| Score | Overall |
| 88.3 | 21 |
| Position | Day |
| 1 | 1 |
| Score | Position | Day | Overall |
| 88.3 | 1 | 1 | 21 |
| Height: | 5' 8" | Weight: | 211 lbs |
| Hands: | 9.25 | Arms: | 29.25 |
| 40 YD Dash: | DNP | 10 YD Split: | DNP |
| Vertical: | DNP | Broad: | DNP |
| Shuttle: | -- | Cone: | DNP |
| Height: | 5' 8" | Hands: | 9.25 | 40 YD Dash: | DNP |
| Weight: | 211 lbs | Arms: | 29.25 | 10 YD Split: | DNP |
| Broad: | DNP | Cone: | DNP | ||
| Vertical: | DNP | Shuttle: | -- |
| Height: | 5' 8" | Hands: | 9.25 | 40 YD Dash: | DNP | Broad: | DNP | Cone: | DNP |
| Weight: | 211 lbs | Arms: | 29.25 | 10 YD Split: | DNP | Vertical: | DNP | Shuttle: | -- |
Heisman Trophy Runner-Up (2024)
Maxwell Award Winner (2024)
Doak Walker Award Winner (2024)
Bobby Bowden Trophy Winner (2024)
Unanimous All-American (2024)
Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year (2023, 2024)
Rushed for 2,601 yards in 2024 (2nd in FBS history)
Non-Newtonian fluid. Jeanty seemingly lives in a flow state between solid and liquid, something reminiscent of the Marvel character Venom. His combination of contact balance, play strength, and teleportation-like make-you-miss moves is lethal. He can become whatever he needs at the moment. Put simply, Jeanty has the class-leading ability to create yards beyond his blockers, whether that be outright forcing misses or generating yards after contact with force.
Special top-gear and burst. What makes Jeanty so lethal is his ability to accelerate to full speed in the blink of an eye. Defenses do not have a chance to react. I don’t think he has Jahmyr Gibbs top-end acceleration or speed, but he is somewhere between Gibbs and Kenneth Walker. He’s a legit home-run hitter who can easily win the corner and beat contain.
Eagle-eye vision. In a league that has massively prioritized explosive plays, it is worth noting that Jeanty’s vision/burst combo is devastating to defenses. Not every explosive has to be of the "grind-it-out, break-some-tackles" variety. He can find a crease and go. He is as disciplined as they come too and operates within the constructs of the blocking scheme. I especially love his ability in zone concepts – he uses his juice to press the point of attack and force gap commitments to then easily cut back against the grain for chunks at a time.
Scheme agnostic. I really appreciate the scheme diversity at Boise State as Jeanty has ample experience in zone concepts, gap concepts, and setting up pullers. There is an NFL readiness to him that reminds me of Bijan Robinson.
Pass protection woes. Jeanty isn’t NFL-ready when it comes to pass pro. He really struggles tracking/mirroring against moving targets, especially those working inside-out. He also often misses his initial punch and has to rely on body contact and/or dipping his head and shoulders, which will both get his quarterback hit and could result in injury. On a positive note, he is willing to protect, and that’s half the battle.
Potential limitations as a pass-catcher. Jeanty will be mostly fine as a pass-catcher because every time he touches the ball, he has the potential to create a big play. There are potentially some biomechanical/anatomical limitations, though. He is a tiny target in terms of catch radius (5’9" with short arms) and is a little tight in the hips, which could limit route-running upside. Again, this is not a huge concern for me, though.
Leads class in fumbles. I don’t see any major flaws in Jeanty’s carry technique — he carries it high and tight and tries to get two hands on the football when applicable. But he is an insanely stubborn runner who fights for every extra inch and refuses to go down. Because of that, he finds himself in an unusual amount of dogpile/scrum-looking situations, in which he has a group of defenders ripping at the ball. He needs to do a better job protecting the football in those scenarios.
Jeanty officially scores as the 5th highest RB I have ever evaluated, right between Saquon Barkley (2nd overall pick) and Jahmyr Gibbs (12th overall). In Jeanty, teams are getting a rare combo of bell-cow back with extremely explosive playmaking upside. He checks all three boxes of my "premium" traits for running backs: vision, burst, and the ability to create beyond blockers. He also has shown extreme toughness, considering the absurd workload he endured in college without a hiccup. Jeanty is a stud.
| Score | Overall |
| 84.7 | 44 |
| Position | Day |
| 2 | 2 |
| Score | Position | Day | Overall |
| 84.7 | 2 | 2 | 44 |
| Height: | 5' 11" | Weight: | 221 lbs |
| Hands: | 9.375 | Arms: | 30.5 |
| 40 YD Dash: | 4.46 | 10 YD Split: | 1.54 |
| Vertical: | 38 | Broad: | 130 |
| Shuttle: | -- | Cone: | DNP |
| Height: | 5' 11" | Hands: | 9.375 | 40 YD Dash: | 4.46 |
| Weight: | 221 lbs | Arms: | 30.5 | 10 YD Split: | 1.54 |
| Broad: | 130 | Cone: | DNP | ||
| Vertical: | 38 | Shuttle: | -- |
| Height: | 5' 11" | Hands: | 9.375 | 40 YD Dash: | 4.46 | Broad: | 130 | Cone: | DNP |
| Weight: | 221 lbs | Arms: | 30.5 | 10 YD Split: | 1.54 | Vertical: | 38 | Shuttle: | -- |
First Team All-American (2023, 2024)
First Team All-ACC (2023, 2024)
Finished 5th in FBS in rushing yards in 2023 (1,504)
Finished 3rd in FBS in rushing yards in 2024 (1,660)
Doak Award finalist (2023, 2024)
Maxwell Award semifinalist (2024)
Huge, imposing frame and build. Hampton is a unit with a rocked-up musculature. He is intimidating and has an ideal frame to handle a big time workload. He has muscles in places I didn’t know were possible. He will be a HAMMER at the NFL level.
Runs like a viking warrior in battle. Hampton is a violent, physical runner that will be a tone setter at the next level. The way he sets up would-be tacklers to reduce his surface area and alter angles is rare. He can pile up forced missed tackles in a hurry and will force all 11 defenders to commit to bringing him down. He regularly causes rugby-like scrums. I also love how he finishes runs – always falling forward and with bad intentions. He has the "wear down" effect on defenses.
Scary burst and acceleration for his size. Hampton’s burst relative to his size (220+ pounds) is frightening. He is capable of hitting the point of attack at full speed, not allowing second-level defenders time to fit their gaps adequately. His ability to get to top speed so quickly allows him to rack up chunk plays despite relatively average vision.
Fantastic combo of loose hips and quick feet. These qualities obviously contribute to his tackle breaking potential – like his uber violent jump-cut, but they also speak to a pretty high ceiling as a pass-catcher. When Hampton has his feet underneath him, his ability to sink his hips and string together move after move shows massive potential as a route runner for the position. As it stands now, I see someone who is a big time threat on dump-offs/checkdowns and in the screen game, but could evolve into a legit pass-game weapon.
Lacks elite top-end speed. I wouldn’t call Hampton slow, but he lacks that final gear to finish super-long runs. There are plenty of reps on tape of him losing foot races on breakaway runs and getting caught from behind. He also has a hard time winning the corner on boundary runs with any disruption to his pace. I stand on this despite the 4.46 40 he ran at the Combine.
Not a creative runner in space. This is caused by a combination of just average vision and being a long-strider. He doesn’t always see what's developing before him and won’t always find the open lane or daylight. His long strides make abrupt cuts/cutbacks a little difficult for him. For me, this isn’t a huge deal as we are talking about a very small percentage of plays – it is something to keep an eye on though early in his career.
