Jared Zhang's 2026 NFL RB BIG BOARD
INTRODUCTIONS
My name is Jared Zhang, and I have been doing draft evaluations for the past few years. While I started off as a hobbyist, I have been blessed with the opportunity to write for a draft publication and intern for an agent during my scouting journey so far. Throughout the draft cycle, I will be dropping positional big boards as I get through initial watches and rechecks. This document will be updated throughout the cycle with updated grades, new players, and linked reports. The main updates will come after all declaration results come out about underclassman prospects.
For positions where players may switch positions in the NFL (this is mainly talking about OL), I will give a brief note at the beginning of my rankings articles on where I have the player listed currently (Ex. in 2025 I would have listed on the top of my 2025 OT big board that I had Grey Zabel as an OG despite him being a college OT).
GRADING
With grading being different per evaluator, I am grading not based on where I believe players will go in the NFL, but more on what I believe they can be as an NFL player. I have what I look for in each grade for an WR listed below. For anyone who has any off-field/medical issues that can affect their draft position, they will have a * with a note explaining the issue (Ex. I would put a * down for Josh Simmons due to his patellar tendon issue and reported off-field concerns). This means that the grade given to the players is purely based on film evaluations, so there will be players whose grades will not match up with where I believe they should be drafted (Ex. a 5th year senior with an injury history and off-field issues could have listed a day two round film grade, but they should be selected in day three). Grades themselves are range estimations for my evaluations on prospects. Players can creep into the back end of a higher tier (Ex. an early day two grade can be a late day one player).
Blue Chip - Prospects who are immediate high-level contributors with the potential to be OPOTY level talents. These players change how your offense can function beyond just being efficient ball carriers. Blue-chip RBs should be high-level ball carriers, pass catchers, and athletes (Ex. Ashton Jeanty, Bijan Robinson, Saquon Barkley)
Day One - Prospects who are immediately your lead RB with the ability to be playable on all three downs. These RBs will eventually be perennial Pro Bowl+ level starters and also change how defense have to play the run. The main difference between day one and blue chip grades is the lack of elite necessary positional traits or skillsets (Ex. a RB being stiffer, smaller, etc) (Ex. Jahmyr Gibbs, Travis Etienne, Mark Ingram).
Early Day Two - Prospects who can immediately be your lead RB, but have athletic or third-down limitations that prevent Day One+ grading. These RBs should be productive starters with the potential to make occasional Pro Bowls in good years. (Ex. Javonte Williams, Miles Sanders, Dalvin Cook).
Mid-to-Late Day Two - Prospects who are capable of being a lead RB, but they would operate best in a committee with a capable RB2. These players lack the athletic tools to be eventual Pro Bowl talents, but they are backs worth seeing major playing time on offense (Ex. Devin Singletary, David Montgomery, Rachaad White).
Early Day Three - Prospects who project primarily as quality RB2 pieces who are unlikely to be capable of being a lead RB due to physical limitations. These RBs are capable of receiving carries while being good special teamers, blockers, and pass catchers. By being able to do multiple depth roles well, these RBs are really valuable despite limited rushing workload (Ex. Sione Vaki, Ray Davis, Will Shipley).
Mid-to-Late Day Three - Prospects who project purely as depth to fill in the back-end of rosters. The main difference between early day three and mid-to-late day three RBs is the inability to fill in multiple roles for a team and/or limitations as ball carriers. Commonly, these are pure third-down RBs without ball carrying ability, slow power RBs without pass catching ability, or fast scat backs who lack the size to block and run between the tackles (Ex. Dylan Laube, Kenny McIntosh, Boston Scott).
PUDFA-Camp - Prospects who do not have draftable talent, but can develop into rosterable NFL players with time on a PS or with multiple stints on preseason rosters. The main difference in the undrafted prospects is what kind of roster spot they are ready to compete for (PUDFA grades are practice squad locks with a chance at a 53-man spot, UDFA are preseason T-90 locks with a chance at a practice squad spot who should win a T-90 preseason spot, Camp grades have a chance at a preseason T-90 roster spot). While these players don’t have draft grades, it is common to see players with PUDFA grades end up as late round fliers (Ex. George Holani, Emmanuel Wilson, Emari Demercado).
