
Since the Denver Broncos announced Sean Payton as their head coach two offseasons ago, the team has yet to have a player eclipse 100 rushing yards in any of the team’s 35 games.
Looking at Denver’s depth chart, it’s easy to see why. Simply put, the Broncos’ talent at the position is not up to NFL standard, with a running back room full of players who would struggle to make a majority of NFL rosters.
Luckily for the Broncos, they have a great opportunity to alleviate this issue in the offseason as the 2025 NFL Draft class boasts one of the strongest running back classes in recent memory. In fact, there are so many draftable players at the position, that narrowing down and comparing each prospect against each other will be a difficult task for general manager George Paton and his peers.
Although difficult to separate, below are the eight best running backs in the 2025 NFL, through the lens of the Denver Broncos and Sean Payton’s offensive scheme.

Overview: One of the most electrifying running backs in the country, R.J. Harvey is one of only three collegians to rush for at least 1,400 yards in each of the last two seasons.
Maintaining extremely active feet while reading his blockers in front of him, Harvey regularly shows off his tremendous lateral agility, often using a jump cut to beat defenders to the edge or inside, to find the open crease. That lateral ability also shows up in open space, where he has a plethora of moves to beat second-level defenders with if he fails to beat them with his straight-line speed.
UCF RB RJ Harvey (5'9 208 lbs). Short compact build. Excellent vision. Quick feet. Breakaway rusher. > 50% of his runs have gone for 15+ yards the past two seasons. Love how quickly he hits the hole. Above average running through contact. High levels of production in college.… pic.twitter.com/dWajWiaxv8
— Adam Carter (@SmartfootbalI) December 26, 2024
The Golden Knight star back is also incredibly dangerous, tallying more explosive runs (defined as a carry of 10-plus yards) in 2024 than any college running back not named Ashton Jeanty.
With Harvey only being around 5-foot-9, but weighing an estimated 215 pounds, his running style is like that of a giant oversized pinball — ricocheting his way through the defense with tremendous velocity.
Pairing his great change of direction ability with his stocky size, defenders rarely get a clean hit on Harvey, allowing him to bounce off tacklers and force missed tackles.
One concern for Harvey is that he often spends quite a bit of time behind the line of scrimmage, scraping and searching for the right hole before putting his foot in the ground and getting north and south. At the collegiate level, he has found great success with this style, but against the bigger and stronger defenders in the NFL, he must be more decisive as the window for a successful run will shrink much quicker.
For the Denver Broncos: Considering the Broncos have nothing but replacement-level players at the running back position, Denver could take any archetype in this upcoming class without worrying about stepping on anyone’s toes. In Harvey’s case, he best projects as a change-of-pace back, AKA, a McLaughlin replacement. Although not the greatest blocker, Harvey can bring a similar amount of juice to the run game as McLaughlin, but with more physicality. Plus, he would be an immediate upgrade in obvious passing situations and offer more long-term upside.

Overview: Often the forgotten running back in this class, D.J. Giddens might be flying under the radar of the online scouting community, but with two massively productive seasons under his belt and the film to match, he has the potential to be a real difference-maker at the next level.
Giddens is a taller back, standing at 6-foot-1, which gives him an upright running style but he remains shockingly quick and very elusive for his size and gait. This translates well to making the unblocked man miss whether he’s in the run lane or in the open field, as Giddens also does an excellent job of playing off his blockers to transform would-be tacklers into ‘could’ve-been’ tacklers.
Another fun thing about covering CU is I get to look at some good draft-eligible players across the B12.
— Joey Richards (@LTB_Joey) October 7, 2024
DJ Giddens is one of them. Up-right running style but love this guy's vision and is shiftier than one would expect for a taller back, standing at 6'1. Averaging 7.3 YPC so… pic.twitter.com/hr1DUD2ywX
In 2024, Giddens tallied 1,343 rushing yards, notching 1,000 yards for the second consecutive season and improving on his 2023 mark by over 100 yards. Making that even more impressive though, is that he eclipsed that figure on 18 fewer attempts.
The explosivity the Kansas State product brings to the offense is demonstrated by his 6.6 yards per carry and the fact he led the Big 12 in yards after contact per carry.
Giddens was also the focal point of the Wildcats’ run-first offense and ultimately helped lead his team to a 9-4 record.
Although he’s stellar when toting the rock, Giddens is not a perfect prospect. To be a three-down back in the NFL, he must continue to work on how he makes himself useful in obvious passing situations as he has plenty to work on both as a pass-catcher and pass protector.
For the Denver Broncos: Giddens could be an attractive option in the draft as Payton desperately needs a running back with vision and run-scheme versatility to maximize the elite play of the Broncos’ offensive line and give Bo Nix some semblance of an effective run game.

