2026 NFL Draft RB Rankings: CFN’s College Football Perspective

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You don’t need to take a running back early in the modern NFL.

Sure, it’s nice to have a Bijan Robinson, or a Jahmyr Gibbs, or a … ummmmm … that’s about it for the first round running backs taken over the last ten years who took the teams that drafted them to another level.

Saquon Barkley was great for the Giants, but he won a Super Bowl for the Eagles. Josh Jacobs was a terrific Raider, and he’s been an even better Packer.

Zach Charbonnet was Seattle’s best back last year, and Kenneth Walker was the Super Bowl MVP.

This year, though, there are two Notre Dame superstars up top, and then … that’s what Day Three is for.

From the college football perspective – doing this since 1998 – here are CFN’s 2026 NFL Draft Running Back rankings.

At a Glance: CFN Top 2026 NFL Draft RBs
– Jeremiyah Love (Notre Dame) – Best RB prospect since Saquon
– Jadarian Price (Notre Dame) – Elite, worthy of a top 20 pick
– Nicholas Singleton (Penn State) – The forgotten star
– Mike Washington Jr. (Arkansas) – Big, fast, experienced
– Emmett Johnson (Nebraska) – Do-it-all playmaker
– CFN 2026 Quarterback Rankings

Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love (4) runs the ball down the field during a NCAA college football game between Notre Dame and Louisville at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in South Bend. © MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

CFN 2026 NFL Draft RB Rankings: Two Notre Dame Stars Lead the Way

Best of the Rest Running Backs
(In alphabetical order, with the projected draft round in parentheses) Kaytron Allen, Penn State (5); CJ Donaldson, Ohio State (6); Roman Hemby, Indiana (5); Seth McGowan, Kentucky (6); J’Mari Taylor, Virginia (5)

Rahsul Faison

College: South Carolina
CFN RB Rank: 10
Projected Draft Round: 6
Height/Weight: 5-11, 208
2025 Stats: 470 yards, 4.9 ypc, 3 TD, 19 catches, 118 yards

After seven years in college, he’s ready. There’s nothing special about his game, but he’ll easily fit into a rotation.

Le’Veon Moss

College: Texas A&M
CFN RB Rank: 9
Projected Draft Round: 5
Height/Weight: 5-11, 203
2025 Stats: 404 yards, 5.2 ypc, 6 TD, 2 catches, 3 yards

Great when healthy, he doesn’t blast out the big runs, but he’s tough as nails.

Jonah Coleman

College: Washington
CFN RB Rank: 8
Projected Draft Round: 4
Height/Weight: 5-8, 220
2025 Stats: 758 yards, 4.9 ypc, 15 TD, 31 catches, 354 yards, 2 TD

A workhorse who can do a little of everything right, all that’s missing is the raw wheels.

Adam Randall

College: Clemson
CFN RB Rank: 7
Projected Draft Round: 4
Height/Weight: 6-3, 232
2025 Stats: 814 yards, 4.8 ypc, 10 TD, 36 catches, 254 yards, 1 TD

Massive, quick, and with lots of tread on the tires, there’s a lot to like, but he takes a massive beating

Oct 11, 2025; Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA; Clemson Tigers running back Adam Randall (8) reacts to his touchdown against the Boston College Eagles during the first half at Alumni Stadium.© Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Demond Claiborne

College: Wake Forest
CFN RB Rank: 6
Projected Draft Round: 5
Height /Weight: 5-10, 188
2025 Stats: 907 yards, 5.1 ypc, 10 TD, 28 catches, 140 yards

Really, really fast. He might not be big, but some team will find an all-purpose role for him.

Emmett Johnson

College: Nebraska
CFN RB Rank: 5
Projected Draft Round: 4
Height/Weight: 5-10, 202
2025 Stats: 1,451 yards, 5.8 ypc, 12 TD, 46 catches, 370 yards, 3 TD

It’s not an overstatement to say he was the Nebraska offense last year. Great receiver and can blast as a runner.

Mike Washington Jr.

College: Arkansas
CFN RB Rank: 4
Projected Draft Round: 3
Height/Weight: 6-1, 223
2025 Stats: 1,070 yards, 6.4 ypc, 8 TD, 28 catches, 226 yards, 1 TD

Very big, very fast, and very experienced, he’s a do-it-all back if he’s in the right scheme.

Nicholas Singleton

College: Penn State
CFN RB Rank: 3
Projected Draft Round: 4
Height/Weight: 6-0, 219
2025 Stats: 549 yards, 4.5 ypc, 13 TD, 24 catches, 219 yards, 1 TD

It’s like everyone forgot how good he is. Fast, big, and with return skills, he’ll find a big role for someone.

Jadarian Price

College: Notre Dame
CFN RB Rank: 2
Projected Draft Round: 2
Height/Weight: 5-11, 203
2025 Stats: 674 yards, 6 ypc, 11 TD, 6 catches, 87 yards, 2 TD, 37.5 yards per kick return, 2 TD

No, he won’t be your workhorse back, but he’ll be dangerous whenever he gets the ball in his hands. Once he turns into more of a receiver, look out – he’ll be a weapon in all three phases.

Jeremiyah Love

College: Notre Dame
CFN RB Rank: 1
Projected Draft Round: 1
Height/Weight: 6-0, 212
2025 Stats: 1,372 yards, 6.9 ypc, 18 TD, 27 catches, 280 yards, 3 TD

Let’s go there. He’s not quite Saquon, but he’s the second-best NFL-caliber back to come out in at least a decade.

If possible, he could go in the top ten and still be grossly underdrafted.

There is no real knock unless you’re trying to make something up to be different, with the perfect combination of size and home run hitting speed.

Throw in his receiving skills, quickness through the hole, and smarts at making the right read and cut, and he’s the rare franchise back you revolve everything around.

Best Value Prospect

Nicholas Singleton, Penn State
It’s easy to have forgotten what the college football world looked like last year at this time. Penn State was coming off a run to the CFP semifinals, and just about everyone was back in what was supposed to be a special season.

Singleton was coming off a 1,099-yard, 12-touchdown 2024, but he was lost in the train wreck of a Nittany Lion season. He still scored 14 touchdowns, and he still has the speed and skills to be someone’s No. 1 back.

Top Sleeper Prospect

Roman Hemby, Indiana
There’s little second-level blast, and he caught a beating over his career with 840 touches at Maryland and Indiana, but did you see anyone stop him on a big short-yardage play last season? He forces tackles to make business decisions.

Will Go Too Early

Mike Washington, Jr., Arkansas
The only reason he’s in this category is that he’ll probably be the third back off the board and sneak into Day Two.

Built like an NFL running back and with the wheels of a corner, he’s an intriguing pick who blew up for Arkansas after spending his first three years at Buffalo and a fourth at New Mexico State.

The traits are too good to ignore, but his production came in the running-friendly Arkansas offense with plenty of big plays there for the taking.

CFN has covered every NFL Draft prospect from a college perspective since 1998.

This story was originally published by College Football News on Apr 14, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL Draft section. Add College Football News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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