some Drake Maye college film again either 🤷‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/8ajHTass54

— SCOUTD (@scoutdnfl) December 13, 2024

A faster Josh Jacobs? Sign us up! If we learned anything from this year in fantasy football, it was to lean into the non-top-rated skill-position players in a stacked class. This one is stacked, so there's plenty of breakout potential further down the board.

2. Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State Broncos

Considering how consensus consistently gets things wrong -- remember, Marvin Harrison Jr. was considered a generational prospect -- it's hard to say for sure if Jeanty is the top back in this class. But his elite production and skill set make him a fantastic NFL draft pick and fantasy football pick at a position that's typically easier to predict than wide receiver.

No back is in the same tier as Ashton Jeanty in this 2025 draft cycle. pic.twitter.com/9fhjeGI0FA

— AngeloFF (@angelo_fantasy) September 8, 2024

He's absolutely carried his team so far this year, utilizing his next-level contact balance and tackle-breaking ability to create massive gains. It was a huge struggle for defenders to bring him down, and he regularly made great plays even when he got hit at or near the line of scrimmage.

Ashton Jeanty created 33 missed/broken tackles against Penn State. 21 of them were behind the line of scrimmage.

Hat tip to Penn State for swarming him, but man was it impressive that he had over 100 yards still. pic.twitter.com/IO9AIlpLyc

— Joe Broback (@joebroback) January 6, 2025

From day one, we expect him to get massive volume. And he should produce very well, depending on which team he goes to. His lateral agility and ability to set up blockers and be shifty behind the line of scrimmage should help insulate his production if he ends up on a team with poor run-blocking.

The Power of Ashton Jeanty is unreal pic.twitter.com/XNAU1ielHe

— LiveWire Sports Media (@LiveWireSports1) January 1, 2025

That agility is a huge part of his game. While he has fantastic power, RBs simply cannot succeed in the league if they can't do whatever possible to minimize the contact defenders make with them. Tackle-breaking is part technique, part raw strength, and part balance.

Every Ashton Jeanty touchdown in the 2024 season pic.twitter.com/hthi5m6UE8

— Pitless (@pitlessball) January 1, 2025

If there's one thing he lacks, it's elite speed. And that could mean he doesn't finish as the top RB from this season in fantasy football, as it's entirely possible a faster RB ends up getting more long touchdowns and huge gains. It's much more difficult to consistently slip tackles in the league, as well. But volume matters in the NFL, and he'll be able to take on a massive workload.

His size could be a problem as well. Shorter backs like him can often struggle at the goal line, and you often don't have the option of slipping a full tackle into an arm-tackle attempt when so many huge athletes are crowded into such small spaces. Jeanty's game likely won't be running guys over, as 5-foot-8 RBs usually don't do that (his height is often rounded up to 5-foot-9).

3. Bhayshul Tuten, RB, Virginia Tech

When evaluating players for the NFL, people often lose sight of the step up in both the competition and athleticism of defending players. You need more explosive athleticism to succeed in the NFL than you necessarily do in college.

That said, it will be the most controversial pick. But he's a supremely talented athlete who's done nothing but put ridiculous plays on tape week after week and has not been recognized well enough for it. Tuten isn't even in the top 10 of most draft boards, but he's an elite prospect in our eyes. Book this one, too; you should draft Tuten in 100% of your fantasy football leagues in 2025. 

Still thinking about Virginia Tech RB Bhayshul Tuten against BC:

• 266 Rushing yards (VT record)
• 3 Rushing TDs
• 14.8 yards per carry
• 1 Rec 20 yards
• 1 Receiving TD

UNREAL. 🔥pic.twitter.com/dTGk32mS3H

— College Football Alerts  (@CFBAlerts_) October 19, 2024

Like some other players on this list, he has great size, standing at 5-feet-11 inches tall and weighing 209 pounds. He also might be the second-fastest running back in this class, as we expect him to run between 4.38 and 4.42 seconds in his 40-yard dash at the NFL combine. From the above tape, you can see that he's a home-run hitter, a great tackle-breaker, and a capable receiver.

He has fantastic lateral agility and will be a pain for opposing linebackers to tackle at the next level. And he's capable of carrying a big workload. As one of the lower-ranked RBs in his class, it may be a while after the season starts before he starts getting a ton of work. But be patient. Do not drop him after you draft him. He's likely to break out mid-season.

This running back class is exceptional, with talent at every level of the draft.

