• Jeremiyah Love is the jewel of the running back class: Love enters his first year of draft eligibility with a strong case to be RB1 in the 2026 NFL Draft. He was a key piece of Notre Dame’s 2024 national championship run, posting a stellar 91.8 rushing grade.

• Jaydn Ott will look to return to top form: Ott was one of college football’s most electric underclassmen at Cal, earning 90.1 and 89.5 rushing grades as a freshman and sophomore. His 2024 campaign was a step back, as he dropped to a 70.8 rushing grade after suffering an ankle injury in Week 1 that clearly limited him as he tried to play through it.

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Our early ranking series for the 2026 NFL Draft rolls on after kicking things off with quarterbacks. Now, it’s time to turn our attention to the running back class — a group that promises plenty of intrigue.

Value at the position is often in the eye of the beholder, heavily influenced by the offenses they’re drafted into. With that in mind, there’s always a bit of “favorite flavor” when ranking backs. Here’s how my list stacks up entering the season.

1 . Jeremiyah Love, NOTRE DAME

Love enters his first year of draft eligibility with a strong case to be RB1 in the 2026 NFL Draft. He was a key piece of Notre Dame’s 2024 national championship run, posting a stellar 91.8 rushing grade. A former high school track state champion, Love’s speed shows up on tape — he logged seven runs over 20 mph last season, per PFF’s in-game athleticism tracking.

He’s more than just a home-run hitter, though. Love excelled in PFF’s stable metrics, forcing 0.38 missed tackles per attempt and averaging 4.4 yards after contact per carry — both above the 94th percentile for running backs.

2. JAYDN OTT, OKLAHOMA

Ott was one of college football’s most electric underclassmen at Cal, earning 90.1 and 89.5 rushing grades as a freshman and sophomore. His 2024 campaign was a step back, as he dropped to a 70.8 rushing grade after suffering an ankle injury in Week 1 that clearly limited him as he tried to play through it.

When healthy, Ott displays excellent vision and patience, particularly behind man/gap run-blocking concepts — traits that translate well to the NFL. He’s also a proven pass-catching threat, topping 215 receiving yards in all three of his collegiate seasons. Now at Oklahoma, if Ott can return to his 2023 form while facing SEC competition, he has the tools to be one of the top backs in the 2026 class.

3. NICHOLAS SINGLETON, PENN STATE

At 6-foot, 220 pounds, Singleton pairs elite size with rare athleticism. A former Gatorade Player of the Year in high school and all-county track sprinter (100m, 200m, 4×100 relay), he’s already been clocked at a sub-4.4 40-yard dash at over 220 pounds, per Bruce Feldman. On tape, Singleton delivers plenty of “wow” moments, flashing both breakaway speed and punishing power.

However, his efficiency metrics — missed tackles forced and yards after contact — are lower than expected for a back with his physical profile. That said, he’s a proven receiving threat, topping 300 yards through the air in each of the past two seasons. If Singleton can elevate his consistency and efficiency, his elite traits could push him into the RB1 conversation.

4. JONAH COLEMAN, WASHINGTON

Coleman has been a PFF favorite throughout his college career. Across three seasons — two at Arizona and one at Washington — he earned rushing grades of 86.7, 93.4 and 88.7. He’s also posted three consecutive seasons with a missed tackles forced per attempt average of 0.35 or higher, landing him in the 98th percentile for that metric.

At 225 pounds, Coleman runs with authority and excels behind his pads. However, he appears to lack the top-end athleticism that typically separates NFL backs. Still, that hasn’t slowed his production at the college level, and he could prove capable of overcoming those physical limitations in the pros as well.

5. QUINTEN JOYNER, TEXAS TECH

Joyner’s spot in the top five is more about projecting his future potential than rewarding past production. At USC last season, he played behind Woody Marks and saw just 64 total rushing attempts. But in that limited sample, he earned a 90.0 rushing grade with elite efficiency, forcing 0.33 missed tackles per attempt and averaging 4.5 yards after contact.

Joyner’s fast footwork and playmaker’s mentality make him a natural at slipping past defenders. Now at Texas Tech, we’ll see if he can sustain that level of efficiency with a full workload.

6. C.J. BAXTER, TEXAS

At 6-foot-1, 231 pounds, former five-star recruit Baxter has all the tools for a breakout season. He appeared in 12 games with six starts as a true freshman in 2023 before a torn ACL sidelined him for all of 2024. His production so far isn’t eye-popping (74.6 rushing grade in 2023), but his upside is undeniable. Baxter pairs soft hands in the passing game with a rare blend of smooth movement and explosive burst, giving him fast play speed at prototypical NFL size.

7. DEMOND CLAIBORNE, WAKE FOREST

Claiborne is slightly undersized by NFL standards at 5-foot-10 and 195 pounds, but he makes up for it with pro-level top speed once he finds open space. In Wake Forest’s long mesh, RPO-heavy offense, he sometimes walks the line between patience and hesitancy. But when he commits, his burst is undeniable.

While light for a pass blocker, Claiborne shows strong vision in protection and takes pride in the role. He’s also a capable receiver, earning a 73.4 receiving grade in 2024, and has fumbled just once on over 375 career carries. To rise into the top tier of this running back class, he’ll need to generate more production after contact, as he’s averaged only 3.1 yards after contact per attempt in his career.

8. MEKHI HUGHES, OREGON

Hughes was highly productive in his two seasons with Tulane, earning rushing grades of 89.2 and 90.9 across 527 total carries while piling up over 2,700 rushing yards. His efficiency metrics have been solid, with a career average of 0.24 missed tackles forced per attempt and 3.9 yards after contact per carry.

However, he leaves room for improvement as a receiver. He’s recorded four drops on 26 career targets and posted receiving grades below 55.0 in each of the past two seasons. On the ground, he’s a classic one-cut back, well-suited for inside and mid-zone concepts, with a physical, pinball-like running style that keeps defenders on edge.

9. KAYTRON ALLEN, PENN STATE

“Fat Man,” as his mother playfully nicknamed him as a child — a name that’s stuck ever since — is a power back through and through. At 5-foot-11, 220 pounds, he runs behind his pads with authority, and when he delivers a hit, defenders feel it. He’s consistently averaged over 3.0 yards after contact per attempt throughout his career, thanks to his strong leg drive.

However, his game is somewhat one-dimensional. He lacks wiggle and elite top-end speed, traits that could limit his ceiling at the next level. Still, with single-season rushing grades above 84.0 in each of his three years, he profiles as a reliable short-yardage and rotational back in an NFL offense.

10. LE’VEON MOSS, TEXAS A&M

Moss, a former high school track sprinter in the 100m and 200m, brings that top-end speed to the football field. He posted in-game athleticism scores above 81.0 in each of the past two seasons and looks tailor-made for an outside zone rushing scheme, where he earned a 79.1 rushing grade in 2024. His 4.4 yards after contact per attempt (94th percentile) also underscores his impressive contact balance.

A season-ending knee injury in November 2024 halted his breakout campaign, and returning to form will be critical. But before the injury, Moss was showing flashes of NFL-caliber ability.