A Hater’s Guide To The 2025 Rookie Running Back Class

A Hater’s Guide to the 2025 Rookie Running Back Class

Bhayshul Tuten | Credit: Brian Bishop-Imagn Images

Welcome to part two of this year’s Hater Series. If you missed it, be sure to check out part one about this year’s quarterback class. For the last several seasons I have written my Hater’s guide to the NFL draft. There are several of them, and if you think you’ll enjoy looking back at me trashing picks in years passed, you can find them on my DLF author page. As a pessimist, this is my favorite thing I do every year. The pre-draft process is such a big part of the NFL and arguably even a bigger part of dynasty fantasy football, so when we finally watch the NFL draft and everyone can’t wait to sing the praises of their favorite rookies, all I can think if is all the reasons why they’ll fall flat on their faces.

1.06 Ashton Jeanty, RB LV

Which one of Boise State’s electric running backs has impressed you the most in the NFL? Jay Ajayi? George Holani? Doug Martin? Jeremy McNichols? Alexander Mattison? The most memorable one is probably Ian Johnson, the guy who proposed to the cheerleader on the sideline. Fortunately the Raiders never miss on their first-round picks, so Jeanty can be part of a recent silver and black first-round alumni group that includes Tyree Wilson, Alex Leatherwood, Damon Arnette, Henry Ruggs, Jonathan Abram, Darius Heyward-Bey, and JaMarcus Russell.

1.22 Omarion Hampton, RB LAC

Much like Jeanty and Boise State, North Carolina has a habit of pumping out exciting college running backs who like to disappoint in the NFL, especially in recent history. Hampton joins fellow Tar Heels Michael Carter, Gio Bernard, TJ Logan, and Javonte Williams in the NFL, prepared to be overdrafted in your rookie drafts.

2.04 Quinshon Judkins, RB CLE

Can you quote yourself? In a recent mock draft article I wrote: “when the Browns double-dipped at running back and added another potential stud in Dylan Sampson and then added two quarterbacks to an already crowded QB room. There were so many other directions they could have gone other than another running back and quarterback. The Browns just find a way to ruin everything. Ding Judkins a small bit, as he suddenly finds himself in a crowded backfield.” I loved Judkins coming into the draft, he was my RB2, and imagining him coming in filling the vacant Nick Chubb role right out of the gates was what dreams are made of, they they went ahead and ruined it, likely relegating him to being a two-down back on a team that will probably be looking at a ton of three-and-outs.

2.06 TreVeyon Henderson, RB NE

He could be the most pro-ready back in the class. But he finds himself on team looking for a new identity that wants to surround their young quarterback with weapons in the passing game so they can air it out a bit more to compete with the Bills in the AFC East. Rhamondre Stevenson isn’t going anywhere, as he just signed a four-year extension, keeping him with the Patriots until at least two more seasons, and Antonio Gibson is a useful veteran piece of this backfield too.

2.28 RJ Harvey, RB DEN

You’re trying to tell me this guy is only 24 years old? He looks like he has kids who are 24. He looks like one of the 6’3”, 2010-pound, 19-year-old Dominican kids trying to play in the Little League World Series with nine-year-olds and a handwritten birth certificate.

Photo courtesy of The Orlando Sentinel.

3.19 Kaleb Johnson, RB PIT

You’ll never be able to convince me that the Steelers didn’t see a running back in a black and yellow uniform and just connect the dots and say “he looks like a Steeler”. Unfortunately, we live in a PPR world, and Johnson is never going to be a third-down back or get involved in the passing game. His pass protection is not good, so as soon as he allows a blitz to crush Aaron Rodgers once, that’ll be the last time he’s ever on the field in that situation again.

4.02 Bhayshul Tuten, RB JAC

We’ve never seen a player come out of nowhere to explode at the combine and suddenly land on everyone’s radar, get over-drafted, and fail miserably. Never. Not once.

4.03 Cam Skattebo, RB NYG

Ah yes, another great Sacramento State running back enters the NFL. The Big Sky Conference is a pipeline of talent into the NFL – especially at running back. We’ve seen all too many running backs who run to contact succeed in the NFL. Nothing says success like getting stood up at the line of scrimmage over and over again.

4.12 Trevor Etienne, RB CAR

The lesser of two Etiennes, and the first one ain’t that great either.

4.14 Woody Marks, RB HOU

Marks is going to turn 25 this season. Joe Mixon is still only 28 and will be entering his ninth NFL season. In his ninth season, Marks would be 34 years old. Aren’t teams supposed to use the draft to get younger? By comparison, the Packers have the youngest team in the NFL, with an average age of 25.11 years old and the Buccaneers are second, with an average age of 25.59. Marks could come in and fill a father figure, mentor-type role on a team like that.

4.15 Jarquez Hunter, RB LAR

I didn’t look into Hunter much in the pre-draft process. I’m not looking into Hunter much in the post-draft process either.

