The Running Back Options for the Vikings in the 2026 NFL Draft
The Minnesota Vikings historically have struggled to run the football consistently to this point in the Kevin O’Connell era.
2025 was widely considered their most successful season in that department, but still, Minnesota 23rd in rushing yards (1841), 18th in rushing touchdowns (15), and 11th in yards per carry (4.5). With the team still very much a middle of the pack group in the rushing department despite some revamps to the offensive line last year, the Vikings could be looking to change things in their running back room.
One way the Vikings could try to do that is through the 2026 NFL Draft. Here are the top five running backs Minnesota could pick up in the first three rounds this April.
Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
It’s a long shot, especially now that the Vikings finished their season at 9-8, but Jeremiyah Love could be an option if a miracle happened and he fell into the late teens this spring. Love brings a little bit of everything out of the backfield. He’s fast, shifty, balanced enough to bounce off tacklers, and he can be a receiver.
He might not quite have the athletic repertoire of a Bijan Robinson, but Love was one of the most highly productive players in all of college football over the past two years, totaling 2,497 yards rushing and 35 touchdowns since 2024. There’s a very strong chance that he ends up in the top 10 of this spring’s draft.
Jonah Coleman, Washington
Jonah Coleman is one of my favorite players that I’ve watched from this draft class so far. The man 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 absorbs contact with the best of them, and his balance will be a very attractive trait to NFL teams this spring. He won’t blow anyone away with top end speed, but there isn’t anything Coleman doesn’t do well. 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.
Coleman can certainly contribute at the NFL level, but because of his lack of top end speed, he likely will be available for the Vikings in the second or even third round.
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. If the Vikings want someone who can help in the passing game too, Johnson might be their guy after leading 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 he can be a difference maker in an NFL offense this year.
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. There were also some fumble concerns this year with three of them all near the goal line.
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. However, unlike Coleman, 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. That very likely will cause him to fall into the third round this spring.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Focus helped with this article.
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