In a typical running back class, Hampton would be the RB1. In fact, he scores a whole round higher than any back in last year's class, albeit 2024 was a down year at the position. Hampton is a mutant-like runner who is tailor-made to benefit from the running renaissance that is happening in the NFL right now. Defenses don’t want the smoke he has to bring to the table. He is the type of runner who will haunt second-level players the day before games. In Hampton, teams are getting a versatile, bell-cow runner with untapped potential in the pass-game. Simply put, he is a stud and I have to wonder if his presence in the class will lead to teams playing "chicken" with Ashton Jeanty a bit.
| Score | Overall |
| 84.1 | 49 |
| Position | Day |
| 3 | 2 |
| Score | Position | Day | Overall |
| 84.1 | 3 | 2 | 49 |
| Height: | 5' 8" | Weight: | 205 lbs |
| Hands: | 9 | Arms: | 29 |
| 40 YD Dash: | 4.4 | 10 YD Split: | 1.57 |
| Vertical: | 38 | Broad: | 127 |
| Shuttle: | 4.12 | Cone: | DNP |
| Height: | 5' 8" | Hands: | 9 | 40 YD Dash: | 4.4 |
| Weight: | 205 lbs | Arms: | 29 | 10 YD Split: | 1.57 |
| Broad: | 127 | Cone: | DNP | ||
| Vertical: | 38 | Shuttle: | 4.12 |
| Height: | 5' 8" | Hands: | 9 | 40 YD Dash: | 4.4 | Broad: | 127 | Cone: | DNP |
| Weight: | 205 lbs | Arms: | 29 | 10 YD Split: | 1.57 | Vertical: | 38 | Shuttle: | 4.12 |
Finished 6th in FBS in rushing yards in both 2023 and 2024 (1,416 in 2023, 1577 in 2024)
Doak Award semifinalist (2023, 2024)
All-Big 12 Honorable Mention (2023)
All-Big 12 First Team (2024)
Class-best contact balance. Harvey’s low-center of gravity, strength, and bowling-ball body composition allow him to absorb contact of all varieties. Arm tackle and tackle attempts above the belt attempts pose little threat, even when delivered with significant force. When defenders go low and wrap, he has the leg drive to frequently shake loose and drag defenders for extra yards or break free entirely. Harvey is a tackle breaking machine.
Angle-breaking burst and top-speed. Harvey has the acceleration to completely destroy pursuit angles. When he gets to the second level untouched, he becomes an instant threat to make LBs and Safeties look silly. Harvey’s catalog of 15+ yard runs is as deep as you will see. He has the top-end speed to turn chunk plays into 50+-yard TDs.
Lightning-quick feet. Again, Harvey’s low-center of gravity is a major asset to his game. He can change rush lanes with minimal effort and jump from gap to gap. While he certainly isn’t limited to a zone scheme, his ability to hit crisp and sudden cutbacks makes him a dangerous zone runner.
Pass-game weapon. Harvey has all the necessary traits to be unleashed as a mismatch weapon. Starting with his hands, he displays good catch-technique, especially when he's a moving target. His ball tracking and ball skills are both excellent for a running back. He is capable of making last second adjustments to off-target footballs. His short-area quickness lends to crispy route running and he has the speed to run away from linebackers and most safeties.
Gets caught playing slow/too patient. At times, Harvey can be way too comfortable relying on his burst to get him out of hairy situations. He can let himself get behind the play. I would like to see him become more diligent in keeping his pace consistent and learning to press the line of scrimmage on outside runs and put pressure on the defense immediately.
Severe pass-protection woes. As it stands now, Harvey is not ready to be left in pass-protection against blitz heavy teams. He often gets caught on his heels trying to anchor and can get blown straight back into his QB. He fails to stick and sustain blocks as well. He needs to develop his ability to mirror and redirect – and not take so much punishment. On the bright side, he is willing and he hasn’t let the ridiculous amount of punishment deter him from sticking his face in there.
Harvey is my RB3 in the class, which is saying a ton considering the quality and depth of the class. I see shades of Maurice Jones-Drew when I watch him. He has prototypical NFL size and is a big play weapon in both the run and pass game. He checks boxes on my three premium traits for RBs – ability beyond his blockers, burst, and vision, with the latter two traits being some of the best in the class. He also adds my fourth favorite quality in a running back: toughness. While he does have a couple of things to work on, he is ready to step in and be a difference maker day 1. He scores as a second-round player for me and ranks inside my top-50 overall.
| Score | Overall |
| 83.1 | 58 |
| Position | Day |
| 4 | 2 |
| Score | Position | Day | Overall |
| 83.1 | 4 | 2 | 58 |
| Height: | 5' 11" | Weight: | 217 lbs |
| Hands: | 9.5 | Arms: | 30.5 |
| 40 YD Dash: | 4.51 | 10 YD Split: | 1.56 |
| Vertical: | 35 | Broad: | 124 |
| Shuttle: | -- | Cone: | DNP |
| Height: | 5' 11" | Hands: | 9.5 | 40 YD Dash: | 4.51 |
| Weight: | 217 lbs | Arms: | 30.5 | 10 YD Split: | 1.56 |
| Broad: | 124 | Cone: | DNP | ||
| Vertical: | 35 | Shuttle: | -- |
| Height: | 5' 11" | Hands: | 9.5 | 40 YD Dash: | 4.51 | Broad: | 124 | Cone: | DNP |
| Weight: | 217 lbs | Arms: | 30.5 | 10 YD Split: | 1.56 | Vertical: | 35 | Shuttle: | -- |
All-ACC Honorable Mention (2024)
First Miami running back over 1,000 yards in a season since 2016
All-Pac-12 First Team (2022, 2023)
Doak Walker Award semifinalist (2023)
True Freshman All-American (2022)
Mouth-watering athleticism/size combo. Martinez is a huge, physically imposing back. He combines excellent size with elite athleticism across the board. He is explosive, agile, and has build-up long speed. He is capable of housing long runs once in the open field. His movement skills at his size remind me a ton of Steven Jackson but he plays the position more like David Montgomery.
Excellent burst. My favorite athletic trait of Martinez’s is his acceleration. He can flat out go. It's not just at the snap either — he can quickly reaccelerate after coming to a complete stop or coming out of a harsh cut. His suddenness at his size is scary to opposing defenders.
Loose hips and ankle flexibility. Another rare physical trait for a guy of his size. Martinez can cut against the grain at acute angles and string together move after move in the open field. This gives him access to chunk plays some RBs will never find. He parlays the loose hips and ankles into tackle-breaking potential as well. He has one of the most wicked jump cuts I have seen for a back over 220 pounds, and it is devastating to linebackers and safeties. His setups are even more impressive as he can completely lean/bend one direction to then put his foot in the ground and explode the opposite way. He is capable of racking up forced missed tackles and has a good amount of plays on the books where he breaks 4-5 tackles sequentially.
Contact balance near the LOS is fantastic. Martinez runs physically and violently near the line of scrimmage and fights through tackles in condensed areas. His balance allows him to always fall forward and generate yards after contact.
Scheme diversity. Oregon State and Miami (FL) use very different run schemes in their offenses. Martinez was a 1,000-yard rusher at both schools and has arguably the most diversified experience from a scheme and personnel standpoint. He has run out of heavy sets and spread formations. He has a ton of zone reps as well as man/gap reps and even significant experience as an alley cat running behind power/counter looks. He is as ready for an NFL offense as they come.
3-down potential has serious question marks. Martinez’s 2023 tape was all over the place on passing downs, and mostly concerning. He was a complete mess in pass pro. He routinely failed to ID blitzers properly and understand his assignment on "duals." Furthermore, if/when he got to the right player, he would get caught with his pants down and was easily deconstructed. In 2024, we saw a major jump in his ability to correctly ID and technique, but he still needs work. As a pass-catcher, he sometimes showed difficulty finding the ball and making adjustments when it wasn’t put right on him. He does have the tools to be a good pass-catcher, but the skill set is largely underdeveloped. It is worth noting that he was highly effective in the screen game when given the opportunity. He has the vision and acceleration to thrive there.
Never has handled a big workload. One would think that, with his size, he would be an easy candidate to handle a huge workload, especially at the college level. That just wasn’t the case, however, as he never went over 200 carries in a single season (was a three-year starter). His max touch output with receiving included 205 touches. On the flip side, teams might actually view this as a positive, as there is very low wear and tear on his body and he has never dealt with injuries. He is also one of the youngest players in the entire draft having just turned 21 years old.