Overview: A three-year starter for the Kansas Jayhawks, the scouting community has patiently waited for Devin Neal to finally declare for the NFL draft and it looks like the wait was well worth it.
The thing that immediately jumps out when studying Neal’s film is his control of tempo. He has an uncanny ability to know when to slow down to let a lane open or a defender fly by, and when to accelerate to squeeze through a gap or beat a potential tackler to the edge. Nothing ever feels rushed when Neal has the ball.
This ability is often used to set up his blockers or manipulate second-level defenders in the hole, allowing him to spring himself into the open field.
As a runner, Neal is extremely slippery. He has the feet to hit defenders with untouchable jump cuts that cross their faces, and the contact balance to stay on his toes in situations where most running backs would topple
This makes him a very dangerous player in space who coaches love to use in the screen game. You can almost hear Payton salivating now.
Devin Neal sending this defender to the shadow realm on the open-field tackle attempt. pic.twitter.com/c0pf5J8sCO
— Frankie Abbott (@FrankiesFilm) January 21, 2025
The biggest weakness of Neal’s game is his power, specifically in short-yardage situations where he’s asked to power through an oncoming tackler. At this point in Neal’s career, he just isn’t the player who will run behind his pads, deliver a pop, and squeeze out four extra yards. Strength also becomes a concern for him in pass protection, which he will have to improve if he is to become an every-down back in the NFL.
For the Denver Broncos: Neal would step into Denver’s backfield next season and be an instant upgrade to the Broncos’ ground attack, offering the vision and scheme versatility that they simply did not have last year. Many liken Neal’s skillset to Alvin Kamara, who Payton had great success with, and while he isn’t quite the level of prospect that Kamara was, Neal does seem to fit a mold Payton knows how to maximize, making him an idyllic scheme fit.

Overview: Yet another Big-12 running back, Cam Skattebo carried his offense to a conference championship and is a completely different archetype than the rest of the players on the list.
One of, if not the most physical runners in the country, at 5-foot-10 and 225 pounds, Skattebo is an absolute load to bring down at every level of the field, on every down. This personification of a boulder rolling downhill does a terrific job of running low and behind his pads, making him a player his opposition must gang tackle to bring to the ground.
Cam Skattebo is a bowling ball equipped with razor blades pic.twitter.com/DMK14nFOGz
— Liam Blutman (@Blutman27) December 7, 2024
Most running backs at Skattebo’s size are extremely limited in specific areas, like not having the lateral ability to properly hit a cutback lane in a zone concept or struggling to be a positive presence in the passing game, but that is not the case here.
Shockingly Skattebo is more than proficient with his vision and ability to sift through blockers to attack the correct hole. A similar sentiment could be used to describe him as a pass catcher as the Sun Devil has soft hands and is an adequate route runner for the running back position.
The biggest red flag the Tempe product has as a player would be his long speed. He is not the type of back who is going to pull away from second-level defenders for a touchdown in the NFL. Once he is in the league and playing against better athletes, there are valid concerns about whether he can create many explosive plays.
For the Denver Broncos: Denver has needed a lot of running back for the entirety of Sean Payton’s tenure, and the fact Skattebo could wear several hats in a split backfield and therefore remedy multiple areas of need on the Broncos’ offense. The never-say-die back could be the Broncos’ back who handles a majority of the runs inside the tackles, while also operating as a serviceable weapon in obvious passing situations, as a safety valve or extra blocker for his quarterback. Because of this, Skattebo could make a ton of sense for Denver, so long as his value isn’t over-inflated by a red-hot postseason.

