With the NFL Combine in the rearview mirror, it is a good time to look at some of the prospects who improved their draft stock during the week at Indianapolis, or at least proved that “They are who we thought they were.”
So, without further ado, let’s kick off this party started like we’re the Black Eyed Peas, with a position group that is one of the most polarizing and also one of the biggest
needs the Kansas City Chiefs have heading into the new league year: running backs.
1. Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
Almost every draft analyst worth their salt has had Love going in the top 10 of the draft since before Thanksgiving. He’s one of the few prospects whose draft stock has never wavered throughout this process, and the combine only solidified this further, proving that he is clearly the top dog and a one-of-one prospect.
There is no other running back who comes close to matching his explosiveness and speed, or who has the complete package in the receiving game like Love does.
Love’s blistering 40-yard dash time of 4.36 seconds is evident in his on-field workout, but a lot of guys can run fast in a straight line. Love’s footwork and agility are lightning quick, and the tempo with which he gets in and out of his cuts is the sort of thing where if you blink, you’ll miss it.
Most of all, he passes the eye test. You can put on any drill he ran, or any game he played in this year, and when you watch him, you can just tell this guy is different than every other player on the field.
2. Jadarian Price, Notre Dame
I almost feel bad for Jadarian Price. Because when I say that Love looks a step above everyone else on the field, it’s Price who is often engulfed by Love’s shadow. But you put him on any other team besides Notre Dame in 2025, and he would be the main guy and grab headlines in his own right.
Kudos to Price, though, for not being petty or as jealous as other players might have been in his shoes. While Price’s 4.49 40-yard dash is not nearly as electric as Love’s, it’s still a respectable mark.
Price was as smooth as butter in the on-field drills. The lateral quickness in his jump cuts was impossible to ignore. His footwork was clean and sharp, and he ran with decisiveness. And while he is not as good as his teammate, a team will still get 80% of Love in the second round instead of having to spend a top-10 pick on a running back.
3. Kaytron Allen, Penn State
5-feet-11, 216-pound Allen is known as more as a bruiser — someone who will run between the tackles and get the hard yards you need — than a guy who will bounce the run outside and break off an 80-yard gain. That being said, Allen was quite effective with the opportunities presented to him at Penn State, leaving the school as the university’s all-time leading rusher. This is the same school that has produced greats such as Saquon Barkley and Franco Harris, so being the school’s rushing king means something.
While Allen only ran the 40-yard dash in 4.65 seconds, it was the on-field drills that impressed those watching. Much like the two running backs on this list before him, Allen’s footwork looked effortless and clean, and he was decisive in his cuts. Allen may never be a three-down back in the league, but he has value as a short-yardage and goalline back, and would be the perfect running mate for a potential free-agent signing like Travis Ettienne.
4. Mike Washington Jr., Arkansas
A lot of casual fans learned the name Mike Washington Jr. during the Combine, when the former Arkansas Razorback posted a blistering 40-yard dash time of 4.33 seconds. This is more impressive when you realize he is 6 feet 1 inch tall and 223 pounds.
But don’t let his Derrick Henry-esque body fool you: Washington is a much faster and more explosive runner than Henry is. And while I do wish Washington Jr. had elected to participate in the on-field drills, his 40-time —coupled with a 39-inch vertical jump — solidified his place as the most slept on running back in this class.
I won’t directly call Washington Jr. a sleeper; he played in the SEC in 2025, went over 1,000 yards rushing and averaged 6.4 yards per carry. The draft analysts who didn’t know him before now were not paying attention.
Washington’s 40-time only solidified what we already knew: Washington Jr. is nighmare to contain, and can take a run to the house at any minute.
It was cool to see Washington get emotional after he ran. It’s easy to forget in these moments: we are literally watching a guy’s dreams come before our eyes.
5. Emmett Johnson Jr., Nebraska
Coming into the Combine, Johnson was securely my second-overall running back in this draft behind Jerimyah Love.
And he still is.
If you are only going by his Combine numbers, you might be wondering why. His 4.56-second result in the 40-yard dash had to be a disappointment to him, as was his 35.5-inch vertical and 7.32-second three-cone drill.
But here is the catch: while other guys cherry-picked which events they were going to compete in, Johnson did every single drill offered at the combine without skipping any. He was the only running back to run the 3-cone drill, and refused to play scared. Johnson came to compete, and he did. There is something to be said about knowing you’re going to do poorly at an event and choosing to do it anyway.