Martinez scores as a top-75 overall player for me and is my RB6 in the class. For now he projects as an early down grinder who brings a great combo of size, athleticism, vision, and tackle breaking potential to the table. He has low mileage on his body and should have his best football in front of him. He is a work in progress when it comes to passing down work, but he has the physical tools to develop into an asset there. Martinez screams as a likely big time value pick come April.
| Score | Overall |
| 82.9 | 60 |
| Position | Day |
| 5 | 2 |
| Score | Position | Day | Overall |
| 82.9 | 5 | 2 | 60 |
| Height: | 5' 10" | Weight: | 202 lbs |
| Hands: | 9.5 | Arms: | 30.75 |
| 40 YD Dash: | 4.43 | 10 YD Split: | 1.52 |
| Vertical: | 38.5 | Broad: | 128 |
| Shuttle: | -- | Cone: | DNP |
| Height: | 5' 10" | Hands: | 9.5 | 40 YD Dash: | 4.43 |
| Weight: | 202 lbs | Arms: | 30.75 | 10 YD Split: | 1.52 |
| Broad: | 128 | Cone: | DNP | ||
| Vertical: | 38.5 | Shuttle: | -- |
| Height: | 5' 10" | Hands: | 9.5 | 40 YD Dash: | 4.43 | Broad: | 128 | Cone: | DNP |
| Weight: | 202 lbs | Arms: | 30.75 | 10 YD Split: | 1.52 | Vertical: | 38.5 | Shuttle: | -- |
Team Captain (2024)
First Team All-Big Ten (2023)
Third Team All-Big Ten (2024)
Freshman All-American (2021)
Former 5-star prospect
5th all-time in rushing yards at Ohio State (3,761 yards)
3rd all-time in all-purpose yards at Ohio State (4.614 yards)
Twitched-up, explosive playmaker. Henderson has the "shot out of a cannon" box checked on his profile. He is linearly explosive, showcasing both exceptional burst and a top-gear that rivals the fastest CBs in the Big Ten. He also has the lateral quickness and agility to make demonstrative cuts without losing steam. He is a big-play machine.
Creative runner in space. He is a master at using his speed to threaten the angles of a defender in pursuit. Sometimes he outright breaks angles, but he also can pair that with a slipperiness that prevents second-level defenders from ever getting a good piece of him. The cherry on top is his willingness to talk with the pads and deliver a blow when a defender least expects. All of this combines for ridiculous yards-after-contact production despite his size.
Best-in-class ball security. Henderson protects the football like it's his offspring. Heading into the Draft, he hasn’t fumbled in nearly 500 touches, dating back to his freshman season.
Pass-down aficionado with elite pass-catching upside. Let's start with the fun part: pass protection. Henderson may be the best pass-protecting back in the class. He locates and IDs his targets quickly, uses his quick feet to get into good position, and then squares up and delivers a massive punch without lunging or losing balance. He is proactive and under control. His balance allows him to land follow up blows, mirror, and redirect past the quarterback. He also has untapped receiving ability. Despite the very limited college resume as a receiver, he has the route running chops to be a weapon for any NFL offense. He has soft hands and is uber-dangerous with the ball in his hands. In summary, Henderson may have the biggest pass-down upside in the class and should be able to command a third-down role immediately.
Vision is hit or miss. At times,, Henderson seems to get lost sifting through traffic or even outright runs to it, failing to maximize his burst. His spatial awareness is below-average, and while he keeps his run track tight and deliberate, he fails to alter his track when necessary, allowing covered defenders to get a piece of him on the way by.
One-speed runner. Henderson runs balls to the wall all the time. This is a "live by the sword, die by the sword" trait. On the one hand, he is never going to go down easily and will rarely get caught deep behind the line of scrimmage. On the other hand he leaves a lot of meat on the bone with a general lack of patience. He will play ahead of his blockers. Run tempo is an important part of setting up gaps and forcing the defense's hand to then exploit cutback lanes or easily win the corner.
Undersized body type creates volume concerns. He is just a smidge over 200 pounds, which doesn’t bode well for his ability to ever take on 300-touch seasons in the NFL. He has always shared the backfield at Ohio State and dealt with being frequently banged up. Generally, I have concerns about his toughness level. His worst tape came when he played banged up. He missed nine games and was in and out of a bunch more. Ideally, he lands in a backfield where he is part of a two-headed monster.
In a league chasing explosive plays from the backfield, Henderson enters the NFL at the exact right time. He has the explosiveness and big-play ability teams highly covet to go with an every-down skill-set. His ability in the pass-game is potentially needle moving. I see shades of D’Andre Swift when I watch him. Given the size/toughness concerns plus some deficiencies in his game, his outlook is very dependent on landing spot. Teams like the Minnesota Vikings that will prioritize an outside zone scheme and get him involved in the pass game are his ideal landing spots. Officially he scores as a Day-2 prospect for whom I can justify a higher selection in the right spot.
| Score | Overall |
| 82.2 | 65 |
| Position | Day |
| 6 | 2 |
| Score | Position | Day | Overall |
| 82.2 | 6 | 2 | 65 |
| Height: | 5' 11" | Weight: | 221 lbs |
| Hands: | 9.25 | Arms: | 30.25 |
| 40 YD Dash: | 4.48 | 10 YD Split: | 1.51 |
| Vertical: | 38.5 | Broad: | 132 |
| Shuttle: | -- | Cone: | DNP |
| Height: | 5' 11" | Hands: | 9.25 | 40 YD Dash: | 4.48 |
| Weight: | 221 lbs | Arms: | 30.25 | 10 YD Split: | 1.51 |
| Broad: | 132 | Cone: | DNP | ||
| Vertical: | 38.5 | Shuttle: | -- |
| Height: | 5' 11" | Hands: | 9.25 | 40 YD Dash: | 4.48 | Broad: | 132 | Cone: | DNP |
| Weight: | 221 lbs | Arms: | 30.25 | 10 YD Split: | 1.51 | Vertical: | 38.5 | Shuttle: | -- |
National Freshman of the Year (2022)
SEC AP Newcomer of the Year (2022)
Freshman All-American (2022)
Finished 7th in FBS in rushing yards in 2022 (1,567)
First Team All-SEC (2022, 2023)
3 straight seasons of 1,000+ rushing yards
3 straight seasons of 15+ touchdowns
Third Team All-Big Ten (2024)
Big, physical runner who brings the thunder. Judkins is a 220-pound back who plays even bigger than that. His frame suggests he can handle a massive workload. He is a violent, angry runner who finishes runs with authority and racks up yards after contact. He is a tone-setter. His physical presence is a huge asset in short-yardage situations as well.
Explosive athlete with elite burst. Simply put, Judkins has ridiculous get-off for his size. He gets from 0-60 faster than a Model S. He also has decent long-speed, but the crux of his athletic profile is in his ability to quickly punish defenses for small mistakes.
Runs with excellent pace and control, especially near the LOS. The way Judkins presses gaps puts a ton of pressure on defenses. He has a great feel for forcing gap commitments from 2nd level defenders to open up cutback lanes. He has an affinity for altering tempo and stride length to set defenders up to gain favorable angles for himself. Everything Judkins does is sudden and snappy with little wasted movement. I see shades of Joe Mixon in this regard.
Excellent potential as a pass-protector. Judkins is a menace in pass-pro, willing to come up and deliver the wood to incoming blitzers. The tenacity and physicality you see as a runner manifests with his pass-pro duties. He has the size and frame to absorb and recover from big collisions. He also shows good footwork and ability to redirect rushers around the QB's drop track. He is one of the more willing blockers I can remember in recent drafts. He does find himself in trouble when he looks to cut defenders and has a good bit of whiffs on his tape. I did see improvement from 2023 to 2024, however, despite a smaller sample size.
Very undeveloped as a pass-catcher. Judkins does not have a deep resume as a pass catcher in both volume and what he was asked to do as a receiver. Most, if not all, of his production came as a checkdown guy or in the screen game. He was very rarely asked to go out and run routes. Furthermore, his hands technique is a little shaky and you see him struggle to catch the ball cleanly often.
Relatively tight in the hips. Judkins isn’t a guy who will make harsh angle cuts, especially not when running near full speed. This could limit his true tackle breaking potential at the next level.
Can grow impatient with messy site pictures. When Judkins presses the line of scrimmage and doesn’t get the reaction he wants, he can turn into a bull in a china shop. At times you see him run right up the backs of his offensive linemen. He is a little too willing to go into smash mode, put his head and shoulders down and just plow forward. This will sometimes save the offense from negative plays or short gains, but it will also limit big-play upside as gaps that come open late are missed.
