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John Johnson takes a look at the running back class for the 2025 NFL Draft and projects how many will get selected in the first round. Will this RB class prove to be one of the best?
The 2025 NFL Combine is now in the books, and while many players had standout performances that rose their draft stock, such as Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden, who ran a 4.29-second 40-yard dash, it was the running back group that largely crushed its testing.
Now, the answer to the question of how many running backs will be taken in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft is probably "more than it was before," but coming up with a good estimate is more complicated than simply giving a number.
Instead, we should first discuss how running backs are valued now, and how that's changed with recent news. Then, we should finish by looking at the top RBs, identifying which ones will easily get taken, which are on the fence, and which are unlikely to be taken in Round 1 in the 2025 draft. Let's dive in.
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How Are Running Backs Valued Now?
Until recently, RBs have been undervalued in the NFL. The repeated success of teams without great running back performances propping up their offense, the idea that offensive lines are largely responsible for their production, and the short shelf life of many players at the position led to their contracts being deflated over the past two decades.
Backs are lower paid than similarly skilled players at every other position aside from kicker, punter, long snapper, and fullback. On average, there are very few running backs that even crack an average of $10 million per year -- currently, only five backs exceed that amount.
Eagles are rewarding Saquon Barkley with a two-year, $41.2 million contract extension that makes him the highest-paid running back in NFL history, per sources. The deal makes Barkley the NFL’s first $20 million+ per-year running back. Barkley also has the ability to earn an… pic.twitter.com/h5iEf5IWe2
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 4, 2025
Yet, on March 4, the Philadelphia Eagles rewarded their star running back, Saquon Barkley, with the richest contract for an RB in NFL history. Barkley was central to the Eagles' success in 2024 -- behind a great offensive line, he had one of the best seasons in history for a tailback.
And though his Super Bowl performance wasn't stellar, he forced the Kansas City Chiefs to completely sell out to stop him in the biggest game of the year. Because of that, the Chiefs had no answers for the passing game and for quarterback Jalen Hurts' legs.
Since the NFL is a copycat league, we should assume that premier running backs will be treated as more important moving forward. For this reason, more backs may be taken in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Which Running Backs Are Likely Locks For Round 1?
Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
There's little question that Jeanty will be taken in the first round. He just nearly won the Heisman Trophy, and nearly broke Barry Sanders' record for most rushing yards in a season, despite being pulled from many games early. He showed the durability and toughness to handle a very large workload at the next level and was a game-changer in every contest he played in.
ASHTON JEANTY 61-YARD HOUSE CALL 📞🔥
(via @BroncoSportsFB)pic.twitter.com/C9lroNMQog
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 24, 2024
He has everything you want in a prototypical elite back in terms of skill set. He's a fluid mover, has elite strength, power, and tackle-breaking ability, has great lateral agility, never gives up on plays and continues to drive his legs, and is good as a receiver, though he wasn't used heavily in that area. He's also a solid pass-protector, though that area of his game has room for improvement.
He's regarded as a special talent, and has sufficient speed and acceleration to rip off long plays, though his speed isn't to the level of a back like Barkley. That's not the most important thing ever, though. He was just unstoppable in college, and he can instantly improve many offenses that don't have star running backs right now.
Barkley was chosen with the second overall pick in his draft, and while he was seen as a reach, everyone now realizes that the New York Giants held him back massively. A top-10 selection being used on Jeanty seems on the horizon.
Omarion Hampton, RB, UNC
There were questions about Hampton's burst and long speed, and he answered them with elite athletic testing at the combine. He weighed in at 221 pounds, ran an official 4.47-second 40-yard dash, showing off excellent acceleration and great top speed, jumped 38 inches in the vertical jump, and leaped 10-feet-10 inches in the broad jump.
Omarion Hampton is a RB prospect in the 2025 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.93 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 14 out of 1909 RB from 1987 to 2025.
Splits projected, times unofficial. https://t.co/BvtORFYopS pic.twitter.com/8Q7SRqnAgv
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 1, 2025
Hampton's speed and burst are no longer in question. He's not viewed as quite the prospect Jeanty is, but he could slot in as a workhorse back and immediately handle a ton of touches in the NFL. He carried the ball 253 times in 2023 and 281 in 2024, averaging 5.9 yards per carry and scoring 15 touchdowns each season.
He also proved his worth as a receiving back, though he'll probably mainly be used on checkdowns, screens, and dump-off passes. And he's a good pass protector as well, so he should see plenty of play if he goes to a team that doesn't have another great back.
There are plenty of teams that technically "don't" need a running back, but they could benefit greatly from taking pressure off their passing game and bolstering their backfields with a great option like Hampton. It seems certain that he'll be taken in the first round, at least toward the end.
Which Running Backs Have A Solid Shot Of Going In Round 1?
Bhayshul Tuten, RB, Virginia Tech
My favorite running back from this year's class, it's likely that his combine performance shocked many in the NFL community. He was previously seen as outside the top 10, but in the back half of the first round, a team inspired by Barkley's season may take a shot on Tuten late in the first.
Bhayshul Tuten outran two of the league's best RBs 👀
📺: #NFLCombine on @NFLNetwork
📱: Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/hiFn19Q6Xn— NFL (@NFL) March 1, 2025
Interestingly, current Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who went to a much bigger school (University of Alabama) and has elite acceleration and speed, was bested by Tuten. This type of thing puts teams on notice. Just because Tuten went to a smaller school doesn't mean he won't be seriously considered now, especially after Gibbs' successes.
And Gibbs was chosen sixth overall. I'll continue to plant my flag -- Tuten, my RB1 from the 2025 NFL Draft class, should be chosen in Round 1.
Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ohio State
Judkins impressed at the combine, and though my criticisms of him still stand -- that he has remarkably inflexible hips and very little lateral agility -- the athletic profile and potential workhorse ability should be enough for a team to consider him very late in the first.
So How Many Backs Will Be Taken In Round 1?
Interestingly, despite the depth of this class, it's likely teams will continue to wait until later rounds to choose their backs. I believe Jeanty, Hampton, and Tuten will be taken in Round 1. The rest are likely to be taken later, with the second round being a popular place for teams to take their RBs of the future.
So, my answer is that three RBs will be taken in Round 1, though if four are, that wouldn't surprise me, either.
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