As “30” visit season wraps Wednesday, the topic of where the draft’s top running backs will go resurfaces. Ashton Jeanty is viewed as this class’ top option, and a top-10 landing spot remains squarely in play for the 2024 Heisman runner-up. But the 2025 RB crop includes a host of options who could become early-season starters.
Ohio State rostered two of them, in 1,000-1,000 duo Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson, while Iowa (Kaleb Johnson) and North Carolina (Omarion Hampton) are sending two more to the draft. Hampton is viewed by most as the draft’s second-best RB option, but Henderson is a player that has gained steam since a 1,000-yard bounce-back effort after he decided to stay in school for his senior season. His combination of pass-game ability and pass protection has attracted teams, creating some late-first-round buzz.
A few teams already brought in the four-year Buckeyes contributor, but the Broncos and Steelers will beat the buzzer with meetings as well. Henderson met with the Steelers on Tuesday and is in Denver today, 9News’ Mike Klis tweets. The Steelers lost Najee Harris in free agency, while the Broncos did not bring back four-year regular Javonte Williams.
Denver is all but certain to draft a running back, while Pittsburgh has a recent history (Harris) of using a first-rounder on the position. While the Broncos have not taken a back in Round 1 since Knowshon Moreno in 2009, Sean Payton did so twice (Reggie Bush, Mark Ingram) with the Saints. Denver’s Jaleel McLaughlin–Audric Estime combo points to at worst a mid-round draft choice being en route; many mocks have the Broncos diving in earlier. The Steelers signed Kenneth Gainwell to pair with Jaylen Warren, the recipient of a second-round RFA tender. A quarterback at No. 21 may be the Steelers’ play, but they also would make sense as a team in the early-round RB mix.
Two others have emerged in connection to Hampton, who is expected to go off the board before Henderson. The Broncos are coming up around the league as a team that could draft Hampton, per Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline, who adds the Chargers and Texans are viewed as candidates to add the latest Tar Heels RB standout. Hampton is considered a first-round lock, per Pauline. The two-time college 1,000-yard rusher’s 4.46-second 40-yard time at the Combine may have solidified this status.
The Steelers also met with Hampton, joining the Cowboys, Giants and Bears. The latter trio holds picks in front of the Steelers, who sit at No. 21. So do the Broncos (No. 20), who also outflank the Chargers (22) and Texans (25). Hampton ripped off 1,504- and 1,660-yard rushing seasons in 2023 and ’24. He added 373 receiving yards (9.8 per catch) last season, upping his draft stock.
The Broncos turned to Chapel Hill to fill an RB need in the 2021 second round, taking Williams in GM George Paton‘s first draft. Payton is now the lead decision-maker in Denver, but the fifth-year GM still holds considerable say after staving off firing rumors during a bleak period headlined by the Russell Wilson and Nathaniel Hackett misses. The team also used “30” visits on Johnson and Judkins.
Connected to Saquon Barkley last year, Los Angeles and Houston have RB starters — in Harris and Joe Mixon — but could use younger talent to supplement the vets at the very least. Mixon has 1,816 carries on his odometer, while Harris accumulating 1,097 as a between-the-tackles grinder in Pittsburgh undoubtedly impacted his free agent stock.