Judkins is an uber-talented, throw-back-style running back who wants to smash defenders' faces off down in and down out. In a very talented RB class, he scores as my RB4. Judkins brings size, athleticism, and NFL veteran-like chops as a runner. He has the ability to keep offenses ahead of the chains and deliver explosive runs. Overall, he ranks in my top-50 for the class and is worth an early day-2 selection.
| Score | Overall |
| 81.2 | 72 |
| Position | Day |
| 7 | 2 |
| Score | Position | Day | Overall |
| 81.2 | 7 | 2 | 72 |
| Height: | 6' 1" | Weight: | 224 lbs |
| Hands: | 9.625 | Arms: | 33 |
| 40 YD Dash: | 4.57 | 10 YD Split: | 1.62 |
| Vertical: | DNP | Broad: | DNP |
| Shuttle: | -- | Cone: | DNP |
| Height: | 6' 1" | Hands: | 9.625 | 40 YD Dash: | 4.57 |
| Weight: | 224 lbs | Arms: | 33 | 10 YD Split: | 1.62 |
| Broad: | DNP | Cone: | DNP | ||
| Vertical: | DNP | Shuttle: | -- |
| Height: | 6' 1" | Hands: | 9.625 | 40 YD Dash: | 4.57 | Broad: | DNP | Cone: | DNP |
| Weight: | 224 lbs | Arms: | 33 | 10 YD Split: | 1.62 | Vertical: | DNP | Shuttle: | -- |
Big Ten Running Back of the Year (2024)
First Team All-American (2024)
Doak Walker Award finalist (2024)
Led Big Ten and was 8th in FBS with 1,537 rushing yards in 2024
Maxwell Award semifinalist (2024)
Walter Camp Award semifinalist (2024)
Best-in-class vision. Johnson wins the 2025 "eagle-eye vision" award for me. He has a great feel for block development and quickly reads defenses post-snap. He will always get what is blocked up for him. His excellent vision allows him to play with great pace, marrying patience and decisiveness flawlessly.
Bell-cow size. Johnson is tall and thick with noticeable mass on his frame. He has the size to handle huge volume in the NFL. His running style should allow him to avoid nagging injuries. He doesn’t run like a back of his size; he is way more calculated and intentional about when and where to finish runs with a pop. Compare him to fellow 2025 RBs Quinshon Judkins and Omarion Hampton, who at times seek out contact.
Ability to create beyond blockers. His size and contact balance allow him to run through most tackle attempts at the line of scrimmage without being easily disrupted. He is also capable of taking defenders for a ride when he chooses to do so. Johnson’s vision and decisiveness give him an edge in the open field against 2nd level defenders. He runs like a chess grandmaster and maximizes his pace and quick feet to alter angles and reduce his surface area to the tackler. For a guy with limited juice, he has a propensity to rack up explosive plays – a lot of which due to his ability to break tackles.
Projectable pass-game skills. Iowa hardly believes in the forward pass, so there weren’t many opportunities for Johnson in the pass game as a receiver or protector. The small glimpse we got as a pass-catcher is a promising one though. For a running back, Johnson has excellent length and big, strong hands. He tracks the ball well and can haul in off-target throws. He reminds me a lot of DeMarco Murray in this regard. Murray wasn’t a super bursty or fluid athlete but was surprisingly effective as a receiver and notched several 50-catch-plus seasons. Johnson has the upside. As a pass-protector, we definitely see a need for development, but the sample size was so low (less than 50 career pass-pro snaps) it is hard to extrapolate a ton on actual deficiencies.
Limited burst and start/stop ability. Johnson isn’t a super explosive athlete. His change of direction isn’t great and when he gets disrupted in his run track it's hard for him to get back to speed.
No top-gear to finish long runs. Johnson will not be winning any footraces to the pylon against NFL corners any time soon. He must rely on strength and size to get the job done.
Upright running style. Generally, taller RBs struggle with popping up in their stance once they get into a full sprint. This is true for Johnson as well. I am less concerned with the injury component and more concerned with him leaving meat on the bone. As he gets into that upright running stance, he loses a lot of his cutting ability.
One-hit wonder. He was only slightly involved in the Iowa offense in 2022 and 2023, but his 2024 role and production were mind-blowing in comparison. It’s more of a question mark than a red flag.
Johnson is yet another excellent RB prospect in this 2025 class. When I watch him, I see James Conner — someone who wins with high football IQ, vision, strength, and size versus pure athleticism. He is as steady and consistent as they come. Another differentiating factor for Johnson compared to many other college RBs is that, coming from the Iowa system, he faced many heavy box counts, playing behind heavy personnel. Having already learned how to navigate that and then still have the resume of explosives he does is impressive. I would love to see Johnson land in a gap-heavy scheme that will utilize both DUO concepts and a good mix of Power and Counter. Officially he scores as an early day-2 prospect for me, and I would be comfortable with him toward the back end of round 2.
| Score | Overall |
| 81 | 73 |
| Position | Day |
| 8 | 2 |
| Score | Position | Day | Overall |
| 81 | 8 | 2 | 73 |
| Height: | 6' 1" | Weight: | 226 lbs |
| Hands: | 9.5 | Arms: | 32.75 |
| 40 YD Dash: | 4.61 | 10 YD Split: | 1.6 |
| Vertical: | 34.5 | Broad: | 120 |
| Shuttle: | -- | Cone: | DNP |
| Height: | 6' 1" | Hands: | 9.5 | 40 YD Dash: | 4.61 |
| Weight: | 226 lbs | Arms: | 32.75 | 10 YD Split: | 1.6 |
| Broad: | 120 | Cone: | DNP | ||
| Vertical: | 34.5 | Shuttle: | -- |
| Height: | 6' 1" | Hands: | 9.5 | 40 YD Dash: | 4.61 | Broad: | 120 | Cone: | DNP |
| Weight: | 226 lbs | Arms: | 32.75 | 10 YD Split: | 1.6 | Vertical: | 34.5 | Shuttle: | -- |
Doak Walker Award Winner (2023)
Unanimous All-American (2023)
Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year (2023)
First Team All-Big 12 (2023)
All-Big 12 Honorable Mention (2024)
Led FBS in Rushing and All-Purpose yards in 2023
Intimidating size and build. Gordon looks like a mutant. He is tall and rocked up and carries all 230 pounds of him. This should absolutely be a guy who can handle a monster workload if asked to and someone that will wear defenses down as games go on.
Downhill havoc-bringer. Gordon is a bully-style running back. If you need to breach the gates of a castle, he is your man (extra true on the goal line). He works to promptly get north and south and squared up to oncoming traffic. He will run through smaller defenders with ease and has enough wiggle to evade DL and LBs in the box. Like Derrick Henry, he uses a well-timed stiff arm technique that is devastating. Once he gets going the harder he is to bring down.
Plus athleticism. Considering his size, he has above average burst and speed. His top-gear is of the build-up variety and he is not easily caught once he reaches full speed. With the GPS data I have access to, he actually has the fastest top-speed among all RBs in the class despite only running a 4.61 40 at the Combine. Gordon shows a case where play-speed is better than timed speed.
Excellent pass-down player. Gordon is a pass-pro savant. He relies on his massive size, strength, and length to punch and redirect pass-rushers and keep his QB clean. He is good at correctly identifying his target and getting into position quickly. There are very few missed assignments on tape in pass pro. As a pass-catcher, he displays really soft, natural hands with good technique. He is shockingly effective as a route runner and plays with excellent tempo and feel in the screen back.
Agility and lack of short-area quickness are limiting. Gordon has very tight hips and doesn’t have a lot of flexibility in his ankles. He is not a guy who will make sharp cuts in the open field or confidently work against the grain on outside zone runs. He is a downhill thumper for better or for worse. If he sees traffic in the backfield before he gets going, he has a very hard time adjusting and will take losses. Because of these limitations, he doesn’t have quite the floor as other high-profile backs in the class and is probably more situation-dependent than others.
Upright running style invites unnecessary contact. Gordon is a taller back so naturally runs higher than most. He also loves himself some contact. These two factors put together leave him exposed to taking kill shots to the legs. This poses some longevity concerns but he did stay mostly healthy at Oklahoma State.
Production profile concerns. He had 900 fewer rushing yards in 2024 than he did in 2023. His efficiency in both the run and pass game fell off a cliff also. This could be chalked up to Oklahoma State being one of the worst power-4 schools in the country in 2024 vs. 2023, when they were relatively competitive and ranked for most of the season.
