Complete 2026 NFL Draft RB Rankings:
You are currently viewing our running back rankings for the 2026 NFL Draft. Coming off an exceptionally deep draft class, is this class able to keep the momentum going?
Our top running back prospects are selected after thousands of hours carefully scouting the most talented ball carriers in college football. Even though only about 20 will get selected in an average draft, dozens more are signed as free agents, and many more receive a training camp invite.
We’ll provide you with inside information to help you know who will be a star, who will be a bust, and which sleepers will shock the world.
BNB Football is the best place for in-depth analysis of 2026 NFL draft running back prospects at all levels of college football. To view other positions, follow the links below.
(Last Updated: March 5, 2026)
1. Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
RB | 6’0″ | 212 lbs | 3rd Year
Jeremiyah Love Scouting Report
Jeremiyah Love has emerged as the clear top running back in the 2026 class after a breakout season at Notre Dame that put him firmly on the national radar. Love is an explosive, well rounded back with elite acceleration, excellent vision, and the ability to create chunk plays without needing perfect blocking.
He runs with urgency and balance, showing the patience to let lanes develop and the burst to punish defenses once they do. Love has home run speed and consistently threatens the second level, while also flashing value as a receiver on screens and checkdowns. He took a significant step forward in workload and efficiency compared to prior seasons, cementing himself as the focal point of the Irish offense.
There aren’t any massive red flags with Love. He’ll need to continue to improve as a blocker in the NFL, although he holds his own at the moment. Scouts are also a bit worried about how many big hits he’s taken due to his style of running, but at some point that’s inevitable. League wide consensus agrees that Love as a complete back who will be an impact player from Day 1.
Jeremiyah Love 2025 Stats
12 games: 1372 rushing yards, 18 rushing touchdowns, 6.9 yards per carry, 27 receptions, 280 receiving yards, 3 receiving touchdowns
2. Mike Washington Jr., Arkansas
RB | 6’1″ | 223 lbs | 5th Year
Mike Washington Jr. Scouting Report
Mike Washington is a big running back who played his best football later in his career. After 3 years as a rotational player for Buffalo, Washington transferred to New Mexico State where he took a big step forward before finishing his career with Arkansas where he had the best year of his career.
Washington has ideal size for an NFL power back, weighing in at 6’1″ 228 pounds at the Senior Bowl. He still has good movement ability, with impressive ability to accelerate or decelerate for a bigger back, and always hits the line of scrimmage fast. His hands are pretty good, finishing tied for 3rd on his team in receptions. He shocked scouts with his 4.33 40 yard dash and explosive jumps at the combine, and they mostly show up on tape.
Washington could stand to be more patient as a runner and wait for holes to open up, and will also want to improve his technique as a pass blocker if he wants to become an RB1 at the next level. His big size can make him a little bit stiff, largely making him a 1-cut guy.
Mike Washington Jr. 2025 Stats
12 games: 1070 rushing yards, 8 rushing touchdowns, 6.4 yards per carry, 28 receptions, 226 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown
3. Jadarian Price, Notre Dame
RB | 5’11” | 203 lbs | 4th Year
Jadarian Price Scouting Report
Despite being the backup to future 1st round pick Jeremiyah Love, Jadarian Price carved out a role at Notre Dame as one of the most elusive and versatile backs in the 2026 draft class.
Price brings high end lateral agility, loose hips, and exceptional short area quickness, allowing him to consistently make defenders miss in space. He excels on outside runs when he can get in space and use his elusiveness. Price is also an elite return specialist, offering real added value with proven vision, burst, and confidence in the open field. His role has fluctuated year to year in a deep backfield, but his per touch impact has remained strong. He took a noticeable step forward as a playmaker when given opportunities.
He needs to take strides as a blocker and receiver, and could stand to be more decisive especially when plays get messy. Fumbles were also a bit of an issue, with 3 fumbles despite his limited touches.