Reject - Prospects that do not have any realistic future in the NFL as a player. These players can have a future in other leagues (mainly UFL and CFL), but they often retire from the sport to pursue careers outside of football. The main reasons for lacking any NFL future is having the combination of poor athletic tools and frame.
GRADES
Jeremiyah Love (Blue Chip) - 6000 - 212 - Notre Dame - Jr
Pros
Good frame in terms of height, weight, and length
Long-limbed and carries weight well
Elite top speed to rip off big runs and stress pursuit angles
Big play threat whenever he gets past the second level
Good acceleration and reaches top speed quickly
Great fluidity as a ball carrier with the ability to cut and juke in stride
Can change tempos and speeds as a ball carrier
Good contact balance to stay up from ankle swipes and arm tackles
Good vision to hit the correct holes on run concepts
Capable of running skinny between gaps
Good range on his jump cuts to target different gaps
Creative ball carrier who uses spins and hurdles
Good pass catching ability with the ability to secure passes outside his frame
Showcases some good fluidity out of breaks as an out-wide route runner
Cons
Wide-back usage is more gimmicky than a true-mismatch weapon right now
Has the tools, but he needs to develop better fakes and releases
Lacks great anchoring ability when picking up free rushers as a pass blocker
Needs to get lower in his pads to be better squaring up with defenders
Potentially too lean in his frame to be a good NFL pass blocker
Jadarian Price (Early Day Two) - 5105 - 203 - Notre Dame - Jr
Pros
Protoypical frame in terms of height, weight, and length
Good range on his jump cuts to target different gaps
Great acceleration as a runner and is explosive out of his cuts
Good fluidity as a ball carrier with the ability to cut and juke in stride
Good contact balance to brush off arm tackles
Good vision to hit the correct holes on run concepts
Capable of running skinny between gaps
Extremely hard runner that grinds out dirty yards
Good pass catching ability with the ability to secure passes outside his frame
Cons
Average long speed when he does reach the open field
Needs to get better at anchoring down against defenders
Potentially lacks the frame to be a good pass blocker
Limited sample size as a pass catcher
*Achilles injury in 2022
Rahsul Faison (Mid-to-Late Day Two)* - 5107 - 208 - South Carolina - (RS) Sr
Pros
Prototypical frame in terms of height, weight, and length
Good fluidity as a ball carrier to cut in stride
Good acceleration as an athlete
Good jump cut range to target multiple gaps
Good blocker with good trunkiness to take on defenders square-on
Good vision to hit the correct holes on run concepts
Great usage of his jump cut to change his targeted gap
Good ball skills and tracking for a RB
Return man upside due to his ball skills and athletic tools
Cons
Average build-up and breakaway speed
Mediocre contact balance and goes down easily with contact
Not going to get dirty, tough yardage
Needs to be more effective when chipping in pass protection
*Old player who will be 26 year old rookie
Mike Washington Jr (Mid-to-Late Day Two) - 6010 - 223 - Arkansas - (RS) Sr
Pros
Great positional size, length, and weight
Good range on his jump cuts as a runner
Great breakaway speed and long speed for a large RB
Capable of breaking off long runs in the open field
Good contact balance to brush off tacklers
Size shows up when chipping and when he is anchoring as a blocker
Good vision to hit the correct holes on run concepts
Great blocking potential due to his size
Cons
Mediocre fluidity to change directions and cut in space
Poor at cutting back to hit the cutback lane on run concepts
Poor run-blocking technique when cutting or remaining square
Needs to be more consistent making firm, active contact with his hands
Body catcher who needs to secure the ball outside his frame more consistently
Build-up speed athlete that needs a run way to reach his top speed
J’Mari Taylor (Mid-to-Late Day Two) - 5091 - 199 - Virginia- (RS) Sr
Pros
Prototypical frame in terms of height, weight, and length
Good fluidity as a runner to cut in stride to affect defenders’ angles
Creative ball carrier who uses jukes and cuts
Good contact balance to bounce defenders and brush off arm tackles
