Top 10 running backs in the 2026 NFL Draft

By Owain Jones

The 2026 NFL Draft running back class offers a mix of talent and traits, and value will be found on all three days of April’s showcase. Vision, timing, and feel still matter just as much as raw speed or tackle-breaking numbers in today’s NFL, which has returned to valuing the position once again.

These rankings lean on film first, focusing on how each runner sees the game, handles contact, and fits into modern offensive usage rather than chasing box-score production alone.

2026 NFL Draft running back Rankings

10. Noah Whittington, Oregon

On zone looks, the game opens up quickly for Noah Whittington. He presses the line with controlled tempo, holds linebackers in place with his eyes, then snaps into running lanes with sudden acceleration. His ability to identify backside lanes shows up repeatedly, and once he commits, his first few steps clear congestion, opening up space where he’s fluid and difficult to tackle cleanly.

His game is built on smooth movement, but he projects as a rotational back right now because of his lack of power. Secure contact tends to stop his momentum, and short-yardage situations won’t maximize his skill set. Pass protection effort is there, though size can be an issue against bigger blitzers. Around 5’8″, 203 pounds, Whittington fits best as an explosive rotational back in a zone-based offense that values timing and space.

9. Robert Henry Jr., UTSA

Robert Henry is a battering ram but also offers a smooth, fluid, explosive threat in space. He identifies creases almost instantly and commits without hesitation, showcasing sharp cutbacks in space using his change of direction to make second-level defenders look silly. Once he’s vertical, linebackers struggle to close angles because of how quickly he transitions from read to acceleration. However, there are multiple frustrating instances on tape where he looks for contact rather than space, highlighting some vision inconsistencies.

Also, at times, Henry’s urgency works against him. He is capable of hitting lanes so fast that being more patient would unlock bigger plays. He isn’t built to overpower defenders, but his balance through glancing contact keeps runs alive more often than expected for a back around 5’9″, 205 pounds. Henry profiles as a slasher-type runner who stresses defenses horizontally and vertically without needing perfect blocking.

8. Roman Hemby, Indiana

Roman Hemby is a clear-headed back who doesn’t panic when plays muddy. He has the patience to see lanes develop before they fully open and consistently fights through congestion, making forward progress. The Indiana back plays low, keeping his feet churning, and contact rarely knocks him off balance, where his physicality gains extra yardage. That toughness carries over into the pass game, where he transitions naturally after the catch.

However, Hemby is physical and powerful, rather than ultra-athletic. His explosives come from his lower-body strength, where he breaks tackles rather than wins with pure speed. He can reel off chunk yardage, but defenders are usually able recover on long plays. Still, at 6’0″, 210 pounds, Hemby’s processing, contact balance, and competitive edge give him real three-down utility in the right structure.

7. Seth McGowan, Kentucky

Everything about Seth McGowan’s game is explosive. He commits quickly, attacks creases with urgency, and consistently finishes forward through contact. Inside zone and gap concepts suit him well because he wastes no steps behind the line and trusts what he sees. His lower-body strength shows up in tight quarters, where he can make defenders miss with twitched-up athleticism, whilst also having the creative vision to make plays out of nothing.

There’s more athleticism here than his physical label suggests. Right now, his receiving usage is functional, but he has shown promise in underneath phases. However, his pass protection technique fluctuates. At 5’11”, 211 pounds, McGowan projects cleanly as an early-down and short-yardage rotational back who brings physical tone and reliability.

6. Emett Johnson, Nebraska

Emett Johnson projects to enter an NFL rotation immediately, where he will be able to change defensive tempos. His instant acceleration and lateral fluidity allow him to redirect smoothly without having to gear down, manipulating space as he negotiates his way through the tackles to the second level. Meanwhile, he’s most dangerous attacking edges or working off motion, where his feel for leverage underlines pursuit angles quickly. As a receiver, he’s comfortable catching away from his frame and turning upfield using quality vision to glide through open space.

However, Johnson’s strength profile needs refinement. He can struggle to fight through traffic and contact, where he can’t always power through contact. His pass protection effort is consistent, but his technique still needs refinement to survive NFL blitz packages. The Nebraska standout fits best as a modern change-of-pace back whose value spikes on passing downs and perimeter concepts.