Jadarian Price 2025 Stats
12 games: 674 rushing yards, 11 rushing touchdowns, 6.0 yards per carry, 6 receptions, 87 receiving yards, 2 receiving touchdowns
4. Emmett Johnson, Nebraska
RB | 5’10” | 202 lbs | 4th Year
Emmett Johnson Scouting Report
Emmett Johnson was arguably the most fun running back in college football this past year. He’s the shiftiest running back in the entire country, potentially to a fault. He led all 2026 draft prospects in missed tackles forced, and has an insane highlight tape that will get the fans excited.
Johnson can dart, cut, and change direction faster than most defenders can react, making him extremely difficult to tackle in space. He has excellent acceleration and creativity in open field, thriving on designed outside runs, screens, and zone schemes that let him improvise. Johnson also has reliable hands and can contribute as a receiver out of the backfield.
The problems for Johnson start with a lack of ideal size and top-end speed. But his insane agility has also caused his problems as he’s consistently dancing around instead of just taking the easy few yards ahead of him. The indecision leads to missed opportunities to stay ahead of the sticks and that isn’t something NFL teams can afford to have happen consistently.
Emmett Johnson 2025 Stats
12 games: 1451 rushing yards, 12 rushing touchdowns, 5.8 yards per carry, 46 receptions, 370 receiving yards, 3 receiving touchdowns
5. Jonah Coleman, Washington
RB | 5’8″ | 220 lbs | 4th Year
Jonah Coleman Scouting Report
After emerging early in his career for Arizona, Jonah Coleman transferred north to Washington where he became one of the best running backs in the country.
While lacking the elite breakaway speed, Coleman has pretty much everything else you’d want in a running back. He is built like a bowling ball with a short and stout frame, maintaining low leverage and always falling forward. He didn’t have gaudy stats this year, but produced in two areas that directly translate to the NFL: touchdowns and receiving. Coleman was a goal line beast who got in the end zone 15 times on the ground, while totaling over 350 yards receiving without a drop.
I’m higher than most on Coleman and expect him to drop a bit between now and the draft, but he seems like such a safe pick who finds so many ways to contribute.
Jonah Coleman 2025 Stats
12 games: 758 rushing yards, 15 rushing touchdowns, 4.9 yards per carry, 31 receptions, 354 receiving yards, 2 receiving touchdowns
6. Kaytron Allen, Penn State
RB | 5’11” | 216 lbs | 4th Year
Kaytron Allen Scouting Report
Kaytron Allen wrapped up a dominant 4-year Penn State career where he spent every year as part of a dangerous two-headed monster alongside Nick Singleton. This year, Allen easily cleared Singleton in terms of production and consistency on tape.
Allen is a powerful, decisive runner with excellent contact balance and a physical running style that wears down defenses over the course of a game. He shows good vision between the tackles and consistently finishes runs falling forward. He isn’t a burner, has enough burst to exploit creases and is more athletic than he often gets credit for, especially in short area situations.
He’s proven to be a better than average pass protector, but will need to produce better as a receiver if he’s going to see the field in passing scenarios. Allen brings the size, experience, and coached-up skillset you’d want to see to contribute early in his NFL career.
Kaytron Allen 2025 Stats
12 games: 1303 rushing yards, 15 rushing touchdowns, 6.2 yards per carry, 18 receptions, 68 receiving yards
7. Nick Singleton, Penn State
RB | 6’0″ | 219 lbs | 4th Year
Nick Singleton Scouting Report
Nick Singleton looks the part of an NFL running back, but is coming off a very disappointing final season for Penn State. With prototypical size, explosive athleticism, and pass catching ability, Singleton has been on the NFL radar ever since his dominant true freshman season in 2022. Since then, the production has been very up and down.
Singleton will put up a great 40 time, but he’s more fast than he is elusive. He doesn’t break a ton of tackles and has had most of his production on breakaway runs when the o-line created massive holes. He has decent vision and runs with plenty of patience, and he is a reliable pass catcher who has some experience being flexed out to the slot.
Despite the reduced efficiency and lack of wiggle, Singleton can still succeed in a gap/power scheme thanks to his size/speed combination and ability to work downhill. Teams will appreciate his experience and ability to contribute in passing downs as a bigger back.