Good range on his jump cuts to target different gaps
Great blocker with good trunkiness to take on defenders square-on
Good aggressiveness when cracking or chipping defenders
Good pass catcher with good ball skills to secure the ball outside his frame
Good route salesmanship at the stem of the route for a RB
Return upside due to his ball skills, fluidity, and ball carrier creativity
Cons
Average acceleration and breakaway speed
Has to be more aggressive accessing his cutback lane on run concepts
He has the range and fluidity to get better at this
Questionable decision-making as a ball carrier using his cuts
Cuts into the wrong gap or does not use the open rush lanes
*Older prospect that will be a 24 year old rookie
Nicholas Singleton (Early Day Three) - 6000 - 219 - Penn State - Sr
Pros
Good frame in terms of height, weight, and length
Good breakaway speed when in the open field
Great blocker with good trunkiness to take on defenders square-on
Good pass catcher with good ball skills and ball tracking
Elite kick return prospect due to athletic tools and experience
Cons
Horrible stiffness as an athlete and struggles to cut in space
Poor acceleration and takes a long time to reach his top speed
Horrible jump cut range without the ability to target multiple gaps
Unnable to use cutback lanes effectively
Needs better consistency hitting the correct hole on outside zone
Not capable of changing his target gap once he is in stride
May be a pure kick returner in the NFL
*Broken foot in the Senior Bowl that likely forces him to miss time as a rookie
Le’Veon Moss (Early Day Three)* - 5106 - 203 - Texas A&M - Sr
Pros
Prototypical frame in terms of height, weight, and length
Good contact balance to break arm tackles
Good blocker with good trunkiness to take on defenders square-on
Good physicality when cutting and chipping
Willing to lower the shoulder for tough yards
Good vision to hit the correct holes on run concepts
Good at running skinny between blocks
Cons
Average positional athlete in terms of acceleration and top speed
Capable of winning angles and getting big runs
Limited pass-catching ability in college
Some stiffness as an athlete with mediocre lateral ability
Limited jump cut range and cannot target multiple gaps effectively
One cut-and-run runner without much wiggle in the open field
Questionable return ability due a lack of pass catching or returning
Could be answered at pro day or combine
*Missed major time in 2024 and 2025 due to injuries
Adam Randall (Early Day Three)* - 6025 - 233 - Clemson - Senior
Pros
Elite positional size, height, and weight
WR to RB convert who is still only a year into the position convert
Good breakaway speed for someone his size
Can win angles on defenders going laterally
Can rip off big runs when in the open field
Good contact balance to brush off arm tackles
Size gives high-end potential as a pass blocker
Great pass catching ability for a RB due to WR background
Good range on his jump cuts to target other gaps as a runner
Good kick returner due to experience and athletic tools
Cons
Extremely stiff athlete with limited ability to cut in stride
Struggles to cut back on toss and outside zone concepts
High-cut one-cut and run running style
Poor acceleration limits his upside as a ball carrier
Inconsistent blocking technique and needs to position his frame better
Likely gets better as this is his first year being asked to block
Overly patient as a ball carrier and waits too long in the backfield
Lacks physicality as a ball carrier and does not use his frame fully
*Constant injury issues with an ACL tear in 2022, broken hand in 2023, and foot stress fracture in 2024
Jonah Coleman (Mid-to-Late Day Three) - 5084 - 220 - Washington - Sr
Pros
Thick frame with great size for a smaller RB
Good fluidity as a runner to change direction mid-stride
Ok contact balance to brush off arm tackles
Good creativity as a runner to change angles and use cuts to affect defenders
Good vision to hit the correct holes on run concepts
Willingness to lower the shoulder to be physical as a ball carrier
Aggressive and active pass protector who is willing to crack block
Needs to be more willing to be square and punch in pass pro consistently
Has the frame to anchor down more effectively
Solid salesmanship at the stem as a route runner