I call Gordon "The Professional" because he does everything at a high level. In many ways, he reminds me of Brian Robinson Jr. or even Najee Harris because he is just a super well-rounded player. He handles his business and executes. He is a big-time producer who is not scared to do the dirty work. For me, he scores as a day-2 prospect who would be a good value early in the third round.
| Score | Overall |
| 80.9 | 74 |
| Position | Day |
| 9 | 2 |
| Score | Position | Day | Overall |
| 80.9 | 9 | 2 | 74 |
| Height: | 5' 9" | Weight: | 206 lbs |
| Hands: | 9 | Arms: | 29.5 |
| 40 YD Dash: | 4.32 | 10 YD Split: | 1.49 |
| Vertical: | 40.5 | Broad: | 130 |
| Shuttle: | -- | Cone: | DNP |
| Height: | 5' 9" | Hands: | 9 | 40 YD Dash: | 4.32 |
| Weight: | 206 lbs | Arms: | 29.5 | 10 YD Split: | 1.49 |
| Broad: | 130 | Cone: | DNP | ||
| Vertical: | 40.5 | Shuttle: | -- |
| Height: | 5' 9" | Hands: | 9 | 40 YD Dash: | 4.32 | Broad: | 130 | Cone: | DNP |
| Weight: | 206 lbs | Arms: | 29.5 | 10 YD Split: | 1.49 | Vertical: | 40.5 | Shuttle: | -- |
Second Team All-ACC (2024)
Third Team All-ACC (2023)
All-American kick returner (2023)
Ran a 4.32s 40 yard dash (1st among RBs, 5th among 2025 prospects)
Explosive burst with track speed to finish. As predicted, Tuten was the fastest and most explosive running back at the NFL Combine. He is on the Jahmyr Gibbs spectrum in terms of his athletic ability. He is a threat to go the distance any time he touches the ball. 53% of his rushing yards in 2024 came on explosive runs. NFL run schemes have shifted their focus to generating explosives and he translates immediately with angle-eroding speed. On outside runs, he can easily win the corner and put immense pressure on the defense to over-prepare, creating substantial cut-back lanes.
Loose runner with tons of "make-you-miss" ability. Sometimes, the fastest players in the league don’t have the wiggle and agility to make guys miss at a high level, but Tuten does. He has a variety of jump cuts and jukes and can string together moves without losing any steam. His overall ability to create beyond his blockers is special. He can pile up forced missed tackles.
Powerful and physical finisher. Tuten has a compact frame with thick, powerful legs that allow him to run through arm tackle attempts. He will also come with the wood and punish defenders as a finisher. He is a scrappy, tough runner who fights to keep the chains moving. He generates an abnormal amount of yards after contact for a 210-pound running back.
Solid foundation in pass pro. Tuten is down to throw down in pass protection, which is the most important part of the equation as guys transition from the college game to the NFL. His technique isn’t super crisp but blitzing LBs and DBs will think twice about squaring up with him. His quick feet allow him to get into position and from there he is willing to deliver a pop.
Ball security is a concern. Fumbling issues and drops are all over his 2023 and 2024 tape. He needs to work on ball security in all facets.
Slow processor with lapses in vision. It is entirely possible that Tuten’s speed is actually blinding. Sometimes he is very late to find and react to a crease or open gap. He runs with inconsistent pace and will both play faster than his blockers or fall behind them.
Probably too small to be a bell-cow back. Despite weighing just 205 pounds at the Combine, I would guess his actual playing weight is slightly over 210 pounds (weighed 211 pounds in Mobile), which isn’t too small, especially considering how his lower half is built. However, NFL teams still seem to prefer size for 300-touch caliber backs.
Tuten is one of the most productive running backs in the class, racking up over 4,000 total yards and 46 total touchdowns the past three seasons. His tape is also very good, and for teams looking for a bonafide home-run hitter that miss out on TreVeon Henderson, Tuten is a very nice consolation prize and will likely cost a little bit less. His combination of explosiveness and tenacity as a runner reminds me a lot of Felix Jones from a play-style standpoint.
| Score | Overall |
| 77 | 98 |
| Position | Day |
| 10 | 2 |
| Score | Position | Day | Overall |
| 77 | 10 | 2 | 98 |
| Height: | 5' 9" | Weight: | 219 lbs |
| Hands: | 9.375 | Arms: | 29.875 |
| 40 YD Dash: | DNP | 10 YD Split: | DNP |
| Vertical: | 39.5 | Broad: | 123 |
| Shuttle: | -- | Cone: | DNP |
| Height: | 5' 9" | Hands: | 9.375 | 40 YD Dash: | DNP |
| Weight: | 219 lbs | Arms: | 29.875 | 10 YD Split: | DNP |
| Broad: | 123 | Cone: | DNP | ||
| Vertical: | 39.5 | Shuttle: | -- |
| Height: | 5' 9" | Hands: | 9.375 | 40 YD Dash: | DNP | Broad: | 123 | Cone: | DNP |
| Weight: | 219 lbs | Arms: | 29.875 | 10 YD Split: | DNP | Vertical: | 39.5 | Shuttle: | -- |
First FBS player with 1,500+ rushing yards and 500+ receiving yards in a season since Christian McCaffrey
Tied single-season rushing TD record at Arizona State (19)
Doak Walker Award semifinalist (2024)
Maxwell Award semifinalist (2024)
Honorable Mention All-Big 12 (2024)
Compact, muscular build with power profile. Skattebo is a thickly built cement pillar. He has big, powerful legs with a low center of gravity. He has the size and girth to be an every-down player in the NFL and take on a high volume of touches.
Absolute grinder with exceptional contact balance. Opposing defenses feel the weight of playing Skattebo. He gets better as games go on and piles up forced missed tackles with sheer strength and willpower. He never goes down without a fight and is always looking to punish defenders, almost to a detriment.
Doctor Strange-like vision. Skattebo plays like he possesses the Time Stone and can visualize thousands of potential outcomes in a split second with his ability to play with both patience and distinction. If there is a crease, he will find it. If there isn’t, he will create one.
Pass-game asset. Starting with pass-pro, he IDs and locates oncoming traffic very well. He also has the "want to" that coaches look for. He clearly takes pride in delivering huge blows to incoming rushers and, like everything Skattebo does, sometimes to a detriment, as he will give up angles with poor timing or big lunges. With that said, with some tweaks to his approach, hand placement, and feet, he should be ready to rock. As a pass-catcher, he has been very effective in the screen game and as a checkdown guy. Having to come up and tackle him in space is a nightmare for DBs. He has soft hands and transitions from catch to run very fast.
Extremely limited top speed. Skattebo just does not have the long speed to outrun defenders or finish explosive plays. Overall, his athletic profile is limited.
Lacks desirable burst/acceleration. This is another major physical limitation in the profile. He just doesn’t have the juice to be a scheme transcendent player, and as defenders get bigger, faster, and stronger in the NFL, he will have to make sure he stays ahead of the play. For as good as his vision is, some of it will be wasted by an inability to capitalize.
Capped ceiling as a pass-catcher. While I love the things he can do after the catch as a receiver his overall impact will have some physical limitations. Skattebo has a tiny catch radius and struggles to make adjustments to poorly thrown balls. He also lacks the separation burst required to be a route winner and won’t ever be a featured component of a pass concept.
Skattebo is a vicious, wrecking-ball type of runner. He breaks tackles with pure strength, contact balance, and determination. He will outlast you. His physical make-up, playstyle, and mental toughness make him the type of player you will look silly betting against. Skattebo does have some fairly serious athleticism concerns in his profile but it is not enough for me to be willing to make that bet. On top of the tough running, he gives you an every-down skill set. In the end, he scores as a late-day-2 prospect for me – I wouldn’t bat an eye if he’s a 3rd-round pick.
| Score | Overall |
| 76.3 | 106 |
| Position | Day |
| 11 | 2 |
| Score | Position | Day | Overall |
| 76.3 | 11 | 2 | 106 |
| Height: | 6' | Weight: | 212 lbs |
| Hands: | 9.25 | Arms: | 30.375 |
| 40 YD Dash: | 4.43 | 10 YD Split: | 1.53 |
| Vertical: | 39.5 | Broad: | 130 |
| Shuttle: | -- | Cone: | DNP |
| Height: | 6' | Hands: | 9.25 | 40 YD Dash: | 4.43 |
| Weight: | 212 lbs | Arms: | 30.375 | 10 YD Split: | 1.53 |
| Broad: | 130 | Cone: | DNP | ||
| Vertical: | 39.5 | Shuttle: | -- |
| Height: | 6' | Hands: | 9.25 | 40 YD Dash: | 4.43 | Broad: | 130 | Cone: | DNP |
| Weight: | 212 lbs | Arms: | 30.375 | 10 YD Split: | 1.53 | Vertical: | 39.5 | Shuttle: | -- |
All-Big 12 Second Team (2024)
All-Big 12 Honorable Mention (2023)
Doak Award semifinalist (2024)
Second in KSU history in YPC (5.97)
Third in KSU history in rushing yards (3,087)
Ran a 4.43s 40-yard dash at the combine (T-7 among RBs at combine)
Elusivity and contact balance. Giddens has excellent body control and agility. He has a variety of devastating open-field moves to free him of would-be tacklers, most notably a classic juke move. He can load and cut off one foot, which allows him to harshly cut back against a defender's momentum — which he sets up by creating false steps. His harsh cutting ability also allows him to access developing cutback lanes and quickly jump from gap to gap.
