Josh Frey’s 2026 NFL Draft Rankings: Running Backs
The NFL Combine has officially arrived, and things are heating up as we hurl towards the 2026 NFL Draft this April.
One of the more interesting positions in this year’s draft comes at the running back position. It’s a class that has a star at the top, a solid second tier of players, and then a third tier that very well could become immediate contributors at the NFL level. Here are my initial 2026 NFL Draft running back rankings.
1. Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
There is very little that Jeremiyah Love can’t do, which is why he lands at the No. 1 spot of this list. It’s not particularly close, either.
Love’s athletic ability is elite and jumps off the screen every time he takes the field. His speed is about as untouchable as it gets, and he gets up to that top speed in a hurry out of the backfield. On top of that ridiculous athletic ability while carrying the ball, the Notre Dame product can immediately be plugged into an NFL offense’s passing scheme. He caught 25 of his 28 targets either behind the line of scrimmage or from 0-9 yards, and he averaged 9.7 yards after the catch.
The one area where Love can be knocked is his ability in pass protection when he does stay near the pocket on passing downs. At 6 feet tall and 214 pounds, he isn’t particularly built to hold up as a blocker, but with his receiving ability, he shouldn’t be in this role too much to begin with.
2. Jonah Coleman, Washington
Jonah Coleman is a bowling ball at the running back position at 5’9″ and 228 pounds, and that makes him a very difficult player for opposing defenses to tackle.
Coleman is a very physical player and absorbs contact as well as any running back in this draft class. He is very patient behind the line of scrimmage, is a great workhorse back, and he can also contribute in pass protection and as a receiver. He caught 31 passes this past season with the Washington Huskies. On top of that, his ball security is elite. He fumbled just twice throughout his collegiate career on 639 touches.
Coleman’s ceiling is limited by his lack of breakaway speed, meaning he probably won’t ever be a competitor to lead the NFL in rushing yards. Still, he should have a long, productive NFL career and could go down as the modern day version of Frank Gore if he lives up to his potential.
3. Emmett Johnson, Nebraska
It’s been awhile since Nebraska has had a high end running back, but Emmett Johnson changed the tides in the backfield this season for the Cornhuskers. He became the first Nebraska running back with 1000+ yards since Devine Ozigbo in 2018.
Johnson thrives in zone running schemes, and he was one of the most explosive playmakers out of the backfield in all of college football this season. His 36 carries of 10+ yards tied for sixth in the FBS. He also led all running backs in the FBS with 46 receptions.
At 5’11” and 200 pounds, Johnson has a sturdy frame to along with outstanding breakaway speed and ability to change directions on a dime. He needs to get better as a blocker if he wants to truly help an NFL passing game, but with the receiving ability, he can get away with being a checkdown option (or down the field receiver option) more than a blocking presence.
4. Jadarian Price, Notre Dame
While Jeremiyah Love stole much of the spotlight at Notre Dame this past year, Jadarian Price should not be overlooked heading into this draft. In an offense that had a top Heisman candidate in Love, Price still managed to get 120 carries in 2024 and 113 carries in 2025.
There’s a reason for that: Price is a very effective player. Every movement Price makes in the backfield seems effortless and entirely intentional. He has a terrific ability to make cuts in the blink of an eye, leaving defenses with virtually no time to react, or he’ll be gone.
That being said, there are some questions that could impact his placement in the draft. We’ve never seen him be a lead running back at the collegiate level, which is a very unique position for a player who is widely considered to be a Day 2 selection. He could also have some trouble staying on the field on third downs, particularly in passing situations. He only caught 15 passes over the course of his three years at Notre Dame.
5. Kaytron Allen, Penn State
Like Coleman, Kaytron Allen has a very sturdy frame that keeps his legs churning through defenders. Of his 1303 rushing yards this season, 792 of them came after contact. That was the 16th-most in all of the FBS this past year.
Allen (5’11”, 229 pounds) has been a very productive player at Penn State since he arrived in 2022, totaling at least 167 carries in all four of his seasons with the Nittany Lions. He’s proven time and time again that he can be a workhorse, and a very explosive burst allows him to get to the second level of a defense in a hurry.
However, he also lacks that true home run speed like Coleman. Unlike Coleman, though, Allen also has struggled as a receiver, which may force him off the field on third down passing situations. In 2025, he caught 18 passes for just 68 yards.
6. Demond Claiborne, Wake Forest
Demond Claiborne is a home run hitter at the running back position. He has breakaway speed that few can keep up with in space, and he possesses outstanding lateral quickness, forcing missed tackles in open space.
On top of the abilities on offense, Claiborne can also contribute on special teams as a kick returner. He took two kickoffs to the house during his collegiate career before giving up the role during the 2025 season.
However, at 5’10” and 195 pounds, he doesn’t really have the build to be a lead back at the NFL level, which likely will limit his ceiling.
7. Mike Washington, Arkansas
Mike Washington has a real chance to be one of the steals of this draft class if he ends up falling into the middle rounds. He has elite size at 6’2″ and 228 pounds, and he almost certainly will threaten 4.4 speed in the 40 yard dash at the NFL Combine.
Washington has great vision in the backfield, patiently waiting for lanes to open up before using that explosive ability to pick up yards in a hurry with big strides. He also has a knack for falling forward which is what you want to see in a running back prospect to pick up an extra yard or two.
So what gives? Why is he not a top 5 running back in this class? Well, the fumble issues could be catastrophic for him at the NFL level. He fumbled 10 times during his five-year collegiate career, including seven fumbles over the past two seasons.
8. Le’Veon Moss, Texas A&M
Like Mike Washington, Le’Veon Moss has the tools to be an NFL running back. He has a punishing running style and pushes through contact to gain extra yards (big, physical guys are a theme of this RB class if you haven’t noticed).
His balance and patience in the backfield is a notable strength that draws some comparison to Le’Veon Bell, and when he does decide to burst through a hole, he does it with explosive speed and power.
All that being said, injury troubles have followed Moss throughout his collegiate career. In four years, he never managed to play 10 games at Texas A&M, suffering serious ankle and knee injuries in his career. If he stays healthy, Moss can surpass this draft ranking, but it’s hard to bank too much on that right now.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Focus and Sports Reference CFB helped with this article.
You must be logged in to post a comment.