The 2026 NFL Draft is right around the corner, and with the marquee weekend of the offseason nearly here, the hype and excitement surrounding this year's event is already heating up.
Over the next several weeks, we're taking a look at some position groups in this year's class while examining a handful of names to know. Here's what we've covered so far:
We'll continue with the running backs.
Five Names to Know
Depending on where you look, the various experts from around the web have identified a handful of players who are widely considered the top running back prospects in this year's class.
Here's a look at five players to know.
Jeremiyah Love – Notre Dame
Measurables: 6-foot-0, 212 pounds
Snapshot: The Doak Walker Award recipient as the top running back in the nation last year, Love racked up 1,372 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns while averaging 6.9 yards-per-carry.
Big Board Rankings:
Daniel Jeremiah Top 50 4.0 (NFL.com - April 1): No. 2 overall (No. 1 RB)
Dane Brugler Top 100 (The Athletic - Feb. 11): No. 3 overall (No. 1 RB)
Matt Miller Top 50 (ESPN – March 5): No. 1 overall (No. 1 RB)
Pro Football Focus: No. 3 overall (No. 1 RB)
Expert Analysis:
NFL.com: "Love is a dynamic weapon as a runner and receiver. On inside runs, he runs high/narrow, but he explodes to and through the hole. He will drop a level lower on contact and has the lower-leg drive to bounce off defenders. He doesn't always let things develop because he can get skinny through narrow passages. He has elite speed on outside runs to capture the corner and take it the distance. He has a rare ability to make defenders miss without gearing down. His spin move is electric. In the passing game, he can run routes like a wideout. He's smooth, polished and natural. He plucks the ball effortlessly. In pass protection, he is both aware and willing, but he's best utilized out in the route. Overall, Love is a home run hitter and will immediately expand the playbook for his drafting team."
The Athletic: "With his easy acceleration, Love can excel on perimeter runs or when given a runway to create big plays (he led the FBS this past season with eight plays of 20-plus yards). He has a compact, linear build and plays with the physicality and run strength to stay on his feet through contact, as well as the short-area cutting skills to sidestep defenders without downshifting his speed. For some teams, Love will have a higher draft grade than Ashton Jeanty last year."
ESPN: "Love is an elite modern running back with true three-down skills. He has home run speed, with multiple 90-plus-yard runs in his college career. He's also a skilled receiver, hauling in 64 catches and six touchdown receptions in his three seasons. But Love isn't just a speed back. He can deliver violent hits at the point of attack and has the contact balance to bounce off tacklers and stay upright. With 4.36 speed and sweet open-field moves, Love is the closest thing to Reggie Bush as a prospect since he entered the NFL in 2006."
PFF: "Simply put, Jeremiyah Love is what a first-round running back looks like: frame, athleticism, coordination and playmaker mentality. He brings true impact value in the running and passing games."
For more on Love, check out his draft profile at NFL.com.
Jadarian Price – Notre Dame
Measurables: 5-foot-11, 203 pounds
Snapshot: Jeremiyah Love's teammate at Notre Dame, Price was a finalist for the Paul Hornung Award in 2025 as the nation's most versatile player. He rushed for 674 yards and 11 touchdowns on 113 carries last season.
Big Board Rankings:
Daniel Jeremiah Top 50 4.0 (NFL.com - April 1): No. 39 overall (No. 2 RB)
Dane Brugler Top 100 (The Athletic - Feb. 11): No. 51 overall (No. 2 RB)
Matt Miller Top 50 (ESPN – March 5): No. 45 overall (No. 2 RB)
Pro Football Focus: No. 56 overall (No. 2 RB)
Expert Analysis:
NFL.com: "Price is a compact running back with terrific vision and balance. He split carries with Jeremiyah Love in Notre Dame's offense. Price is a patient runner, letting blocks develop before bursting through the line of scrimmage. He runs low to the ground and has supreme contact balance. He is adept at stepping through low tackles and can make defenders miss in space. Price has reliable hands, but Love handled the bulk of the pass-catching duties out of the backfield. In pass protection, Price is quick to identify blitzers and closes the distance before launching into the defender…He provides home run ability as a kickoff returner, taking two for touchdowns in 2025. Overall, Price is overshadowed by his former teammate (Love), but the Notre Dame product has NFL-starter traits."