Overview: A threat to score any time he touches the ball, Treveyon Henderson has the makings to be a hyper-dynamic weapon for any team that drafts him.
Henderson is a decisive runner who does a great job of scanning the line of scrimmage to find the correct hole and burst into the second level of the defense. Henderson accomplishes this with elite acceleration. He is able to quickly hit his top speed and often catch defenders off guard or blow past their pursuit angles. The Buckeye back finished fifth in the Power 4 in breakaway run (defined as a run of 15-plus yards) rate, chunking off an explosive run on 53.9% of his carries
Plus, once he’s in the open field, Henderson is a tough runner to bring down and can use his physicality to plow through contact or shake off oncoming tacklers to gain extra yards. Henderson ranked second in the Power 4 in yards after contact per attempt, averaging 4.4 extra yards after receiving his first hit.
That said, despite his impressive profile as a ball carrier, the area in Henderson’s game that scouts will be most excited about is his ability and willingness as a blocker. Although he needs some refinement with his technique, that is the only thing holding him back as a pass-protector, and it’s something that can be easily taught.
On film, you can easily see how much Henderson enjoys contact as he has laid out numerous defenders with massive hits while working in pass protection.
A quick highlight tape you didn’t expect to see today…
— Garret Price (@DynastyPrice) January 20, 2025
Running back Pass Pro/Lead Blocking
TreVeyon Henderson @TreVeyonH4 is the best in the class here🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/YEqqMVRVu9
The biggest red flag for Henderson is his durability or lack thereof.
Henderson missed multiple games in both his second and third seasons with Ohio State, suggesting that he probably shouldn’t be used as an offense’s workhorse back who is seeing 20-plus touches a game. That notion is further bolstered by the fact that this last year was Henderson’s healthiest collegiate season, and it came with him splitting backfield touches with fellow draft prospect Quinshon Judkins.
Thankfully for Denver, that shouldn’t bother them as much as it might other teams.
For the Denver Broncos: Last season the Broncos desperately needed some added juice literally anywhere on offense — not just at running back. Outside of Marvin Mims, none of the team’s offensive weapons could reliably break off chunk plays consistently. With Henderson, that would change overnight. The Broncos would add some much-needed explosiveness to their attack while also fixing a major position of need. Plus, although durability is a concern for Henderson, with Sean Payton’s ‘running back by committee’ approach, he would never have to be the lone workhorse for the offense, mitigating that issue.

Overview: Kaleb Johnson is one of the most polished runners in the class, with the makings to be a regular 1,000-yard rusher and lead back for an NFL offense quickly and for a long time.
At 225 pounds, Johnson is one of the more robust backs in the class, but he remains an extremely fluid and nimble runner who never stalls out trying to do too much behind the line of scrimmage.
Johnson’s most appealing attribute is his vision, which should be music to the ears of Broncos fans who just suffered through a few seasons of Javonte Williams. The Hawkeye runner is patient enough to allow his blocks to develop in front of him while also demonstrating an extreme allergy to negative plays, as his decisiveness, power and ability to maintain downhill momentum rarely allow him to be tackled in the backfield.
The 2024 Big Ten Running Back of the Year and consensus First-Team All-American compounds this mastery of how to surpass the defensive front with a natural understanding of how to use blockers to set up second-level defenders and spring himself free for massive gains.
I really love the patience I see on film from Kaleb Johnson (#Iowa RB).
— SCOUTD (@scoutdnfl) December 14, 2024
He’s consistently waiting for blocks to develop. He plays with a calm demeanour.
I see a little bit of Mixon/Mostert to his game, and welcoming better comps. pic.twitter.com/TrN87kWL9g
Johnson also does a fantastic job at fighting through contact, trailing the aforementioned Treveyon Henderson by just .01 yards after contact per carry, good for the third-best mark in the Power 4. As a runner, describing him as violent would be wrong, as he’s more of a human tank — effortlessly absorbing damage and lumbering forward to squeeze every last yard out of each attempt.
As far as his negatives, like Skattebo, Johnson lacks the top-end explosivity to take the top off a defense. He has a desirable amount of burst, as he’s able to ratchet into his second gear very quickly, but he’s easily hawked down from behind in open space by faster defenders. Johnson is not the home-run threat like some others on this list, like Henderson or Harvey, are.
Another issue in his game is that he has a pretty simple route tree. Johnson is not the type of player an offensive coordinator should look to hit on a big wheel route down the sideline or ask to run a crispy Texas route across the middle. That said, upgrading what Javonte Williams’ has provided as a receiver should be achievable.
For the Denver Broncos: The Broncos haven’t had a running back anywhere close to as talented as Johnson during Sean Payton’s tenure. His combination of elite vision, short-area burst, physicality, and the frame to handle a large number of touches would give Denver the first true lead back the Mile High City has had in a long time. Johnson may be best utilized in a scheme that leans more heavily into outside zone concepts, but overall he is scheme-versatile and would fit in Denver. For Payton and the Broncos, Johnson would be a massive asset and make a tremendous year-one impact on the running game, and in turn, the offense as a whole.