Several Day 3 prospects, like Bhayshul Tuten, are true home-run hitters who could be taken in the final rounds and make an immediate impact.pic.twitter.com/guRmHyINXu

— The Dryve (@dryveco) January 1, 2025

Here's a closer look at his long touchdown against Boston College. The explosiveness he displays is astounding. He literally leaps through the second level. Even in the NFL, if he has this kind of space, he's gone. From Day one in the league, he will be one of the most ridiculously talented athletes at the RB position. You simply cannot ignore that.

🚨Top-End Speed: Week 13’s Fatest College Football Plays Revealed 🔥 #ReelSpeed #CFB@HokiesFB, RB, Bhayshul Tuten

Burners were on full display 💨 20.7 MPH@bhayshul #ThisIsHome #Hokies #HokieNation pic.twitter.com/XbUyLb43qG

— Reel Analytics (@RAanalytics) November 26, 2024

He blasts past a safety that doesn't even necessarily have a bad angle for the touchdown here. And elite strength combined with speed allows him to shrug off tackles from DBs who are desperately trying to keep up. Regarding fantasy football, you actually are probably better off drafting Tuten than you are Jeanty, simply because he'll be basically free (a late round pick).

But also, defenses will not prepare as much for Tuten as they will for Jeanty. Late-round NFL Draft picks don't get as much attention from opposing defenses. Even if he doesn't get great volume immediately, the former Virginia Tech Hokie will make some explosive plays in his first few games.

Some guys just have a natural feel for absorbing contact and finding ways to remain upright and headed in the right direction.

Bhayshul Tuten is one of those guys. pic.twitter.com/OWAHs4bjIc

— Dalton Miller (@DaltonBMiller) November 11, 2024

On any team with good run-blocking, he should be a fantasy superstar. And he's very capable at the goal-line as well. Above, there's a clip of one of my favorite "dead to rights" plays, where he should be caught in the backfield but avoids literally five tackle attempts in a variety of ways before finding the end zone.

Bhayshul Tuten. Better wrap up and better not let him hit you first. #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/WV7QgizlWw

— Matt Waldman (@MattWaldman) October 2, 2024

Tackle-breaking is an art, and Tuten's suite of skills in this area are impressive. He takes a direct blow from a defender that nearly knocks him backward here, stays on his feet, and immediately explodes for a long touchdown. That's a rare talent.

Draft him in all your fantasy football leagues. We cannot emphasize this with more seriousness. His chances of being a league-winner are very, very high.

4. Nicholas Singleton, RB, Penn State Nittany Lions

This pick is probably the biggest "breaks from consensus" in this piece, but Singleton is a massively underrated potential workhorse at the next level. He has an insane combination of size and speed (6-foot-0, 227 pounds, likely high-4.3 to low-4.4 40-yard dash). And it might be a good thing that he was in a committee -- he still has plenty of treads left on the tires.

Nicholas Singleton : 12 carries for 87 yards & a TD (Over 1,000 yards rushing on the season) pic.twitter.com/ge5UH5cQ6i

— Lee Harvey (@MusikFan4Life) January 1, 2025

Much like Sampson, his speed helps him get through the linebacker portion of the field (a few yards past the line of scrimmage) very quickly, which is incredibly important. And he has the home-run hitter gallop to bust off huge plays with frequency. The NFL is a game of inches, and Singleton can punish defenders slightly out of position or just carry them for long gains.

Nicholas Singleton, a thread. pic.twitter.com/plfDqLbGLG

— Nick Penticoff (@NickPenticoff) May 11, 2023

Oh, and by the way, one of the best things that keeps you on the field as an RB in the NFL is being valuable on passing downs. Singleton is a fantastic blocker, utilizing his elite strength to punish defenders, and a solid pass-catcher as well. He's also great after the catch, obviously. Any smart NFL offensive coordinator will want to get the ball into his hands early and often.

One of the most physical reps you could imagine from Penn St RB Nicholas Singleton pic.twitter.com/00t0lWhbLE

— Joey Richards (@LTB_Joey) December 14, 2024

And did we mention the dead-to-rights plays? Making defenders miss in the backfield AND having the speed to create explosive plays afterward is massive. You like it when your players turn what should be losses into at least modest gains to stop a blown-blocking assignment from killing a drive, but it's even better when your player puts the team on his back in the process.

This should have been a TFL, but he makes two defenders miss and picks up the first down. pic.twitter.com/pI6GhlAvLB

— Nick Penticoff (@NickPenticoff) May 11, 2023

Seriously, why the hell is he ranked so low? Above, I linked the article where I said Brian Thomas Jr. would be a league-winner. Well, Singleton will be a league-winner this year.

