Bank on Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty adding to evidence of an all-out running back revival in the NFL.
One of three running backs with a top-30 grade in what sets up as a bountiful class of prospects, the Broncos’ ball-carrier is becoming a safe bet to be off the board in the top 12 picks.
The last two RB prospects selected that early were worth the investment. Alabama’s Jahmyr Gibbs went 12th to the Lions in 2023, following Texas’ Bijan Robinson off the board. Robinson went eighth to the Falcons.
Jeanty would intrigue the Patriots at No. 4 and several others in the top 10, from the Raiders to the Panthers and Chicago Bears.
But a team that misses out on the cream of the RB crop need not panic this time around.
FIELD LEVEL MEDIA 2025 Draft RB rankings:
1. Ashton Jeanty, Boise State
Army-of-one runner with a combination of explosive lower-body power and determination in the open field to eradicate worry about his timed speed. Jeanty didn’t run a public timed 40 in the pre-draft process. It’s a virtual guarantee any team that hosted him for a private visit conducted a workout that included testing to validate what they see in film, but production and the eye test are plenty of proof with Jeanty.
He might be knocked in small scouting circles for falling short of prototypical perfection because of his arm length and height — detriments for blitz pickup or pass-blocking long-limbed edge rushers, and reaching to secure the ball against tight pass coverage as a receiver — but the tale of the tape told a similar story about a guy named Emmitt Smith.
Jeanty can slide laterally with light and lightning-fast feet, picking through traffic until he jumps to cut or shift gears to get downhill. He averaged 7.0 yards per carry in 2024 and had a 50-plus-yard run in nine of 14 games in his final season in Boise.
Marshawn Lynch was 5-11, 215 and ran a 4.46 40 at the 2007 NFL Scouting Combine with 20 reps of 225. Jeanty did 27 reps of 225 and has a similar history to Lynch’s at Cal of breakaway runs.
The next Saquon Barkley? That might be a bridge too far.
A dynamic playmaker with an All-Pro ceiling, we reserve the right to revisit the comparison in a year or three.
2. Omarion Hampton, North Carolina
Speaking of Lynch, Hampton produced almost exactly the same 40 time (and 18 reps of 225) at 6-foot, 221 in February and has a resume tape of Beast Mode-type runs. Defenders need to bring a friend to get Hampton to the ground when he’s determined, fighting for every yard on every carry.
Not a total loss laterally, but he’s a downhill runner with the demeanor of a power back. Hampton isn’t going to leave a vapor trail getting around the tackle on a toss or sweep. Between the tackles, he has everything an NFL team could want.
As a runner and in pass protection, having the time to turn his body and square his shoulders to the line or defenders is essential to his success.
3. TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State
A timeshare with the Buckeyes plays in Henderson’s favor with relatively low miles for a Big Ten starter. As part of a tandem each exceeding 1,000 rushing yards in 2024, Henderson had 1,300 total yards (284 receiving) with 10 rushing TDs in a co-op with Ole Miss transfer Quinshon Judkins for the national champions.
He can be indecisive but behind a squadron of tanks for blockers in the NFL, it’s possible this trait won’t leave college.
Henderson has also proven he’s a different animal when he decides to get it and go. He’s sudden — 10-yard split of 1.52 seconds is better than Barkley’s 1.54 in 2018 — with first movement and changes direction easily, inviting a three-down role because of his soft, natural hands and focused blocking technique in pass protection.
4. Kaleb Johnson, Iowa
Capable of bowling through the defense but not always running around or away from it, Johnson’s throwback traits are inviting for zone-based running teams coveting a leveraged one-cut runner with a finisher’s mentality. To paint a picture of what he could become at the NFL level, Johnson racked up more than 1,000 yards after contact in 2024.
He bounces off of contact and barrels over defensive backs with a teeth-clinching grin, rarely sidestepping contact in any live situation. Want him in pass pro? He can help there, too, with a 78.5-inch wingspan to wheel speed rushers away from the quarterback or wallop undersized blitzers with his usual pop.
Proven in a pro-style offense and productive in a slightly more evolved scheme in 2024, Johnson brings a team approach to the RB room and did not fumble in 240 carries last season.
If used properly, Johnson is likely to become a starter or part of a two-headed monster — similar to a David Montgomery role in Detroit and using many of the same traits (contact balance, vision, power, ball security). Ran a 4.57-second 40 but nobody is talking about Montgomery’s 4.63 40 time because of his NFL production. He was a steal 10 picks into the third round of the 2019 draft.
5. Bhayshul Tuten, Virginia Tech
When Tuten wowed at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine — 4.32 40-yard dash, 40.5-inch vertical — it wasn’t a surprise to NFL scouts, nor did it answer questions of whether his timed speed will translate to the field in the NFL.
A North Carolina A&T product who spent the past two years at Virginia Tech, Tuten plays with a smooth, athletic style very similar to Tyjae Spears (Titans) coming out of Tulane. His pace, timing and overdrive gear on zone runs stand out and he returned two kickoffs for touchdowns as a junior.
Though not ideal for a lead NFL back, if you ask Tuten to lower his pads or move the pile, he’s still more likely to spin or juke to slide outside and hit the boundary where he prefers to operate.
Tuten’s 17 total touchdowns in 2024, big-play speed and experience in a zone-heavy offense add up to a third-down role at worst early in his career. He’s already a talent that coordinators can scheme to get in the open field where he’s more than capable of creating chunks plays.
6. Dylan Sampson, Tennessee
At 5-8, 199, Sampson is short but nowhere near small, playing the game with an edge and effort at all times. He was the dynamic engine of the Volunteers’ all-gas, no-brakes offense and set the program record with 1,491 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns in 2024.
Willing to play the anvil at Tennessee, Sampson might need to be in a shared role in the NFL. Being the undersized aggressor is no way to survive as a pro, and Sampson knows only one way, attempting to play at or above peak speed on every rep.
A potential ace in a matchup game because of his speed and constant effort, Sampson is likely to be cast as a rotational or third-down option early in his career. At 20 years old, he has time to develop even if he’s not exactly known for patience between the lines.
Durability, pushing blitzers off-course in protection and maximizing ball security are critical to him becoming more than a role player.
7. RJ Harvey, UCF
Harvey is a converted quarterback with vision and patience, but size limitations (5-8, 200) and age (turns 24 this month) are working against him. No invitation is needed to send him downhill toward defenders but he’s not going to be paid to break tackles.
8. Quinshon Judkins, Ohio State
The 221-pound Judkins is country strong and appears to have the power to run over a barn. Always eager to plow through tackles, he avoided injuries at Ole Miss and Ohio State and scored 50 touchdowns with the body lean, leg drive and sledgehammer approach to star in a short-yardage role immediately. To become a starter, evolving beyond an old-school bruiser game is vital.
9. Woody Marks, USC
A five-year starter who is already 24, Marks was productive at Mississippi State and USC (2024). Not a blazer or bulldozer, but his ability to make defenders miss and shake through contact stands out for his size. He should be able to work his way into a high-end rotation role during his first contract.
10. Jordan James, Oregon
Minus game-changing speed, James is a change-of-pace back a team could entrust as a blocker and rotational option. He plays bigger than he measured with short-area burst to move the chains but limited long speed means he must take the long road to a larger role in the NFL.
–Field Level Media
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