Detail-oriented runner with great patience and vision. Giddens runs with ideal pace. He presses enough to force defenders to peak gaps but is also patient enough to set up his blocks. When he cuts or commits to a hole, he can get skinny in it and does an excellent job running tight to his blockers. He has the vision to see late development and can maximize small wins at the line of scrimmage. His vision improved from 2023 to 2024 which was the main driver of his yards per carry, jumping from 5.5 in 2023 to 6.6 in 2024.
Wealth of experience with all run concepts. Kansas State legitimately has every run concept in its playbook and isn’t dominated by one. Giddens has equal experience in zone concepts, gap concepts, and playing with blockers. He was equally efficient across the different concepts demonstrating a scheme agnosticism that should be attractive to NFL teams.
Ball security. Giddens had just one fumble in his last two years (over 400 carries). Giddens carries the ball high and tight and protects it with two hands in a crowd.
Lacks top-end juice. Giddens tested as a highly explosive athlete at the Combine but you don’t really see this on tape. He certainly isn’t a bad athlete, but you don’t see the elite burst and top-gear the NFL seems to be coveting at the RB position. Most of Giddens’ athleticism is in his short-area quickness and agility.
Lacks the physical element of the position. Giddens avoids big confrontations at the second level. You will almost never see him talk with his pads and finish with authority. Some might view this as self-preservation, but there is a frustrating amount of meat left on the bone as a result. To make matters worse, he is a naturally high-cut runner who gets tall when he breaks through the LOS and opens up the gate. Defenders that hit him square can de-cleat him.
Pass-game liability. When he has the ball in his hands as a receiver, he can do some damage. But drops were a massive issue for him (12% drop rate in the last two years). He also has a fairly limited catch radius and struggles to haul in targets that aren’t right on the numbers. Furthermore, he has some ugly reps in pass protection. I like his ability to locate and slide into position, but he struggles to redirect rushers away from the quarterback and doesn’t hit reps with enough physicality.
Once again, it's worth mentioning how loaded this RB class is. Giddens is a good RB prospect but checks in outside of my top 10 overall. Right now he brings an early down skill set to the table. He has a lot of experience and can operate in any scheme. He has plus tackle-breaking skills and is highly efficient due to good vision and pace. He needs to develop his 3rd-down skill set a bit but has untapped potential there and could eventually turn into an every-down back. Officially he scores with a late Day 2 grade from me. But the reality for a lot of these RBs is that some of them have to fall given how deep the class is. With that said, Giddens’ weaknesses could force him to Day 3.
| Score | Overall |
| 75.7 | 112 |
| Position | Day |
| 12 | 2 |
| Score | Position | Day | Overall |
| 75.7 | 12 | 2 | 112 |
| Height: | 5' 11" | Weight: | 213 lbs |
| Hands: | 8.5 | Arms: | 29.625 |
| 40 YD Dash: | 4.58 | 10 YD Split: | 1.59 |
| Vertical: | 37.5 | Broad: | 124 |
| Shuttle: | -- | Cone: | DNP |
| Height: | 5' 11" | Hands: | 8.5 | 40 YD Dash: | 4.58 |
| Weight: | 213 lbs | Arms: | 29.625 | 10 YD Split: | 1.59 |
| Broad: | 124 | Cone: | DNP | ||
| Vertical: | 37.5 | Shuttle: | -- |
| Height: | 5' 11" | Hands: | 8.5 | 40 YD Dash: | 4.58 | Broad: | 124 | Cone: | DNP |
| Weight: | 213 lbs | Arms: | 29.625 | 10 YD Split: | 1.59 | Vertical: | 37.5 | Shuttle: | -- |
Kansas’ All-Time leader in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, and scrimmage touchdowns
Team Captain
Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award semifinalist (2024)
Honorable Mention All-Big 12 (2022, 2024)
Second Team All-Big 12 (2023)
Excellent vision. Neal is both patient and decisive. He is urgent but allows his blocks to develop. He has a great feel for the design of each run concept and is excellent at making the most of his blocking.
Loose lower half. Neal is incredibly fluid for his size. His hips are unlocked, and his ankles are flexible. He has access to quick, harsh cuts that completely disrupt the defense's play flow – reminiscent of Blake Corum in this regard. This also makes him super effective in cutting back against the grain on inside-zone runs. He also can string together multiple moves in a row to elude and break tackles in the open field.
Developed skill set as a pass-catcher. Neal is a shockingly good route runner for his size. His breaks are sudden, and he can win the leverage battle against cover linebackers easily. He is also effective in the screen/checkdown game and has reliable hands. He put on a show during 1-on-1s in Mobile at the Senior Bowl practices.
Ball security! On nearly 850 career touches, Neal fumbled just four times, Including only once over his last 500 touches.
Highly productive player. Neal racked up nearly 5000 total yards from scrimmage and over 50 TDs. He had 3 straight 1000-yard seasons as a rusher. He is a physical, tough runner who generates a ton of yards after contact and almost always falls forward.
Not an explosive player. Neal lacks both burst and long speed. I do think his burst is slightly better than his timed 10-yard split suggests (1.59,) but I also wouldn’t call him an instant accelerator. For the long speed, he isn’t winning any foot races with NFL DBs any time soon. He is not the ideal fit for an outside-zone-heavy team.
Gets bullied in pass pro. This is odd, because his fundamentals are good. His eyes and feet are active, he locates blitzers and delays very well, and he gets into possession in adequate time. However, he has gotten completely embarrassed a bunch. Usually, he loses just by getting wrecking-balled and driven back, which is shocking considering he is 220 pounds. He will need to clean it up substantially if he is ever going to reach the 3-down potentially he has.
Neal brings an incredible amount of experience and production to the NFL. He is a versatile, three-down back who is best served in a man/gap-heavy offense. His best role would be as a 1B, sharing the stage with an explosive back to form a thunder-and-lightning combo. His running style reminds me a ton of Chuba Hubbard. Officially he checks in as my RB12 in the class, but this class is incredibly deep, and he carries a 3rd-round grade.
| Score | Overall |
| 75.5 | 116 |
| Position | Day |
| 13 | 2 |
| Score | Position | Day | Overall |
| 75.5 | 13 | 2 | 116 |
| Height: | 5' 9" | Weight: | 204 lbs |
| Hands: | 9.5 | Arms: | 30 |
| 40 YD Dash: | 4.44 | 10 YD Split: | 1.58 |
| Vertical: | 33.5 | Broad: | 120 |
| Shuttle: | 4.16 | Cone: | DNP |
| Height: | 5' 9" | Hands: | 9.5 | 40 YD Dash: | 4.44 |
| Weight: | 204 lbs | Arms: | 30 | 10 YD Split: | 1.58 |
| Broad: | 120 | Cone: | DNP | ||
| Vertical: | 33.5 | Shuttle: | 4.16 |
| Height: | 5' 9" | Hands: | 9.5 | 40 YD Dash: | 4.44 | Broad: | 120 | Cone: | DNP |
| Weight: | 204 lbs | Arms: | 30 | 10 YD Split: | 1.58 | Vertical: | 33.5 | Shuttle: | 4.16 |
SEC Academic Honor Roll (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)
First Team All-SEC (2024)
Second Team All-SEC (2023)
All-Freshman SEC (2021)
Ran a 4.44s 40-yard dash (T-9th among RBs)
Insane size-adjusted play strength and leg drive. Hunter weighed 212 pounds at the Senior Bowl, which tracks far better to his listed playing size than the 204 he weighed at the Combine (likely trimmed down to run fast). Either way, on tape, he plays like he weighs 230 pounds. Hunter is a hunter — he enjoys the sport of running through defenders. He racks up the yards after contact and can move a pile of defenders by himself. He has crazy power for the position. It’s not shocking that he was a state champion powerlifter in 2021.
Ability to create beyond his blockers. Hunter has excellent contact balance and vertical cutting ability. He isn’t going to juke a lot of guys out, but he will pile up forced missed tackles by rapidly changing rush lanes with a vertical cut and altering launch angles for defenders.
Excellent vision. Hunter is a natural cutback artist in zone concepts. He has a great feel for when to press and force defenders into decisions and also when to lag. On man concepts, especially those with a puller, he has crisp footwork and reads his blockers well. When blocks at the line of scrimmage start to be deconstructed and his point of attack gets congested, he has the foresight and feel to find an opening somewhere else and salvage the play.