Nicholas Singleton is really good at football

pic.twitter.com/ZUu9ZEbMIu

— PFF College (@PFF_College) December 30, 2023

Whoever drafts him will likely be passing the ball to him pretty often if they're anything at all like a competent offense.

Here’s the video of Nicholas Singleton’s 53-yard catch.

It’s his longest play of the year and the longest catch of his career pic.twitter.com/p7ItQ0xGkw

— Alex Rocco (@AlexRocco13_) November 25, 2023

He even has potential as an end zone target, though teams rarely utilize their RBs in this way. Still, his ability to do this makes it easy to see why a team would trust his hands.

Frame by frame: Nicholas Singleton’s touchdown catch 📸#B1GFootball x @PennStateFball pic.twitter.com/ZgkKI0s0zL

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) October 27, 2024

Fantasy football league winner in 2025, book it. I'll be picking him up in 100% of leagues.

5. Dylan Sampson, RB, Tennessee Volunteers

I fully disagree with Iowa Hawkeyes running back Kaleb Johnson's hype and will put Sampson here instead. Johnson's athleticism simply isn't sufficient to be an elite RB at the next level, and he's done little to impress other than follow great blocking and score touchdowns. College stats can be very situation-dependent.

Anyways, Sampson has no athleticism issues. In fact, it's been shocking to see his production fly under the radar, especially as it's been record-breaking. He rushed for 22 touchdowns after carrying the ball 258 times for 1,491 yards.

Dylan Sampson has the single-season record for Rush TD in @Vol_Football history 🔥

Here's ALL 1️⃣9️⃣ of them so far this season 🍿 pic.twitter.com/2fwcYTvhA4

— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) November 3, 2024

So if we look at the tape, we can see that Sampson's biggest strengths are his elite acceleration, elite top-end speed, and elite ability to maintain speed while changing direction (extremely underrated talent in general). Athleticism is somehow... undersold for prospects?

DYLAN SAMPSON BREAKS OFF A 33 YARD TD. FEED THIS MAN
pic.twitter.com/bwHwo4oYR2

— Vol Report (@AllVolReport) November 10, 2024

You could have said this about Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Thomas before the draft -- insanely athletic players are incredibly difficult to defend against and have fantastic upside. We should see Sampson run a sub-4.40 40-yard dash.

Dylan Sampson is currently tied for 2nd in the SEC with 6 touchdowns.

The kid just finds the end zonepic.twitter.com/xYrOWQeDV4

— More Important Issues (@More_Issues) September 25, 2023

He has the speed and acceleration to beat the angles defensive backs take for tackles. What would be sure-fire tackles against slower players turn into desperate diving efforts where the defenders faceplant into the ground, and the RB is still blazing down the field.

Dylan Sampson.

Good at football. pic.twitter.com/TUVxgDq4UV

— Barstool SEC (@SECBarstool) November 17, 2024

He also has no problem running it up the gut, which is important. In the above play, you can see the impact of his speed. On runs up the middle, the linebackers have to close in when they see the back with the ball getting past the line of scrimmage. The problem is that if they're spaced too far out, say good night. Seriously. We love the "splits two defenders and just dusts them" plays.

We also love the "Dead to Rights" plays. When a player is caught and screwed but somehow improvises their way into making a huge play, that's incredibly valuable. There isn't a statistical measurement for this, but often in the NFL, players are put into terrible positions and can succeed through sheer athleticism, intelligence, explosiveness, or something else.

We're gonna find us a RB no problem. Lots of fun candidates. This neat little fella is Dylan Sampson, Tennessee. pic.twitter.com/lt5K7ICcZB

— Jeff Cavanaugh (@timeforjeffrey) December 4, 2024

And RBs who punish defenders any time they don't properly set the edge are great because they set themselves up for more room on inside runs, forcing the defense to spread themselves out to avoid getting burned on outside runs. Speaking of burning defenses on outside runs, we know Sampson can do that.

Dylan Sampson next Saturday in Columbus pic.twitter.com/Jo5KVtwQJx

— More Important Issues (@More_Issues) December 10, 2024

Any linebacker caught in this position won't be able to catch the Tennessee star if they don't get a head start on him. And he can even outrun some cornerbacks if he gets ahead of them. So yeah, he's a beast. He'll just need to work on his fumbling issues.

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