Good hands and consistently secures the ball outside his frame
Potential PR upside due to fluidity and hands
Cons
Extremely slow top speed limits big play potential in the open field
Poor acceleration limits his ability to force defenders to miss in space
Limited jump cut range and cannot target multiple gaps effectively
Easy to tackle when defenders are square and wrap up
Lacks the speed to win angles on toss/wide zone concepts
Kaytron Allen (Mid-to-Late Day Three - 5111 - 216 - Penn State - Sr
Pros
Good frame in terms of height, weight, and length
Good vision to hit the correct holes on run concepts
Good blocker with good trunkiness to take on defenders square-on
Solid hands with the ability to secure passes outside his frame
Good contact balance to brush off arm tackles
Cons
Horrible acceleration and long speed athlete
Struggles to breakaway from defenders
Not going to win angles on outside zone/toss concepts
Stiff athlete without the ability to cut in stride
Limited jump cut range and cannot target multiple gaps effectively
Noah Whittington (Mid-to-Late Day Three) - 5075 - 205 - Oregon - (SR) Sr
Pros
Good speed and acceleration athlete
Good contact balance for his size to break arm tackles
Good physicality and effort for a smaller back
Good ball skills for a RB and can secure passes outside his frame
Needs to get better at adjusting to passes and tracking balls
Good vision to hit the correct holes on run concepts
Good blocking technique to square up with blitzers
Special teams ace with experience on kick/punt units
Good kick returner due to athletic tools and experience
Cons
Undersized in terms of height, weight, and length
Poor fluidity for a small back and struggles to cut in stride
Mediocre jump cut range to target multiple gaps
Limited ability as a blocker due to his frame
Eli Heidenreich (Mid-to-Late Day Three) - 5112 - 198 - Navy - Sr
Pros
Solid positional fluidity and acceleration
Good fluidity as a route runner to speed cut
Solid deceleration as a route runner to square cut
Great blocker who can anchor down square against free rushers
Good lead blocker on sweeps and as a FB/TE
Impressive flashes of contested catch ability for a RB
Good ball tracking and adjustment to passes downfield
Special teams ace who has experience covering kicks/punts
Punt return upside due to his fluidity and ball tracking
Cons
Undersized frame in terms of weight
Mediocre top speed athlete who plays slower than testing
Struggles to break away from defenders
Not going to win angles on outside zone
Odd offensive role in Navy’s option offense
Very limited experience reading blocks on non-sweeps
Poor contact balance when contacted by defenders
Poor ball skills with a tendency to body catch
Has drops and bobbles on tape
Linear ball carrier that does use jukes or jump cuts to find the open field
Jam Miller (Mid-to-Late Day Three) - 5095 - 209 - Alabama - Sr
Pros
Good positional weight for a shorter back
Good activity as a pass blocker when looking for work as a blocker
Good trunkiness to take on free rushers as a blocker
Flashes solid long speed when he is given open rush lanes
Great flashes of blocking flashes in pass protection with good chipping reps
Willing to lower his shoulder to get extra yardage
Good special teams experience with coverage usage
Cons
Mediocre athlete in terms of acceleration who players slower than testing
Struggles to break away from defenders
Not going to win angles on outside zone
Stiff, linear athlete without much ability to cut in stride
Mediocre jump cut range limits his ability to target multiple gaps
Needs to make faster decisions as a ball carrier
Inconsistent hands as a pass catcher with body catches on tape
Demon Caliborne (Mid-to-Late Day Three) - 5094 - 188 - Wake Forest - Sr
Pros
Great athlete in terms of acceleration and long speed
Homerun threat whenever he can get into the open field
Solid fluidity to cut in space and take varied angles
Solid contact balance for a smaller RB to brush off arm tackles
Good ball skills to adjust to poor passes and secure balls outside his frame
Solid effort as a blocker and does more than other smaller RBs
Good KR ability and production due to his athletic tools
Cons
Extremely short and slim frame
Built more like a WR than a RB
Questions on blocking ceiling and ball security