Overview: Omarion Hampton is an absolute wrecking ball and is the best back on this list when it comes to making something out of nothing.
The two-time First-Team All-American is a broken tackle machine who runs low behind his pads, packing a bigger punch than prime-era Mike Tyson. It almost always takes multiple defenders to bring him to the turf, allowing Hampton to consistently turn should-be negative plays into positive plays for the North Carolina offense. His jaw-dropping force and tenacious running sees him often dragging defenders with him for extra yardage.
This skill set was demonstrated by the fact that, despite Hampton not getting the benefit of a solid offensive line, he was still able to rush for 1,660 yards and 15 touchdowns, on an average of 5.9 yards per carry.
Omarion Hampton would be touted as an elite RB1 prospect in any other year.
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) January 11, 2025
Contact balance, burst, vision, hands. Reminds me of All-Pro David Johnson. pic.twitter.com/9aiEm0RpCG
Don’t let the logo on Hampton’s helmet and his forceful running style give you PTSD though.
Unlike another Tar Heel running back currently on the Broncos, Hampton has great vision to pair with his special running ability. This helps him make the most out of every touch, as he demonstrates the patience to allow his blocks to develop and also has the wherewithal to regularly identify the correct gap and get to the second level.
It is not easy to poke too many holes in Hampton’s game but he can become a better pass-protector, as he currently lacks quality blocking technique, making him more of a projection in that facet of the game. That said, he has every tool to suggest he should thrive in obvious passing situations given some time to develop.
Additionally, Hampton isn’t especially elusive, and won’t often beat a defender with a silky jump cut or tight spin move. He will run through you with a smile but lacks the open-field wiggle to make defenders miss in space.
For the Denver Broncos: At the end of the day, I would not be shocked if Hampton were in consideration for the Broncos first-round selection. Working so well between the tackles while also offering the explosiveness to rip off chunk plays, Hampton would fit perfectly in Payton’s offense and give Bo Nix a much more potent run game to lean on.

Overview: A Heisman Trophy finalist coming off a historic campaign, Jeanty is undoubtedly the best running back prospect in the 2025 NFL draft.
Jeanty is a shorter back, at 5-foot-9, but with an estimated weight of 215 pounds, he offers a stocky frame and low-to-the-ground running style which melds to create the best contact balance in the draft. Whether he’s asked to shake off an opposing defender or run directly through their face, Jeanty is a nightmare for defenders to get a grasp on, let alone tackle, because of the natural leverage his size creates, the angry running style he possesses, and the elusiveness he uses as a change-up.
ASHTON JEANTY'S FIRST TOUCH IS A TD 🤯😤
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 5, 2024
(via @CFBONFOX) pic.twitter.com/4Tbf7vvx56
To go along with that, he has great vision, which helps him quickly diagnose what’s happening on any given play. That, and his exceptional burst, enables him to constantly find the defense’s second level. Once in space, Jeanty has more than enough speed to break away from the defense and create explosive runs, turning 20-yard gains into 60-yard touchdown scampers.
Although he’s the best runner in the class, Jeanty should strive to become a better pass protector, as his technique isn’t consistent, which sometimes allows pressures or sacks. At the next level, Jeanty needs to become better at leveraging his size to halt defenders in their tracks instead of allowing them to impact the play.
For the Denver Broncos: If Jeanty fell to the Broncos’ pick in the first round, he would make a ton of sense in terms of need and instant impact. The Boise State Bronco is ready for the NFL immediately and would thrive behind Denver’s offensive line. It is hard to imagine a more dramatic realistic upgrade for this roster than replacing last season’s running backs with Jeanty.