This week, we’re back with another 2025 NFL Draft prospect update. After looking at how the quarterbacks faired in Week 1 we’re diving into the running back prospects performances through two weeks today.

Ashton Jeanty – Boise State

In my pre-season 2025 Dynasty Rookie Mock I had Jeanty ranked as my top running back, and he’s done nothing but solidify that position so far. He opened up the season with a historic 6-TD performance with 267 rushing yards. His tackle-breaking in the open field, explosive lateral movement, and great contact balance were all on display. He also managed to move the pile quite a bit early in the game with his strength up the middle, something that isn’t normally talked about as part of his game.

If his 6-TD performance in Week 1 didn’t put him on everyone’s radar, then his 192-yard, 3-TD performance against 19-point favorite Oregon in a close game certainly did. In this game, he was still able to push the pile while also showing off his ability to bounce off of contact and his amazing acceleration after contact. He’s yet to display his great pass-catching ability this season that he showed last year, but Boise State has managed to get him in space in the running game, making the receiving game less necessary.

With Jeanty playing in the weaker Mountain West Conference, there have been questions about his ability to perform against tougher competition. This game put those concerns to rest and should solidify his standing as the top running back in the class. The only question now is how he stacks up against the receivers at the top of this class.

TreVeyon Henderson – Ohio State

Many pre-season rankings showed Henderson behind Quinshon Judkins, the new running back transfer to Ohio State, mine included. After two weeks I’m ready to change that early assessment. While Judkins has had an up-and-down start to the season, Henderson came out looking like a complete back.

In both games, Henderson showed off his ability to create big gains with his lateral quickness. Many times, it looked like there wasn’t much space to run, only for Henderson to slip off a tackle before using his lateral quickness and acceleration for a big gain. In his limited opportunities as a pass catcher, he showed the damage he can do out in space with his quickness and tackle-breaking. Ohio State has had success passing downfield against lower competition and it’s led to fewer opportunities for Henderson in the passing game, but it’s clear that’s an area where he can be successful.

What surprised me most in these first two games was Henderson’s ability to run inside and move the pile. With how powerful of a runner Judkins is, I expected Henderson to be used more as an outside runner and pass catcher, but both running backs have been given entire drives for the most part. If this continues against higher competition, then I think Henderson could project as one of the few three-down workhorses left in the NFL.

Quinshon Judkins – Ohio State

Judkins had two drastically different games to start the season. In Week 1, he looked slow, wasn’t able to create any opportunities, and uncharacteristically wasn’t breaking tackles. Week 2 showed a different story, with Ohio State getting Judkins out in space early and letting him show off his straight-line speed behind some great blocking. He also looked much better running inside and was able to fight through tackles for extra yards after contact; something fans were used to seeing during his time at Ole Miss.

Even with a much-improved second game, I felt Judkins’ ability to create without great blocking to be lacking. When there wasn’t a clear open lane, he often failed to make defenders miss, although he was occasionally able to push defenders for extra yards rather than falling on first contact like in the first game. The Ohio State offensive line was dominant, and many times, Judkins ran through a wide-open hole for a big gain. You can’t blame Judkins for taking the wide-open lanes given to him, but with fellow Ohio State running back regularly creating for himself when those lanes weren’t available, Judkins looked lacking in comparison.

If we see more of his Week 2 performance than Week 1, Judkins will stay in the 1st round of 2025 Dynasty rookie drafts, but as of right now, I think he’s the 2nd best running back on Ohio State.

Ollie Gordon – Oklahoma State

Entering this season there was a real opportunity for Gordon to work his way up to the top of the running back prospect rankings. After two weeks I think that’s very unlikely. In Week 1 Gordon managed to show off some of the skills that had scouts excited entering this year, but he wasn’t nearly efficient enough.

Gordon’s biggest strength is his strength. He’s a physically imposing player who breaks tackles while running inside or in space. He’s shown signs of being used as a pass catcher more this year, but those results have been mixed. When he gets moving vertically it’s very hard for defenders to bring him down, but his lack of acceleration and hesitancy sometimes leads to him losing his advantage in space.

Week 2 was a disaster for Gordon. A stronger opponent in Arkansas managed to get to Gordon at the line of scrimmage and tackled effectively. There were times when holes would open up, but Gordon’s lack of burst meant he couldn’t get to the hole before defenders had time to react. Arkansas was very prepared for Gordon, and it almost led to an upset victory over Oklahoma State.

If college defenses are showing that they can adjust to the physicality of Gordon, the NFL won’t be an easy time for him. There are not many NFL running backs left who are pure physical grinders without the burst to get into open space. If Gordon can’t dominate defenses at the college level with his physical profile, I don’t think he’ll have what it takes to join that small group of grinding rushers in the NFL.

Omarion Hampton – North Carolina

Hampton’s ability as a strong runner between the tackles has been evident through two weeks. He’s able to run downhill and push the pile effectively. He’s not going to bounce around in open space to break off big plays, but if he gets to the 2nd level, he can cut hard and shed tacklers to generate big plays. Hampton doesn’t seem to have the shake or top speed to be an elite fantasy back at the next level, but he’s not limited to being a between-the-tackles grinder with no burst. I think he could find himself as an early Day 2 pick in the NFL Draft if he continues to play like he has through two weeks.

