Of the 70 players selected on Day 2 of the 2025 NFL draft, only four were running backs. That's a low count, especially when you consider the lofty reputation of this backfield class. It's a good thing I didn't punch an over-under ticket on that Friday running back count; that ticket would be ripped now.
But man, did those Friday backs land in some nifty spots. Perfect fits, straight from the tailor. Maybe we'll be calling these guys the four aces by the middle of the next NFL season.
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Although the shape of rookie receivers has changed in recent years, rookie running backs are still the players we have to do the most immediate fantasy scouting on. The NFL is designed for several of these players to be plug-and-play, onboarded easily; their jobs are a little less cumbersome than other skill positions, so the orientation doesn't have to be as complicated.
With that in mind, let's get you kick-started on the mandatory homework from Friday night. Let's meet and discuss the four running backs who were drafted in Rounds 2 and 3, because you might be drafting them later this summer — probably in the single-digit rounds.
Quinshon Judkins, Browns
It's about 144 miles from Ohio State's campus to Huntington Bank Field, where the Cleveland Browns play. It's a straight line up 71-North. Judkins knows all about straight lines; he's not averse to juking a defender here or there, but he also likes to run over them, too.
Judkins was a three-year college star, first at Ole Miss (two years) and then at Ohio State (one year). His counting stats were down a little last year, because OSU used both Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson (more on him shortly) in a shared role, with Henderson the better blocker. But if you like the running game, if you like an offense to have a power mentality, Judkins is a player you can sign up for.
The Browns have little on the depth chart at running back — Jerome Ford is the best of the holdovers — so Judkins will have an excellent chance to start quickly. And Cleveland's still in search of a long-term answer at quarterback, so this is a team that will likely try to win through ball control and excellent defense. Judkins has a simple path to volume, and that's the easiest path to fantasy juice.
Judkins could use some polish as a blocker and receiver, though he's not a zero in the passing game. He fits the identity of this city and team. Cleveland was confident handing in this pick, and you can't blame the franchise. It's made good decisions for the past two days, a nice winning streak on the heels of some bumpy years. It's a new day in Cleveland.
TreVeyon Henderson, Patriots
It's a cute coincidence to see the Browns and Patriots taking different backs from the same college; we've been here before. Back in 2018. New England chose Sony Michel from Georgia with the No. 31 pick. Cleveland snapped up Nick Chubb, also from Georgia, four picks later. Michel was a solid if erratic player, not exactly a star. Chubb, for several years, was a demigod (four Pro Bowl trips). Win, Cleveland.
It will be interesting to see if Henderson vs. Judkins turns into a similar battle. Henderson was much more explosive last year (7.6 yards per touch, against 5.7 YPT) as the backs shared a similar workload at Columbus, and Henderson's pass-blocking tape is almost too good to be true. The Patriots like Rhamondre Stevenson for what he is, a steady and reliable runner, but Henderson has much more upside — it doesn't hurt to be four years younger. Mike Vrabel might be able to coach up the 2025 Patriots to contender status, and I would suspect Henderson is quickly going to be the most important back here. I'm already excited to think about drafting him.
Henderson did battle injuries in college, though he played all 16 games last year. That partly explains the draft ordering between him and Judkins. But it's fun to see a splash player land in New England. This offense didn't generate many chunk plays in 2024.
RJ Harvey, Broncos
It wasn't shocking to see Harvey last until Pick 60, as he's an older prospect and he has some holes in his pass blocking. But Sean Payton never discovered a foundation back last year, and when you use second-round draft capital on this type of runner, you obviously envision a heavy workload. Jaleel McLaughlin's size will always cap his upside, and Audric Estimé did not flash in his rookie year.
Harvey is still learning the running back position — he was drafted as a dual-threat quarterback — but he was outstanding during essentially three full seasons at Central Florida, piling up 3,792 rushing yards and 43 touchdowns, with a juicy 6.5 YPC. His jump cuts are a thing of beauty but he also consistently falls forward when a play isn't a home run. It's easy to see Payton falling in love with Harvey this fall; it may have happened already.
Kaleb Johnson, Steelers
Talk about the dots connecting — Johnson was a zone-scheme power runner at Iowa, and that's what Arthur Smith uses as the staple of the Pittsburgh offense. The Steelers finally moved on from Najee Harris, and incumbent Jaylen Warren has always been seen as a satellite player, a support player who usually works the perimeter.
Defenders hate tackling Johnson — at 6-foot-1 and 224 pounds — and it's easy to see why he's been comped to former superstar, Arian Foster. Johnson still has to prove he belongs on the field for third down and in hurry-up packages (though he did bump to 22 catches last year), but even if the Steelers target him for a two-down role, Johnson could carry possible RB3 upside for fantasy right away.
More backs are going to follow on Saturday as the draft concludes — the cupboard is far from empty. But let's start rolling tape and angles on the Friday guys as soon as possible. I'm going to spend some of my own draft capital here.
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