Limited between-the-tackles ability as a ball carrier
Easily taken down on first contact
Needs to use cuts and lateral agility more between the tackles
Limited third-down ability due to him lacking the size to be a good blocker
Robert Henry Jr (PUDFA)* - 5087 - 196 - UTSA - Sr
Pros
Good contact balance to brush off arm tackles
Solid jump cut to hit the hole on run concepts
Fluid runner that is capable of changing angles well in stride
Solid long speed to break off big runs when in the open field
Good vision to hit the correct holes on run concepts
Great effort as a runner and fights for extra yards
Puts effort into chipping in pass protection
Cons
Undersized back with a thin, short frame
Poor size and strength limit his abilities in blitz pick up
Not shifty or twitchy for a smaller RB
One-cut and run running style
Unable to break tackles by lowering the shoulder
Goes down easily when defenders take good angles and wrap up well
Limited special teams experience on returns or coverage
*Old
Seth McGowan (PUDFA)* - 5115 - 223 - Kentucky - Senior
Pros
Good positional height, weight, and length
Physical player who is willing to take on extra contact as a runner
Good blocker who is willing to blow up defenders
Good lead blocker on sweeps
Good at squaring up with blitzing defenders
Good vision to hit the correct holes on run concepts
Smart runner who uses angles to get extra yardage in the open field
Good creativity to use cuts to mess with defenders’ approach angles
Cons
Poor acceleration athlete who plays slower than testing
Unable to win angles on toss/wide zone
Struggles to break away from defenders
Stiff and upright runner with limited lateral mobility and agility
Limited jump cut range to target multiple gaps
Inconsistent pass-catching ability with bobbles, drops, and double catches
Limited third down upside due to hands
Limited special teams ability outside of blocking
*Old player that took two years away from football due to legal issues (charges for robbery, conspiracy/assault/battery with a dangerous weapon)
Kaelon Black (PUDFA) - 5093 - 213 - Indiana - (RS) Sr
Pros
Good positional weight for a shorter back
Good vision to hit the correct holes on run concepts
Physical runner who gets good leg drive in tough yard situations
Great blocker who can anchor down square against free rushers
Special teams experience with snaps on kick/punt coverage
Cons
Poor speed and acceleration athlete
Unable to win angles on toss/wide zone
Struggles to break away from defenders
Limited experience as a pass catcher in college
Extremely stiff athlete without the ability to cut in stride
Very limited ball carrier and struggles to change his targeted gap
Limited jump cut range when cutting in space
*Old player that will be a 25 year old rookie
Roman Hemby (PUDFA) - 5115 - 205 - Indiana - (RS) Sr
Pros
Prototypical frame in terms of height, weight, and length
Good vision to hit the correct holes on run concepts
Willing to run skinny between blocks
Solid contact balance can stay upright from arm tackles
Great blocker who can anchor down square against free rushers
Aggressive when chipping in pass protection
Cons
Poor speed and acceleration athlete
Unable to win angles on toss/wide zone
Struggles to break away from defenders
Good pass catching ability with good ball tracking and adjustment to passes
Extremely stiff athlete without the ability to cut in stride
Very limited ball carrier and struggles to change his targeted gap
Limited jump cut range when cutting in space
*Old player that will be a 25 year old rookie
Emmett Johnson (PUDFA) - 5102 - 202 - Nebraska - (RS) Jr
Pros
Good ball skills to secure the ball outside his frame as a pass catcher
Flashes solid salesmanship at the stem of routes
Creative runner who uses cuts to affect defenders’ angles
Solid contact balance to brush off arm tackles
Punt return upside due to his ball tracking and hands
Cons
Slimmer body type with mediocre weight
Poor speed and acceleration athlete
Not a significant threat to break away from defenders
Inconsistent at winning angles on outside zone
Mediocre jump cut range to target multiple gaps
Stiff athlete without much wiggle or twitch for a smaller RB
Goes down easy when defenders tackle him square
Questionable decision-making in the open field using his cuts
Needs to be more aggressive running into open space