Easy accelerator with good speed. Hunter gets to top gear quickly and can alter pursuit angles in the blink of an eye to catch second-level defenders off guard. He can take advantage of any amount of daylight and generate explosives. He can make strong vertical cuts/jump cuts.
Some hip tightness. Hunter doesn’t have a ton of short area or lateral quickness at his disposal caused by some rigidity in his body. Everything he does centers around vertical push. He can move side-to-side as long as his hips articulate north. The second he has to rotate, he loses gas and is forced to slow down.
Pass game question mark. Hunter is not developed as a receiver at all and is a net negative in pass pro. From a route-running standpoint, you see more of the rigidness in his body. His work is cut out to become an adequate screen and/or checkdown option. His hands also need development, and he struggles to catch the ball cleanly. In pass pro, he has the strength and fury to make an impact but needs to clean up to reach his targets. He gave up way too many sacks/hits on his QB.
As far as pure runners go, Hunter is one of my favorites in the class. There is a feisty fierceness to his game that makes it impossible not to be a fan of his work. He checks all three of my premium trait boxes to some degree. From everything I’ve heard personally, he sounds like a coach's dream, with a professional work ethic and a willingness to invest in improvement constantly. I could see those in NFL front offices/coaching staffs willing to buy into his passing-down warts being ironed out over time. For me, he scores as a late day-2 RB prospect. With the class at RB being so deep, NFL teams will truly be picking their flavor, and given that, I could see Hunter being a surprise 2nd-round pick or, alternatively, lasting all the way until day 3. This is an unprecedented year for the position, and good players will fall. His film score alone would have ranked 4th in last year's draft class, but in 2025, he checks in between RB10-13.
| Score | Overall |
| 75.1 | 119 |
| Position | Day |
| 14 | 2 |
| Score | Position | Day | Overall |
| 75.1 | 14 | 2 | 119 |
| Height: | 5' 9" | Weight: | 194 lbs |
| Hands: | 8.75 | Arms: | 30.5 |
| 40 YD Dash: | 4.39 | 10 YD Split: | 1.58 |
| Vertical: | 32.5 | Broad: | 117 |
| Shuttle: | -- | Cone: | DNP |
| Height: | 5' 9" | Hands: | 8.75 | 40 YD Dash: | 4.39 |
| Weight: | 194 lbs | Arms: | 30.5 | 10 YD Split: | 1.58 |
| Broad: | 117 | Cone: | DNP | ||
| Vertical: | 32.5 | Shuttle: | -- |
| Height: | 5' 9" | Hands: | 8.75 | 40 YD Dash: | 4.39 | Broad: | 117 | Cone: | DNP |
| Weight: | 194 lbs | Arms: | 30.5 | 10 YD Split: | 1.58 | Vertical: | 32.5 | Shuttle: | -- |
All-America Third Team (2024)
All-ACC First Team (2024)
All-ACC Second Team (2023, @ Miami)
Set SMU single-season record for all-purpose yards (1,977)
Averaged 141.2 all-purpose yards in 2024 (8th in FBS)
Ran a 4.39s 40-yard dash at the combine (3rd among RBs at the combine)
Dynamic pass-catching weapon. Smith was a wide receiver at the University of Miami for three years before transferring to SMU and converting to running back. His time as a WR allowed him to develop class-best pass-catching skills. He is an excellent route runner who can be deployed in the slot or out wide as a mismatch guy. He has natural hands and ball skills. He is a dynamic threat after the catch.
Good burst with adequate long speed. Smith has an explosive first step and gets to top speed quickly. He has enough juice to win some foot races in the open field as well.
Elusivity and change-of-direction. Smith has cat-like reflexes and the ability to stop on a dime and quickly get back to full speed. He can cut at harsh angles and break down tacklers in pursuit. He has a deep bag of tricks to evade tacklers, including jukes, jump cuts, and spins.
Added value as a return specialist. As a return man, Smith gets to display his entire skillset – his open-field vision, elusivity, and speed make him a high-level return threat. He has a 98-yard kick return TD under his belt from when he was at Miami.
Vision is laggy. Being so new to the RB position, you can see him still working out the kinks from a processing standpoint. Smith runs with inconsistent pace and doesn’t quite grasp how/when to press the point of attack and when to play patiently. He doesn’t work to set up his blocks and freelances quite a bit. I did see progress from the start of the season through the College Football Playoff, though.
Small frame with a lack of power. Smith is a sub-200-pound back, which will naturally raise durability concerns. Furthermore, he doesn’t have the size or strength to grind out tough yards. When he gets wrapped up, his feet are easily stopped. In short-yardage situations, he won’t be a pile mover.
Lacks aggression as a pass protector. Smith handles pass protection duties like he knows he’s small. He has difficulty anchoring and isn’t willing to be the initiator with contact. He can get squashed like a bug when he steps into oncoming traffic. He does have excellent foot speed and the ability to redirect, at least.
Smith brings an exciting blend of athleticism and receiving ability to the NFL. His ball skills and route running ability are alluring at the RB position – he can be an X-factor in that phase. I see shades of Jahvid Best when I watch him. He is relatively explosive, but his true calling card is elite change-of-direction skills and agility. His ideal role in the NFL is as a mismatch specialist in the pass game and change of pace/explosive back. If everything goes right for him, I could see him in a 1B-type role next to a bigger back who handles most of the early-down work. He scores as a late day-2 running back.
| Score | Overall |
| 74.2 | 128 |
| Position | Day |
| 15 | 3 |
| Score | Position | Day | Overall |
| 74.2 | 15 | 3 | 128 |
| Height: | 6' | Weight: | 204 lbs |
| Hands: | 10.125 | Arms: | 32 |
| 40 YD Dash: | DNP | 10 YD Split: | DNP |
| Vertical: | 35 | Broad: | 120 |
| Shuttle: | -- | Cone: | DNP |
| Height: | 6' | Hands: | 10.125 | 40 YD Dash: | DNP |
| Weight: | 204 lbs | Arms: | 32 | 10 YD Split: | DNP |
| Broad: | 120 | Cone: | DNP | ||
| Vertical: | 35 | Shuttle: | -- |
| Height: | 6' | Hands: | 10.125 | 40 YD Dash: | DNP | Broad: | 120 | Cone: | DNP |
| Weight: | 204 lbs | Arms: | 32 | 10 YD Split: | DNP | Vertical: | 35 | Shuttle: | -- |
Second Team All-ACC as RB (2023)
Honorable Mention All-ACC as RB (2024)
Honorable Mention All-ACC all-purpose player (2023, 2024)
Recorded 64 receptions and 521 receiving yards as an RB
One of two players in 2024 to have 1,000+ yards rushing and 500+ receiving yards
Pass-down specialist. Allen has the most extensive resume as a pass-catcher in the class. He caught more than 100 balls over the past two seasons. He is one of the few backs we saw run routes and win at a high level. He is technical in his route running, using tempo and salesmanship to set up breaks. Out of the break, he generates big-time separation. He is a mismatch weapon against linebackers and can be an effective chain mover in third-down situations. He is also effective in the screen/checkdown game. As a pass protector, there isn’t a more refined back in the class. Allen is both willing and able. He reads and sifts through blitzers well to properly locate his targets, has enough foot speed to reach his targets, and then packs a good punch and anchor to halt their progress and run them around the QB.
Swift cutter with good vision. Allen is more smooth than explosive. He is a high-cut runner with long strides that make him deceptive in the open field, but he has a surprising ability to side-step traffic and hit cuts moving full speed. He pairs this with fantastic vision, decisiveness, and pace as a runner. Allen is very reliable in executing each run concept and understands the nuance between designs. He is NFL-ready given the reps and experience he got at Syracuse.
Special teams ability. Allen has extensive special teams experience. He has covered kicks and been a return man. This is a huge added value for teams.
Not a creative runner. Allen isn’t going to create too much more than his blockers generate for him. He breaks some tackles with his smooth cutting ability but lacks the requisite leg drive to be a factor in most after-contact situations. He needs to add mass and play strength to his game to become a consistent value add as a runner.
Upright running style. Allen has a tendency of popping up high when he starts to stride. The taller a runner he gets, the more his cutting ability disappears, making him an easy target for tacklers in the open field.
Good, not great, athletic profile. Allen has above-average long speed once he gets in the open field and can stride out. His burst is just average, though. He isn’t going to alter pursuit angles, and he takes a bit to get going once his momentum is altered.