5. Mike Washington, Arkansas

Admittedly, Mike Washington isn’t the flashiest of running backs, but he is ultra-consistent, has bruising power, and has more than enough athleticism to win foot races. Drives stay alive because of him. The Arkansas product processes interior creases quickly and has the vision to burst through the line of scrimmage, where he commits with purpose, and consistently falls forward through contact. His pad level stays low, and his natural balance allows him to squeeze extra yards out of tight lanes. There’s more burst through space than he’s often credited for.

His college tape shows limited impact in the passing game, and pass protection remains inconsistent. Furthermore, pure twitch isn’t part of his profile either. But what Washington brings is value on every down. At 5’11”, 220 pounds, Washington has the temperament and dependability to be a three-down back who keeps an offense on schedule and wears defenses down over time.

4. Kaytron Allen, Penn State

Kaytron Allen possesses natural vision and the ability to keep the chains moving. He understands run structure, stays square through traffic, and uses his leg drive to fight through tackles. His long stride efficiency and contact balance allow him to churn out steady yardage while being explosive enough in short areas, and his technique in pass protection keeps him on the field.

Allen isn’t a natural home run hitter and lacks some foot speed to take runs the distance. His long speed caps potential big plays, and his acceleration is sudden rather than sustained. He can also lean into contact rather than maximize space. Even so, Allen’s toughness, versatility, and reliability give him legitimate three-down utility in offenses that value consistency over flash.

3. Jonah Coleman, Washington

Jonah Coleman is at his most dangerous in short areas where he operates with a compact base that can absorb contact cleanly and keep him churning through tackles, especially near the goal line. His vision inside keeps him efficient without dancing and wasting movement, and he consistently converts difficult situations into big gains.

While a functional athlete, Coleman lacks elite burst and suddenness, limiting his long speed and explosive upside. But what helps Coleman is trust. He is dependable, sustainable, and proven on all three downs. The Washington runner protects the quarterback willingly as a blocker, and has shown reliability as a receiver, catching the ball cleanly when needed, and finishes runs with intent. He projects as a dependable NFL runner whose value spikes in scoring situations and late-game scenarios.

2. Jadarian Price, Notre Dame

Jadarian Price brings game-changing speed. His burst off the handoff forces linebackers to react immediately, and once he’s vertical, space opens up. In space, his agility allows him to win without absorbing unnecessary contact, using his vision to find space and using his athleticism and change of direction to manipulate space in short areas. Meanwhile, his return-game explosiveness adds real hidden-yardage value in special teams.

But having played No. 2 to the best running back in the country, we haven’t seen the production or his ability to play at a high volume. A lack of tread on the tyres is often a good thing, but it means that some facets of the game, like his pass protection, need improvement. refinement. Still, Price doesn’t need 20 touches to change games. As a rotational weapon, his explosiveness and special-teams impact will create weekly matchup problems for defenses.

1. Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame

Jeremiyah Love is the best running back in college football and a top-five talent in the 2026 NFL Draft. When Love touches the ball, magic happens, and he is capable of high-end home run plays, but also has the nuance, mentality, and knowledge to continue moving the chains. His acceleration through creases is elite, but what sets him apart is how he sets up those lanes. Love manipulates defenders, creating leverage with timing and patience before punishing hesitation. As a receiver, he adds real mismatch value rather than functioning as a safety valve.

There is really nothing not to like about Love. Yes, his pass protection technique is still developing, particularly against complex blitz looks. But that’s the final layer. With his contact balance, stamina, and ability to impact games in multiple phases, Love projects as a true offensive centerpiece at the next level.

OWAIN JONES

College football & NFL DRAFT ANALYST

OWAIN jones COVERS EVERYTHING college football & NFL DRAFT. COMING WITH PLENTY OF EXPERIENCE, OWAIN was PREVIOUSLY a writer for pfsn and WAS THE NFL DRAFT EDITOR AT NINETY-NINE YARDS WHERE HE CREATED DRAFT TALK, YOU CAN FOLLOW HIM ON TWITTER @OwainJonesCFB_

Rated 5 out of 5