Ollie Gordon and Omarion Hampton lead the 2025 NFL Draft RB class

Last week, NFL Draft Notebook looked at the 2025 Quarterback Classand this week we break a strong one declining class. This group is led by Ollie Gordon from Oklahoma State, who may be the Cowboys’ best running back since Barry Sanders. He is closely followed by Omarion Hampton and TreVevon Henderson, who are due to leave on the second day of next year’s draft.

1. Ollie Gordon II, Oklahoma State

No running back in college football had a better season last year than Ollie Gordon II, who led the nation with 1,732 rushing yards and yards from scrimmage with 2,062 total yards. He also had the best game ever played in the FBS last year when he rushed for 282 yards against West Virginia. As if that wasn’t enough, his 330 receiving yards were the third most by a Power Five running back. As a pro prospect, Gordon shows excellent contact balance by consistently bouncing tackles, and he is also a patient runner who waits for his blocks to be set up.

2. Omarion Hampton, North Carolina

While I currently have Ollie Gordon II as my top running back in the 2025 NFL Draft, I wouldn’t be surprised if Omarion Hampton ends up being the first running back taken next April. The main reason for this is that Hampton is a more explosive runner, yet has similar strength to Gordon. Last season, Hampton led the nation in yards after contact with 1,072 yards and averaged 5.9 yards per carry. He’s also similar to Gordon in that he’s a productive receiver, having caught 29 passes for 222 yards last season. If both backs have strong seasons again this year, it could come down to which back puts up better testing numbers heading into the draft.

3. TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State

If not for injuries, Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson would be competing for the top rung among ball carriers of 2025. Unfortunately, he has missed significant time over the past two seasons. He missed three games last season and in 2022 he missed the last five games of the year due to a broken bone in his foot. When healthy, Henderson is an explosive back who can outrun or run over defenders.

4. Quinshon Judkins, Ohio State

The second Ohio State to make this list is Quinshon Judkins, who transferred from Ole Miss this offseason. He is similar to Henderson in that they are both explosive backs who have the speed to break down the long run, or fly through the line of scrimmage to pick up the tough years. However, unlike Henderson, Judkins only has average power and goes down on first contact. He also needs to improve his vision, as he missed too many open running lanes last year. One NFL comparison that makes sense for Judkins is four-time Pro Bowler Dalvin Cook.

5. Damien Martinez, Miami

One player who has been productive since taking the field is former Oregon State running back Damien Martinez. As a freshman, he rushed for 982 yards, which ranked fourth nationally among all freshmen, and he set a school single-season record with six consecutive 100-yard efforts. This past season, he rushed for 1,185 yards and was named to the All-Pac 12 team for the second time. In 2024, Martinez hopes to improve his NFL Draft now that he has transferred to Miami. One quality that stands out to me about him is how impressive his footwork is for a 237-pound back.

Breakout Player: Look for the new Georgia running back Trevor Etienne to have by far the best season of his career this year. One of the reasons for this is that he should be the lead back for the Bulldogs in 2024 after being a backup during his time with the Florida Gators. Another reason for this is that he will be playing behind a much better offensive line, and teams won’t be able to focus on him because of Georgia’s passing game, which is led by Carson Beck. If he has the kind of season, I think he can look to the dynamic running back as a day two pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Mr. Versatile: One of the most versatile backs in the country is Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty. Last season, Jeanty led all FBS backs with an average of 159.67 yards from scrimmage per game. He did this by rushing for 1,347 yards and also catching 43 passes for 569 yards, also leading the nation. As a pro prospect, his most impressive attribute is his ability to bounce off tacklers consistently. Another trait that is sure to excite scouts about him is his soft hands and his ability to help in the passing game as both a receiver and blocker. I currently have a third-round grade on him and if he has another strong season, he could end up being a second-round pick.

Improved running game: Last season, Penn State’s running game underperformed despite having two players draftable in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Nittany Lions only averaged 174 meters a play that ranked 36th in the FBS and also averaged just 4.6 yards per carry. Look for that to change this season as Andy Kotelnicki will lead the offense after spending the last three seasons at Kansas and turning them into a top-ten rushing attack. Penn State’s best running back is Nicholas Singleton. who shows impressive agility and speed for a 226-pound back. The other back on the roster who should be called up is Kaytron Allen, who led the team in rushing last year and was named second-team All-Big Ten. Going into the season, I have a fourth round on Singleton and a seventh round on Allen.

A switch to fullback: Look for NFL teams to consider bringing back Tahj Brooks at fullback from Texas Tech. One reason for this is his lack of speed to get a lead in the NFL, and he would likely be limited to short-yardage situations if he stays at RB. While this speed is a major liability at running back, it would be solid for a fullback and could cause matchup issues at the next level, especially in the passing game. He is also a strong blocker and was Pro Football Focus’ highest-rated pass blocker in the Power Five last season. However, his most exciting trait that could make him a good fullback is his physical running style, which saw him produce 96 forced tackles, which led the nation, according to PFF.

553: The number of yards Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon II had in two straight games against West Virginia and Cincinnati.

106: The number of forced missed tackles Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty caused last season led the nation.

280: The number of rushing yards Antario Brown had against Akron last season. I have a seventh-round grade for Brown going into the season.

80 percent: This year we see 12 of the top 15 running backs in the FBS returning to school.