Allen is one of the best pass-down weapons out of the backfield in the class. From a play-style standpoint and with a leggy body, he reminds me a ton of Kerryon Johnson. Like Johnson, Allen is reliable in the run game because his vision will lead him to water most of the time, and he has "enough" as an athlete to be effective. His smooth cutting ability allows him to slash through gaps and abruptly change run tracks. Allen is physically limited to a certain degree, though, and isn’t going to force a lot of misses or generate yards after contact. He doesn’t have the requisite burst to consistently take advantage of daylight. Allen’s special teams ability adds value and staying power on a team's RB depth chart. If everything goes well, he could earn a rotational spot for a team and thrive in a pass-down centric role. Officially, he scores as an early day-3 pick for me.
| Score | Overall |
| 74 | 130 |
| Position | Day |
| 16 | 3 |
| Score | Position | Day | Overall |
| 74 | 16 | 3 | 130 |
| Height: | 5' 9" | Weight: | 214 lbs |
| Hands: | 9.125 | Arms: | 30.375 |
| 40 YD Dash: | 4.52 | 10 YD Split: | 1.56 |
| Vertical: | 35 | Broad: | 120 |
| Shuttle: | -- | Cone: | 6.9 |
| Height: | 5' 9" | Hands: | 9.125 | 40 YD Dash: | 4.52 |
| Weight: | 214 lbs | Arms: | 30.375 | 10 YD Split: | 1.56 |
| Broad: | 120 | Cone: | 6.9 | ||
| Vertical: | 35 | Shuttle: | -- |
| Height: | 5' 9" | Hands: | 9.125 | 40 YD Dash: | 4.52 | Broad: | 120 | Cone: | 6.9 |
| Weight: | 214 lbs | Arms: | 30.375 | 10 YD Split: | 1.56 | Vertical: | 35 | Shuttle: | -- |
First Team All-Big 12 (2023)
Second Team All-Big 12 (2024)
Doak Award semifinalist (2023, 2024)
Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award semifinalist (2023, 2024)
NFF National Scholar Athlete (2024)
First Team Academic All-America (2024)
Texas Tech all-time leading rusher (4.557 yards)
Disgusting lateral and vertical cutting ability. Brooks has some ridiculous bounce and short-area quickness/change of direction. He has a pliable lower half and can cut off one foot. He routinely strings together up to three harsh-angle cuts. His highlight reel of absolute ankle breakers is the best in the class. He also uses all kinds of head fakes and dramatic body movements to manipulate defenders. He can make anyone miss in a phone booth and is one of the most creative runners in the class. It’s not surprising that he led the RB position in both short-shuttle and three-cone times at the Combine.
Plus vision. Brooks parlays his cutting ability with above-average vision to jump gap to gap and find a crease. He dealt with very poor offensive line play at Texas Tech and, as a result, demonstrated an ability to get skinny through small holes and also navigate early penetration.
Ridiculous consistency and production. Brooks had over 100 yards rushing in every single game of the 2024 season, and since he became the primary back in 2023, he has had at least 100 in 19 out of 22 games — going over 95 in all 22. He put up 27 touchdowns during that stretch as well and scored in 19 of 22 of those 22 games as the primary back. This speaks to his well-built frame and strong lower half. He was a bell cow in 2024 and didn’t skip a beat.
Three-down skill set. Once Brooks took over the primary role in the backfield, he almost never came off the field. His third-down experience might trump anyone's in the class. As a pass-catcher, he has all the tools available to be excellent. He catches anything put on him and shows off natural hands. He has the movement skills to become a mismatch option as a route runner. Unfortunately, he really only caught swings and checkdowns at Texas Tech, and usually really late in the play. Hopefully his next coaching staff can unlock him as a receiver. Additionally, his pro-protection resume is excellent. He has a knack for delivering punishment to blitzers and is quick to identify where his QB is hot and execute. He had over 200 pass-pro reps over the past two years.
Not a home-run threat. Brooks might not have a single long TD run in which he just ran away from the defense. He profiles as a grinder, which isn’t a deal-breaker, but the NFL seems to be more explosive-run-focused right now.
One-speed runner. Brooksis not overly bursty and has to rely on making guys miss or violence to get things done. Nothing comes easy for him.
Older prospect with some volume on his resume. Brooks will be a 23-year-old rookie with almost 1000 career touches at the Power-4 level. While this doesn’t bother me a ton, this class has so many dynamic options available and the NFL doesn’t have to look the other way on it. On the bright side, he never dealt with serious injuries despite the insane workload over the past two years.
Writing up this year's running back class has been laborious. With over 15 prospects broken down as of publication, I still have yet to write up a back I don’t like. But Brooks’ tape was refreshing, as he was a completely different flavor than anyone else in the class. He brings show-stopping make-you-miss potential, a thick and powerful build, and a three-down skill set. His elite lateral quickness could be enough to hear his name called earlier than expected. He checks in with a very early day-3 grade from me, and in any other class, he’s easily a 3rd-round pick.
| Score | Overall |
| 73.6 | 137 |
| Position | Day |
| 17 | 3 |
| Score | Position | Day | Overall |
| 73.6 | 17 | 3 | 137 |
| Height: | 5' 8" | Weight: | 200 lbs |
| Hands: | 8.75 | Arms: | 30.5 |
| 40 YD Dash: | DNP | 10 YD Split: | DNP |
| Vertical: | 35 | Broad: | 124 |
| Shuttle: | -- | Cone: | DNP |
| Height: | 5' 8" | Hands: | 8.75 | 40 YD Dash: | DNP |
| Weight: | 200 lbs | Arms: | 30.5 | 10 YD Split: | DNP |
| Broad: | 124 | Cone: | DNP | ||
| Vertical: | 35 | Shuttle: | -- |
| Height: | 5' 8" | Hands: | 8.75 | 40 YD Dash: | DNP | Broad: | 124 | Cone: | DNP |
| Weight: | 200 lbs | Arms: | 30.5 | 10 YD Split: | DNP | Vertical: | 35 | Shuttle: | -- |
SEC Academic Honor Roll (2022, 2023, 2024)
SEC Offensive Player of the Year (2024)
SEC Player of the Year (2024)
Second Team All-American (2024)
First Team All-SEC (2024)
Maxwell Award semifinalist (2024)
Doak Award semifinalist (2024)
Top-tier burst. Sampson has mouth-watering acceleration. He gets from 0-60 in a hurry and can put an immense amount of stress on the defense quickly.
Excellent lateral quickness. He has a flexible lower half and can bend around corners at speed. He can drop his weight and cut at acute angles against his momentum. This allows him to easily jump from gap to gap as needed and quickly side-step penetration in the backfield. It also helps with evading tacklers.
Strong size-adjusted contact balance. Sampson is nimble and not an easy out despite being just 200 pounds. He reminds me of Bucky Irving from a year ago in that regard. He shakes off arm tackle attempts easily and has the leg drive to move piles — impressive, considering his size. He is a tough runner.
Spotty vision and flimsy production profile. Almost 60% of his carries the past two seasons have been against light boxes. No running back in the class dealt with a more favorable situation, which was also the case for fellow Vols RB Jaylen Wright last year. The Josh Heupel super-spread system is a running back’s dream. And even with the light boxes, you see Sampson sometimes struggle to find the optimal run track and pace, especially on outside runs.
Tiny frame and build. Sampson is small. I doubt he will ever be able to be a workhorse-type RB in the NFL.
Work in progress on pass downs. As a receiver, Sampson has just a handful of non-screen targets on tape. Tennessee had a shovel-screen play they would dial up to Sampson a decent amount, especially in 2023. It was effectively a run play (draw concept), and that play alone accounted for about 50% of his receiving resume. We have virtually no reps of him as a route runner. On tape, I saw a slowish transition from catch to run. Sampson is at his best when he has eyes upfield scanning incoming bogeys. In pass pro, his technique is mostly solid. The problem he has is identifying blitzers and getting to the correct man.
It’s a broken record at this point: Sampson is yet another uber-talented running back in an incredibly deep class. Despite his stature, he has starter-level traits, and if all goes well, he could be the lead back in a two-headed monster committee. He brings burst and exceptional lateral cutting ability. He operates best in space. He needs to improve in pass protection to earn a consistent role on third downs. We also don’t have much tape of him navigating congested areas at the line of scrimmage due to the Vols' offensive structure. Adjusting to the NFL game could come slowly as a result. He scores as an early day-3 (round-4) pick for me, but a team betting on his traits could select him on day 2.
More Evaluations Coming Soon
The Fantasy Points Prospect Guide will be regularly updated as Brett Whitefield makes his way through more film.
Check back regularly for updates on both offensive and defensive players.