Nick Singleton 2025 Stats
12 games: 549 rushing yards, 13 rushing touchdowns, 4.5 yards per carry, 24 receptions, 219 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown
8. Demond Claiborne, Wake Forest
RB | 5’10” | 188 lbs | 4th Year
Demond Claiborne Scouting Report
Demond Claiborne has been a steady, productive presence for Wake Forest, carving out a strong career built on consistency and reliability rather than flash.
Claiborne is a well proportioned back with good vision, patience, and contact balance, thriving on inside runs and zone concepts where he can press the line and make clean decisions. He runs with a low pad level and finishes forward, routinely turning modest gains into positive plays.Claiborne has also shown functional value in the passing game, handling checkdowns and pass protection duties without being a true mismatch weapon. He took on an expanded role over the past two seasons and responded with solid efficiency despite defenses keying on him.
I’m not concerned about the lack of elite burst or long speed, but an increase in drops and fumbles this past season is something to keep a close eye on. He’s also very small, weighing in under 190 pounds.
Demond Claiborne 2025 Stats
12 games: 907 rushing yards, 10 rushing touchdowns, 5.1 yards per carry, 28 receptions, 140 receiving yards
9. Le’Veon Moss, Texas A&M
RB | 5’11” | 203 lbs | 4th Year
Le’Veon Moss Scouting Report
Entering the 2025, Le’Veon Moss was considered one of the best returning running backs in the country. But after a slightly slow start to the season, injuries took their toll and caused him to miss most of the year.
As a pure runner, Moss is one of the best in the class. He cut down to 203 at the combine but tends to play more at the 210-215 pound range, with a track background that shows up on tape. He has quick acceleration and open field speed, with impressive power and contact balance. His vision is decent and he has above-average side-to-side movement for his size.
Injuries have started to become an issue for Moss’ evaluation. He tore his ACL in November 2024, and was sidelined most of the following season with a significant ankle injury. He’s also really struggled to catch the ball out of the backfield which will limit his ability to see the field at the next level.
Le’Veon Moss 2025 Stats
7 games: 404 rushing yards, 6 rushing touchdowns, 5.2 yards per carry, 2 receptions, 3 receiving yards
10. Noah Whittington, Oregon
RB | 5’8″ | 205 lbs | 6th Year
Noah Whittington Scouting Report
After beginning his collegiate career at Western Kentucky, Whittington transferred to Oregon in 2022 where he immediately became an impact player. A few years later, Whittington enters the 2026 NFL Draft as one of the most experienced running backs in the class, having played in 68 games.
A former high school receiver, Whittington has above average hands and route running instincts on passing downs. Despite being undersized, he runs with a low center of gravity and excels between the tackles. He shows good patience and a ton of lateral quickness to see the hole and hit the hole.
His age and a couple past injuries will be heavily scrutinized by scouts, and he doesn’t have much open field speed for a small running back. The lack of ideal size or breakaway ability will cause him to fall in the draft further than he should.
