{"id":9190,"date":"2025-04-11T14:59:43","date_gmt":"2025-04-11T14:59:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/?p=9190"},"modified":"2025-04-12T07:40:37","modified_gmt":"2025-04-12T07:40:37","slug":"2025-nfl-draft-preview-jeanty-running-back","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.365scores.com\/news\/2025-nfl-draft-preview-jeanty-running-back","title":{"rendered":"2025 NFL Draft Preview: Ashton Jeanty to Lead the Rebirth of the Running Back?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

With less than two weeks to go now, the 2025 NFL<\/a> Draft could see teams reach at quarterback<\/a> and wide receiver<\/a> given the importance of finding those players at cost. But the NFL has gone through an extended period where running backs<\/strong> were no longer receiving lucrative deals or going that high in the draft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After the 2024 NFL season, we could see a rebirth of the running back position, or at least a resurgence in teams using decent capital to spend on a workhorse back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In his first season with the Eagles, Saquon Barkley<\/a> rushed for over 2,000 yards on the way to a Super Bowl win, and he just became the first running back in NFL history to sign a contract<\/a> worth over $20 million per season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Derrick Henry<\/a> had a big impact on the Ravens\u2019 offense as well, helping Lamar Jackson to career-best numbers. There were other backs who changed teams and had productive playoff seasons too, including Josh Jacobs (Packers), Aaron Jones (Vikings), Joe Mixon (Texans), and J.K. Dobbins (Chargers).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With defenses adjusting to take away the deep pass so much, it was only a matter of time before some teams started countering with more runs, and the key change was less committee approach and more runs from the same back. The 2024 season saw six backs reach 300 carries, which is more than the last three seasons combined (five).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s a running back in the 2025 draft class, Ashton Jeanty<\/a>, who figures to be the highest pick at running back since Barkley went No. 2 overall to the Giants in 2018<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But don\u2019t misunderstand the lessons learned in the 2024 season. A quality running back can still make a team better, but it\u2019s a luxury pick for a team that\u2019s already stacked if you\u2019re spending a premium on a position where you can easily find serviceable play in cheaper ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Eagles and Ravens were already playoff teams and Super Bowl contenders before Barkley and Henry joined them. Barkley\u2019s rushing was literally the only part of the Eagles that didn\u2019t have a good game in the Super Bowl blowout<\/a> over the Chiefs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The problem with spending a really high draft pick on a running back is those teams usually don\u2019t have the offensive line and\/or quarterback in place to really make the most of it. Jeanty is likely the only back who will command attention for a top pick this year, but it\u2019ll be interesting to see if teams are more willing to use their second-round picks on backs after seeing the success so many had last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just remember, ground game success starts in the trenches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using the prospect rankings from NFL Mock Draft Database<\/a>, we are going to look at the top five running backs this year who are ranked among the top 60 prospects, how their skills might translate to the NFL, and which team would be the best landing spot for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n