The Athletic: "With square, low pads, Price changes gears quickly to anticipate lanes and cut through them. He can strafe behind the line to out-leverage pursuit and smartly uses his blocking to create running room. He averaged fewer than 10 offensive touches per game in both 2024 (7.8) and in 2025 (9.9), so he'll enter the league with plenty of tread left on his tires."
ESPN: "The second-best running back in the class was the backup to the top-ranked one. Price is an all-around back with power and the burst to quickly turn small openings into big gains. His long speed stands out, but his shifty side-to-side moves are just as impressive. A zone-heavy offensive scheme would fit well with his great vision and jump-cut speed, as well as his upside as a receiver. Price can make an impact as a returner, too, with three career punt return touchdowns."
PFF: "Price has the look, strength and explosiveness of an NFL back. His vision and anticipation for space can be hot and cold behind man-blocking concepts between the tackles, but in a zone-blocking scheme, he can be an effective part of a two-man backfield."
For more on Price, check out his draft profile at NFL.com.
Mike Washington Jr. – Arkansas
Measurables: 6-foot-1, 223 pounds
Snapshot: Washington spent time at Buffalo (2021-23) and New Mexico State (2024) before rushing for 1,070 yards and eight touchdowns for Arkansas last season. His 4.33-second 40-yard dash led all running backs at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Big Board Rankings:
Matt Miller Top 50 (ESPN – March 5): Not Ranked (No. 3 RB)
Pro Football Focus: No. 71 overall (No. 3 RB)
Expert Analysis:
PFF: "Washington brings alluring size, straight-line speed and yards-after-contact potential as a power back, but also noticeably good vision and footwork to be a potential early-down back in a committee in a man- or gap-scheme run game."
For more on Washington, check out his draft profile at NFL.com.
Emmett Johnson – Nebraska
Measurables: 5-foot-10, 202 pounds
Snapshot: A Second-Team Associated Press All-American, Johnson led the FBS with 151.8 all-purpose yards-per-game in 2025. The leading rusher in the Big 10, he also ranked fourth in the FBS with 1,451 rushing yards to go along with 12 touchdowns.
Big Board Rankings:
Dane Brugler Top 100 (The Athletic - Feb. 11): No. 92 overall (No. 3 RB)
Matt Miller Top 50 (ESPN – March 5): Not Ranked (No. 4 RB)
Pro Football Focus: No. 137 overall (No. 6 RB)
Expert Analysis:
The Athletic: "With his agile cutting skills, Johnson is explosive laterally and has the sharp footwork and shifty body movements to give defenders the slip. His feet can get a little bounce-happy at times, but he makes it work by pressing the line and setting up open-field defenders. His pass-catching savvy will be an asset for him."
PFF: "Johnson brings excellent footwork and quickness to the backfield, with good receiving ability to boot. His résumé is of a player who can be successful in man- or gap-blocking concepts, with three-down potential, especially as a receiver."
For more on Johnson, check out his draft profile at NFL.com.
Nicholas Singleton – Penn State
Measurables: 6-foot-0, 219 pounds
Snapshot: A four-year contributor for the Nittany Lions, Singleton's 53 career total touchdowns surpassed Saquon Barkley for the most in school history. He accounted for 4,448 scrimmage yards across his 53 career games.
Big Board Rankings:
Matt Miller Top 50 (ESPN – March 5): Not Ranked (No. 5 RB)
Pro Football Focus: No. 146 overall (No. 7 RB)
Expert Analysis:
PFF: "Singleton is a gifted athlete, particularly for his size. He has the physical tools to be a productive NFL back…He offers legitimate third-down potential as a capable receiver and generally reliable pass protector, though he must eliminate the occasional negative play in pass protection."
For more on Singleton, check out his draft profile at NFL.com.