Noah Whittington 2025 Stats
13 games: 829 rushing yards, 6 rushing touchdowns, 6.4 yards per carry, 19 receptions, 98 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown
Complete 2026 NFL Draft Running Back Rankings
| RANK | NAME | SCHOOL | AGE | HT | WT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeremiyah Love | Notre Dame | 3rd | 6'0" | 212 |
| 2 | Mike Washington Jr. | Arkansas | 5th | 6'1" | 223 |
| 3 | Jadarian Price | Notre Dame | 4th | 5'11" | 203 |
| 4 | Emmett Johnson | Nebraska | 4th | 5'10" | 202 |
| 5 | Jonah Coleman | Washington | 4th | 5'8" | 220 |
| 6 | Kaytron Allen | Penn State | 4th | 5'11" | 216 |
| 7 | Nick Singleton | Penn State | 4th | 6'0" | 219 |
| 8 | Demond Claiborne | Wake Forest | 4th | 5'10" | 188 |
| 9 | Le'Veon Moss | Texas A&M | 4th | 5'11" | 203 |
| 10 | Noah Whittington | Oregon | 6th | 5'8" | 205 |
| 11 | Adam Randall | Clemson | 4th | 6'3" | 232 |
| 12 | Roman Hemby | Indiana | 5th | 6'0" | 207 |
| 13 | Robert Henry Jr. | UTSA | 5th | 5'9" | 196 |
| 14 | Seth McGowan | Kentucky | 6th | 6'0" | 223 |
| 15 | Eli Heidenreich | Navy | 4th | 6'0" | 198 |
| 16 | Ismail Mahdi | Arizona | 4th | 5'9" | 185 |
| 17 | Kejon Owens | Florida International | 5th | 5'10" | 205 |
| 18 | Jam Miller | Alabama | 4th | 5'10" | 209 |
| 19 | Jaydn Ott | Oklahoma | 4th | 5'11" | 202 |
| 20 | Kaelon Black | Indiana | 6th | 5'10" | 208 |
| 21 | Desmond Reid | Pittsburgh | 4th | 5'6" | 174 |
| 22 | Chip Trayanum | Toledo | 6th | 5'11" | 224 |
| 23 | Rahsul Faison | South Carolina | 6th | 5'11" | 208 |
| 24 | Davon Booth | Mississippi State | 5th | 5'10" | 205 |
| 25 | J'Mari Taylor | Virginia | 6th | 5'10" | 199 |
| 26 | Jamal Haynes | Georgia Tech | 5th | 5'9" | 190 |
| 27 | Star Thomas | Tennessee | 6th | 6'0" | 210 |
| 28 | Terion Stewart | Virginia Tech | 6th | 5'7" | 218 |
| 29 | CJ Donaldson | Ohio State | 4th | 6'2" | 230 |
| 30 | Jaden Nixon | UCF | 5th | 5'10" | 200 |
| 31 | Anthony Hankerson | Oregon State | 4th | 5'8" | 205 |
| 32 | Dean Connors | Houston | 5th | 5'11" | 208 |
| 33 | Kentrel Bullock | South Alabama | 6th | 5'10" | 204 |
| 34 | Leshon Williams | Kansas | 6th | 5'10" | 215 |
| 35 | Tawee Walker | Cincinnati | 5th | 5'9" | 215 |
| 36 | Curtis Allen | Virginia Union | 4th | 6'2" | 215 |
| 37 | Dominic Richardson | Tulsa | 6th | 6'0" | 207 |
| 38 | TJ Harden | SMU | 4th | 6'1" | 232 |
| 39 | Damon Bankston | New Mexico | 5th | 5'11" | 193 |
| 40 | Chris Mosley | NC Central | 6th | 5'11" | 180 |
| 41 | Rodney Hammond Jr. | Sacramento State | 5th | 5'9" | 200 |
| 42 | Elijah Tau-Tolliver | Michigan State | 5th | 6'1" | 210 |
| 43 | Al-Jay Henderson | Buffalo | 5th | 5'10" | 215 |
| 44 | Logan Diggs | Ole Miss | 5th | 6'1" | 215 |
| 45 | Barika Kpeenu | North Dakota State | 5th | 5'10" | 215 |
| 46 | Sieh Bangura | Ohio | 5th | 6'0" | 215 |
| 47 | Daniel Hishaw Jr. | Kansas | 6th | 5'10" | 220 |
| 48 | Myles Montgomery | UCF | 5th | 5'11" | 205 |
| 49 | Damien Taylor | Ole Miss | 5th | 5'11" | 220 |
| 50 | Harrison Waylee | Virginia | 6th | 5'10" | 210 |
| 51 | Roland Dempster | Stony Brook | 6th | 6'0" | 235 |
| 52 | Chavon Wright | Northern Illinois | 5th | 5'8" | 210 |
| 53 | Lincoln Pare | Texas State | 6th | 5'9" | 200 |
| 54 | Sam Franklin | South Florida | 5th | 5'10" | 200 |
| 55 | Elijah Howard | Central Connecticut | 5th | 5'10" | 178 |
