2025 NFL Draft prospect rankings: An all-time stacked RB class

theScore's NFL draft prospect rankings series gives you everything you need to know about the top players available at each position. Next up: one of the best running back classes we've ever seen.

Jeanty's a blue-chip running back prospect. The Boise State superstar was unstoppable in 2024, recording 2,601 rushing yards to fall just short of Barry Sanders' single-season record. Perhaps those numbers were a little inflated by the level of competition, but not by much. Jeanty demonstrates outstanding vision to set up his blocks, manipulate defenders, and consistently find his running lanes. He's also got the lateral agility to make opponents miss in tight spaces and the speed to take any play the distance. And that's all before getting to the most impressive part of his game: Jeanty runs through contact like no other, with some truly rare balance and a sublime knack for preventing would-be tacklers from squaring him up. The way he strings moves together is straight out of a video game. A 374-carry workload could be a minor concern for his next team, and Jeanty did fumble twice in a CFP loss to Penn State. Let's not overthink this one, though. Jeanty's the kind of running back teams should have no concerns about selecting in the top 10.

It won't take long for fans to fall in love with Hampton's game. He's an impressive athlete who provides an exciting blend of size, speed, and power. While he could benefit from a more patient running style, his eagerness to get upfield and hit somebody is a big part of what makes him so effective. The UNC standout explodes into contact and regularly bounces off defenders to keep runs alive. He demonstrates much better short-area quickness than you'd expect for a ball carrier with his kind of play style, and he's got the long speed to hit the home run when he breaks into the open field. The early down skill set alone would make Hampton an intriguing enough prospect, but he also should enter the NFL as a true three-down back. His big-play ability shows up as a receiver out of the backfield, and the physicality makes him an effective player in pass protection. Hampton's a first-round talent with Pro Bowl upside in a downhill running game.

Henderson's one of the class' more exciting skill players. The Ohio State product probably doesn't have the size or physicality to take on a bell-cow role in an NFL backfield, but that shouldn't diminish his potential value. He processes the game well, demonstrates the lateral agility to make defenders miss, and has the long speed to hit big plays on any given opportunity. That athleticism, along with the route-running ability he provides out of the backfield, makes him a major factor in the receiving game, too. And as one of the rare running backs who enters the league as a high-end pass-protector, Henderson figures to be an impact player on third down from Day 1. Pair him with a more physical ball carrier to share some of the workload, including short yardage, and he'll have an opportunity to change the game everywhere else.

Anyone expecting to see a bruiser when watching Martinez's tape won't be disappointed. He's a physical ball carrier who finishes runs and consistently sheds tackle attempts to pick up yards after contact. The pleasant surprise will be finding out that a player of this archetype, at Martinez's size, is this nimble. He complements his power game with some impressive lateral agility and elusiveness, making for an incredibly intriguing skill set. And he ties it all together with excellent vision and decision-making skills. The value Martinez provides as an early down runner could make him an outstanding lead back, regardless of whether he can carve out a role for himself in passing situations. Pro Bowl potential's on the table if he does.

Neal may be the class' most underrated back. A lack of top-end speed could impact his big-play ability in the NFL, so perhaps his true ceiling is worth considering here, but speed isn't exactly a requirement for high-end running back production. Why overthink it when he does everything else so well? Neal's a patient, intelligent runner with good vision and an impressive feel for setting up blocks. While he isn't the most sudden athlete, his instincts allow him to create for himself when a play appears bottled up. Neal sets up defenders to slip tackles in the open field, and he has the balance to shake off contact and keep rolling. He also happens to be an easy projection for third-down contributions, proving himself an effective receiver out of the backfield and a reliable contributor in pass protection. Neal does it all - don't be surprised if he outperforms his draft position.

Judkins is a tone-setter. He provided the thunder to TreVeyon Henderson's lightning in Ohio State's national title-winning backfield. The former Ole Miss transfer's a physical runner who throws defenders to the side with a nasty stiff arm or keeps plays alive by running through tackle attempts. Mentality is part of the equation, for sure, but his ability to explode into contact also speaks to his impressive athletic profile. Those natural gifts are evident with his initial upfield burst, too. Judkins demonstrates the patience and vision to maximize carries in any run scheme. A lack of elusiveness limits his options for creativity, and he's never contributed much as a receiver out of the backfield, but the value he provides as an early down runner is enough to earn Judkins a lead NFL backfield role.

Johnson will naturally be compared to some more physical backs based on his size alone, but that's not really his game. The Iowa product is a smooth, zone runner who gets the job done with vision and tempo. His big-play production comes not from breakaway speed but his ability to set up blocks, cut upfield, and burst into the second level. When he gets there, he demonstrates the balance to shake off weak contact and maintain his stride. There's upside for even more broken tackles if he can improve his pad level and better utilize his frame. A more patient approach may be required for scheme diversity, and he won't offer much in pass protection out of the gate, but Johnson can be an extremely productive early down runner in a Kyle Shanahan-style, outside-zone system.