Hampton showed some ability as a pass catcher in his opening-week performance. He doesn’t look like more than an average route runner out of the backfield, but he’s more than capable of handling check downs and working as a pass catcher in the flats.

In the 2nd quarter of his Week 2 game against Charlotte, Hampton left with a lower-body injury and did not return. The coaching staff confirmed that he was healthy and was being held out as a precaution. In a game that was trending easily in North Carolina’s favor it’s likely he wouldn’t have played 4 quarters either way. I have no concerns about the injury moving forward.

Jaydn Ott – California

Ott showed off the fluid lateral movements in Week 1, which made him so effective last year as a sophomore. On one run, he managed to bounce multiple times outside of defenders who seemed to have a tackle within reach, and he ended up scoring on the play. Last year, he too often relied on bouncing to the outside when there were easier opportunities, but in Week 1, he chose his spots effectively. On his runs inside, he was patient and burst through the hole at the first opportunity to pick up yards, even without great blocking up front.

Ott’s pass-catching is a well-known aspect of his game, and he continued to show that in Week 1. He showed reliable hands and was fast when getting the ball in the open field as a receiver.

Unfortunately, Ott’s Week 1 performance was cut short by an ankle injury. While he suited up in Week 2, it was painfully obvious to anyone watching that he was not close to healthy. He couldn’t drive through his strides and went down easily when defenders approached him. Hopefully, a week of rest, or possibly more, will allow Ott to return healthy to the lineup because his Week 2 showing did not help the team.

Devin Neal – Kansas

Through two weeks we’ve seen Neal’s great acceleration and speed through cuts. Neal has yet to be given the reigns during a game to take over and show what he can do with a heavy workload. He’s been very efficient so far, but Kansas’ Week 1 opponent put up next to no resistance against the run. Against a stronger Illinois defense, Neal continued his efficient running while breaking tackles to extend runs.

I’m concerned that Neal doesn’t have the elite top speed to break off big runs at the next level. He has great acceleration, but without the top speed to separate himself from NFL defenders, I’m not sure if he’d have any elite skill to rely on. He also hasn’t been involved at all in the passing game so far this season. While this could absolutely change moving forward, if Neal isn’t a factor in the passing game, I don’t believe he has the skill as a pure rusher to be valued by NFL teams.

Neal has shown some great traits so far, including his tackle-breaking and acceleration, but without an elite skill, he’ll need to show he can keep his efficiency up while receiving a larger workload as the season progresses.

Trevor Etienne – Georgia

The Florida transfer is tough to evaluate at this time as he missed Week 1 with a suspension and only had five carries Week 2 against weak competition. On those 5 carries he managed 78 yards and showed the lightning quickness that has many scouts excited.

I’m looking forward to seeing Etienne get an extended run against some higher competition. If he can utilize his pass-catching skills and burst in the open field effectively, it could lead to very good things for this Georgia offense and his NFL Draft stock.

Kyle Monangai – Rutgers

Monangai has had some outstanding production through two weeks, placing 2nd among FBS rushers in total yards and 1st in carries. Monangai has great vision and patience as a rusher and has good enough acceleration to burst through holes when they appear.

While he struggled to push the pile in Week 1, his Week 2 performance showed he can keep his feet moving and pick up extra yards. His contact balance has been what’s really impressive to me, staying on his feet as he bounces off defenders allowing him to maintain his speed after contact. I’m not sure Monangai is elite at any individual skill, but he seems to have a well-rounded game that could see him shoot up draft boards as the season continues.

Nicholas Singleton – Penn State

I can see the appeal when I watch Singleton. He’s a young, physically imposing player. Unfortunately, his game seems to be missing a lot of the pieces needed to make his on-field production as significant as his off-field hype.

For his size, Singleton doesn’t ever seem to get a real push when meeting defenders at the line. His lateral movement is fairly slow, and his movements aren’t very shifty.

With that said, there are flashes of brilliance in his game. When Singleton can get some room and plant his foot for a hard cut, he can explode upfield and prevent smaller defenders from slowing him down. If he can improve his consistency over the course of the season and not rely on one or two big plays for the majority of his production, then he could really move up draft boards. At only 20 years old, I still see Singleton as a player who would benefit from another year in college and a focus on the 2026 NFL Draft class.

Tahj Brooks – Texas Tech

Brooks put together a productive Week 1 before missing Week 2 with an injury. While Brooks can show dominance at times in college, I have real doubts about his ability to transition into the NFL.

Brooks relies on a heavy style of running where he overpowers smaller defenders to pick up consistent gains. His movements aren’t particularly quick, he doesn’t have great long speed, and he’s not a great pass catcher. Brooks can be a fun player to watch, but at the next level, I think his size advantage would be nullified by better tackling across the board.

Donovan Edwards – Michigan

Barring a substantial turnaround this will be the last time I write about Edwards as a 2024 NFL Draft prospect. There was some hype before the season that he may transition into a leading role in the Michigan rushing attack with the departure of Blake Corum, but that does not seem to be the case. His case for NFL fantasy relevance was already slim to start, but the door is not all but closed on Edwards as anything more than a depth piece in the NFL.