| 56 | Richard Reese | Stephen F. Austin | 4th | 5'11" | 175 |
| 57 | Cam Porter | Northwestern | 6th | 5'10" | 220 |
| 58 | Josh Pitsenberger | Yale | 4th | 6'0" | 220 |
| 59 | Zach Palmer-Smith | UL-Monroe | 4th | 6'0" | 215 |
| 60 | Jay Ducker | Temple | 6th | 5'10" | 205 |
| 61 | Miles Davis | Utah State | 6th | 5'11" | 215 |
| 62 | EJ Smith | Texas A&M | 6th | 6'0" | 210 |
| 63 | Eli Sanders | USC | 5th | 5'10" | 200 |
| 64 | Shomari Lawrence | Missouri State | 6th | 6'0" | 210 |
| 65 | Jaquez Moore | Duke | 5th | 5'11" | 195 |
| 66 | Alex Tecza | Navy | 4th | 6'0" | 200 |
| 67 | Coleman Bennett | Kennesaw State | 6th | 5'11" | 185 |
| 68 | Amari Daniels | Texas A&M | 5th | 5'8" | 195 |
| 69 | Julius Loughridge | South Dakota State | 5th | 6'0" | 215 |
| 70 | OJ Arnold | Georgia Southern | 4th | 5'9" | 195 |
| 71 | Rashod Dubinion | Appalachian State | 4th | 5'10" | 210 |
| 72 | Roydell Williams | Florida State | 6th | 5'10" | 215 |
| 73 | Antwain Littleton Jr. | Rhode Island | 5th | 6'1" | 225 |
| 74 | Dontae McMillan | Eastern Michigan | 7th | 5'10" | 205 |
| 75 | Tye Edwards | West Virginia | 7th | 6'4" | 230 |
| 76 | Kevon King | Norfolk State | 4th | 5'11" | 200 |
| 77 | Montie Quinn | Curry | 4th | 5'9" | 180 |
| 78 | Cash Jones | Georgia | 5th | 5'11" | 195 |
| 79 | Jerrell Wimbley | Stephen F. Austin | 4th | 5'11" | 195 |
| 80 | Jordon Simmons | Georgia State | 6th | 5'11" | 200 |
| 81 | Kadarius Calloway | New Mexico State | 5th | 5'11" | 211 |
| 82 | Tye Roberson | Lenoir-Rhyne | 4th | 5'8" | 185 |
| 83 | Caleb Ramseur | Nevada | 4th | 5'9" | 207 |
| 84 | Isaiah Jacobs | UAB | 6th | 5'10" | 220 |
| 85 | Kevorian Barnes | TCU | 5th | 5'9" | 223 |
| 86 | Ja'Quez Cross | Arkansas State | 5th | 5'9" | 195 |
| 87 | Ayo Adeyi | James Madison | 6th | 5'8" | 195 |
| 88 | Angel Johnson | Washington State | 5th | 5'9" | 195 |
| 89 | Quintell Quinn | Tennessee Tech | 5th | 6'1" | 225 |
| 90 | Jerodd Simms | Florida Memorial | 7th | 5'11" | 215 |
| 91 | Tony Mathis Jr. | Marshall | 7th | 5'11" | 210 |
| 92 | Anthony Frias | UCLA | 5th | 5'10" | 219 |
| 93 | Jordon Vaughn | Abilene Christian | 5th | 6'3" | 229 |
| 94 | Zach Switzer | Presbyterian | 5th | 5'11" | 180 |
| 95 | Devontae Houston | ETSU | 5th | 5'10" | 163 |
| 96 | Jerodd Sims | Florida Memorial | 7th | 5'11" | 215 |
| 97 | Jah Colbert | Reinhardt | 4th | 5'9" | 180 |
| 98 | Wenkers Wright | Illinois State | 5th | 6'1" | 205 |
| 99 | Cameren Smith | Charlotte | 5th | 6'0" | 210 |
| 100 | Quasean Holmes | Gardner-Webb | 6th | 6'0" | 210 |
| 101 | Matt Colombo | San Diego | 6th | 5'10" | 200 |
| 102 | Jawaun Northington | Murray State | 4th | 5'9" | 215 |
| 103 | Kenan Christon | Jackson State | 7th | 5'10" | 190 |
| 104 | Julius Davis | Montana State | 7th | 5'10" | 210 |
| 105 | Reggie Davis | Alcorn State | 5th | 6'0" | 188 |
| 106 | JaMario Clements | Wake Forest | 6th | 5'11" | 205 |
| 107 | Evan Lovett | Minot State | 5th | 5'11" | 217 |
| 108 | Jaylen Cottrell | Central Oklahoma | 6th | 6'2" | 210 |
| 109 | Q'Daryius Jennings | Tennessee Tech | 5th | 5'10" | 205 |
| 110 | Donerio Davenport | Jackson State | 5th | 6'1" | 215 |
| 111 | John Emery | UTSA | 7th | 6'0" | 220 |
| 112 | Eden James | Howard | 4th | 5'10" | 180 |
| 113 | Eddie Williams | Alma | 4th | 5'10" | 200 |