4.24 Dylan Sampson, RB CLE

If I hated the Browns drafting two running backs with my favorite running back drafted early in the second round, imagine how much more I hate Sampson as the player selected two rounds later who has to compete with Jerome Ford for touches too.

5.09 Jordan James, RB SF

Time to get suckered into another backup Niners’ running back, tailor-made for the Shanahan system! Sign me up for this annual two games of RB1 production only to never see another meaningful touch when the guys ahead of him are actually healthy.

5.12 Jaydon Blue, RB DAL

Desperate for help in their receiving corps, the Cowboys drafted, oh yeah, nobody. But, they probably needed more help in the running back room, so in one of the most talent-deep running back drafts, they did what any needy team would do: wait until the mid-fifth to address the position. Blue had 214 carries and 270 total touches in his three-year college career, because he was blocked behind NFL-caliber talent at the position, and now he joins an NFL team that only has, well, actual NFL-caliber talent at the position.

5.14 DJ Giddens, RB IND

Jonathan Taylor was second in the NFL in touches per game last year. Was eighth in 2023. Fourth in 2022 and 2021. Good luck backing up that guy. Maybe he can get some goal-line work and watch Anthony Richardson force it over the goal line before getting carted off the field.

6.03 Ollie Gordon II, RB MIA

The Mike McDaniel offense is known for speed, speed, and more speed, so in the sixth round, they brought in a 6’1”, 226-pound back who runs a 4.61 forty.

6.08 Devin Neal, RB NO

Let’s imagine a world where Neal ends up as the biggest steal in this year’s entire draft class. Now, let’s imagine that you’re an opposing defensive coordinator. Are you going to try to stop the Saints’ 1-2 punch at running back in Neal and Alvin Kamara, or are you going to be scared of the Tyler Shough, Spencer Rattler, or Jake Haener-led pile of garbage through the air? Even if he is a stud from day one, he is screwed.

6.12 Kalel Mullings, RB TEN

Awesome, a linebacker to running back convert who wasn’t even the best running back from his school in this draft. This is the type of weapon you need to surround and support the 1.01 quarterback with.

6.17 Tahj Brooks, RB CIN

Built like a meatball with 879 carries and just under 1,000 touches in college, Brooks is ready for an underwhelming three-year NFL career as an early-down only runner on a defenseless team that has more than 33% of their salary cap tied up in their quarterback and top-two receivers and will need to throw the ball 40 times a game to remain competitive.

7.07 Damien Martinez, RB SEA

Kenneth Walker, Zach Charbonnet, and a team rebuilding its entire passing attack does not sound like a recipe for success for a seventh-round running back.

7.12 Brashard Smith, RB KC

I’m shocked the “Andy Reid running back” narrative hasn’t pushed Smith into early round two yet. Sub-standard in everything except speed, he’s sure to excite everyone in training camp before doing nothing all season. Then in the playoffs, he’ll get featured for a series in each game, score a big touchdown on national television and be overhyped like crazy going into 2026, where his ADP will skyrocket out of control only to do nothing in-season again.

7.17 Kyle Monangai, RB CHI

Gross.

7.20 LeQuint Allen, RB JAC

I liked Allen as a prospect, especially as a late-round guy, but looking at the Jags’ depth chart, I don’t even see how he makes the 53-man roster. Even if they traded Eitienne at some point, most teams only carry three running backs on game day. It’s an uphill battle for a player who deserves more of an opportunity.

7.23 Phil Mafah, RB DAL

Why draft one really good running back early, when you can opt for two not-so-good ones later? How ‘bout them Cowboys? Mafah is the only running back on the Cowboys’ roster who is taller than 5’10” and better like playing special teams if he wants to remain in the NFL.

7.29 Jacory Croskey-Merritt, RB WAS

The last running back in a stacked running back class. It had to be someone. There is absolutely no way I don’t put these names in the wrong order all season, since none of them are an obvious first name. Merritt Jacory-Croskey is just as good as Croskey Merritt-Jacory. It seems like he never played football, with an incredibly small FBS college sample size of 209 touches in 13 games, but he is already 24 and played for Alabama State at some point. Good luck finding any of his numbers while there. From what I can tell, he had 247 carries for 923 yards and nine touchdowns, I have no idea whether those are good or bad numbers for level of competition.

I hope you enjoyed this deep dive into why every single running back in the 2025 class will be working at a car wash by Thanksgiving of 2028. Be sure to check back for the next two installments, where I get to trash the receivers and tight ends.

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John DiBari

Contributor at Dynasty League Football

Like a true degenerate, John has over 20 years of fantasy experience across all sports. Nowadays he primarily focuses on dynasty and redraft football, fantasy golf, and fantasy hockey and has written about each across multiple platforms for nearly 5 years. He loves rookie mock drafts and can always find a negative, pessimistic angle on all your favorite players.