The running back position has become one of the most interesting positions in the NFL. In recent years, it’s become more difficult for running backs to get second contracts due to the wear and tear on their bodies and the relatively short shelf life of the position. As a result, the NFL Draft has become a critical place for teams to find productive and low-cost talent at the running back position.
This year’s draft is widely considered very weak for RBs, and while there are usually one or two backs selected early, we usually see a few high impact players at the position taken in the later rounds. Just look at what the Seattle Seahawks have done with Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet who were both selected outside of the first round, what the Chiefs got with seventh-round pick Isiah Pacheco, or the Bears finding a steal in the seventh round of last year’s draft in Kyle Monangai.
With that in mind, here are three running backs, outside of Notre Dame’s duo of Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price who will be off the board early, that could be selected later in the draft and be immediate difference-makers in the league.
Jonah Coleman spent the final two years of his college career at Washington where he was a production machine for the Huskies. He dealt with some injuries this past season, but when he was on the field and fully healthy, he was one of the top running backs in college football.
Standing at 5'9", Coleman may be undersized but he is extremely powerful. He is what I’d describe as a “bowling ball” runner who isn’t afraid to initiate contact and has great balance that helps him consistently run through tackles.
He’s also a receiving threat out of the backfield, excels in the red zone, and showed incredible ball security fumbling just once on 672 career touches in college. I believe Coleman could be a real steal in the middle rounds of the draft with a skill set that can translate well to the pro level.
Emmett Johnson had a phenomenal season last year for Nebraska as the engine behind the Cornhuskers offense with over 1,800 total yards and 15 touchdowns. He is a tough, versatile runner who can make something out of nothing and is a real threat in the passing game as a receiving back.
The 2025 college football All-American is projected to be a Day 2 or early Day 3 pick that could add great depth as an RB2. If you want a taste of everything that Johnson can do, take a look at his performance against UCLA when he rushed for 129 yards on 28 carries while also catching three passes for 103 yards and scoring three total touchdowns.
Kaelon Black is a physical, grind-it-out type of running back who can pick up the yards you need in tough short yardage situations. He showed that last season in his second year at Indiana after following head coach Curt Cignetti from James Madison.
Black averaged 5.6 yards per carry as part of the Hoosiers’ powerful one-two rushing attack alongside Roman Hemby. He was huge for the Hoosiers late in the season, showing up most in Indiana’s biggest games and helping power a run game that played a major role in their run to the national championship.
Black is also a tough runner to bring down averaging 3.6 yards after contact, and is the type of back teams would hate to have to face late in a season. With the NFL shifting back toward a greater emphasis on the run game, he has the tools to provide valuable depth to a running back room.
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