This year’s NFL Draft is full of elite running back talent. Obvious talents such as Ashton Jeanty and TreVeyon Henderson will go in the mid to early first round. As a result, there are a few that will go overlooked. However, they will still make a name for themselves and become steals for their respective teams that will eventually draft them. Just look at the impact Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back, Bucky Irving, has already had in the NFL. He is a prime example of a sleeper running back in last year’s NFL Draft. With all of this in mind, here are three running backs who appear to be major sleepers in the upcoming draft.
Three Sleepers at Running Back to Keep an Eye on in the Upcoming 2025 NFL Draft
DJ Giddens-Kansas State
DJ Giddens is one of the quickest running backs in this year’s draft class. He has great “stop-start,” ability. Giddens logged 1,343 rushing yards and 111.9 rushing yards per game last year with Kansas State. He does need to improve in the passing game, but a team looking for some explosiveness in their backfield could still get great use out of Giddens. After a great NFL Combine performance where he ran a 4.43, 40-yard dash, expect plenty of teams to have Giddens on their radar.
RJ Harvey-UCF
For anyone looking for a back that isn’t afraid of yards after contact, RJ Harvey is your man. At five-foot-eight and 205 pounds, Harvey is one of the most physical runners in this year’s NFL Draft. Harvey logged an impressive 22 touchdowns and also averaged 6.8 rushing yards per attempt in his last collegiate season. Moreover, his pass-catching ability will make him a versatile player some teams could utilize on all three downs. In today’s passing league, there will always be a place for a player like RJ Harvey.
Woody Marks-USC
Marks is a running back with elite vision and has the ability to make multiple defenders miss in the open field. He played five years in college. The first four years he spent with Mississippi State then his last season was with USC. During Marks’ one year at USC, he recorded 1,133 rushing yards, nine rushing touchdowns, and 5.7 rushing yards per attempt. While Marks and the aforementioned running backs may not dominate the headlines for the NFL Draft, one should not discount the potential impact they could have once in the NFL. This year’s draft class is certainly rich with talent in the backfield.
