Ranking top 5 running backs in 2025 NFL Draft feat. Ashton Jeanty
The 2025 NFL Draft is rapidly approaching, and the league's next crop of rookie talent is looking to bolster their draft stocks with the remainder of the offseason. Teams are still to hold their pro day events and the NFL Combine will take place from Thursday, Feb. 27, to Sunday, March 2.
This year's draft class has plenty of question marks but will feature one of the deepest groups of rookie running backs of all time. Headlined by Heisman Trophy runner-up Ashton Jeanty, the 2025 running back class is arguably the most talented position group of this year's NFL draft.
Here is a look at our top five running back rankings ahead of the NFL Draft.
Top 5 2025 NFL Draft running backs
5. Dylan Sampson, Tennessee
Our first pick is one of the youngest running backs in this year's group, coming off a historic campaign for the Tennessee Volunteers in 2024. The reigning Southeastern Conference Player of the Year enters the draft with some of the most experience rushing out of shotgun of any back in the class.
Sampson totaled 258 carries for 1,491 yards and 22 touchdowns in Josh Huepel's offense last season. Sampson is arguably the best open-field rusher in the draft, frequently finding space from the gun under Huepel. His plentiful experience in shotgun will entice plenty of teams in a pass-first NFL.
4. Kaleb Johnson, Iowa
Our fourth pick offers the best combination of size and athleticism among any back in this year's class. Kaleb Johnson exploded onto the scene in 2024, posting the best rushing performance in the Big Ten Conference for the Iowa Hawkeyes. Johnson carried the ball 240 times for 1,537 yards and 22 touchdowns last season, making his case as one of the best running backs in a deep class.
Johnson isn't as twitchy as someone like Ashton Jeanty, but his elite ball-carrier vision helps him maintain a distinguishable fluidity as a runner when he hits his gaps. He's a patient runner who can hit his top gear by the time he reaches the second level of the defense.
3. Cam Skattebo, Arizona State
Some could argue the selection of Cam Skattebo for third-best running back in the class, but college football's second-most productive back in 2024 has a clear case for this spot. Skattebo isn't quite as athletic as the top two but is far more versatile.
Skattebo is the best dual-threat back in this year's class, with strong versatility as a receiver out of the backfield. He carried the ball 293 times for 1,711 rushing yards, with 45 catches for 605 yards as a receiver with 24 total touchdowns. Skattebo is also one of the most powerful runners in this year's class and is the clear-cut choice for the most physical back among his peers.
2. Omarion Hampton, North Carolina
There is an argument for plenty of running backs in this year's class. Coming out as one of the most explosive backs in the class, we're going to take arguably the biggest home-run threat among this running back group, Omarion Hampton.
Hampton quietly put together the greatest two-year stretch by a running back in North Carolina football history, racking up 534 carries for 3,164 yards and 30 touchdowns during his sophomore and junior campaigns. Like Jeanty, Hampton's powerful base helped him show off rare balance during his career, though the UNC product has the upper hand in straight-line speed.
1. Ashton Jeanty, Boise State
This pick is definitely an obvious one. No running back in the country was more productive last season than Ashton Jeanty. The Heisman runner-up carried the ball 374 times for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns, cementing his legacy with one of the best single-season campaigns of all time.
Looking at his physical traits, Jeanty is a stout back with plenty of power in his base. He has rare balance at the position, thanks to elite strength in his legs. Projected to come off the board in the top half of the first round, Jeanty could be the NFL's next great running back.