| 114 | Tristan Shannon | Marist | 6th | 5'8" | 190 |
| 115 | Elijah Elliott | Bryant | 5th | 5'10" | 190 |
| 116 | Ryan Ingram | Chattanooga | 6th | 5'10" | 230 |
| 117 | Destynd Loring | William Penn | 4th | 5'8" | 195 |
| 118 | Jacorian Sewell | Alcorn State | 6th | 5'9" | 195 |
| 119 | Adam Criter | San Diego | 4th | 6'3" | 205 |
| 120 | K'Vonte Baker | Friends | 5th | 5'10" | 180 |
| 121 | Taj Butts | Duquesne | 5th | 5'11" | 205 |
| 122 | Trey Cooley | Troy | 5th | 5'10" | 205 |
| 123 | Myles Thomason | New Hampshire | 4th | 5'9" | 180 |
| 124 | Julien Stokes | Pennsylvania | 5th | 5'7" | 190 |
| 125 | Brian Trobel | Mercyhurst | 5th | 5'7" | 176 |
| 126 | Xavier Ugorji | Benedictine (KS) | 7th | 5'9" | 185 |
| 127 | JaQuan Kelly | Winston-Salem State | 5th | 5'11" | 190 |
| 128 | Keagan La Belle | Marian | 4th | 5'7" | 190 |
| 129 | CJ Evans | Samford | 6th | 5'8" | 180 |
| 130 | Q Jones | Rhode Island | 5th | 5'11" | 195 |
| 131 | Jaylen White | Norfolk State | 6th | 5'10" | 190 |
| 132 | Dylan Devezin | Notre Dame | 4th | 6'2" | 215 |
| 133 | Jadon Turner | Central Connecticut | 7th | 5'10" | 180 |
| X | Devin Mockobee | Purdue | 5th | 6'0" | 205 |
MORE NFL DRAFT RANKINGS
Traits That Make a Running Back Prospect Great
Running backs are relatively easy to scout, as nearly everything they do can be seen on a standard TV broadcast. Contact balance, quickness, and vision are among some of the most important factors of scouting the top running back prospects.
Some of the factors we consider when scouting are included below.
Contact Balance
Nothing is more important for a running back prospect than contact balance. The ability to maintain a low center of gravity and stay on your feet when hit. It is somewhat teachable, but if they don’t run with good contact balance by the time they’re entering the NFL draft, it might be tough to add to their game.
Quickness
Quickness is more important than straight line speed for a running back. The ability to move side to side in a flash, scoot through a small opening, and juke out defenders is what will turn a 3 yard gain into a 6 yard gain, and that’s ultimately what running backs need to do.
Vision
Many running back draft prospects struggle with their vision and patience. If your offensive line doesn’t open a hole, it’s rarely a good idea to just ram into the back of the line. Having field vision to recognize cut back lanes and know when to hit the line of scrimmage is a game changer.
Ball Security
If a running back struggles with fumbles, it’s a one way path to the bench. Ball security is a problem that has plagued the career of many running back draft prospects, and being a natural mover with the ball in your hands is important to consider.
2026 RB Draft Prospects FAQs
Who is the best RB in the 2026 NFL Draft?
Jeremiyah Love from Notre Dame has emerged as the unanimous RB1 in the 2026 NFL Draft, due to his combination of athleticism, size, and vision.
He’s put up back-to-back dominant seasons, finishing as a Heisman finalist in 2025.
How good is the running back draft class in 2026?
The 2026 running back class absolutely looks much weaker than normal. While Jeremiyah Love is a legitimate first round talent, no other running backs have cemented themselves as a true top-50 talent, and the late round depth doesn’t look particularly special.