Skattebo's a lot of fun to watch. Above all else, he's an absolute nightmare for the defense to get on the ground, and his contact balance to shake off tackle attempts is a big part of that. The other factor is his mentality - he simply refuses to go down. Skattebo isn't just a straight-line bruiser, though. He also reads his keys well and makes good decisions to maximize his touches. Third-down value shouldn't be an issue, either. His physicality will be useful in pass protection, and he's proven to be a capable receiver out of the backfield. Skattebo's playmaking upside may be capped due to a lack of top-end speed, and he'll need to ensure his extra-effort plays don't come at the cost of ball security - he had four fumbles in 2024. But there's no reason he can't be an effective workhorse in a two-man committee. He's going to wear defenses out.

You can't teach speed and Sampson has it. The Tennessee standout's a problem when he gets into the open field, as defenders have a hard time maintaining pursuit angles against his kind of juice. That's only one part of his game, though. Sampson's also a patient runner with good vision. He reads plays well and generally makes the right decisions. When nothing's there, he's got the elusiveness to create yards for himself. Playing through contact may not be sustainable at the next level, but he certainly does it better than one would think for someone his size. Sampson needs to answer questions about his third-down value after minimal receiver work in college, and he doesn't offer much in pass protection. He also had four fumbles in 2024. The big-play ability could yield outstanding results if he can develop those areas and earn himself an every-down role.

Brooks' running style is beautiful to watch. He never rushes the development of a play, and the Texas Tech standout demonstrates incredible patience between the tackles. A combination of instincts and short-area quickness make him one of the class' most elusive runners, and he has a knack for running through contact. Brooks led the nation with 96 missed tackles forced in 2023, 14 clear of Jeanty, according to PFF. Upside's the big question here, as he seemed limited in the speed department on tape. The combine 40 time was more than respectable, but it came after weighing in well shy of his listed 230 pounds in college. Is Brooks going to remain at that weight in the NFL? Does it matter? His sublime feel for the game is the main draw, either way. And with the ability to contribute as both a receiver and as an extra man in pass protection, he could provide every-down value from the jump. Brooks is a sleeper to watch.

Sanders should be getting more attention as part of this stacked group, but his production wasn't spectacular in his return from injury in 2024, so that's probably part of the equation. However, he still had plenty of moments that reminded people of the breakout star we saw at Arkansas in 2022. Sanders plays with outstanding vision and patience, setting up his blocks and pulling defenders in only to make a move and slide into open space. His combination of short-area quickness and long speed is unique for a player his size. He also plays with the balance to bounce off contact and the physicality to fight for tough yards inside. Sanders may have trouble getting on the field on third down until he cleans up his pass protection, and he'll need to do the same with fumble issues. But he's an extremely well-rounded runner who could be one of the draft's biggest steals.

Giddens is among the class' most elusive backs. The Kansas State product utilizes an impressive jump cut to change directions on a dime and slip past defenders, consistently creating yards for himself. He also does an excellent job of putting himself in position to do so, showing vision and patience to set up blocks behind the line of scrimmage. Giddens doesn't offer much physicality in terms of finishing runs, which is probably a result of his upright running style, yet he still somehow plays with enough contact balance to bounce of defenders and continue upfield. While he's battled some drops, there are some intriguing flashes of big-play ability as a receiver out of the backfield, too. Giddens should be an efficient early down playmaker with upside for more if he can improve as a pass-protector.

Harvey's electric. On first watch, it may seem like he's bouncing too many runs outside - typically an ominous sign for a young running back's vision. That's not quite an issue here, though. Harvey certainly kicks his fair share of plays to the edge, but only when necessary. He's generally a patient runner with the processing ability to make good decisions. It just so happens that some unbelievable quickness allows him to execute on those escapes no matter the difficulty. Harvey's a supremely creative runner who's constantly making defenders miss in the hole and at the second level to find extra yards. He's got the speed to hit the big play, and he throws his weight around a little more than most players his size. His stature could present some issues at the next level, particularly when it comes to workload and being trusted in pass protection, but smart teams understand how to feature game-breaking talents. Harvey fits that description.

Tuten's a dynamic, one-cut runner. His explosive athleticism was on display at the NFL combine, where he ran a position-best 4.32 40-yard dash, but that number wasn't surprising to anyone who saw his game-breaking speed in college. The Virginia Tech standout has a knack for making defenders miss in the open field, and he'll finish runs far better than most players his size. That physicality is also on display with his willingness as a pass blocker. His feel for running between the tackles isn't quite as good, so fit will be key. And he's got to stop losing the ball - Tuten fumbled six times in 2023 and four times in 2024. Cleaning that up and getting a chance as an early down contributor in an outside-zone scheme could make him a big-time playmaker in the pros.

Gordon's bound to be a polarizing prospect after his production fell drastically following a breakout season. However, as we know, there's only so much a running back can do to overcome the situation around him, and Oklahoma State's offense did Gordon no favors in 2024. Anyone evaluating him on last season alone runs the risk of missing out on an interesting player. Gordon's a big back who never shies away from contact, he generally makes good decisions as the play develops, and is more nimble than expected given his size and physical play style. He's also capable of playing all three downs and contributing as a receiver, and he can hold his own in pass protection. Fit will be important - Gordon needs a downhill run game to be at his best. But he absolutely can still become the back we thought he could be after a spectacular sophomore season.

Dan Wilkins is theScore's senior NFL writer.