Poor blocker who struggles to effectively square up with free rushers
Desmond Reid (UDFA)* - 5056 - 174 - Pitt - Sr
Pros
Good fluidity and quickness to cut in stride
Good acceleration as an athlete and reaches his top speed quickly
Good jump cut range for his size due to lateral explosiveness
Good route runner with good salesmanship at the stem of routes
Willingness to go low on defenders and chip as a blocker
Cons
Tiny RB with outlier height, weight, and length
Mediocre breakaway speed for a player his size
Instantly goes down to contact from defenders
Questionable hands for a route-running and return prospect
Bobbles, drops, and double catches on tape
Inconsistent tracking and securing punts
Questionable decision making as a ball carrier
Poor decisions in the open field, on returns, and reading blocks
*Missed several games in 2025 due to injury
Jamal Haynes (UDFA) - 5065 - 184 - Georgia Tech - Sr
Pros
Solid acceleration and breakaway speed as an athlete
Good pass catching ability in terms of ball tracking and ball skills
Willing to go low as when cracking defenders
Creative ball carrier willing to use cuts to affect defenders’ angles
Solid contact balance for a smaller RB
Return man upside due to his ball skills and athletic tools
Cons
Tiny RB with outlier height, weight, and length
Stiff athlete who does not have much wiggle in space
Limited jump cut range to target multiple gaps
Size limits his ability to pick up free rushers as a blocker
Dean Connors (Camp) - 5113 - 206 - Houston - Sr
Pros
High-effort blocker who is willing to go low when crack blocking
Good hands and the ability to adjust to poorly placed passes
Special teams ability with experience on punt/kick coverage
Potential return upside due to hands and ball tracking
Cons
Mediocre size with a lanky build for a RB
Looks smaller than his listed weight
Lacks the frame to pick up free rushers square
Bad athlete in terms of acceleration and speed
Inable to win angles on outside zone/toss concepts
Stiff athlete without the ability to cut in stride
Bad jump cut range and is unable to target multiple gaps
CJ Donaldson (Camp) - 6011 - 230 - Ohio State - Sr
Pros
Elite positional size, length, and weight
Physical back who is willing to dive forward for yards
Good blocker who can anchor down square against free rushers
Good contact balance to brush off arm tackles
Cons
Tall high-cut RB who is a one-cut and run back
High-pad level limit his ability to be goal-line/powerback
Stiff athlete without cutting ability in stride
Horrible athlete in terms of acceleration and breakaway speed
Limited pass catching usage in college
Flashes of ball skills to secure the ball outside his frame
Cash Jones (Camp) - 5106 - 180 - Georgia - (RS) Sr
Pros
Solid acceleration and fluidity as a ball carrier
Solid hands and pass catching ability for a RB
Special teams ace with extensive experience on all phases
Cons
Extremely undersized RB that is built like a WR
Mediocre speed to pull away from defenders
Practically zero value taking carries
Too small to block on blitz pick up
Star Thomas (Reject) - 5106 - 209 - Tennessee - Sr
Pros
Prototypical frame in terms of height, weight, and length
High-effort blocker who is willing to be aggressive crack blocking
Experience on punt and kick coverage
Cons
Stiff athlete without much ability to cut in stride
Mediocre speed and acceleration as an athlete
Struggles to breakaway from defenders
Can not win angles on outside zone/toss concepts
Limited jump cut range to target multiple gaps
Limited pass catching ability
Davon Booth (Reject) - 5084 - 202 - Mississippi State - (RS) Sr
Pros
Solid positional weight for a shorter back
Gutsy blocker who is willing to put his face in the fan
Plays above his weight as a runner and runs physically
Cons
Mediocre speed and acceleration as an athlete
Struggles to breakaway from defenders
Can not win angles on outside zone/toss concepts
Stiffer athlete without the ability to cut in stride
Poor for a smaller RB
Poor jump cut range makes targeting multiple gaps difficult
Questionable hands with bobbles and drops on tape
Poor hands and athletic tools limit his special teams ability
No experience as a coverage team player
Date Published: 03/01/2026
Date Last Updated: 03/01/2026
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