Rookie Rankings

Even in a league well-stocked with running back talent, Jeanty is likely the position's best prospect in many years. That doesn't mean he'll be the best in the NFL -- Trent Richardson showed how things can go wrong even for seemingly infallible prospects -- but Jeanty nonetheless ranks on that level. At 5-foot-9, 211 pounds, he's naturally anchored and densely built, seemingly nailed to the floor and floating at the same time. He breaks tackle attempts with minimal effort, and his top on-field speed last season (21.7 mph) was the best of any RB from the incoming draft class, allowing him to skip pre-draft testing without hurting his stock. Jeanty dominated in two different roles at Boise State, thriving as a dual threat in 2023 (18.3 carries, 3.6 catches per game) before serving as more of a pure rushing workhorse in 2024 (26.7 carries, 1.7 catches). This means Jeanty likely can thrive as a Bijan Robinson-style workhorse or as more of an in-space specialist like early career Alvin Kamara. Large workloads won't take long to materialize in Las Vegas, where the No. 6 overall pick joins a backfield that was arguably the league's worst last season. The other new addition, 33-year-old Raheem Mostert, is unlikely to stand in Jeanty's way. Concerns about team context will be justified until the Raiders prove otherwise, but there is real hope for a competent offense under the guidance of new coordinator Chip Kelly and starting QB Geno Smith. For all of Kelly's other shortcomings, his four years as an NFL head coach produced offenses ranked first, ninth, 14th and fourth in rushing yards. Jeanty figures to step right in as the engine of the offense, with him and TE Brock Bowers being centerpieces of the Raiders' latest rebrand.

Ashton Jeanty tends to hog the headlines, but if Hampton were in any other draft there might have been more spotlight to properly appreciate him. Hampton is either blue-chip or close to it in his own right, heading to Los Angeles as the 22nd overall pick after topping 1,500 rushing yards in back-to-back seasons for UNC. At 6-feet, 221 pounds, Hampton logged excellent athletic testing at the combine, running a 4.46-second 40-yard dash with strong jumps (38-inch vertical, 130-inch broad jump) to finalize a standout prospect profile. He averaged 23.4 carries and 3.2 catches per game in 2024, and more than 20 touches per game in 2023, boasting elite efficiency in both samples without missing any games. Hampton may eventually rank among the league leaders in touches, but he'll first need to compete with Najee Harris, who signed a one-year, $5.25 million contract with the Chargers this offseason. While not on Hampton's level as a pure runner, Harris offers an unusual combination of size, durability and passing-down competence, making him a threat to handle high-value touches even if/when the rookie takes over as the Chargers' lead back.

After winning the Heisman Trophy last year, Hunter will soon become the NFL's first true two-way player since his mentor, Deion Sanders, played about half of the Cowboys' snaps on offense in 1996. While some called him a cornerback first and foremost during the pre-draft process, the Browns said otherwise, only to then trade the No. 2 overall pick to Jacksonville. Fortunately for prospective fantasy managers, the Jaguars used the pick on Hunter and were quick to announce that he'll start off prioritizing offense. Landing in Jacksonville rather than Cleveland also means better QB play, catching passes from Trevor Lawrence, although it'll be hard to eclipse 2024 first-round pick Brian Thomas as the primary target in a new-look attack under former Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen. Coming off a 1,258-yard, 15-TD effort in his final season at Colorado, it shouldn't take long for Hunter to emerge as Lawrence's second-favorite option ahead of free-agent signing Dyami Brown and TE Brenton Strange. While he's only about average in terms of size (6-0, 188) and didn't go through pre-draft testing, Hunter has the speed and fluidity one might expect of a former No. 1 overall recruit who became the best college cornerback in the country before also making his case as the top wide receiver. The biggest question now is whether his ability on defense limits his playing time on offense.

Harvey originally was recruited to Virginia to play quarterback, but at 5-foot-8, 205 pounds, that would have been a disorienting sight. He found his true calling upon transferring to UCF, where he moved to running back and caught fire. After an initial redshirt season, Harvey went nuts over the next three years, turning 576 carries into 3,789 yards (6.6 YPC) and 43 touchdowns in 38 games. Harvey was also lethal as a receiver, turning 79 targets into 61 receptions for 720 yards and five touchdowns (77.2 percent catch rate, 9.1 YPT). While he might look small at a glance, Harvey is densely built for his height, with a low center of gravity that makes him difficult to tackle. He thrived as a workhorse the last two years, and he may quickly emerge as a starter for the Broncos after they selected him in the second round of the 2025 Draft, 60th overall. Jaleel McLaughlin is essentially a smaller, slower version of Harvey, and 2024 fifth-round pick Audric Estime may be limited to power-specialist functions. Perhaps Harvey was a surprising second-round pick, but no one should be surprised if he takes over the Denver offense in 2025.

Most were surprised when the Browns selected Judkins 36th overall in the 2025 draft, but it's easy to make the case he was worth the pick. At 6 feet, 221 pounds, Judkins has almost the exact same frame as 22nd overall pick Omarion Hampton, whose 4.46 40 was just a hair better than Judkins' 4.48. Before running that 40, Judkins was mostly thought of as a power specialist, in part because his career average of 5.1 yards per carry was dragged down by a lot of short-yardage work. He scored 45 rushing touchdowns in 42 games at Ole Miss and Ohio State, often taking the highest-difficulty carries while smaller backs (like fellow second-round pick TreVeyon Henderson) got the YPC-boosting looks. When a defense needed a crucial stop, Judkins was the last person they wanted to see on the field. He should now be Cleveland's lead runner, perhaps as soon as Week 1, although Jerome Ford remains the favorite for passing-down snaps. Fourth-round pick and fellow rookie Dylan Sampson is a solid prospect in his own right, but he'll likely start off as the No. 3 back behind Judkins and Ford.